Interview with Stacey Ecelbarger

Interview with FLG Co-Founder, Stacey Ecelbarger

November 4, 2020

The SBA is celebrating their seventh year of honoring Veteran-owned businesses via NVSBW. What advice would you give Military Spouses or Veterans who are considering starting a small business?

Take a step.

Often the first “no” that we hear to intercept us from moving onward with a great idea is from the unbelieving voice we hear within our own minds. Not knowing where to begin, potential competitors, the financial risk, lack of lucidity, and so on. We can paralyze ourselves and close ourselves off from success with our unwillingness to fail. Push the internal squabble of discouraging excuses aside and take a step….ANY step, but simply BEGIN….and BELIEVE.

Seek support.

More than likely you’ll be balancing numerous roles in the start-up phase and your focus will shift on a daily (sometimes moment to moment) basis, so you may need to welcome in some operational support. Lean in, nurture your strengths, and reach out for support in the areas where your light doesn’t shine quite as bright. Wearing multiple hats is common in the beginning. However, this certainly isn’t sustainable nor will it fuel growth at an optimal capacity if you’re trying to maintain a solo show. Embrace humility, recognize when you’re not qualified in a particular area, then find someone who is.

The theme for this year for NVSBW is “Resources in Your Local Community” — How is Freedom Learning Group the ultimate resource for Military Families?

Blueprint.

Freedom Learning Group was founded to be more than a resource, but the blueprint to Military Spouse un/underemployment. FLG offers 100% virtual opportunities, flexibility in the workforce, career relevance, advancement potential, and a professional camaraderie that is truly extraordinary.

How is FLG the solution to Military Spouse under/unemployment?

Mission Military Spouse.

Freedom Learning Group was founded with a mission to offer Military Spouses virtual and flexible opportunities from any location on the globe while keeping them relevant in their chosen field. One of the many exceptional truths about FLG is that we do not cover just one discipline, but an abundance of topics like Chemistry, Nursing, Information Technology, Foreign Languages, Criminal Justice, and almost any field you can think of. This opens the door of possibilities for Military Spouses all over the world while they support and follow their Service Members. Hiring Military Spouses isn’t an initiative for FLG… FLG was founded for Military Spouses.

What does a career path for a Military Spouse with subject matter expertise look like in FLG?

Momentum.

The momentum that an FLG Subject Matter Expert (SME) experiences stems from their individual goals, qualifications, performance and desired time commitment. Some SME’s appreciate no more than 20 hours a week while others desire up to 40 hours. There are multiple possibilities for advancement anywhere from a Project Manager to a Senior Project Director with a wide range of organizational opportunities.