The Who

Founded in 2020, LVL-Up Strategies is a minority, woman-owned small business based out of Arlington, Virginia, with a remote-workforce across the globe. LVL-Up’s team, which is composed of partners of foreign service and military personnel, specializes in helping small businesses grow to their potential.

LVL-Up supports business leaders in a variety of industries through our three signature services: 1) strategic advisory, 2) operational planning, and 3) targeted implementation. We provide support in the key areas of finance, customer relationship management, social media, business development, evaluation, and communications.

LVL-Up’s internal structure intentionally provides space for the talented community of EFMs (an Eligible Family Member is any partner, child, or dependent of US Military or Foreign Service personnel) to thrive professionally, use their extensive experience to support others, and continue to develop their skills as executives, entrepreneurs, and project managers.

This symbiotic connection of a driven workforce and driven clients is critical to the company’s strategic approach. It is why LVL-Up Strategies can #GetItHandled^®.

For many years, co-founders Rona Jobe and Laura Jennings, having been small business owners themselves, knew many entrepreneurs who were struggling to scale their companies. They were building on their passions but floundering on their processes. They needed a mid-tier consulting solution to standardize their business practices, streamline their operations, and implement their tasks so they could scale their reach and impact.

Simultaneously, Rona and Laura observed talented friends and acquaintances struggle to establish themselves in the workforce, because prospective employers could not make sense of the individuals’ resumes nor comprehend their complex lifestyles as EFMs. An Eligible Family Member (EFM) is any partner, child, or dependent of US Military or Foreign Service personnel. These family members serve the United States, undergoing frequent moves that require changes in schools, languages, and work opportunities. They essentially rebuild their lives every few years, disrupting the normal cadence of a professional growth trajectory.

From personal experience, Rona and Laura know what it takes to repeatedly establish oneself in other countries. When they look at the EFMs’ resumes, they see the resourceful, tenacious people behind them. They see the keen skills, unique experiences, world perspective, and deep problem-solving packaged in a well-thought approach. It would take a lot to stir an EFM, and when faced with massive complexities, they often remain optimistic (or at least find ways to laugh about the situation).

LVL-Up’s co-founders saw an opportunity to bring these two communities - small business owners and EFM strategists - together. Rona and Laura know that small business owners need go-getters, planners, implementers, and logisticians to reach their goals, and that EFMs can provide the necessary support. They co-founded LVL-Up Strategies to 1) be a consulting solution for small businesses by providing advisory, strategy, and implementation services; and 2) be an executive environment for EFMs by creating meaningful, thought-provoking, and paid positions. They have built a partnership where everyone can LVL-Up.