Unless you are completely oblivious, if you live in the U.S. you know that March is National Women’s History Month. Yes, an entire month of the year is set aside to honor women for something we’ve* been doing for a long, long time—succeeding no matter what we’re doing. This is especially true when it comes to business. We may not always have had our name on the company letterhead, or headed Fortune 500 companies, but we are an increasingly important part of all aspects of the workforce. In fact, nowadays it’s about as likely that your direct supervisor at work is female as it is that he’s male. And while it’s true that we now own roughly 38% of all U.S. businesses and that 4 out of 10 of us are the primary/sole breadwinner for our families, we owe our current successes to those who bravely forged the path in previous generations.

For some of us, it may be hard to fathom a society in which women were not an integral part of the workforce. Yet, it wasn’t until 1988 that Congress passed the Women’s Business Ownership Act, eliminating the laws requiring women to obtain their husbands’ signatures on any business documents or loan paperwork. The Act also allowed women to apply for government contracts, a world closed to them before then. Let that sink in: It wasn’t until the late 1980s that women could own and run any business completely autonomously.

American women have been heading businesses, creating businesses, and running the business world in one form or another since our days as British colonists. In 1739, Elizabeth Timothy became the first American woman to head a company and the first franchise “owner” after her husband passed away. She took over her husband’s franchise contract with Benjamin Franklin to publish the South-Carolina Gazette. Though nominally owned by her 14-year-old son, Peter, all acknowledged Elizabeth Timothy as the true owner/operator. In 1973, Katharine Graham assumed control of The Washington Post after her husband committed suicide. She was publisher and Chairman of the Board from 1973-1991. In 1973, Graham was the only female CEO of a Fortune 500 company. Estée Lauder and Madam C.J. Walker established and ran hugely successful cosmetic and beauty companies in the beginning of the 20th century.

While women have historically been placed in roles within the home, we haven’t stayed there. By the mid-19th century, women were dominating professions dedicated to domestic pursuits, including the food industry, the fashion industry, manufacturing, nursing, and social work. The late-19th and early-20th centuries saw a boom in female entrepreneurs. During World War II, even more women entered the workforce, with more being promoted to managerial roles. Post-war, women refused to return to the home and continued to be an active, integral part of the workplace. Today, women head Fortune 500 companies, including those long thought of as within the purview only of men, such as the car and aviation industries.

We aren’t just breaking the glass ceiling in terms of large corporations either. We are reinventing what it means to be a businesswoman, an entrepreneur, and a CEO. We are finding niches that need to be filled and filling them. Women, such as Powerhouse’s own Jessica Bertsch, are looking around and saying, “I’m just not satisfied with what I’m seeing.” Jessica, a military spouse, wanted a career, not a series of jobs as she followed her husband from city to city in furtherance of his career. Prior to her marriage, she had a career in marketing. Once she became both a family woman and a woman who desired a career, she wanted something that would provide a balance between the two. She also felt passionately about military spouses and veterans being able to have careers, not jobs, while still having plenty of time for family. So, she took a risk, and on September 11, 2012, she created Powerhouse Planning with a goal to hire a virtual workforce to support companies in a variety of ways using talent culled from across the country. She’s not a traditional CEO, but six years later, Powerhouse has grown beyond her wildest dreams, with a workforce that calls 12 states home and is only looking forward to more growth and success.

Women like Jessica are only following in the footsteps of generations of talented, driven women. Women who looked around and thought, “There is more I can contribute. More I can do.” Women who took a risk, and in so doing, furthered a movement toward equality and the greater good. Women who had passion for a professional life beyond the home. Women whose idea of fun and fulfillment was to be out there working.

Katharine Graham once said, “To love what you do and feel that it matters—how could anything be more fun?” Today’s professional woman is doing just that—having fun while making a real contribution both professionally and personally. So, this March we are tipping our hats to the women who came before and making a promise. Thank you for making possible the fun we’re having today, and we vow not to stop doing what we love.

Information for this blog came from the following sources. Feel free to check them out and learn even more about women in the workforce, both historically and presently:
amhistory.si.edu/archives/wib-tour/historical.pdf
allbusinessschools.com/business-administration/women-in-business
hbswk.hbs.edu/item/enterprising-womena-history
https://www.naturals2go.com/women-entrepreneurs-history-women-business/

*Powerhouse is not a women-only business, but we are insanely proud of the women who do work here and their accomplishments.

Can you believe that 2019 is just about one-twelfth over? It seems like yesterday we were celebrating an awesomely successful 2018. Here at PH, though, we don’t like to rest on our laurels, and we want to a take a little time to let you know what excites us about this year.

