Description/Abstract
The Accidental Entrepreneur is the second narrative profile in the Reimagining Military Spouse Employment series, a companion to the initiative's data briefs. Through the story of a mid-career military spouse who builds a business after repeated career disruptions, it examines why many spouses turn to entrepreneurship and what stands in their way. The profile covers the barriers spouses face when starting a business, including access to funding, certifications, and grants, along with the reality that self-employment does not eliminate the military spouse earnings penalty. It offers guidance for military spouses considering entrepreneurship and for the community leaders positioned to support them.
Document Type
Report
Disciplines
Military and Veterans Studies
Extent
16 pages
DCMI Type
Text
Keywords
Military spouses, Military spouse employment, Entrepreneurship, Self-employment, Small business, Military families, Underemployment, Career continuity, Financial security, Veterans
Publisher
Institute for Veterans and Military Families at Syracuse University
Date
7-2026
Language
English
Recommended Citation
Barnhill, Jennifer; Maury, Rosalinda; and Harvie, Jeanette, "The Accidental Entrepreneur: How Military Spouses Take Their Careers into Their Own Hands" (2026). Institute for Veterans and Military Families. 526.
https://surface.syr.edu/ivmf/526
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
