Month: February 2025

In this episode of The Daily Windup, we have Likia Hawkins talk about her plans for the future and her strategies for growth. She explains that her current focus is on pursuing government contract vehicles, such as GWA contract vehicles, and winning single award contracts to align with their capability as a prime contractor. She also emphasize the importance of talent acquisition and building a dynamic culture that cultivates intellectual and independent thought.

She also discusses their approach to strategic teaming and partnership, highlighting the criteria they use to select partners based on their core capabilities and the agencies they want to compete with. She stresses the importance of creating an environment where both companies thrive and put some skin in the game for the teaming partner. This episode provides valuable insights into strategic teaming and pursuing government contract vehicles, listen now!

In this episode we discuss the keys to successfully winning government contracts. Diane Dempsey, who is an industry expert, emphasizes the importance of thoroughly analyzing requests for proposals (RFPs) and determining whether a company is qualified to bid on a project. She advises listeners to pay attention to past performance and staff composition, as well as ensuring financial viability. She also warns against using overly flowery language and making unsupported claims. Lastly, she gives a great reminder about taking an intentional and strategic approach when pursuing government contracts. Listen now to know more!

In today’s episode of The Daily Windup, we talks to Joshua Atkinson about the importance of project management education and certification. He explains that having industry certifications such as a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification can make a veteran more employable when transitioning to civilian life. Additionally, learning about project management can make anyone a better teammate or employee because every project is focused on satisfying customers and improving profitability.

He also explains the differences between PMP, Agile, Scrum, and Lean Six Sigma certifications and how they are all different aspects of project management. We discuss how Lean Six Sigma was the foundation of Toyota’s organizational culture and how it applies to project management. Overall, this episode emphasizes the value of project management education and its applicability to many different industries and roles. Want to learn more? Tune in right now.

In this episode, we dive deep into the SBA Mentor Protégé Program, a transformative initiative for small businesses eager to dominate the federal marketplace. I’m joined by Kanika Perkins, a powerhouse with over 16 years of federal service. As a former contracting officer and now the deputy director of this groundbreaking program, Kanika shares insights into how over 1,900 active agreements are unlocking billions of dollars in opportunities for small businesses nationwide.

Kanika was introduced to me by none other than Jackie Robinson Burnett, another legend on this show. Together, we explore the strategic moves small businesses need to scale—like avoiding costly mistakes, building capacity, and forming the right partnerships. Whether you’re trying to turn $200K in revenue into multi-million-dollar contracts or simply understand how to maximize your federal contracting potential, this is a conversation you don’t want to miss. Tune in to uncover the secrets to thriving in the federal marketplace!

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaperkins2008/ 

SBA Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/us-small-business-administration/

Website: https://www.sba.gov/  

Email: sbampp@sba.gov 

In this episode of the Daily Windup, Diane Dempsey shared tips from her experience in supplier diversity. She discuss the importance of streamlined processes for small businesses and how they can affect change in their field. With this, she is able to impact the bottom line in her role and can affect change through leadership. She emphasizes the need for small businesses to have processes in place that are streamlined and trigger regular updates.

Diane also suggests that small businesses need to pay attention to marketing and follow-up, and to have processes in place to respond to requests from clients. She recommends that small businesses set up scripts and train their staff on how to use them to be more responsive. Listen to this episode now!

In this episode, Joshua Atkinson talks about the benefits of project management certification. He emphasizes that certifications help upskill individuals and make them more attractive to employers, although there is no guarantee of a higher salary.

However, in certain industries such as cybersecurity and government contracting, certification has become mandatory. The guest also highlights the importance of project management in various industries such as healthcare, IT and software, insurance, and construction.

Project management certification can give individuals a competitive edge in the job market, but its value depends on the cert and the industry. So if you want to learn about the importance of project management in various industries and how certification can help individuals succeed in your careers, tune in now!

In this episode, Lori and I talk about the common mistakes businesses make while bidding for government contracts. Lorie stresses the importance of being prepared before submitting proposals, having a bid or no bid concept, understanding rules of engagement, and reaching out to the right people.

She advises businesses to cross out any inaccuracies in proposal writers’ work and to be patient in obtaining government contracts. We also emphasize aligning the contracts with the long-term strategy of the organization and leaving contracts that do not align. Listen now to learn more!

In this episode, we talk about the importance of marketing research for small businesses. Attending industry days is one of the best ways for small businesses to approach capture managers and to learn about future opportunities. We also have Diane Demspey, Director of Small Business Programs, who shares valuable insights on how small businesses can succeed in the government contracting space.

Dianne discusses how the company she works for supports small businesses by introducing them into their supply chain, engaging them at the draft RFP level, and including them in their subcontracting plan. She stresses the importance of marketing research for small businesses, as every single agency posts their forecast. This episode hopes to encourage small businesses to attend industry days and approach capture managers. Tune in now!