If you have been around for a while, you know that Jenetta’s Simple Treats operated by a military spouse, with the support of her family. My husband, Jason, has been active duty for more than 10 years. In our 8 years together, we have faced many challenges, and triumphs, that are only experiences by those who are in the military.
I grew up on the Florida panhandle. On the panhandle, we are surrounded by military bases: Eglin, Hurlburt, Tyndal, Duke, NAS Pensacola, Whiting Field, Maxwell, and these are just the ones in a few hour radius! I have also had countless family members and friends serve our country. So I feel like I have always just been “in this life”.
When my husband and I were dating and we could tell the relationship was getting serious, we had an intense talk about what life could be like. I informed him in a very straight forward way that if we were to stay together and I were to be a military wife, that I understand that country will always come first. That I will put my life and my career on hold for him to protect and serve. I would do my job gracefully and would stand beside him as he pursued excellence in his career fields. And we have defiantly put that promise to the test. But I have stood by my statement. Through moves, career changes, him going back to school, having a child, him becoming an officer, it has been our little family standing beside him while he serves.
When I say I am a proud military wife, I mean every single ounce of that statement.
When I heard of the Military Spouse Chamber of Commerce and what they are trying to do for small businesses run by military spouses, I knew I wanted to be part of this organization. And after lots of paperwork and about a month of waiting, I finally received my official certification.
It’s Official, We Are Military Spouse Owned
Celebrating recognition as a Military Spouse Owned Enterprise
Official Press Release
Jenetta’s Simple Treats is proudly celebrating an achievement in becoming an officially recognized Military Spouse Owned Enterprise. The U.S. Military Spouse Chamber of Commerce created the first and only of its kind certification, in an unprecedented commitment to land military spouses a seat at the B2B table for the first time in history.
The United States has long been defended by members of the armed forces and in a silent role, military spouses support those service members. Cost of living in the U.S. often warrants dual household incomes to cope with high living expenses. Military families give up a lot in the name of freedom, from constant relocations, and time away from family, to the difficult reality that finding a career that fits this lifestyle continues to be a challenge. Secure employment for spouses continues to be an enduring sacrifice with military spouse unemployment being four times the national average, pre-pandemic.
Military spouse employment is a hot topic within the military space with hundreds of organizations working to provide solutions, improve policy, and increase opportunities for traditional employment. Traditional employment is only half of the picture. As the challenge to obtain traditional employment lingers, more military spouses are turning to entrepreneurship with 48% of spouses having been self-employed or operating their own business.
“Traditional employment initiatives only account for half of military spouses. To move the needle on military spouse unemployment, we must focus energy on the other half of the equation, self-employment.” Jaime Chapman, COO and Co-Founder, U.S. Military Spouse Chamber of Commerce
The U.S. Military Spouse Chamber of Commerce is on a mission to garner national recognition of military spouse business owners through its certification process. Supporting military spouse owned businesses is a win-win move for both the spouses and the corporations who hire them for B2B enterprise. By supporting the military spouse, you directly impact the quality of life for the service member, influencing higher military retention and national security.
“The Military Spouse Owned Enterprise certification gives military spouse business owners a seat at the table.” Beth Conlin, Amazon
Since 2012 military spouse unemployment remains statistically unchanged. It’s time to look at the entire picture, including the 48% of military spouse entrepreneurs. The best way to find and support a military spouse owned business is to start locally. Jenetta’s Simple Treats has catered to celebrations and events for the Nellis, Elgin, and Hurlburt communities with another relocation set for August/September of 2024.
“The U.S. Military Spouse Chamber of Commerce proudly welcomes Jenetta’s Simple Treats as an officially certified Military Spouse Owned Enterprise. We know that Jenetta’s Simple Treats will continue to make a positive impact in the local community and lend credibility to their fellow military spouse peers.” Jaime Chapman
About the U.S. Military Spouse Chamber of Commerce:
The Military Spouse Chamber of Commerce (MSCC) is the one stop shop for anything and everything a military spouse business owner could ever need. MSCC is on a mission to ensure that all active duty and veteran military spouse business owners have the tools and resources they need to strengthen their families, communities, and our economy. For more information please visit www.milspousechamber.org, and you can connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
About the Military Spouse Owned Enterprise Certification:
The Military Spouse Chamber is forging the path to B2B opportunity for military spouse owned business. The Military Spouse Owned Enterprise Certification (MSEC) is the first and only “military spouse owned” certification of its kind. The MSEC certification allows corporations to formally recognize and track supplier diversity spend with military spouse businesses and opens a new door for military spouse economic empowerment. To learn more about the certification, please visit www.milspousechamber.org/certification.
Jenetta's Simple Treats 