TLDR: Military spouse Maria Reed went from putting her film career on hold to creating Moving With the Military. Her journey shows there’s no “perfect time” to pursue your dreams—action now leads to opportunities later. From education and entrepreneurship to networking and free resources, Maria proves military spouses can thrive while supporting their families.
Military spouses are masters of resilience. But too often, they’re told to wait: wait until the next move, wait until the kids are older, wait until your spouse retires.
Maria Reed disagrees.
A 20-year military spouse and mom of two turned TV creator/producer and nonprofit CEO, Maria built a thriving career while supporting her husband’s service in the Army. Through her hit show Moving With the Military and the Inspire Up Foundation, she’s helping other military spouses see the truth: you don’t have to wait your turn. The best time to start building your future is right now.
Building a Career as a Military Spouse
Maria began her career in the film industry, but when she married an Army Officer, she quickly learned how different military life would be.
“I thought my husband could stay with the kids sometimes while I continued in film,” she says. “He was like, ‘Have you ever talked to someone in the Army? That’s probably not going to work.’”
So Maria pivoted. She became a computer science and film teacher, encouraging her students to use their cell phone cameras and YouTube to start self-producing. One day, her students turned her own lessons back on her: If she wanted to create something, why wasn’t she doing it?
That challenge sparked Moving With the Military, a self-produced series honoring military families through surprise home makeovers. Maria also co-founded the Inspire Up Foundation for military spouses to find community, continuing education, and empowerment.
“Every time you move is a reinvention,” Maria says. “That uncertainty can hold you back, or it can push you to create something new.”
Military Spouse Career Resources
Maria knows that uncertainty is one of the biggest hurdles spouses face. So she recommends starting with tools like Military OneSource and Gallup StrengthsFinder.
“StrengthsFinder told me my number one strength was Ideation and my second was Activation,” she says. “That gave me confidence to pursue careers that fit these strengths.”
From there, the path could be college, a certification, or a coding bootcamp. For flexible work, organizations like Instant Teams help military spouses land remote jobs, while the Association for Military Spouse Entrepreneurs supports those launching their own businesses.
“All these resources are out there for military spouses like you,” Maria says. “Use them. You’ve earned them.”
Persistence and Pivoting
Even with resources, Maria stresses that progress takes time and persistence. When she launched Moving With the Military, she was up against major TV networks.
“We were a small fish in a big pond. We heard a lot of nos before we got a yes,” she says.
Pivoting is also part of the journey. Maria didn’t earn her college degree until she was nearly 40, and she’s proud of that path.
“We’re taught to see changing your course in life as failure,” she says. “But it’s not failing. It’s actually growth.”
The Myth of the "Perfect Time"
The most powerful lesson Maria shares is Don’t wait.
“All the time I hear military spouses say: ‘I’ll start pursuing my goals when my spouse retires.’ But if you wait, then you have to start from scratch with basically no resources,” she says. “I’m a firm believer that you should do all you can while your spouse is on Active Duty. That way, when they’re transitioning out, you have the prerequisites ready for what you want to do.”
“There’s never going to be a perfect time,” Maria says from experience. When she went back to school, her two children were both under three years old, and her husband was busy serving. It wasn’t the perfect time, but it was her time.
“He had eight years left, which felt so far away. But I had to set us up for success. If I hadn’t done these things, we wouldn’t have our opportunities now,” she says.
“Since his retirement, my husband has been co-hosting on Moving with the Military. Working together is so much fun. Though I’ve learned we have very different tastes in home decor!”
Don't Wait. Take Action Today!
Maria’s story proves that military spouses don’t need to wait their turn. With persistence, creativity, and the right resources, you can build your future alongside your Servicemember.
Ready to explore your options? Discover how Code Platoon’s programs help military spouses and Veterans build portable, flexible careers in tech.
Want to hear more from Maria? Watch her full episode on the Service to Software podcast below.
