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Hi all! Just a couple of questions for those of you who are demos and are wives of military personnel...
1. Have most of the wing commanders allowed you to run a Stampin' Up business on the military bases?
2. What is the best way to get your business rolling once you move...AGAIN?
3. My DH is commissioning this April and we will be moving soon...(don't know where yet...) What is the best route to obtain permission to run the SU business on base (as we plan on living on base asap when we move) through the CO or NCOs?
Help Please...any advice will be muchly appreciated!
If you're staying CONUS can't help ya, but if you're going OCONUS, the bases seem to be willing to let you do it. Either way, stateside or not, my first suggestion would be to contact the housing office. They would be an excellent resource to let you know the rules and standards, guidelines, etc., with regard to running a business on their base. As for starting out... again, check into policies about posting flyers - 7-Day store, commissary, exchange, housing common areas, etc., and see about holding an opne house or stamp camp to get your name out there?
It almost feels surreal. He and I have been chatting online this morning and yes, we are all excited. Friday afternoon he should be home, we're all going to dinner Friday night, he wants me to fix biscuits and gravy for breakfast Saturday and then Saturday night I reserved a hotel room for him and I - LOL, his request. I have made arragements for my daughter already, and I'm sure I can "pawn my son off on someone."
I wouldn't think you'd have to get permission...why would you? We've never lived on base, but I know my other girlfriends have sold Southern Living, Longaberger, SU, and others...I don't remember them ever talking about having to "get permission".
I don't know. I'd go through housing like Karen said, but really I have no clue! Congrats on your DH's commission!
Alison
(AF Wife)
__________________ ~Alison
Raising children is like being pecked to death by a chicken.
I lived in Coast Guard Housing and had to get permission to be a Pampered Chef Consultant. They approved it without problem, but you do need permission to run a home-based busniness if you live in housing. I'm assuming its the same for all 5 branches.
My hubby is in the AF, and we have lived all over. If you are going to live on base, you do have to get permission to run a 'business'. If you are overseas, it will depend on what country you are in. The post office can also get picky if you are using your military address for business.
I just moved to DC (just got our household good yesterday) and I am worrying about starting over. I am doing a home-based business expo on base, so hopefully that will get me started.
Good luck with the move, the ladies on here are great, and will help you with any questions
Hello, a Marine Corps wife here. When I lived in military housing it never was an issue for us that were doing SU!, Pampered Chef and the like. When you get to housing all of the rules will be spelled out for you in your housing handbook. They (housing office) can also answer any questions about it you will have, if the handbook doesnt detail it enough. I have never been to a base that didnt allow it. I have only heard of them having problems with businesses that were an annoyance to the other housing members *such as increased traffic flow, noises, etc* and those that were increasing utility usage. Since SU! wouldnt really do any of that, I dont see it ever being a problem for you. Over 18 years of military lief so far and never ever had an issue with this.
I wouldn't think you'd have to get permission...why would you? We've never lived on base, but I know my other girlfriends have sold Southern Living, Longaberger, SU, and others...I don't remember them ever talking about having to "get permission".
I don't know. I'd go through housing like Karen said, but really I have no clue! Congrats on your DH's commission!
Alison
(AF Wife)
Technically we are suppose to get permission from the Commander of housing, but honestly I think MANY (if not MOST) dont do this and just ignore that rule. lol :-)
We own our home now and Im happy I dont ever have to worry about those rules again, because sometimes it was hard to keep up with them from base to base.
It almost feels surreal. He and I have been chatting online this morning and yes, we are all excited. Friday afternoon he should be home, we're all going to dinner Friday night, he wants me to fix biscuits and gravy for breakfast Saturday and then Saturday night I reserved a hotel room for him and I - LOL, his request. I have made arragements for my daughter already, and I'm sure I can "pawn my son off on someone."
** Sorry for the thread hijack!***
Sorry for the continuation of the threadjack (lol) but I wanted to say congratulations on him coming home! Homecomings are *THE* best!!
