Business Start Ups

Forces Families Jobs Explores: Self-Employment

Take a look at our webinar to explore your options with three amazing free training providers – Heroprenuers, Supporting the Unsung Hero & X-Forces:

 

Barclays - Eagle Labs

For military spouses with dreams of starting or growing a business.   Eagle Labs Academy is a digital learning platform that helps founders start and scale their business at their own pace. You’ll be supported every step of the way by dedicated Eagle Lab champions. Helping you to establish a foundation to be successful in starting your own business.

Our next Barclays Military Spousal Founders Programme is now open for applications. You can find out more and apply here. Applications close on 13 February 2025.

Our commitment to the Armed Forces community

For over 10 years, our MVO initiatives have supported the Armed Forces community to learn more about – and take steps towards building – careers beyond the military, and ultimately land the right job. Barclays’ innovative approach has been recognised by the Ministry of Defence’s Employer Recognition Scheme, with Barclays being awarded the highest level Gold Award. This support has been recognised in the US through the Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award.

Visit the Eagle Labs site to find out more. 

 

BFBS Academy (Social Media Specialists)

Social Media Specialists is a training programme offered by the BFBS Academy. A free course open to the broader military community, including the partners of UK military personnel, veterans, and their partners, offering them the opportunity to upskill in social media marketing techniques.

This new course builds on the success of its predecessor, #SMSpouses, which, over the past four years, has trained 700 individuals and facilitated 1,500 connections through online communities and in-person events.

Participants will learn:

  • The workings of Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok and LinkedIn's algorithms, along with practical strategies to make content stand out.
  • How to plan, implement, and evaluate social media campaigns.
  • Techniques to grow and engage an audience, moderate comments and discussions, and handle difficult online situations.
  • How to capture compelling images and create professional social media videos using your phone.
  • How to run paid social media campaigns and how to utilise each platform's built-in analytics tools.

The #SMSpecialists programme consists of seven courses which are all delivered online and can be completed at your own pace.

Our commitment to the Armed Forces community

BFBS recognises the value serving personnel, reservists, veterans and military families bring to our business. We will seek to uphold the principles of the AFC by:

  1. supporting and enhancing the morale, welfare and sense of community, interests and effectiveness of the Armed Forces community by providing entertainment, comms, information, online communities, training and other related activities;
  2. promoting and supporting the Armed Forces and the work they undertake to the general public via our TV, radio, and digital channels;
  3. supporting the up-skilling and employment of veterans, service leavers and families of those currently serving by offering training programmes, which launched in 2017 with the Forces Media Academy.
  4. striving to support the employment of Service spouses and their partners across our bases in the UK and overseas;
  5. endeavouring to offer a degree of flexibility in granting leave for Service spouses and partners before, during and after a partner's deployment;
  6. seeking to support our employees who choose to be members of the Reserve forces, including by accommodating their training and deployment where possible;
  7. offering support to our local cadet units, either in our local community or in local schools, where possible;
  8. aiming to actively participate in Armed Forces Day by promoting and championing the work of the Armed Forces;
  9. raising money for a number of Forces charities through the 'Big Salute'.

Visit the SMS Spouses site to find out more.

 

Genisys Systems 

Supporting Our Armed Forces with Genisys Systems

Genisys Systems proudly supports the Armed Forces community with specialized services. We offer free initial consultations, a 60-day free trial of our Skynet Back Office (ERP) system, affordable website development, and reduced-rate virtual numbers (VoIP) which follow you everywhere. Additionally, we provide comprehensive IT support for just £25/month wherever in the world you are. Collaborating with organizations like Forces Families Jobs, we are committed to helping military personnel, veterans, and their families.

We are currently working with local colleges and students and are able to offer discounted services within your community - a free website design with a small hosting charge of £50 a year. Our students can set up a basic 5-10 page website.

Explore our services and start with a free consultation today! 

Our commitment to the Armed Forces Community

We proudly support the Armed Forces Covenant and hold a Bronze Award, demonstrating our commitment through our pledge and certificate. 

