Gwen Newsome, President of CollegeRentalHouse.com and Air Force retiree spouse, turned a great idea into a new business for the military space.
In 1993, she married and was stationed in Columbus, MS, for pilot training. There, she worked as a waitress, knowing they would soon move. In 1994, they moved to Wichita, KS, where she worked for Sheraton Hotels, still figuring out how to use her history degree. In 1999, they were stationed at NATO Air Base in Geilenkirchen, Germany. She was pregnant and chose to focus on being a stay-at-home mom rather than take a short-term job in Düsseldorf.
In 2002, they settled in Omaha, NE. She took any work available with her husband in the Nebraska Air National Guard part-time and two kids to support. She started as an assistant at Sergeant’s Pet Care and eventually advanced to Senior Category Manager, traveling to Asia for product development. In 2010, she joined a quilting company to help bring a new product to market, which was a unique and creative role. Then, in 2011she became a Buyer at Hayneedle, which later became part of Walmart.com, but was laid off after three years. That same year, she took on a role in the local lacrosse community, helping grow the sport as Director of Operations.
In 2017, she started with Rush Recommerce, a dynamic start-up where she wore multiple hats. In May 2024, she was furloughed, prompting her to refocus on their college rental property venture. After purchasing a rental home for their daughter in 2018, she turned this investment into a business. Through CollegeRentalHouse.com, she now shares tips and resources for parents interested in college rental properties, offering guidance to help others avoid the challenges we encountered along the way.