Meet Cath, an ex-primary school teacher, double business owner, mum of two, and a military spouse. This is her MCN Story.
Cath started her professional life as a primary school teacher here in the UK. However, when her husband was posted to the Czech Republic, and having already spent 5 years living married unaccompanied, Cath and her husband decided this time to move the whole family overseas so they could be together.
It was whilst overseas that her journey as a freelance copywriter began. It is also when she first discovered the MCN.
“Another military wife introduced me to the MCN. In fact, my first touchpoint was through the online events they run, which have helped me immensely both in my personal and business development journeys.
“Not only was I able to learn how to establish and run a successful business, but I could also speak to other military wives and partners about the difficulties military life can bring.
“Running a business is hard. Being a military wife, taking care of the children and the house on my own when the husband is away, and all the worries that come with it is also very hard, so having an online community whilst in a foreign country, where I could talk about these issues and get reassurance from other women made things more manageable. In fact, the Online Community was a real godsend for me.”
Whilst building a copywriting business, writing blogs, producing website copy, and newsletters for small businesses back in the UK, Cath decided she wanted to share her experience with other military spouses who also wanted to start their own freelance businesses. The seed was sown for her Academy Programme, Summit & Stream.
“Having a business I can pick up wherever I am in the world, makes military life that little bit easier to manage - and I wanted to share that with other like-minded women who are in the same situation”
Summit & Stream has evolved from a podcast to a freelancer’s retreat, and now to a 6-month academy programme.
Through Summit & Stream: The Academy, Cath works alongside other military wives and partners that are in the start-up stage of their business.
Using her teaching background, each month Cath teaches the members various elements, a series of topics, that will become the base of a solid business, from looking at their mission, vision & values, to business structure and finances.
Currently living unaccompanied again, Cath and the children are soon to move to Tidworth.
“Although I’ve not lived on a camp/base yet, I’ve never felt isolated from the military community. The MCN has been an important connecting point for me, allowing me to grow and develop, and connect with people who share my lived experience and understand me, remotely.
“With that being said, the first thing I’ll be doing when we move to Tidworth is to become a member of the Bulford Coworking Hub. I’ve already trialled it, and it was fabulous. I can’t wait to be part of the physical coworking community too, and I feel certain that both the Online and Hub Community will continue to support me both emotionally and professionally throughout my military life, and beyond.”
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