One base had a list of all the home based businesses on the Enlisted and Officer's Wives club newletters.
I think overall the military life is very suited to home based businesses. We all come and go so much when someone moves she will look for a new SU rep. Word travels fast.
It may take a little while but if you have an Open House when you move in and then again in a few months you should do well.
You may be able to teach a class at the skills developement center/hobby shop. I have seen many CM demos do that.
Yes, if you live on base technically you do have to get permission. I think this is mandated in an Air Force Regulation so rules should apply to all Air Force bases...however, I do know many bases "interpret" things how they feel...and housing is no exception.
From my experience, the last 2 bases we lived at required you to be "approved" through the base commander. But the housing offices had the required forms to fill out along with all the places you had to go to get approval before the base commander would even look at it (like the safety office, military public health if you are doing any sort of food business, etc.). It only took me a couple hours...oh, and the legal office is another. They have to make sure that what you're selling doesn't compete directly with AAFES (at least that's what legal at my last base told me).
I am not living on base now so don't have to go through all those "hoops".
As far as the moving part goes, I posted a note in the demo chat regarding what my accountant told me and here's the link: Forums at Splitcoaststampers
Thanks for the help! It's nice to know what to expect...I grew up in the AF, but have never dealt with this sort of thing before!
My mom says that this falls under the "morale" category and that most AF bases are very accommodating in this respect. I just wanted to get a "inside scoop" with SU businesses.
As for my husband and I...we still haven't got PCS orders...or any orders for that matter. So here we wait...anxiously...just waiting!
However, I'm sure NONE of you have ever had the "hurry up and wait" syndrome! LOL
Air Force wife here. Basically all you have to do is notify housing and your DH's commander just types up a memo for record stating he "knows" you are doing this and approves. I also own a medical billing company and they have no issues with doing it for me anywhere we have been and we are even oconus now(hawaii). Post office is picky if your personal name doesnt appear and only a business addy. They can't say or do anything if your personal name also appears.
Hope this helps and
HELLO FELLOW MILITARY WIVES....GO BLUE!!!!!!!!!!!
__________________ ~ Kris ~
StampinAFWife
Air Force Wife, infant-2-teen mother, Stamper
Location: Beaufort, SC- living a proud Navy life!!!!
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Yes welcome to the military. The hurry up and wait game is great fun :?
When I lived overseas we had to have base permission and also had to go through the legal office. Just contact base legal and they will be able to tell you if you have to do anything special. Welcome to the family
As far as I know, the only problem you might have would be with a cash and carry type business. Aafes has a contract with the government to be on the base, and you can't have a business that competes with them. Housing would be able to find the regulations that would answer your question, though.
Army wife here. So far I've done a home business on each base we've been on and the rules have been drastically different. Start with the housing office and find out what your particular base requires.
One base I was at required us to give a catalog with prices, a photo of ourselves (that was turned into a type of ID badge that we had to show on request while conducting business). Another base simply wanted to know my name, addy , phone and what I was selling for his database.
If you are OCONUS SU gives you a form that needs to be filled out either by the base commander or your husband's company commander. It acknowledges that you are indeed overseas, your arrival date, and if you are allowed to sell on post or not. I happen to have a copy of it in PDF format if you want to see a copy of it. Just e-mail me.
Good luck with your move!
I really agree with all that has been said, it depends on the base. I KNOW you have to get permission to solicite on the base or at least here at Fort Jackson.
I do also believe in your e-mail you asked about relocating your business and how hard it is or how you get started or something like that.. If not then I apologize for the endless babble that is going to come next...
There are a lot of things you can do when you relocate. The first thing I would suggest if you haven't moved yet is to do one last big open house type thing so you can go out with a bang and have your "sales" for the month to carry you over for a little bit. I am not sure how Stampin' UP! works as far as monthly sales so if this doesn't pertain to you, I am sorry..