First, we love having clients we can consistently help and see grow. Really, it’s one of our favorite things! In 2019, we look forward to continued growth among our retainer clients. We offer such a wide variety of services and goodness that our clients can consider us a one-stop shop. We’re launching into 2019 thrilled at the prospect of continuing to grow the relationships we have and foster new ones. Specifically, we’re looking to increase content-driven partnerships. After all, we’re really, really good at creating content, and we’re only getting better. So, should you wish to talk content, let us know—we’d love to help!

Along the same lines, we love our nonprofit clients. They completely own our hearts because each and every one is helping in so many different ways. We’re able to provide them a bevy of services for the price of one full-time employee. From grant writing, to graphic design and IT support, to project management, we’re able to help our clients stretch their budgets so their money can go where it can do the most good. In 2019, we hope to partner with even more nonprofit clients; when we’re an ideal dream team for them, it’s a win-win all around.

As always, our founder and president, Jessica Bertsch, loves to give back. This year, we will continue to give charitable contributions through our Share the Goodness campaign. Check out what we were able to do in 2018 and some of the organizations we helped. As part of our Share the Goodness campaign in 2019, we will continue to grow and give to the scholarship program we established with Indiana State University. Why Indiana State? Well, Jessica is an alumna, and besides, Indiana State is home of the mighty Sycamores! (Yes, we chuckle about that, too.)

Before we go, we just want to give you a taste of some of the content you’ll see from Powerhouse this year. We’ll have spring cleaning checklists for your company and for you (because everyone loves spring cleaning…Well, we feel way better after we’ve done it, anyway!) as well as checklists for grant writers and ideas about what you should have in your grant-writing library; we’ll tell you what the top five stressors are when starting a business; we’ll highlight cybersecurity, an ever-growing concern; and we’ll talk about decluttering your website. We will also be highlighting some our team members who produce top-notch, out-of-this-world content and make Powerhouse the success it is. Maybe we’ll even be able to convince Jessica to make a special appearance. One thing we hope you’ve learned by now is that Powerhouse loves to surprise, and 2019 promises to be a year full of (great) surprises!

There’s really no other way to describe it. Our clients and team members made 2018 a celebration here at Powerhouse Planning. 2018 saw us enjoying our sixth year providing an assortment of services to a wide range of clients, while employing a virtual team that now represents all five military branches, the best talent (regardless of military affiliation), and eleven states (if you think your office conferences are hard to coordinate, try ours!). Despite a fabulous first five years, in 2018 Powerhouse grew our client portfolio by 50% and our team by 41%. In addition, our most impressive statistic is also one near and dear to our president and founder, Jessica Bertsch’s, heart: Our charitable contributions grew a whopping 144%! So join the party as we honor the ways in which 2018 marks our most “accomplished” year to date.

Our clients are incredibly important and impressive. We strive to provide the best, most innovative products, and word is spreading that Powerhouse is the place to go for high-quality, on-time delivery. In 2018, we established partnerships with Jacey Eckhart, Coastal Addiction, MILLIE, and Operation: Job Ready Veterans, just to name a few. From serving nonprofits to government contractors, we provide wide-ranging services that assist our diverse clients in creating the best possible solutions for their clients. In addition, we are proud that longtime client Cape Henry Associates renewed their contract with us for a record fifth year.

Ever heard the phrase, “There is no ‘I’ in team”? Well, at Powerhouse we’re proud to say that we place a high premium on collaboration and teamwork—it’s all about working together to create our POWERful team solutions. But we do believe there is an “I” in our team: Our team is INCREDIBLE. All of our team members are truly spectacular at what they do. Our president has a talent for discovering someone’s “career gifts,” and it shows in the team she’s assembled. Last year we added some dazzling talents to our team such as Meghan Traynor, Julia Clark,  and Ariana Detrez.

Powerhouse has been honored to work with some of the best talents in the nation. In a virtual workplace, it can be difficult to create a true sense of community, but Powerhouse has succeeded. While a lot of us here are relatively new (two years or less with the company), there are some who, even in the short six years Powerhouse has been around, have already achieved “legendary status.” Legends like Jennifer McKee, Technical Writer and Quality Assurance Specialist, who is our most senior team member. Jennifer has been with Powerhouse for five years, and her fingerprints are all over the successful projects we turn out. Another example of our spectacular workforce is Bianca Strzalkowski, our e-Newsletter Coordinator. All those newsletters you’ve received and looked at over the last three years are her babies. She makes us look and sound good year-round. From our amazing long-term IT guy to our lineup of graphic designers, technical writers, marketing gurus, and more, Powerhouse employs the best while providing a work/life balance that is second to none. No wonder our team members tend to stick around while continually submitting outstanding work.

