Small Business Success Tips

Are you making it hard for me to refer you? Or remember you?You need to make it so easy to remember what you do… in just 3-4 words.Can you do that?Join me and I'll show you how.In this training, you'll learn:• The power of known for one thing• How FOMO (fear of missing out) kills your chances for success• Steps to become unforgettable in federal buyer eyes and with your potential teammates___________________________________

Are you leaving money on the table as a subcontractor?Too often small business are when working with large primesBut this is a known risk with subcontractors that can be easily avoided.Kate Ostdiek joins me to talk about post award and how to make sure you get the money you deserve.In this training, you'll learn:• Steps to take to avoice prime contractors not paying you what they should• Why large prime federa contractors don't pay small businesses• How to train your staff to avoid mistakes that lead to non-payment___________________________________

We often think federal buyers buy from the best.That's just not the truth…They buy from the best of those who show up during their market research.It's vital you are visible wherever federal buyers or possible teammates look.In this training, you'll learn:• When federal buyers search for small business government contractors• Where federal buyers look to find small business vendors• How federal buyers choose which small businesses to meet with___________________________________

DCMA authorizes $1B daily payments to contractors.Every day, DCMS delivers 1.5M+ items to U.S. military forces.If you support the War Department and/or US military services like the Army, Navy and Air Force, then understand who supports them.In this training, you'll learn:• What the Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) does and why they exist• How DCMA is organized to support its mission partners• Top reasons small businesses should understand DCMA's impact on their future success___________________________________

Every opportunity leaves a trail.Every buyer has a pattern, and every prime has a history.FPDS shows you all of it if you know where to look.Let me show you my top 10 FPDS tips for uncovering revenue.In this training, you'll learn:• How FPDS searches really work; the fields, filters, and tactics most people overlook• Discover the FPDS data that reveals buyers, primes, competitors, and expiring contracts• Walk away with 10 actionable FPDS workflows you can use tomorrow to find revenue___________________________________

If sales are lagging, it’s usually not your product, it’s your focus.Selling to multiple federal agencies spreads you too thin, confuses buyers, and kills your pipeline.The fastest way to grow as a small business is to pick one agency and dominate it.Let me show you how to pick that agency.In this training, you'll learn:• Understand why selling to multiple agencies is killing your federal sales efforts• Learn where to start (e.g., VA, DoD, DHS, HHS, or a sub-agency) based on your core competency and past experience• See how to validate your choice using real data (buyers, vendors, opportunities, and competition)___________________________________

My customer was feeling lost on who to call in the VA.Here's exactly how I helped her build a list of 200 people.These are folks from the government and industry who can help, guide, introduce or even buy.These are the people who will get her in the door to have sales meetings.In this training, you'll learn:• The exact method I use to build a 200-person VA target list in under 30 minutes• Discover where the real VA stakeholders “live”, like buyers, influencers, teammates, and partners• Walk away with a copy-ready blueprint to build your own 200-person list for any agency___________________________________

Do you ever feel lost in federal sales?It's probably because you are not following a process.When you follow a proven process, you'll have repeatable and predictable results.You should expect that in your sales efforts.In this training, you'll learn:• The simple 7-step process that removes chaos from federal sales• Discover which step is currently blocking your revenue, and how to fix it• Walk away with a clear roadmap to grow federal revenue in FY2026___________________________________

You can't sell if federal agencies don't have a problem.But YOU know they have a problem your product or service can solve.So, you need to start by helping them ADMIT they have a problem.In this training, you'll learn:• Learn why federal buyers won’t care about your solution until THEY admit a problem exists• Discover the exact questions that move a buyer from unaware, to problem aware, to ready to engage• Walk away with a repeatable conversation flow that opens doors, builds trust, and creates demand___________________________________

FPDS is one of the most valuable tools in your toolbox.Join me in this series and become an expert at using the Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS).This is the second of a planned series about FPDS.In this training, you'll learn:• Why searching FPDS is vital to your sales success as a government contractor• Basic search techniques to find 'slam dunk' opportunities you can pursue• Advanced search criteria to narrow your search results___________________________________

Can you support Digital Transformation for the US Army?Program Executive Office Enterprise (PEO Enterprise) is at the forefront and delivers enterprise solutions driving Army dominance.In this training, you'll learn:• What PEO Enterprise is and how it is organized• Top priorities and key challenges industry can support• How to request meetings with key leaders within PEO Enterprise___________________________________

I have won many contracts by responding to an RFI.You can have similar success if you 'write for the win' during federal buyer market research.In this training, you'll learn:• How I my initial review of a Request for Information (RFI)• My step-by-step process for quick planning around an outline of the page layout• Ways I find to engage with the federal buyer before responding to an RFI or Sources Sought Notice___________________________________

FPDS is one of the most valuable tools in your toolbox.Join me in this series and become an expert at using the Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS).This is the first of a planned series about FPDS.In this training, you'll learn:• What FPDS is and why it is helpful to small business government contractors• Major sections of FPDS and how they help you find opportunities• Top information that can be found in FPDS___________________________________

Don't get caught in a reserch whirlpool.At some point you must have meetings with federal buyers to have success.In this training, you'll learn:• Why it starts with having a clear set of objectives you want out of the meeting• How setting a purpose gets everyone on the same page as you• To control a meeting for your success and that of the other participants___________________________________

President Trump ordered the Department of War to overhaul the entire defense acquisition system, and they did.This new strategy affects every contractor, including small businesses.If you want to stay ahead in FY2026, you need to know exactly what’s changing.In this training, you'll learn:• The biggest shifts in the Department of War’s FY2026 Acquisition Transformation Strategy• Where the new opportunities will emerge first• How to position your company to benefit from these changes___________________________________

Federal buyers like AFLCM, use Industry Days to tell us what they need.I use them as ways to identify opportunities that can be won.In this training, you'll learn:• What information is shared during industry days.• How I 'scrub' industry day slide decks to find the most valuable information• Steps I take to turn slides into opportunities___________________________________

Finding staffing contracts in federal agencies is a processIt can seem overwhelming until you know the steps… here's mine. In this training, you'll learn:• How I identified almost 100 'staffing' contracts to pursue in FY2026• How I determine which are the best fit for me• What I do after identifying opportunities that look like a good fit.___________________________________

The WOSB Program should deliver value to WOSBs… but it does not.This is not my opinion, it is a fact based on awarded contracts.And this isn't a complaint, it's a recognition driving me to train WOSBs how to have success despite the certification.In this training, you'll learn:• The facts about the WOSB program• How the SBA gaslights WOSBs• What to do to win contracts as a woman-owned small business___________________________________

If you do what all your competitors do, you'll be an also ran.Doesn't mean you won't write a decent proposal, but it does mean you won't appear any different.But it's not that hard to stand out from your competitors by writing better proposals.In this training, you'll learn:• Why starting early matters most• Being success must begin with being clear and compliant• Compelling requires you identifying more than explicit paint points or objectives___________________________________

Stop teaming with your friends!That's bad for you and them. You both end up losing too often.Instead, team up with the best company to help you win the contract.Of course that might sometimes be your friends, but often it really is not.You both deserve to win more.In this training, you'll learn:• How to set the criteria needed for a perfect teammate on each opportunity• Why it is important to vet possible teammates before committing• Establish a written agreement early on all key points___________________________________