Visit the Genisys Systems site to find out more.

 

Heropreneurs 

 

Now part of the Forces Employment Charity, Heropreneurs provides assistance with practical aspects of starting up a new business venture including support from a dedicated mentoring team, with expert advice on maximising impact and building a sustainable business model.

 

Our commitment to the Armed Forces community

We exist to support the UK military family, celebrating and rewarding the energy, passion and dedication, of our British Armed Forces Community looking to forge a new path in business.

Visit the Heropreneurs site to find out more. 

 

Military Coworking Network (MCN)

The mission of the MCN is simple - to provide military spouses and partners of serving personnel across any of the services, the means, the  opportunity, and the support they need to achieve their full career potential and maintain independent, professional lives alongside military life.

We achieve this by working in partnership with other organisations whose mission it is to make family life in the military easier, and via our community of military spouses because this is a community that works for the community, gives back to the community, and supports the community.  Our members are the backbone of the MCN – our success is their success.

How do we know what they need?  Because these are our stories too – we are the military spouses. The MCN has been built by us, for us. 

How do we do this? We achieve this via our Online Community and our Coworking Hub Network.

Our Online Community enables our members to link up with people who share their values, understand the challenges they face, and can relate to the problems they experience. Through the many networking opportunities we offer, they can rebuild their support network and make meaningful friendships that can last a lifetime.  Here they have access to a wide range of resources, including career and business support as well as learning and development opportunities to drive and inspire personal and professional development.  And it’s FREE to join!

And finally, our Network of Coworking Hubs gives them a contemporary, stylish space where they can work, study, and connect with like-minded people, share advice, exchange experiences, and learn from their peers. To use one of our coworking hubs, you need to become a member of our Hub Network.  We offer three levels of membership – Gold, Silver and Bronze, depending on your hotdesking needs.  Membership starts at just £20/year, offering excellent value for money.

Visit the Military Coworking Network site to find out more. 


Mothers of Enterprise

Mothers of Enterprise is offering a 100% funded scholarship to its brand new business programme, Dream Business School. This coaching/course hybrid has been expertly designed to enable you to build your dream business & create unstoppable success. DBS is a transformational 5-month programme that will change and elevate your business from the inside out as we cover every aspect of a successful business, from mindset, energy and beliefs, to strategy, systems and processes, all perfectly designed to deliver out of this world results, both for you, and your business. 

We offer a 20% for military spouses & partners on all digital courses/products and group coaching programmes. Discount code: FFJ20

Our commitment to the Armed Forces community

 Mothers of Enterprise® is committed to supporting military spouses in creating a successful business & thriving lifestyle, all while raising a family and juggling the challenges of military life. Through fully funded scholarships, discounted courses/coaching, free training and the Mothers of Enterprise Podcast, our whole mission is focused on serving my fellow military spouses to thrive. 

Visit the Mothers of Enterprise site to find out more. 

 

Pathway To Solutions

First consultation session free and online.  

How do you manage change in your organisation? Is it through analysing what went wrong, or is it that you look at your successes and strengths? Are you in a quandary then look no further?

Pathway to Solutions helps the client to recognize and realise that they have the potential to create the outcome they want when going through a period of change. We use the Solution Focused Approach, for managing change within an organization. The sessions we offer are bespoke and tailor made to suit the individual, business or organisation. These sessions are coaching, mentoring and facilitation sessions. 

Our commitment to the Armed Forces community

Having served in the Royal Air Force for 22 years I have a great affinity for the Armed Services and wholeheartedly agree with The Armed Forces Covenant which I have just signed. The pledges in the Covenant are what I have practiced since leaving the  RAF quite sometime ago, I am aware that this also covers the spouses and families of serving forces members. 

Visit the Pathway To Solutions website to find out more.  

 

Pinnacle Group Ltd

Free coaching, mentoring and support to help shape the working future you want. We are offering free one-to-one career and small business support to military families, veterans and communities.

