Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington-Monday morning at 4 a.m. at the joint Lewis-McChord base, before the members of the service started their physical training in the morning, the spouse of the army Lupe Najarro is busy cooking at home .
“It’s just an easy cooking time. I have no distractions or anything. Children sleep, dogs were sleeping, “she said. “It’s relaxing.”
But cooking is not his hobby – it’s his work. She sells Mexican sweet bread (Conchas) home to customers on the installation, as part of her home business, Café Dahlia. Military spouses like Najarro living in JBLM can start their own home business with a new rationalized process.
Mother of two people whose family moved to the base in July 2024, Najarro brought her business to JBLM from Fort Irwin, California. She worked with Ro Hicklin, the director of the JBLM’s home business program, to “transfer everything,” said Najarro.
Now, she has regular customers on the basis of a decorative dessert, which she describes as “Hawaiian bread with a very thin sugar cookie on top”.
His advice for other spouses planning to dive business at home?
“They should certainly,” she said. “I am someone who was not a baker, and I am someone who was also self-taught,” she said. “So you need a lot of failure to teach you what you do and perfect what you do. And honestly, these are the failures where you learn the most. »»
Starting a home business has many advantages for military spouses, said Hicklin.
“Entrepreneurship is one of the hottest trends in today’s transformation environment,” she said. “And you can work from your endless house and, as an HBB owner, you have the freedom to choose where and when you want to work.”
Najarro knows what this freedom feels.
“It’s great, because I never thought I could do it. You see other people doing it, but you never think it is possible for you. I like flexibility, ”she said. “As a military spouse, you are the main parent and everything comes across you. … So it’s great to be able to control everything that is going on. »»
In addition to obtaining a new daily activity with his business, Najarro has received confidence and increases in creativity.
Currently, four spouses have approved home companies registered on the basis. They sell wooden earrings, wreaths and handmade gifts, gift boxes and pastries, said Hicklin.
These companies ensure the stability of employment during the permanent seasons of the permanent army station.
“My husband retired after 29 years of active service,” said Hicklin. “Whenever you, as military spouse, move every three to five years, it puts a lot of stress to the family” so that the spouse had to constantly find a new job.
But, with a home business, instead of a spouse having to give an opinion to an employer whenever he is preparing to move, “their business moves with them,” she said.
“It is actually wonderful for many families that spouses are able to stay at home without getting out of houses looking for work and getting money for gas, getting money for the daycare, or before and after school care, ”said Hicklin.
Najarro knows the value of his work.
“By moving to Washington, it was very expensive,” said Najarro. “California is also very expensive. Thus, being able to make this additional income has helped a lot. »»
To start with their own home business, spouses can send an email to Jblmhbb@army.mil Or call 253-967-2906. The home business program will plan to meet the spouses. They will examine the documents and information concerning insurance, as well as possible licenses and certifications.
Hicklin teaches HBB lessons, entitled “Home based: be your own boss”, at the service member and the family assistance building, 9059 Gardner Loop, JBLM. To register for the next class, to be offered on April 3 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., visit: jblmerp.timetap.com. Click on “Next”, then click on “job classes”.