Tag: goals

Enough Learning! Start Doing!

Posted on by Eric Coffie

There are tons of resources that you can use to learn about the government contracting marketplace, but the best resource that you can use is your experience and you won’t have this without diving right now. So, enough learning and start doing!

WHAT IS STOPPING YOU?

What is stopping you from taking the chance? What is standing in your way in doing the work and being part of this marketplace? Are you afraid of failure or are you afraid of success?

You see, we’re used to fearing everything before it actually happened. As a result, we only end up talking about our dreams and goals, instead of actually doing it. 

“I’m so accustomed to people just talking about these things and really not processing or digesting or even understanding the implications of what they’re saying.”

Aside from that, we’re used to thinking that we can’t actually gain success because we don’t have the necessary advantage that rich people have. 

Stop falling into that trap because if that’s true, then no poor person will ever succeed in life. 

Besides, with the new resources that we have right now, it is easier to gain success than before. It’s all just in the mindset. 

“The doer is the worker and the person that’s the thinker is the leader. They’re the ones that own the stuff. Do you want to be an owner or do you want to be a worker?”

ARE YOU DOING THE WORK OR ARE YOU JUST BEING BUSY?

Although it is much needed to learn about the industry first before actually diving into it, most of the time, we’re just stuck in the learning phase… we aren’t actually doing the job. 

This is the same case in the government contracting marketplace. There are a handful of people that are thinking that they are doing the work by creating an LLC and getting a website domain. 

However, that’s not doing the work. Doing the work is responding to a sources sought notice and building relationships with target government agencies. 

“Those are not activities that are going to get you to the point where you can have a long-term sustainable business with recurring revenue. You’ve got to get out there and do the work.”

Besides, we all know that there are income-producing activities and there are also busy producing activities. Are you doing an income-producing activity or are you just doing busy work? 

ARE YOU DRIVING TOWARDS YOUR DIRECTION?

Have you planted any seeds lately? Have you made govcon activities recently? Are you doing the necessary work in getting a contract? 

Look back to the activities that you are doing in the past few months. Is it driving you towards your destination? 

If yes, then you’re on the right path; if not, you might need to be more committed to what you want. 

“In some of my content, in some of my videos, I say, ‘You have to, right, first plant the seed, then till the soil, give it sunlight, give it water, give it nutrients, and watch it grow up.’”

Besides, in the case of government contracting, it’s either you learn or you earn. You either win a contract or learn from doing the activities leading to getting a contract. 

THE GOVCON WORLD IS THRIVING

Now, if you want to learn about this marketplace, then do so. 

Remember, the government machine is still going, regardless of whoever leads the country. In fact, the world of government contracting is continuously growing and it is providing more opportunity even in times of crisis.

This is why here at GovCon Giants, we are also taking advantage of the opportunities that come with it. 

Aside from the resources that you can see on our Youtube channel and on our website, you can also be part of our community. 

We’re actually running out of people to whom we can give the opportunities that we see on a daily basis. 

So, if you want to learn more about this marketplace and be part of a community that’s going to help you win, then join us right now!

“The world of govcon is continually growing. It’s continually strengthened. It is continuing to flourish.”

RESOURCES

With this in mind, if you want people to help you start doing the work necessary in getting your contract, then check the resources below. 

You can also join us here at GovCon Giants or check the new GovCon Edu where you learn everything about government contracting!

 

Enough Learning! Start Doing!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60Jz701o2Lk

MasterMind Monday: Get in Front of Your Federal Buyer and Win!

Posted on by Eric Coffie

In this blog, we list our new MasterMind Monday highlights for you to get in front of your federal buyer and “win” in your meeting!

SET YOUR GOALS THIS 2021!

As the year 2021 starts, it’s also best to set your goals as early as now.

Also, aside from just wishing it on the stars, write these down and increase your odds of success.

You can write it on your notebook, on your phone, and anywhere else where you can see it. 

Also, if you think you need to change something in your goal, then you are free to change things. You can restructure it depending on your preference. Just be committed about what you’re doing and keep all your goals in mind. 

“When we start to process this stuff in our mind, we make a shift and we look at what we’re doing and we start doing things a little bit differently to create the lanes and the pathways, so these things can happen.”

LOOK AT CURRENT RULES AND REGULATIONS

Be your own pundit. Do your own detective work and make a guess. What do you think is gonna happen in your marketplace?

Consider what President Joe Biden said:

“Remember, our future cannot depend on the government alone. The ultimate solutions lie in the attitudes and the actions of the American people.”

This is where government contractors play a tremendous role. If you have seen the inauguration, the organizations that provided the scaffolding and helped in everything in the inauguration were government contractors. 

We ushered in that change too. We, as a community, were represented right there on that stage, whether it was your company specifically or not.

