We recently connected with Evie King and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Evie thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What were some of the most unexpected problems you’ve faced in your business and how did you resolve those issues?

One of the most surprising challenges I encountered while growing the team at InDependent was the issue of digital communication across time zones. We assumed that military spouses, accustomed to long-distance communication, would naturally excel at this. However, we quickly realized that translating those real-life communication skills to a digital work environment, especially with a team that hadn’t met face-to-face, presented unique hurdles.

The key challenge was twofold. First, we needed to address the social anxieties that can arise from working with a geographically dispersed and unfamiliar team. This included eliminating, as much as possible, the need to ask if someone had seen a message and wondering if or when they were going to respond. Second, we had to create a framework for communication that fostered collaboration while respecting boundaries, especially considering the global nature of our team.

Our solution was to develop a Communication Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). This SOP outlined guidelines for preferred communication channels and appropriate usage. We even made sure to discuss conflicts and assumptions that can sometimes be made over mostly text-based communication. It acknowledged that comfort levels with digital communication can vary, and established expectations for effective communication within those limits.

By leveraging the capabilities of digital tools, we empowered team members to work flexibly within their own time zones, minimizing disruptions to personal lives. This not only fostered a collaborative environment, but also prioritized individual well-being by establishing clear boundaries. Supporting military spouse wellness is our mission. Since our team is primarily made up of military spouses, their well-being was a top priority for us.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Hi! I’m Evie, President of InDependent, a nonprofit dedicated to making wellness accessible for all military spouses.

Military life is familiar territory for me. As an military spouse myself, currently stationed in Germany (our second overseas adventure!), I understand the unique challenges and joys that come with this lifestyle. It even goes back to my childhood – both of my parents served in the Army.

After graduating with a Bachelors in Science in Finance from The College of New Jersey, I embarked on a career path that, like many military spouses, encountered some detours. While my spouse and I weren’t married yet, the day I moved to Ohio for a new job just happened to also be the day he left for his first deployment. It’s a familiar story for many – careers flourishing, then adapting once married to a service member.

Looking back, these experiences shaped who I am today. It’s a testament to the power of perseverance and the belief that everything happens for a reason. In 2016, I joined the incredible team at InDependent. Over the years, I’ve grown alongside the organization, learning new skills and eventually on the role as President. This journey was further enriched by being nominated and winning the 2023 Armed Forces Insurance Military Spouse of the Year award. It’s provided more opportunities to advocate for the needs of military spouses to military leadership and civilian companies.

InDependent is the only non-profit solely focused on military spouse wellness. We work alongside wellness professionals to develop educational programs, resources, and tools that empower military spouses to make healthy choices for themselves and their families. By supporting the heart of the military family – the spouse – we also support our service members and future generations. At InDependent we champion a holistic approach to wellness, covering four main branches (mind, body, community, and purpose) with eight sub-branches to address every aspect of well-being.

Because of the community we support and the unique lifestyle challenges, we tackle the tougher topics often left undiscussed, including substance abuse, suicidal ideation, trauma, postpartum depression, and more. By providing knowledge, tools, and culturally-competent resources, we are proactively building a stronger, thriving military community.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

As I mentioned previously, I had a successful career prior to marrying my service member. In this day of remote work, I could have probably convinced my employer to keep me on, but that wasn’t really a thing then. The first couple of years as a military spouse, I volunteered all over the place without any thought for what I was hoping to get out of the experience. It was a well-intentioned, but ultimately unfulfilling, attempt to maintain a “productive” resume. After we moved to South Korea, I quickly accepted a role as an Administrative Assistant at the child Development Center on base. While I was extremely grateful for the role, it quickly became a professional dead end, draining my energy and sense of purpose.

When we moved to North Carolina, I became very discouraged. Despite a clear record of professional growth, companies couldn’t reconcile my prior experience with the Administrative Assistant role. Soon after I met the team at InDependent. This was unlike anything I’d done before, but they fostered a culture of curiosity, allowing me to develop new technical and leadership skills. While a successful corporate accountant path might have brought happiness, pivoting to non-profit leadership has been an amazing surprise. I have had the opportunity to speak on stages in front of hundreds of people, be interviewed on the Today Show, work alongside incredible people on my team, and, most importantly, improve the lives of the military spouses and families around me. It’s a reminder that sometimes, the most rewarding journeys take unexpected turns.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

At InDependent, our journey has been one of continuous evolution. We began as a grassroots blog-type resource sharing recipes, stories of resilience, and a sense of community for military spouses facing similar challenges. This focus on shared experience was needed and it fostered a sense of belonging and reduced feelings of isolation.

However, as InDependent matured, we recognized there is an important difference between experience and expertise, particularly when addressing areas of wellness. Military spouses seeking support needed to know the information they receive is trustworthy and reliable.

This realization sparked a strategic shift. We actively pursue working with qualified wellness professionals and data-backed information. This connects spouses directly with wellness advice that is tailored to the military spouse experience. It also ensures the information we share through our articles, programs, and resources is anchored in credible, evidence-based practices. Military spouses know they can rely on InDependent as a source of accurate, reliable information and a bridge to professional guidance when needed. It’s a responsibility we take seriously and have incorporated into the foundation of the work we do.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.in-dependent.org
• Instagram: Www.instagram.com/independentorg
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/independentorg1
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/evieking/

Image Credits
Armed Forces insurance (professional photo)