About the company

    Long before upholding the title of United States Marine, Sarah Serrano’s story reveals that she is undeniably hard-working and loyal.  Born the eldest daughter among four biracial children, Sarah learned early not only the obstacles borne from being a child of a first-generation Filipino immigrant and an African American, but also the tremendous responsibility of leading by example.  Her mother suffered through a brain tumor, craniotomy, and endless chemotherapy, and Sarah became her loyal caregiver while also taking on the “mother” role for her younger sister instantaneously. Adversity continued for her throughout childhood, as her entrepreneurial family often lived paycheck to paycheck and relocated every two years, forcing her to adapt to ever-changing environments. It was in these early years that she learned of the sacrifice and commitment that entrepreneurship requires.  She got her first job at age 14 – while also juggling team sports – earning deeper appreciation for the importance of self-sustainability and commitment. 

At age 21 and armored with resilience, Sarah decided to join the Marine Corps in pursuit of economic stability and opportunity.  Already well-versed in the attributes of loyalty and devotion, she thrived in the next chapter of her life. Her steadfastness was acknowledged immediately when appointed the “Guide” in her first days of bootcamp and meritoriously promoted to Private First Class (E-2) upon graduation.  Receiving her assignment as an administrator in Yuma, Arizona, Sarah served the next four years of her active duty service in administration.  Success in this role gained her yet another meritorious promotion to Corporal (E-4), Sergeant (E-5), and an appointment to her command’s headquarters where she served as the paralegal and headquarters’ executive assistant.  Despite the success in her career, it did not come without hardship.  When her father became estranged from the family during this time, she stepped in to become the caregiver of her disabled mother and the legal guardian of her 14-year-old sister. 

     Upon her departure from the Marine Corps in 2009, Sarah remained in Yuma to allow her sister to graduate high school and landed a job as a Courtroom Clerk for the Yuma County Superior Court.  In 2012, she moved back home to California to attend college, but struggled to secure gainful employment.  While able to find some work as a brand ambassador and freelance writer, she finally landed a great contract with the Marines as an administrator.  Sadly, Sarah’s mother was diagnosed with end-stage uterine cancer in 2013, leading her to provide full-time hospice care for her mother until she passed away later that year.  Due to the nature of the work she had left under bereavement, she was unable to return to the promising job she had in California; and despite her relentless pursuit of gainful employment, she lost the apartment where she lived with her younger sister in Los Angeles. Her back against the wall, she knew she had to procure all the resources available to her as a veteran.

Fervently searching for as many opportunities available to her, Sarah became aware of the limitations of many veteran resources unique to her, for many offerings were exclusive to men only, or could only extend to her as her sister was no longer an eligible dependent.  She eventually secured a volunteer position through the veteran community as a social media manager for a local non-profit organization, and her dedication to this job was soon recognized with a promotion to General Manager.  The title came with no benefits and nominal compensation as an independent contractor, but Sarah acquired a newfound respect and appreciation for such an organization and proudly boasts of how much she learned, and the lifelong professional relationships forged to this day.  Unfortunately, her independent contractor classification restricted her from the many benefits and protections afforded to those properly classified as an employee. She became exhausted in her fight for support and was forced to leave the organization.  Although this employment was not lasting, she took solace in the fact that her experience would help future workers, for her wage dispute case aided in the legislation of California’s Assembly Bill 5.

     Continuing her pursuit for stable employment that provided a living wage and health benefits, Sarah transitioned into a new field of property management.  For the next three years, she began working up to 40 hours a week for a temp agency, but often went weeks with no work assignments.  Despite the nominal pay, lack of benefits, and many empty promises of a permanent position, she realized that the consistency of having one employer (albeit a temp agency) benefited her work history and allowed her to avoid the employment gaps that plague other workers.  Moreover, she gained further insight into the challenges that veterans face in accessing employment opportunities and forging economic independence.  In fact, this experience amplified her voice for veterans, while she served on an inaugural federal advisory committee for the West Los Angeles VA for two terms.  Sarah remains a fierce advocate for veterans in the workforce to this day, participating in a plethora of groupings to address economic challenges faced by women and veterans alike. In 2020, she created Milumni.

Derived from a word mashup of ‘military’ and ‘alumni,’ Milumni’s objective is to establish a high-level network for military veterans that focuses on economic growth and opportunity after their departure from the service.  Through a membership-based network unique to military members, Milumni will provide the necessary workforce training and support resources that allow users to fill independent employment contracts and advance their small businesses.  Fostering social support and engagement within this exclusive network, Milumni will provide an effective platform to facilitate sponsorship for specialized certifications or licensing in the member’s desired industry.  Individually cultivated employment pathways and the personalized level of support provided by Milumni will ultimately produce highly skilled and empowered workers and entrepreneurs, that will flourish in today’s competitive economic climate. It is this vision that inspires Sarah to apply everything she has endured and learned, to realize her life’s purpose and leave the world a better place.