Episoder
-
In this episode of the GovCon Giants podcast, we welcome Thomas Beil, a seasoned supply chain expert with a rich background in digital transformation at industry leaders like Honeywell and Whirlpool.
Now the founder of Perfect Planner, a cutting-edge supply chain tech firm, Thomas dives deep into the critical pillars of supply chain success: velocity, visibility, and variability. He reveals how mastering these elements can protect businesses from disruptions and boost resilience, especially in today’s unpredictable market.
With actionable insights and real-world examples, Thomas equips listeners with strategies that can elevate their supply chain operations. Don't miss this chance to learn from a true industry innovator.
-
In this episode of the Govcon Giants Podcast, we welcome Erica Dobbs, the dynamic CEO of Dobbs Defense Solutions. Erica's story is one of resilience and determination. She began her journey while still working her traditional 9-to-5 job, with a dream of one day running her own business. Today, she leads a multimillion-dollar company specializing in cybersecurity and IT services for the Department of Defense.
Erica shares her path from being an employee to becoming a successful entrepreneur, detailing the numerous challenges she encountered along the way. She opens up about facing setbacks due to her gender, veteran status, and ethnicity, and how she transformed those obstacles into the driving force behind her success. Throughout the conversation, Erica provides practical advice for anyone considering the leap into entrepreneurship, offering insights on how to navigate the federal marketplace and turn adversity into opportunity.
If you've ever doubted your ability to succeed or felt underestimated, this episode is packed with inspiration and actionable steps to help you overcome those doubts. Tune in to hear Erica’s remarkable journey and discover how she built an empire in the federal contracting space.
Website: https://erica.ceo/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erica-dobbs/
Company Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thinkd2s/
Contact: https://erica.ceo/contact/
-
Manglende episoder?
-
In today's special episode of the GovCon Giants Podcast, Eric introduces listeners to John Cook, CEO of Strategic Growth Advisors, a prominent figure in the world of federal contracting. With over 20 years of experience in the D.C. area, John has developed a reputation for guiding small businesses to significant growth through proven strategies that double revenues and secure multimillion-dollar contracts.
His insights come from a deep well of experience in both corporate and small business environments, making him a sought-after advisor in the industry. This episode is packed with invaluable insights for anyone looking to scale their business in the federal contracting arena. Don’t miss out on this game-changing conversation on the GovCon Giants Podcast.
-
In this special episode of the Govcon Giants Podcast, Eric sits down with Jalen Uboh, an inspiring government contractor whose journey epitomizes resilience and adaptability. Jalen shares his path from college hustles to entrepreneurial success, offering insights into the challenges and triumphs of his career.
Initially delving into the world of drop shipping, Jalen transitioned into the healthcare sector before finding his niche in federal contracting. Astonishingly, within just eight months, he grew his business to surpass a million dollars in gross revenue. This episode dives deep into how Jalen secured his first contract supplying defibrillators to the Department of Defense, as well as his recent ventures providing drones, AI solutions, and aerospace technology.
His success extends beyond contracting—he also developed a single-family home community from 2020 to 2023. For anyone interested in breaking into government contracting or scaling a business in this space, Jalen’s story is filled with valuable lessons in creativity and determination. Tune in to hear how he made the leap from zero to success in the competitive world of federal contracting.
-
In this episode, we have Marsha Lindquist, a Strategic Pricing Expert. Eric and Marsha talks about the world of government contracting and pricing. With her vast experience in this field and working in various positions such as cost engineer, director of contracts and pricing, and corporate controller. There is so much to learn from her experiences and knowledge.
The government usually sees pricing in a cost plus approach, which is different from the commercial way of thinking. They have its own way of seeing pricing and that the company might have to present their pricing in a way that the government is willing to accept, but that doesn't necessarily mean that the company has to change its approach completely.
Want to learn more about strategic pricing? This episode is for you. Hope you enjoyed this episode of The Daily Wind Up. See you tomorrow.
-
In this episode, uncover the keys to excelling in government contracting with guidance from an industry powerhouse, Travis Mack, generating over $100M in annual revenue. This exclusive interview delves into finding and winning government contracts, offering expert tips on navigating the federal marketplace and growing your business through mergers and acquisitions.
Whether you're new to government contracting or aiming to scale, this discussion delivers actionable strategies on building winning proposals and fostering long-term relationships. Perfect for entrepreneurs eager to master the essentials of teaming, performance leverage, and exponential growth in the government contracting arena.