In terms of the new administration, remember that everyone is also trying to figure everything out. So, while new appointees are figuring certain rules and regulations that might matter to you, do your own research as well. 

There’s new rules coming out all the time that you’ve got to be aware of, so stay on top of these and remain compliant.

It is also recommended for you to follow budgets and agency forecasts. Luckily, these are published and can be seen by the public.

So, look at the data that are showing up in these reports and analyze your business strategies. Do you need to pivot? What companies are getting all the work and how you can work with them?

CHANGES AND OPPORTUNITIES THAT YOU SHOULD CHECK

1. LPTA

If the Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) contracts are making you poor, then better check the recent changes made in the rule. 

Analyze why LPTA has been hurting your business and get to know the new rules. 

2. Pandemic Response

With the COVID-19 pandemic still terrorizing the world, you might need to check what are the federal government’s requirements related to pandemic response.

You might have the needed products and services that can help, so don’t just wait to quote something you see on SAM or anywhere online, go directly to the agencies needing it the most. 

Besides, what’s the worst thing that can happen aside from them saying no? So, call them up and say that you wanted to help. 

3. Telework and Virtual Outreach

The federal government is also doing virtual outreach, so take advantage of these activities. Find out the next one by contacting small business specialists and other decision-makers. 

Also, remember that most people are doing telework right now, so call your potential government agencies and provide them something of value while also building relationships with them. 

4. CCMC

Those of you who are in the IT industries and those who are doing business with the Department of Defense should already be tracking your Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CCMC).

You should also learn more about this matter and pay attention in order for you to become compliant. 

5. Diversity Inclusion Trainings

The prohibition on diversity inclusion training has been rescinded, so those that are developing these kinds of training are once again welcome and encouraged in the federal agencies.

FEDERAL CONTRACTING IS A RELATIONSHIP GAME

There’s no such thing as doing business with the government. There’s only doing business with people.

Remember, there’s a real federal human behind every federal agency who puts everything on the line when they choose you.

In fact, it is recommended for you to reach out to your local Procurement Technical Assistance Centers, your target agency’s Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU), and other government decision-makers. 

Apart from that, why not work with other government contractors? If you are a small business, you really want to expand your network and work with primes. 

Consider that these primes also need to reach their subcontract requirements. They need subcontractors that are familiar in a specific facility and that can provide the product or service that they need to fulfill the overall contract. 

RESOURCES

In doing business in the federal marketplace, you should learn to be a detective. Track the changes in the govcon policies and analyze how these affect your business and the future.

If you want to learn more about how to get in front of your federal buyer, then check the full Mastermind Monday video with Judy Bradt. 

You can also visit the GovCon Giant website or the new GovCon Edu where you learn everything about government contracting!

How to get in front of your Federal Buyer and “Win” your meeting

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbLqQWtFiZE

Holiday Reflection and Goal Setting towards Success!

Posted on by Eric Coffie

Achieve your vision in life with this holiday reflection and goal setting towards success!

HOLIDAY REFLECTION

We always hear this saying, “Whatever gets measured gets done,” and it only means that if you’re not measuring your activities on a weekly, monthly, or quarterly basis, then, it’s very difficult to know if you’re moving or making progress or not.

With this in mind, I always look back to see if I was productive, did I accomplish the things I set out to accomplish, and if not, what happened.

To give you an idea, I first started doing this activity in 2016. I listed my goals which were to do 50 videos and 100 podcasts, gain 50,000 views and 5,000 person email list, and create a free course.

Currently, I exceeded the 50 videos, I never did a podcast, I’ve done well over the 50,000 views, I didn’t get to the 5,000 person email list, but I did create my free course.

Apart from that, there are some other things that happened that were not part of my initial goals. I’ve got national organizations talking to me and I’ve developed relationships with companies that are going to take me into contract with arenas that I’ve not been familiar with. 

“By just writing down the goals and having them at the top of your mind and going through that exercise, you know you’re going to hit some of those goals. You may not hit others, but there’s some things that are going to happen that you may not be able to see that may take you in some directions that are even beyond what you thought you’d be at and where you’d be or go.”

GOAL SETTING

In setting my goals, I have these 100 life goals and this 21-goal category. 

For my 100 life goals, I just put everything that I want to do. These are a wide range of things, like visiting India, visiting China, going to the ESPYs, and other things to kind of start checking off the boxes.

Then, for my 21-goal category, I wrote down three goals per section and the areas that I focused on were relationship, business and career, health and fitness goals, personal goals, contribution and legacy, and then financial goals. 

To give an example, under my contribution and legacy, I wrote down things like to help 100,000 of small businesses achieve dramatic growth results, impact the lives of millions of people so they can pay it forward for the next generation, and ensure financial freedom for the next five generations.

VISION STATEMENT

Then, to keep me on track with my goal, I have this 12-month vision statement.

