The term "portable career" is often thrown around within military circles with reference to the ideal occupations for spouses. Arranging days at the office around deployments, the needs of the kids' and the general chaos that sometimes comes as part of the military lifestyle can make finding a job difficult. Then there's the need to be portable since PCSing is unavoidable.
Many sites list nursing and teaching as the best portable careers, but both still require waiting for a job to open up and working outside the home, not to mention the education and certifications involved. Also listed in the top three are direct sales, which afford spouses the ability to work from home when they choose and bring in supplemental income.
Lyndsy Deskins started selling Lia Sophia jewelry about 18 months ago while she and her family were stationed in Germany. The jewelry line, which has been around for 30 years, is known for its affordable fashion jewelry and has a workforce of thousands of "advisors" worldwide.
"There weren't many jobs for the wives in Germany, so doing this was the easiest way I could earn some money," explained Deskins. "Plus this was a great way for the wives to socialize over there."
Last September, when her husband, Spc. Robert Deskins, was transferred to the 555th Engineer Brigade on Joint Base Lewis-McChord, she needed to transport her business. Unfortunately, the transition hasn't been seamless. Since moving to Washington, she has struggled to find a foothold in the market and is unsure whether it is the stateside economy or just the difference in the installation's social atmosphere. In 10 months, she's hosted just two shows and often has a problem with hosts and guests backing out at the last minute.
Yet, Deskins believes in her product and refuses to stop trying. To see more of what she and Lia Sophia have to offer, visit www.liasophia.com/lyndsydeskins.com.
For Tabitha Gant, the motivation to pursue direct sales came strictly from a need for some extra income. Eleven years ago Gant was on active duty working as a Black Hawk mechanic, was married to (now) Sgt. Bobby Gant and mom to a 4-year-old and a 4-month-old.
"I couldn't cook, and I was invited to a Pampered Chef party, so I figured why not?" Gant said with a laugh. The company, which was started in 1980, is viewed as the next frontier for Tupperware and sells a high-end line of kitchen tools, gadgets and foods.
When Gant got out of the Army in 2003, she continued to work as a consultant because it was a good fit for her life.
"It allows me to be there for the kids during deployments," Gant said. "With my husband's schedule (in the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment) it allows me to be flexible when he can't."
Her main reason for continuing, though, is the social interaction. Recently she attended the Pampered Chef national conference in Chicago and said she returned feeling re-energized about the products she is selling.
Gant feels that she regularly learns of new clients and honestly doesn't think the JBLM area is saturated with other consultants. Having been here for over six years, she definitely has built a solid and reliable client base.
On average, she hosts six to eight shows a month and can clear close to $1,000 in profit from those. Additionally, she receives a 25 percent discount on her own purchases. To make a purchase or host a show, visit www.pamperedchef.biz/tabscooking.
Rita Mallory used Party Lite candles for quite a few years, and it was only when her daughter was selected to go to Australia with a school program that she looked into selling them to make some extra money. That was over seven years ago, and despite working a full-time job, Mallory keeps on moonlighting as a Party Lite consultant because, quite simply, she enjoys it.
Mallory, whose husband retired from the Army in 2008, knows that her core demographic consists of many military spouses.
"I understand what they need," Mallory said. "For instance, they might need to bring their kids to a show because their spouse is away, and I am fine with it. Other representatives might frown upon it, but I know it is a fact of life for them, so I work around it."