Samantha Mans

I think one of the biggest things I attribute my success to is that I'm always wanting to learn more. I don't think that, even though I might be successful, that I know everything by any means, even within my field, and I think it's important to continue to learn others' perspectives and learn more within that field to become even more of an expert at it. My husband is very supportive of it, and that has really helped me too, because without my family's support, I wouldn't be able to do this. The fact that we can support each other through our different career paths has been really special. I also believe in just starting, even when you're not sure if you can do it or if you'll be successful. Even if growth is slow, it's still there, and even if something doesn't go exactly right, you can pivot and adjust it because you are the owner and CEO and you can make those decisions.

The best career advice I’ve ever received has come from a combination of personal mentors and professional communities who have helped shape both my mindset and my path. Carly Goodell from Plus One Heroes, along with my uncle, have been especially influential in encouraging me to stay grounded in purpose, resilience, and service to others while navigating both career and military life transitions. I’ve also deeply valued the mentorship and networking opportunities I’ve gained through military spouse entrepreneur programs and fellowships, which have reinforced the importance of building meaningful connections, continuing to grow through shared experiences, and remaining adaptable in the face of change.

I think the biggest one would be to start it. I had thought about it for a while and didn't, because I didn't think I could do it or didn't think I'd be successful. But even if growth is slow, it's still there. And even if something doesn't go exactly right, you can pivot and adjust it, because you are the owner and CEO, and you can make those decisions, and that is a blessing in that area. I think, too, finding a few mentors or, like, the Spouse Connect Fellowship and things like that - they're out there to help with those pieces, and I think that that was really helpful for me. Any chance you get to just be in a room with other entrepreneurs, other spouses, other people just doing great work is always a plus.

One of the biggest challenges I see for military spouse entrepreneurs is balancing consistent business growth with the frequent transitions, uncertainty, and unpredictability that come with military life. Relocations, deployments, and shifting family demands can make it difficult to maintain continuity, build long-term momentum, and access stable professional networks. Despite these challenges, I see significant opportunity in the rise of digital business models that allow for location independence and flexibility, as well as the growing ecosystem of networking organizations, fellowships, and community-driven initiatives designed specifically to support military-connected entrepreneurs. Platforms that elevate military-owned and first responder-owned businesses are also creating powerful visibility and collaboration opportunities, making it more possible than ever to build sustainable, impact-driven ventures regardless of where military life takes us.

Gratitude is at the core of everything I do my own gratitude and affirmation practice really helped ground me and keep me in a more positive mindset with our military culture and lifestyle, and I knew that there were other spouses and military families that needed that grounding as well. I believe strongly in giving back to our local community because I feel like we've been given so much that I want to give back. Family is incredibly important to me my husband and I support each other through our different career paths, and we make sure we are available for our kids to talk about their feelings when friends move, because they matter, and we feel them as adults too. I also value perspective shifting and finding the good even in challenges. It doesn't mean that the struggles go away by any means, or the challenges aren't there, but there's always a little bit of good that we can find in them, and being able to make a greater impact with that mindset is what I hope for.