-
In today's episode, Lynwood Owens talks about the difficulties his business faced after obtaining an 8(a) status in 2018. The stakeholders considered his company as a risk since they were not a prime contractor, and had no capital and fast forms to show for it.
However, in March 2019, he won his first prime contract as a product award, which started a chain of prime contracts for his company. He now faces the challenge of sustaining his business as the period of performance for some contracts is one to four years long.
His new challenge? Retaining customers and contracts, looking at the cycle of the contract, and aligning with competitors. Tune in to this episode to know how these challenges will make you level up in the Government contracting space.
Hope you enjoyed this episode of the Daily Wind Up. See you tomorrow.
-
In this episode, I talk about the contracting process for acquisitions in the federal government and its importance. I explained the process including a planning phase, market research phase, and others.
The government's market research phase can be identified by the publication of sources sought notices and RFIs.
It's important to emphasize the importance of understanding the process and knowing the phase in order to correctly interpret and respond to opportunities for work with the government. I also talk about the Defense Acquisition University, which trains contracting officers.
Tune in to this episode, to learn more.
-
In this episode of the Govcon Giants podcast, we have Alice Williams, a seasoned expert in federal contracting with nearly four decades of experience. Alice has played a pivotal role in some of the nation’s most critical operations, including the recovery of the Pentagon after 9/11.
She brings a wealth of knowledge as a government contracting mentor, consultant, and expert, and shares her incredible journey from a 16-year-old civil servant to an executive in the Department of Defense. Along the way, she earned her Level 3 Acquisition Professional Certification and unlimited warrant authority, key milestones in her prestigious career.
During the conversation, Alice dives into some of the most common mistakes small businesses make when trying to secure government contracts. She emphasizes the importance of keeping up with changing rules and regulations, following where federal money is being allocated, and always bringing practical solutions to the table. Alice also discusses strategic tools like category management and explains how small businesses can align their approaches with federal government plans to maximize opportunities.
For those looking to scale in the federal marketplace, this episode is a must-listen, packed with actionable insights from an industry insider. Let’s welcome our next giant, Alice Williams.
Links:
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alice-williams-bba988a
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amwacg/
Website: https://govcontractpros.com/about-us/team-2/alice-williams/
Episode 174: https://govcongiants.org/174-2/
Book “Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead”: https://a.co/d/gCeRmVa
-
In this episode, we discuss how to find good business development (BD) people and proposal writers for their company. We believe that it is important to network and leverage platforms like LinkedIn to find people who are currently working and have a history of success, instead of relying on resume sources like Monster.
So want to know how to hire the perfect talent? My guest in this episode has had success with finding a young, energetic person who articulates themselves well and who can be trained by an experienced BD person. He trained them through courses like Shipley's proposal process.
We also discussed compensation and how much to pay employees. Want to know more? Tune in to this episode now.
-
In this episode, we talk about the importance of LinkedIn and social media strategies for small businesses. As an example, it is vital that businesses show a human side in their LinkedIn profiles, with information on their personality and how they can help potential customers.
It is also recommended using hashtags on LinkedIn and accepting connections, as each connection represents an opportunity to expand one's network.
Want to know more how you can expand your network throught LinkedIn? This episode is for you. Stay tuned for our new episode tomorrow!
-
In this episode, Eric and Manish delve into the challenges of starting a business and share their personal experiences. Manish highlights the difficulty of acquiring new clients and breaking into larger companies and government agencies as one of the hardest obstacles they faced.
However, through lessons learned and the implementation of technology and strategies, he was able to overcome these challenges. Their hard work and dedication has paid off, as they have been recognized on the Inc. 500/5000 list several times and have won awards for being one of the fastest growing companies in Philadelphia.
Learn more about the inspiring journey of Manish in his business, listen now!
-
Today's episode is about the challenges of delivering diesel fuel to priority one facilities in emergency situations, such as hospitals and shelters, that rely on generators. These process requires dedicated assets and frequent fuel deliveries.
We also talk about the difficulties of bidding for contracts with the Department of Defense as a new vendor and how winning the bids led to buying tractor trailers to expand the business.
Listen now to know more about delivering services to priority one facilities. Hope you enjoyed this episode of The Daily Wind Up. See you tomorrow.
-
In this special episode, we have Natalie Rosario, a 27-year-old entrepreneur who rapidly secured four government contracts with no prior experience and minimal capital. Inspired by a friend’s Instagram story, Natalie jumped into government contracting, quickly moving from her first bid on a single piece of paper to landing a five-year landscaping contract in Miami.