Anyway, when you move there are quite a few things you can do to solicite your business. Talk about it everywhere you go to the new people you meet. Introduce yourself to the neighbors and mention it somewhere in the conversation that you are a demo and would love to show them how you use stampin up or even better for you if they ask if you need anything try asking them to host a party for you so you can "meet" the neighbors or get to know some people. If you have kids, the end of the school year is coming up and you can make sure to send a handmade something in for the end of year party or gifts for the teacher.
This all seems like stuff you might already be doing and if so great.. If not and you need some more ideas, PM me and I can e-mail you a paper that I have about relocating your business. I have been a Consultant for 6 1/2 years and have moved 4 times and had 3 children with my business so I have had to start over a few times.. Please, let me know if I can help..
I have not had any problems at the two bases that my husband and I have lived on...I asked housing when we got here and both times they really said We don't care about that stuff, do what you want. Were are you being stationed, seeing that there are lots of demos interested in your post maybe someone is at the base youare going to or has been stationed there and can clue you into who to contact and what hoops you will need to jump through. I know when I asked at the fist base....Laughlin AFB, I also checked with a CM Con., and a Pampered Chef Con. and they confirmed that we just had to let housing know...but they didn't care and didn't have to fill out a form...and to just clue your husbands commmander in on what you are doing so if anyone asks him about he doesn't look stupid.
As far as starting over, have an Open House, ask one of the other Demos on base if you could swap parties, see if they have a craft fair you could create a booth for, and see if a someone in the spouses club will host. I also got a random from town that found me off the demo locator.
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I'm a Navy wife and I know here on our base I had to get a paper from legal, take it around to MWR, commissary, exchange, housing and post office. They all had to sign, giving me permission to sell. After that, I had to turn it back in to the legal office and I was good to go. But being in a foreign country I have some restrictions. I'm not allowed to sell to foreign nationals nor am I allowed to do workshops off base. Each branch is different as to what they want done and how they want it done. Good Luck!
Sounds like you got your answer! BUT I wanted to add a couple things ~ you really need to check with the Community Center and the Skills Development Centers and see if they are set up to offer classes already ~ you could go in under a contract to have teach classes at these centers - They will advertise for you in the base paper and on marques(if they have them) ~ typically you would charge a fee for the class and you would give a percentage to the center for having the class - some require you give a percentage of your sales as well but I bet that could be negociated....
It is really a great way to get some business going on base - a bit of a pain at times but worth it - If you get the contract you will be the only one allowed to have one on the base for that center....SO that is a good thing - if they do not have something like that up and running you could talk to the Services Commander and see what could be done.
It is done at Hickam AFB Hawaii (where I learned about it to begin with) and could be done at other than AF bases as well..... A great way to get the word out ~
it is NOT allowed for you to put out signs and flyers other than through services - you can advertise through the Officers and Enlisted Spouses Clubs if they do that - most bases do NOT allow you to advertise in the base paper - you can put signs on your car or stickers or whatever that will help (if you want to run around with your number on your car that is!!)
HOPE some of this has helped someone!
Best of luck!
Shelley
__________________
Shelley
The will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not protect you.
I just wanted to threadjack and say that it appears that there are A LOT of Air Force wives around here! Wowzer! DH is Marine Corps but he is stationed at an Air Force Base - and we are LOVING IT!
I just wanted to threadjack and say that it appears that there are A LOT of Air Force wives around here! Wowzer! DH is Marine Corps but he is stationed at an Air Force Base - and we are LOVING IT!
:-)
I bet you are!! AF life is nice as compared to other bos....
I love the AF way of life personally - my hubby is up for retirement in 2 1/2 years and I am really starting to wonder if we really want to do that or not! The AF really does have it's perks!
__________________
Shelley
The will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not protect you.
I am an ex-army wife (no, not divorced, but civilians now). On the base we lived at I had to get an approval letter from the base commander to run a home based businees out of base housing. Not hard, and it was approved within a couple of days.
Calling all Air Force/military Wives!
