Michelle Penczak is a military wife, mother of two boys, and co-founder of the virtual assistance agency, Squared Away. Growing up as a sassy kid in North Carolina, Michelle believed that brick walls were made to be broken down. That determination would serve her well into adulthood when several career obstacles tried to trip her up.

Listen as Michelle shares her journey from a laid-off personal assistant to the founder of a virtual assistant agency with more than 350 employees, mostly military spouses. As a military spouse herself (she married a Marine pilot and was named MCAS Miramar Military Spouse of the Year in 2021), Michelle experienced devastating rejections for jobs she was fully qualified for…because she was “just” a military wife who would likely leave in a few years. Seeing a huge gap in the marketplace for talented, capable workers who were being overlooked, Michelle built a fully remote business that gave military spouses a place to work, build their skills and feel valued. Squared Away, which Michelle currently runs from San Diego, offers everything from phone support and bookkeeping to event planning, social media management and a whole lot more.

“Never be afraid to say, ‘I don’t know.’ It shows you have integrity as a leader.”

Learn more about Michelle and Squared Away here:

Website: https://www.gosquaredaway.com/

Instagram: Squared Away (@awaysquared)

Facebook: Squared Away