We currently offer three business mentoring programmes for those who want to launch a business or have an existing business, plus a programme aimed at those 16+ entitled Entrepreneurial Futures, for those who see themselves eventually having their own business.

Find out more about our business programmes below:

Our commitment to the Armed Forces community

Pinnacle Group holds the Armed Forces Covenant ERS Gold Award. We also have an internal group wide Pinnacle Armed Forces Network Committee. We employ many former Armed Forces Personnel. As a holder of MOD /DIO Contracts, Pinnacle Group has established a Social Value Fund which funds all of the programmes we offer so they are totally free to those who want to come onto our programmes. 

For more information about any of the programmes email psv@pinnaclegroup.co.uk

 

The Milspo® Business Network 

Are you running a business whilst living the 'magnolia walled life'? You're not alone!

Connect with others, just like you, building transient, posting-proof businesses whilst living this modern military life. Listen to the inspiring podcast interviews of successful military partner business owners, Network virtually with others across the country, or find answers to your business questions in the growing online community.

The Milspo Business Network is a global network, of business leaders who are no longer limited by location and are building businesses that they deserve. The Network offers peer-to-peer support to all UK military spouses, partners and other-halves by using practical digital solutions that provide valid and functional training, networking and access to like-minded business owners. It's a network that inspires our often isolated but inspirational community.

Milspo Business Network is a subsidiary of The Milspo Network CIC.

The Milspo Business Network - Inspiring entrepreneurial military spouses, partners and other-halves to be empowered in business, re-define their identity and gain confidence through collaboration. 

Milspo Meet-Ups from The Milspo Network CIC - Every Wednesday, 10.30 am BST. 

Log-in each week via this link and join others, just like you for a supportive and informative group chat. We talk about business, how you are coping with the recent events and how our amazing community is pulling together to support each other. ALL military spouses, partners, and other-halves running or thinking of starting a business welcome.

Financial Wellbeing for your Milspo Business - Free Financial online course - find out more here

There are lots of Milspo events coming up, all the details can be found here

Our commitment to the Armed Forces community

The Milspo® Network CIC, The Milspo® Business Network, and The InDependent Spouse® podcast are committed to supporting the partners and spouses of serving personnel by creating a platform to showcase their brilliance and inspire others who dream of achieving their own goals.

At the heart of the project is a commitment to showing the positives of life within the Armed Forces Community.

It aims to stop the social isolation of running a business combined with operational service life and works towards inspiring all military spouses, partners and other-halves (Milspo) in business.

It was launched in 2018 by a military spouse in business, for ALL military spouses, partners and other halves, and is supported by The Royal British Legion and Small Business Britain.

Visit The Milspo site to find out more.

 

X Forces

X-Forces Enterprise (XFE) is an award-winning Community Interest Company that nurtures entrepreneurial ambition for the UK military community, and official delivery partner to the government's Start Up Loans Company and MoD’s Career Transition Partnership. XFE supports service leavers, veterans, spouses, cadets and armed forces family members in Enterprise Learning and help those who are interested to go further to start their own businesses with a full package of training, finance, networking and mentoring. XFE’s Microfinancing is one of the highest success rates in the UK.

 

X-Forces Start-up Skills & Self Employment Discovery workshop events are delivered online in 'virtual classrooms', free and open to all members of the forces community. View the full event listings here.

Announcing our new Knowledge Exchange Hub - with the collaboration of their stakeholders, the power of three: Big Business, Charity and Government, XFE brings you a unique, free to use, digital space specifically for the Armed Forces Community.  Designed to complement the support already offered by XFE, the hub is a one-stop-shop for all things related to self-employment and enterprise and removes the barriers of time, travel, and family commitments giving unparalleled access to peer-to-peer knowledge exchange, free events, and business information. Find out more.

Our commitment to the Armed Forces community

X-Forces commitment to the Armed Forces Community is beyond the core service that we provide in Enterprise. This is includes collaboration and with other service providers to enhance overall well being of our beneficiaries. X-Forces is a Gold Award holder with the Covenant Employer Recognition Scheme.

Visit the X Forces site to find out more.