After many PCS moves, overseas duty stations, deployments, and unexpected changes that come with military life, Kristen Groves decided in 2018 that it was time to carve out a business that would work for her.
Kristen met her husband while he was in entry-level training for the Army and she was in a fine arts program studying to be a dance choreographer. Each station they found themselves at made it difficult for Kristen to commute to universities or dance studios, on top of costs for sitters and the emotional toll it took for her to create a clientele at each station.
Kristen started Brushfire Blue after brainstorming of a way that she could do a job from anywhere without having physical inventory and something that could fit her busy schedule. She looked for resources on how to start a ecommerce business and learned the tricks of the trade. “There are plenty of free or paid resources to learn how to start a business: said Kristen. “Using periods of stability, or even times apart – like a long deployment, can be a great time to learn how to start a business.”
Brushfire Blue is a small, family-run business that creates custom prints and canvases that uplift and inspire. They aim to keep their art simple with basic color schemes, clean lines, and beautiful text to avoid over-cluttering your walls. There are not only inspirational prints and customizable options, but there are also military and patriotic designs as well.
On top of being an ecommerce guru, Kristen is a mom of five children all under the age of eight– the fifth child is due next month.
When asked for advice for other military spouses, Kristen said:
“It is better to start a business, imperfectly or slowly, rather than not start at all. Waiting for the perfect business name, location, product, or life space is usually never going to line just right, so start imperfectly. I’ve learned a lot about how to improve and progress my business through hands-on experiences and even mistakes. Following others milspouse businesses or civilian businesses you admire can help you generate ideas for your own for products, business models, and lifestyles. Lastly, collaborate, collaborate, collaborate! Collaborating with other entrepreneurial spouses, like bloggers, other business owners, or joining milspouse or civilian entrepreneurial social groups can help your business grow.”
You can purchase your own unique art at www.brushfireblue.com.
MilSpouseFest thanks Brushfire Blue for being a prize sponsor for 2021 events. Make sure you sign up for one of our many events to be eligible to win!