Technical Sergeant/Floor Supervisor/Lead Meteorologist Kristin W. Miller, United States Air Force
MilSO Box (www.milsobox.com)
While serving proudly in the USAF, Kristin Miller noticed how many of her fellow airwomen were stationed far from the ones they loved. In an effort to provide additional support, she created a monthly care package mailing system for the significant others (SOs) of her fellow female military personal. The result is MilSO Box.
Each curated box comes packed with things a woman at war (or in preparation therefor) could want- every piece of which is provided by companies that are run by Veterans and Military SO’s.
Originally founded by USAF Veteran Lindsay Hinger (who is also the spouse of a male VA nurse), MilSO Box was handed over to Miller when Hinger was called to other pursuits. Since the handoff, Miller has grown MilSO Box and continues to find customers and providers who want to be involved.
What does your company do?
MilSO Box is a monthly subscription box service. We offer military significant others a different themed box every month in hopes of bringing joy, comfort, and encouragement to military significant others. Life in the military can be hard, especially if you are the spouse being left behind in deployments or forced to move every couple of years. The military member immediately has a community with his or her squadron, where the family members have to make new friendships, get acclimated to a new school, change careers or find a new job, etc.
What prompted you to launch it?
[When] Lindsay…decided to pursue another project…I tossed my hat into the ring to be considered as a possible new owner. I love to revitalize small companies, do some creative and gradual rebranding and help them grow their reach and ultimately increase revenue. The idea of being able to support fellow military spouses and put my own spin on an existing company really excited me…. These women are unsung heroes who posses the strength and endurance to stay behind while their loved one must go.
How has your military life educated and influenced your business life?
This is a good question. I would say that my military life allowed me to be organized when it comes to my schedule and to push myself to pursue my dreams. But honestly, my husband is the biggest support system and proponent for me to chase my dreams.
What do you hope to do with your business?
It is my hope to grow the company and subscription base. I want to be able to hire other military spouses who can work virtually and stay in the same career no matter where the military may send them. I want to continue to work in the military family and spouse space as well as first responders in general. It’s hard, you need to be a constant support for your spouse while you know that at any moment your life could be changed forever because your spouse answered the call to be of assistance to others (e.g., military, police, firefighters).
What advice would you give other Veterans looking to own a business?
I would tell them to go for it! There are so many business concepts that would allow you to work from anywhere and that wouldn’t require a storefront or a ton of overhead. There are lots of resources for business owners that are FREE! I know that in Tucson there is a small business agency that provides free advice and access to resources within the community.
What is the most important thing you want people to know about Veterans?
There are a lot of things that I would like people to know about veterans. Veterans know what it is like to sacrifice, work hard, and manage people. Just because a veteran may have not attended business school or have a degree doesn’t mean that he or she doesn’t have years of experience and training when it comes to leading others. Take a chance and hire a veteran and place them in a role where he or she can lead others and problem-solve.
