Thank you for buying this eBook,
published by AudioInk Publishing
To learn more about AudioInk Publishing you can visit us at:
P.O. Box 1775
Issaquah, WA 98027
Copyright © 2013
All rights reserved.
In accordance with the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, the scanning, uploading, and electronic sharing of any part of this book without the permission of the publisher constitutes unlawful piracy and theft of the author’s intellectual property. If you would like to use material from the book (other than for review purposes), prior written permission must be obtained by contacting the publisher at [email protected]. Thank you for your support of the author’s rights.
Distributed by AudioInk Publishing
eBook Conversion by AudioInk Publishing
For ordering information, please contact AudioInk +14255266480
Newcombe, Garnett
Be a Successful Government Contractor: Essential Strategies for
Women-Owned Businesses to Become a Government Contractor
ISBN:978-161-339-5059
For further information contact AudioInk +14255266480 or email [email protected]
Table of Contents
Understanding Government Thinking
9 Successful Strategies to Adopt and Apply
Additional Resources
About SkillBites
Adopting the right mindset is the missing link in determining whether women-owned businesses will be successful in doing business with the government. Some of the assumptions holding women back include: “My business is too small to do business with the government,” ”There will be too much paperwork involved,” or “I attended a workshop and now I feel completely overwhelmed.”
As the owner of a woman-owned business, the biggest obstacle for me was my mindset, which made the difference between failing and succeeding in gaining the government as my customer. In the end, I succeeded and this book will show you how to do the same!
I’ll explain the 5 essential mindset shifts that will make you successful. I’ll provide the information you need to understand government thinking, and then I’ll outline 9 successful strategies that work.
If you read this book and apply what you learn, you will increase your ability to win contracts and take on the government as a customer. While this book is written for women-owned businesses, men may find it helpful as well and at the very least, it will help them gain an insight into how women approach various situations in business.
Quoting my husband, Eric Newcombe…”People spend 99% of their time telling themselves they are unable to accomplish a task because they are scared.”
Your mindset is key to your business success and it is critical to becoming a successful government contractor. In order to experience your maximum business potential, the entire process begins with a complete shift in the way you think about doing business with the government, because with the wrong mindset you are doomed to fail.
What is mindset? According to theEncarta World English Dictionary, it is a set of beliefs or a way of thinking that determines somebody’s behavior and outlook. I define it as an attitude that allows us to see the connection between our business beliefs and that of the larger organization, be it government, non-profits, or private sector. In understanding this connection, we gain a greater understanding of and appreciation for our business and others in this diverse world of business.
Changing your mindset is all about having the right attitude and while that is not something that comes automatically, a positive attitude can be one of the greatest assets that you can nurture in your business. It will determine how far your company will go in developing and achieving new outcomes.
In a perfect world, a business owner’s attitude is reflected in their business thoughts, beliefs about the business and the image of their business. Business owners often choose to have a positive attitude no matter what economic times they are facing. As the CEO, if you have a positive attitude, you will attract good things to your business, such as positive employees that believe in you and positive customers that trust you and depend on your services or products. The good news is that you have complete control over both situations, and if done properly, you will increase your business’ bottom-line.
Most of us believe we don’t portray a negative or rigid mindset even when we do, and without awareness, most of us think in a way that severely limits our chances of success in a given circumstance. The wrong mindset places a dark cloud over your company. It can make employees feel limited or shut down when it comes to creativity or generating solutions. This cloud can bring unnecessary chaos on your business and it can totally ruin your chances of success.
The collection of rigid views that develop as a result of fear, isolation, and lack of knowledge can formulate into the wrong mindset. Furthermore, if you have a tendency to blame others and never take responsibility of the role you play, it will stop you from moving forward and being able to focus on generating new revenue. Then, it’s easy to become scared and automatically shut down any potential for increasing your chances of becoming profitable and successful.
Positive Mindset at Work - Your First Score
Before my company, Human Potential Consultants (HPC) opened in Los Angeles, my sister Joyce a co-founder and I decided to get it off the ground in Detroit, MI. I flew out to Detroit to set up an office (with) basic business necessities. My sister already had relationships established with a government entity that required assistance with pre-employment preparation and job placement services for persons with disabilities. We recognized that there was a high demand for providing these types of services for this population and our business model matched the needs of