From its inception, Powerhouse has been committed to giving back 10% of its monthly profits. In the beginning, that commitment meant sponsoring a child in Africa through World Vision, a sponsorship that still continues today. As Powerhouse grew, so did our charitable offerings. In early 2018, Powerhouse provided funds for a woman to travel to Haiti for humanitarian reasons. Powerhouse’s founder wanted a way to get the team involved in our “Share the Goodness” movement, and in November and December she challenged Powerhouse team members to nominate organizations in our hometowns to receive some of the goodness that comes our way. Our commitment to give back to our communities saw contributions going to the Scentsy Buddy Drive at Florida Hospital for Children; Space Coast Basket Brigade; Jesse Beckius/Casey Owens Veterans Resource Center; Alzheimer’s Association; Foodbank of Hampton Roads; North Carolina Center for Economic Empowerment and Development (CEED); Onslow Women’s Shelter; Fort Gordon Christmas House; St. Anne’s Child Care Center; and Rockledge Professional Firefighters Charitable Foundation. If you asked her, we’re pretty sure Jessica would say that besides the professional success Powerhouse has seen, the ability to give back and “Share the Goodness” is one of her favorite things about starting this company.

So, as we begin to tackle 2019, we thank you for everything. 2018 was a fantastic year, full of growth and exciting new partnerships. Be sure to check out our services. And keep checking back—we’re adding new goodness all the time as we strive to be the one-stop shop for all of your planning and marketing needs. Don’t see what you need? Contact us and we’ll see what we can do. Our goal is to make 2019 even more remarkable. Let’s make a date to meet next year to celebrate again—same time, same place. Deal?

Shelley is a visual designer and front-end developer who has had worked for over 12 years on projects that support the development of water and transportation infrastructure internationally in developing countries, support and encourage the professional development of physical therapists, provide American diplomats in training with digital textbooks, and support the marketing and design vision for a variety of nonprofits. She is passionate about understanding what drives people to information, exploring innovative strategies, designing user-friendly deliverables, and learning new skills. She graduated from Belmont University in Nashville, TN in 2006 with a BFA in design communications and currently resides in Arlington, VA.

When she’s not working, you can almost always find her exploring the Washington, D.C. area; planning her next travel adventure; in the kitchen experimenting with a new recipe; or simply enjoying the company of her boyfriend, friends, and (last but not least!) dog, Liam.

Meghan Traynor is excited to join Powerhouse Planning as a Social Media Specialist. She is a proud Coast Guard spouse currently residing in Alameda, California with her husband and their newborn son! Meghan graduated in 2015 with a degree in early childhood education. She started out as a teaching assistant and worked her way up to be the assistant director of a preschool. While Meghan loves teaching and all the rewards that come with it, she has decided to start down a new path as a freelancer so she can stay at home with her son and still be able to help support her family and her husband’s career.

Julia Clark is the daughter of an Army veteran, the wife of a fireman, the mother of three, and a self-employed freelancer since 2008. She’s located on Florida’s sunny space coast, where it’s quite literally summer year-round. Freelancing has allowed her the work-life balance and flexibility she so enjoys, and she’s excited to join Powerhouse Planning’s freelance team.

Julia prides herself on being a versatile member of any client’s team and has years of experience as a social media manager, blogger, influencer, content curator, marketer, graphic designer, and virtual assistant. She has knack for networking and developing creative marketing strategies, and she truly feels she’s a valuable asset on any team, regardless of their niche.

Ariana Detrez is a freelance graphic designer with a background in art education. She received her bachelor’s in art education from the University of Central Florida. She taught high school art 2-D and digital photography for a year until she realized she wanted to get back to her creative roots. She has always been drawn to the arts, and graphic design allows her to tap into her creativity while helping businesses. Ariana is constantly branching out in her design work, testing out trends, and exploring her skills. When Ariana is not expressing her artistic perspective through design, she is exploring other creative fields such as photography, drawing, and paper-crafting.

Ariana is new to military life and being a military spouse; however, she is enjoying the refreshing change. It has been quite an adjustment, but a positive one nonetheless. Learning about the Air Force and the military, along with participating in the community, has really helped her grow and connect with others.

As Jessica Bertsch nears her sixth year of business, she reflects on the Powerhouse story and what’s ahead.

By Bianca M. Strzalkowski

Sometimes life puts you on a path you didn’t even know you were meant to travel.

The founder and president of Powerhouse Planning never aspired to be a business owner. Jessica Bertsch’s background was in higher education, working at colleges and universities until she married a United States Coast Guardsman. The frequent relocations associated with his military service eventually led to the realization that she would need to pivot her career plan.

