Blue Collar Business Podcast
Welcome to the Blue Collar Business Podcast with Sy Kirby. Dive deep into the world of hands-on entrepreneurship and the gritty side of making things happen. Join us for actionable tips on scaling your blue-collar business, managing teams, and staying ahead in an ever-evolving market. We'll also discuss the latest industry trends and innovations that could impact your bottom line. If you're passionate about the blue-collar world and eager to learn from those who've thrived in it, this podcast is a must-listen. Stay tuned for engaging conversations and real-world advice that can take your blue-collar business to new heights.
Blue Collar Business Podcast
Ep. 28 - Unlocking Billions in Government Contracts
The world of government contracting remains largely hidden from most blue collar businesses, yet it represents billions in untapped opportunities waiting to be claimed. In this eye-opening conversation with Melinda Colon of Fortis OBM, we discover how tradespeople and contractors can access this lucrative market with less paperwork than buying a house.
Melinda brings her 20+ years of expertise in securing over $4.4 billion in government contracts to break down what feels complicated into actionable steps. She walks us through her five-step GovCon Sales Strategy that transforms intimidating bidding processes into straightforward pathways to stable, recurring revenue. One of her clients, a $10 million business, won a $7.5 million contract on their very first proposal submission.
What makes government contracting particularly valuable for blue collar businesses is the stability it provides. While private sector work might offer higher profit margins, government contracts deliver predictable payment schedules that can eliminate cash flow worries. As Melinda explains, "Use government contracting to stabilize your business so you can deal with the volatility of having a business in the private sector."
The most powerful revelation might be about contract accessibility. Contracts exist at every level—local, state, and federal—covering virtually everything blue collar professionals do. From roads and bridges to city infrastructure, if you see it being built or maintained, there's likely a government contract behind it. Even more intriguing are the "hidden" opportunities: contracts that never get advertised or remain unclaimed simply because contractors don't know to look for them.
Whether you're a minority-owned business looking to leverage set-aside contracts or a contractor seeking to diversify revenue streams, this episode provides the roadmap to transform your business through government contracting. Stop leaving your tax dollars on the table and learn how to claim what's already waiting for you.
Ready to explore government contracting for your business? Visit govconmillions.com to learn the system and start winning contracts that could fundamentally change your business trajectory.
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Hey guys, welcome to the Blue Collar Business Podcast, where we discuss the realest, rawest, most relevant stories and strategies behind building every corner of a blue collar business. I'm your host, cy Kirby, and I want to help you in what it took me trial and error and a whole lot of money to learn the information that no one in this industry is willing to share. Whether you're under that shade tree or have your hard hat on, let's expand your toolbox. Welcome back, guys, to another episode of the Blue Collar Business Podcast today, sponsored, of course, by podcastvideoscom. We are sitting in their lovely solo studio today because we have a remote session. Somebody with a different story that I think is going to intrigue a lot of you listeners. So this is not a excavation solely minded podcast. This is going to encompass every single one of you trade guys sitting there listening right now, and it's going to be diving off into the government contracting world, and I have a government contracting expert with me today, ms Melinda Colon with Fortis OBM. Thank you so much for joining me.
Speaker 2:Thank you so much for having me Cy.
Speaker 1:Seriously, I've had a brief intro with Miss Melinda and I'm telling you what guys. We have got a pretty interesting episode and if you guys have been loving the show, make sure you check out bluecollarbusinesspodcastcom If you're listening on any of the streaming platforms. Make sure and give the show a rating and a follow at the end of the episode. Miss Mel melinda, the things we're going to be working through today we're going to be talking about the misconceptions and myths about working with the government directly. Um, what are the biggest challenges some of these small businesses face when entering the government contracting space? Just to begin with, because it just sounds scary altogether how to get started with you guys and walk us through there and scaling a business through government contracting, and you have a very unique approach to this that you're passionate about sharing with other entrepreneurs in the blue collar space, white collar space, et cetera. So, furthermore, thank you so much for joining the show today.
Speaker 2:Thanks so much for having me here. There's a great introduction. Cy, You're amazing.
Speaker 1:Hey, I'll take that. What they don't see behind the scenes is me coming in all late. Sorry, ms Melinda, I was in a meeting. They think I probably prepare more than I do, but I appreciate that. And let's start it off. Today you shared something pretty unique and we're going to start here and let you kind of intro us into today's episode episode. But you shared with me that you have, uh, procured worth 4.4 billion worth of government contracts for contractors oh 100 yeah, tell us about it wow, okay, where do I, where do I even begin?
Speaker 2:so, uh, yeah, I mean, the world of government contracting is like hidden right, like nobody knows about it except for those that are actually doing it, and I really thought that was really interesting. You know, it's like nobody does. Nobody invests in the stock market unless you actually know how to invest that's, that's, yep, right it yeah.
Speaker 2:Right, it's just so weird. It's so strange, and so I took my information that I gathered. I created a system in corporate America and I took it with me right on my back and put it into my agency and helped so many small and mid-sized businesses win government contracts.
Speaker 2:And a lot of them were just back-to-back contracts. Some of them were, you know, a hundred thousand, some were five hundred thousand and a lot of them were like 10 million, 50 million, 100 million, and the biggest contract so far to date that we've helped our clients win this was for a seven-figure business just kind of keep give you, just kind of give you a frame of mind was a 1.4 billion dollar contract. Right, I know it's like what are you serious, crazy, wow? And I'll tell you what a lot of these contracts they're continuing, continuing services. They're like one, two, five, 10-year contracts. I mean, imagine what that's going to do to your business. Just knowing that this client is going to pay you year in and year out the same amount, every single month, every single quarter, like that, just blows your mind. So a lot of the contracts that I help my clients win are those recurring contracts, those long-term contracts, and then they renew and it's just, it's a whole game that I'm happy to share with you the strategy.
