Making It In Government Contracting
Making It In Government Contracting
How does mission-driven work enhance business success?
One of the reasons we help organizations meet their mission is because our biggest client is the Department of Defense (DOD). In essence, we're contributing to national security. When you think about it, that’s incredibly impactful. I previously served in the Air Force, so I’ve had a sense of mission and purpose instilled in me from a young age. This draws me to mission-oriented organizations like the one I’m with now. Every day, my work centers around that mission. Securing national security doesn’t get more real than that.
What are the benefits of leaving a stable job to pursue entrepreneurship?
A while back, I mentioned my decision to leave a stable government job. I could have stayed there my entire career, recession-proof, working for the U.S. government. I probably would have moved up the ladder gradually, but I felt a lack of purpose. When an opportunity presented itself, I decided to look for something where I could make a real impact.
If I hadn’t left that job, I probably wouldn’t have become an entrepreneur or a business owner. Stepping outside my comfort zone, leaving something safe and stable, set me on the path to where I am today. It gave me the chance to start and successfully run my own business, eventually leading to my current role as CEO. All of this happened because I was willing to leave a stable environment and take that leap.
How can business owners avoid risky partnerships and protect their teams?
Any entrepreneur makes their share of mistakes. One in particular stands out from early in our company’s journey. As a young business looking for work, we got into the world of government contracting, which is often slow and frustrating. We had an opportunity to partner with another company—it seemed like a great fit, even though we didn’t really like them. In hindsight, that was a mistake.
We entered the partnership, won a contract, and everything seemed to be going well. After the initial base year, the government exercised its option to renew. Then, suddenly, I couldn’t get a response from the owner of the partner company. We were subcontractors, so they were the main point of contact. I called, emailed, and texted, but received nothing in return. At the time, five of our employees were on this contract—about half of our team.
In the end, they replaced our positions and took us off the contract, leaving us with no recourse. Later, we found out this company was highly litigious; the owner had even sued her own employees multiple times. Our lawyer advised us against pursuing legal action due to the time and money it would cost. I had to lay off five people right before the holidays, which was devastating.
That experience taught us to adopt a “trust but verify” approach to partnerships, thoroughly vetting potential partners. It was a hard lesson learned, but thankfully, it happened early in our journey.
*This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.*