Building a portfolio of excellence
“As we moved, it was hard to find jobs within universities,” she explained. “So, with our first move—after I had worked at Purdue University—we kind of decided maybe I needed to look at other areas to work within. And that’s when I hopped over to government contracting, and I was incredibly fortunate to be with a small, but growing firm.”

Jessica says the experience she gained at that firm allowed her to see firsthand what a succeeding venture looks like, which included an increase of human capital and a focus on expanding the firm’s vision. By the conclusion of her work there, the company had increased its revenue by 750%.

Around the same time, the Bertsch’s were beginning to discuss the future—including growing their family. Part of those talks included the reality that her husband’s career would demand some periods of separation for sea time, typically alternating tours every two years. Still, Jessica didn’t want to give up on the resume she had worked hard to build. She would find a way for home and professional life to coexist.

“As we started talking about having a family, I was trying to figure out how we could grow our family but still allow me to have a career and support him out at sea. That’s when someone came to me and asked if I would do some freelance work,” she said.

Tapping into a new talent pool
But average isn’t Jessica’s way of doing business. Instead, with encouragement from her husband, she decided to approach the newfound profession in a bigger way.

“I decided to just go for it,” she shared.

So roughly five years ago, Jessica founded Powerhouse Planning, a company comprised of freelance team members who partner with and support businesses as a whole, and Powerhouse has experienced upward mobility ever since. Not only did she lean on her own education and employment skills, but she also sought out a highly underutilized talent pool: military spouses.

Because of the company’s structure, Powerhouse is able to provide a wide range of services at a price favorable to clients’ bottom line because it includes no overhead costs. The team is built on talent, not location. By working with a fully virtual workforce, Jessica recruits and retains contractors based on performance and skill regardless of geography, a tactic highly favorable to a demographic often on the go because of military orders.

Helping clients improve the bottom line
The company’s portfolio includes supporting a mix of small- to mid-sized firms with their business development, company development, marketing, and internal and external communications. Jessica says that just as she revised her own employment plans during those early years, she applied the same approach to Powerhouse to maximize the company’s efficiencies. And it was an effective strategy because in just five years of operation, the firm has seen advancement.

“Our defining moment was about two years ago when we switched over to doing primarily retainer-based contracts,” Jessica said. “I was thinking about how we can really help companies grow, and that’s when two years ago we thought why wouldn’t we become this virtual team that backs companies and saves them thousands of dollars because they get an entire virtual team—IT, graphic design, quality assurance, project management, social media strategy. They get six people for the cost of one full-time body.”

Retention and consistency are among the core values of Powerhouse’s foundation. Jessica streamlines the process for clients by assigning a single point of contact to them, while striving to connect them with one set team of freelancers. Once Powerhouse partners with a client, the team immediately joins in on the client’s mission; seeing that business prosper becomes a top priority.

“Because we are smaller, I feel we have a larger sense of ownership with these clients,” she added.
To learn more about Powerhouse Planning’s founder, click here: Jessica Bertsch.

Konstantin “Dean” Kokoris is a freelance multimedia designer who provides multimedia services ranging from print to digital design, both motion and 3D. Dean received his bachelor’s degree in 2012 from Old Dominion University, where he studied graphic design. Since graduation, he has worked as a multimedia specialist, a web developer, and an Instructional Systems Designer (ISD).

Dean has developed a variety of training products for the U.S. Navy as both a graphic designer and an ISD. He has also been tasked with redesigning various Navy websites and portals, proving himself to be a jack of all trades.

Angela Caban is a freelance writer, published author, and branding expert. In 2010 she founded the Homefront United Network, a military spouse and family support site created to assist spouses and families through encouragement, educational articles, and resources. This network is dedicated to assisting National Guard and Reserve families with resources and to ensuring no spouse is left behind. In 2013 she was named the New Jersey National Guard Spouse of the Year by Military Spouse Magazine and Armed Forces Insurance.

In January of 2017, Angela was elected to the Milford Public School Board of Education. She is an advocate for military kids attending civilian schools as well as for current issues affecting curriculum and regionalization of smaller school districts. She also sits on advisory boards for The Milspo Project, Military Family Advisory Network and MilTribe.

As a branding expert, Angela has worked with clients such as A&E, Lifetime Network, Chevrolet, Carnival, and many more. Currently, she is one of the Community Managers for the USAA Member Community, which provides engaging and resourceful content for military and families.

Angela has an extensive background in Human Resources and Communications, with a Bachelor’s in Business Administration and a Master’s in Human Resources. She has been married to her Army National Guard soldier for 13 years, and together they reside in the Garden State of New Jersey with their two children.