She shares her journey of overcoming initial challenges, winning vendor trust, and learning as she went, all while underscoring the power of action and consistency.
Natalie’s story proves that, with determination and a willingness to learn, anything is possible in government contracting. Whether you’re an aspiring entrepreneur or just need a boost of inspiration, her journey is a testament to overcoming limits and seizing new opportunities. Tune in for an episode that motivates you to start small, dream big, and dive into the world of government contracts!
-
In this episode, we discuss the differences between LPTA (lowest price technically acceptable) and best value when it comes to government contracting. While best value is preferred in theory, in practice, LPTA is often used.
There is subjectivity involved in evaluating proposals and that relationships and customer influence can impact the final decision. Being an incumbent can lead to higher wages for employees and how exceptional performance doesn't always translate to winning follow-on contracts.
There is a lot of nuance and subjectivity involved in government contracting beyond what is explicitly written in the proposal requirements. Want to know more? Listen now! Hope you enjoyed this episode of The Daily Wind Up. See you tomorrow.
-
In this very special episode of the GovCon Giants podcast, we have Jackie Robinson Burnett, the Associate Administrator of Government Contracting at the SBA, a leader poised to revolutionize small business access to federal contracts.
Jackie unveils a groundbreaking SBA platform that cuts certification approval times by up to 70%, offering small businesses a streamlined process to secure multiple certifications with one application. She dives into the inner workings of federal set-aside programs and shares essential strategies for getting noticed in the contracting world.
This episode is packed with insights and reveals opportunities that could transform your approach to federal contracting. Plus, meet Jackie live at the upcoming Miami Federal Contracting Summit on November 14-15. Don’t miss this chance to learn from an industry insider ready to reshape the game for small businesses.
Website: https://certifications.sba.gov/
-
In this episode, we talk about the real challenges of being a business owner. There are difficulty with self-doubt and the feeling of intimidation by other business owners. But how do you overcome them?
We talk about some helpful and proven tips like listening to audiobooks and taking self-evaluation tests such as the Enneagram and Strengths Finders to help increase you knowledge and understanding of what it takes to be a business owner.
If you are starting your own business and are finding some challenges, this episode is perfect for you. Hope you enjoyed this episode of The Daily Wind Up. See you tomorrow.
-
In this episode, we have Lynn Petrazzuolo and we discuss her career in environmental science. Lynn shares the beginning of her journey, which involved building a team from scratch as a federal contractor.
With the help of an experienced help desk operator, she learned the ropes and eventually realized the importance of having individuals with environmental science degrees on their team. She also highlights their participation in the 8A program from 2004 to 2013 and how it helped them secure a contract for remediation on Indian land.
Being a Native American woman-owned firm and providing environmental services, Lynn emphasizes the importance of building the right talent and team to build your own company.
Hope you enjoyed this episode of The Daily Wind Up. See you tomorrow.
-
In today's special episode of the Govcon Giants podcast, we sit down with Maria Snider, a remarkable entrepreneur who shares her journey from immigrating from Guatemala to building a successful government contracting business. Maria, a single mother of three, started her business six years ago with no money and just her home vacuum cleaner.
Within her first six months, she generated $250,000 in sales, reaching $1 million by the end of her first year, and now makes $2 million annually. She talks about her determination to break into the construction industry, adding demolition and temp labor to her offerings. Maria highlights the importance of networking, which led her to secure a recent $1 million contract.
She also shares her involvement in organizations like the Hispanic Contractors Association and her dedication to helping other minority business owners. Throughout the conversation, Maria emphasizes resilience, the power of connections, and the value of stepping out of your comfort zone to achieve success.
-
In this special episode of Govcon Giants, we have Jade Simon, founder and CEO of SimCore Solutions. Jade shares her inspiring journey from being a computer programmer to securing a seven-figure government contract. She reveals how a chance meeting at an NCMA Sneaker Ball and a LinkedIn post led to a successful partnership in the tech space. Jade also discusses the challenges she’s faced as a minority woman in tech and government contracting, emphasizing perseverance and the importance of networking.
Throughout the episode, Jade talks about her transition from working with the Department of Homeland Security to founding her own company. She reflects on how overcoming challenges as a minority woman in tech has been a journey, with mentorship playing a key role in her success. Jade also touches on the importance of modernizing government systems through automation and better technology to improve efficiency and save time.
Join Jade and Eric as they explore the power of networking, resilience, and pushing through barriers in the government contracting space.
- Vis mere