Through this tracker, I ask these questions below:

What’s important to me? What are my core values? What are the things that are not easy for me? What are some of those core values that help me push through some of those hard tasks? What are my five big goals for the year? What are the five most compelling reasons to hit these goals and elevate my life? What are the key behaviors I must develop?

Apart from that, you also need to take note of the things you need to sacrifice in order to achieve those goals. For me, I’m willing to give up nights and weekends, all vacation plans, every Saturday and Sunday, and return for the money that I desire.

SUCCESS REASONS

Now that you have your goals and your vision statement, you also need to list down all of your reasons why you want to achieve those goals. 

“You can write down your goals. You can write down your vision statement, all that stuff…. You can have plenty of intelligence, talent, and good work ethic, but if you don’t have enough reasons, then you won’t do the activity.” 

Consider that these reasons, your reasons, these are like magnets that will pull you closer towards your goals. 

“For me, I knew I wanted to help my son. I knew I wanted to help my niece. I have a goal to pay off my parents’ house. And so those kinds of things are what pulled me through those tough times when people were yelling at me, screaming at me, when people treated me poorly, or I didn’t feel like I was being treated fairly.”

So, what are the reasons behind some of those goals? Write those down and don’t forget to look at it from time to time. 

RESOURCES

With this in mind, if you want to be part of a community who wants to succeed in life in terms of doing business with the government, then join us here at GovCon Giants.

Just visit our website and other social media platforms or check the new GovCon Edu where you learn everything about government contracting!

To learn more about the topic above, you can also check these resources below:

How to Set Goals in Life

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLqx9IjOXTs&t=154s

Holiday reflection and Goal Setting – Govcon Training Day 10

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iu2q-cBvTTw&feature=youtu.be

https://govcongiants1.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Holiday-reflection-and-Goal-Setting-Govcon-Training-Day-10.pdf

I FAILED 3x and LIVE to Talk About It!

Posted on by Eric Coffie

Today, I failed three times, but these failures are important and I’m here to tell you why.

MY THREE FAILURES AS OF TODAY

Failure #1:

My first failure is that I purchased new domain names with GoDaddy that cannot be transferred for six months to my hosting company, Bluehost. 

Failure #2:

Then, there goes two hours down the drain of me trying to figure out how to transfer them. And because I’m smart, I decided to purchase a new domain directly with host Bluehost. 

There goes my second failure. This Bluehost domain could not be installed because the version of Prestashop, a software that I need, is outdated.

Failure #3:

So, after figuring out for an hour, I then proceeded to purchase a new domain name with 1&1 hosting company because they are the official hosting company of Prestashop and I also purchased a website template from TemplateMonster to install with my new hosting.   

However, after three hours of trying to install that template, I found out that it was for the old version of Prestashop 1.6 and not with my current version of Prestashop 1.7. 

To convert it, it would be $900 for a $139 template. So, there is my third mistake. 

Luckily, after finding a substitute template with customer service, we exchanged it for the new one and I negotiated free installation with the company.

HOW DID YOU DEAL WITH THESE FAILURES?

So, let me ask you, what failure did you face this day and how did you deal with it?        

I know that each person who is on their quest in achieving their dreams may be attempting something challenging and scary on a regular basis. And this is normal and a must. 

I even continuously educate myself in order to increase my skills. In learning new things such as software internet marketing and web hosting, I know I will continue to fail.

However, I know that these activities will only expand my mind, take me to new places, and help me realize possibilities that I’ve never witnessed. So, I will continue to press forward. 

Apart from that, in order to get unusual results, you must become an unusual person.

“If you are comfortable, then you are not unusual.  If you are not unusual, then you are getting standard results. And if you are getting standard results, then you can count on your life being the same as it is today.”

I read a quote in an article the other day that said if you are not working at your job, then you do not have a job.

I am not saying that you want wealth, riches, and fame. But in this day and age, if you want an adequate life, then you need to invest in yourself a little more.

Learn a new trade, skillset, or a language. Besides, there are many resources out there, both free and paid, such as Coursera and Dualingo.  

Start networking with people whom you can’t afford to be around. Volunteer your time at charity events. Besides, with hundreds of events happening in each city across the country, now is a greater time than ever to participate and expand your circle.

“Become a person of value to others and you’ll grow both spiritually and prosper greatly.”

RESOURCES

With that in mind, if you want to grow in the federal marketplace, let GovCon Giants help you. Just visit our website and other social media platforms or check the new GovCon Edu where you learn everything about government contracting!

You can also check these resources below to learn more about the topic:

Listen Here If You Want To Take Action!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDjuSKMwE7o&t=1013s

5 Step Formula for Overnight Success

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMMWh5dSbgU

Where do I start?

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6-jBNNcc98vgItLSmWLW2nZfNv9gOFeJ