R. Riveter: Helping Milspouses Earn Money

R. Riveter: Helping Milspouses Earn Money

Making money as a military spouse is a mission in itself. We all know milspouse unemployment and underemployment takes its toll on a military family’s budget. To tackle the challenge many milspouses are thinking outside the box to create their own earning power. My guests did just that thing but on a big scale. In this episode, I talk with Lisa Bradley and Cameron Cruse the founders of the uber-successful handbag company, R. Riveter about creating income through entrepreneurship. Saying they’re a handbag company is an understatement of their brand. Cameron and Lisa not only created a company to solve their own income and employment struggles, they created a company that helps hundreds of other milspouses earn a living wherever the military sends them. Lisa Bradley grew up in Columbus, MT where she met her husband. She married into the Army in 2007. Lisa put her “roll up the sleeves” mentality and MBA from Chapman University to work as she launched R. Riveter. From the very beginning in early 2011, Lisa and Co-founder Cameron bonded over a shared frustration of employment struggles as Military Spouses and R. Riveter was launched in a mission to provide flexible, mobile income for others in the same position. Fellow co-founder, Cameron Cruse graduated from SCAD in 2011 with a Masters in Architecture and a BFA in Architecture in 2010. From 2014-2021 she lived in Southern Pines, NC with her family which become home for the company’s flagship Retail store. She is currently living life on the road with her family as they make their way to their next chapter in the great state of Texas in their renovated RV. Cameron was named one of the 25 people changing the future of retail in 2019 by the NRF and Apparel’s 30 under 30 in 2018. Cameron is a mother of two and proud Military Spouse. Their company name was inspired by World War II cultural icon Rosie the Riveter who symbolizes the contribution women made to the workforce that helped win the war. In 2016, Cameron and Lisa appeared on Shark Tank where they accepted an offer from Mark Cuban.

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R. Riveter Episode Details

  • History behind R.Riveter
  • The process and what makes R.Riveter unique
  • The need of flexible employment options for milspouses
  • Challenges of starting a business
  • Experience on Shark Tank
  • Advice on pitch competitions
  • Importance of having the conversation about spouse employment
More Resources: Spousal IRA: What Military Spouses Should Know

R. Riveter: Helping Milspouses Earn Money Resources

More Podcast: How Military Spouses Can Make Money Freelance Writing

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