Speaker 1:I'm really, really excited. Let's start off with what makes you a government contract expert. Let's start there. Learn a little bit about uh, fortis, obm and miss melinda as a whole poof.
Speaker 2:Okay, so we were talking about corporate america earlier. Right, like melinda, I can't even believe you. You like, got through 20 years of experience, like, let's just be real, that's tough stuff. Okay, that is, uh, you know, at one point I wanted to write on my resume you know, works well with multiple personalities, like you know what I mean like that kind of high level, and I worked through it. Right with the grace god, I did.
Speaker 2:But, uh, I freelanced for the last 13 years, wanting to get out, wanting to get out, and I thought get out. And I thought, well, let me just put my head down and do the very best that I can. This is a skill that I have. I actually really love this level of strategy. I'm obviously really good at it. So that's really where it started. It was like this blood, sweat and tears, because there is no manual to do this, right, they make it intentional, potentially set up like that. They want to make sure that you don't know how to invest, you don't know how to grow your business and create wealth, and it's all a part of the system, friends. And so I took, took that secrets, those secrets that are running billion dollar businesses, and I created my own system I call the GovCon sales strategy, and this is incorporating marketing strategy. This is incorporating what I know about government contracting and being so close to helping other businesses win government contracts. This was my job in corporate America. This is what I did every single day.
Speaker 2:Hundreds of proposals a year, billions of dollars won. I never even track any of that side because it's not even my win right, it's like their win right. I'll do that to them. That's reciprocity. Thank you so much. Now I'm going to go help other people become wealthy too, so that they could be your competitors, side note. But what I'm sharing here is a system that just works, because I've seen businesses just work it, startups just work it, established businesses just work it and they're starting to win government contracts. I'll tell you a story, real quick story.
Speaker 1:Please.
Speaker 2:A contractor here in Florida. They reached out to me. They said hey, melinda, we're really interested in getting into the space. And I said sure, let's see what opportunities are available for you. They found a $7.5 million contract. This is a $10 million business. I said, sure, let's go ahead and let's go after it. Of course there's hesitation, of course there's kind of like a delay. We worked really hard to get to $10 million and you know, like there's a seven and a half million dollar contract. Right, it's that identity that starts creeping up in our minds, and so I just put the proposal together. We worked through the strategy they submitted and guess what? Cy, their first proposal, working with us, they won.
Speaker 2:Now they found another seven and a half million. They're like we're ready to do this one too. They're so excited, and the reason why I share that story is because this is what happens when you start seeing a whole bunch of zeros, you start realizing that there is untapped potential. There's a limited amount of cash, literally cash. These are your tax dollars. They're already paid, they're already created, they just exist. Cash is sitting there for you to collect.
Speaker 1:The one thing that probably stuck me the most when you were just saying is nobody really knows about government contracting other than the guys that are in and doing it and don't think there's many folks like yourself out there advocating for it either.
Speaker 1:But I couldn't even imagine being able to budget and forecast with a $500,000 contract, hitting that throughout, spread out through annual six months I don't even care A million to five to a billy like what that would be able to do for scale for growth with would be able to do for scale for growth with.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that you're talking to a guy that is ate up through the commercial construction game and beat up because I learned the hard way, because I didn't have a podcast like blue collar business to use as a resource and go, hey, how is this, um, how's this pay scale gonna work out for me when I do take this commercial contract and I learned the hard way and wasn't necessarily always the smartest, but I would have loved to have been able to jump into a government contract with just even an annual space.
Speaker 1:And we've done our little bit audience just to bring you up to speed with my government contract experience. I'm learning right along with you guys today because I don't have any type of knowledge past the public works local contract out by your local entity and almost had an annual repeating one with my local entity here. But it sounds a little bit further. What kind of type of contract are you talking about, ms Melinda? Let's maybe even break it down simply because to an excavation and utility guy I'm trying to pick up the road or the utilities or the public works contract put out through the entity.
Speaker 1:Is that what you're kind of talking about? Or tell us a little bit about the contracts okay, yeah, so let's talk about that.
Speaker 2:Such a good question. Okay, such a good question. That's like out of the answer question. So there are different levels in government contracting there. There's state, federal and local. You were talking about local, so that's agency. So say, for example, department of Transportation, that is the federal level, the Department of Transportation kind of like the Department of Defense right Department of Education. So they have agencies and offices and they have different responsibilities. They kind of parse out responsibilities by state, by region, by specific workforce. You know, by intention. There's different reasons for for their segregation.
Speaker 2:But specifically for dot, your state has a dot agency, every state in the united states has their own DOT agency, so you have, like, the Alabama Department of Transportation. They also have entities within that, so they have relationships with the Turnpike Commission right. So that is a private entity that works with the Department of Transportation. So there are contracts all the way up and down that score chart or that structure in addition to local. So one of the things that I love about local is that you're almost giving back to your community.
Speaker 2:It's kind of like if you're in concrete work and man, I mean that side street is kind of like a quilt patch You're just like I need to find out who's going to do that work, because I want to do that work so I can drive home in peace and in peace. And so my wife starts screaming at me, like why don't you get this project Right? So those projects are available for you right now. You just get registered in your state and you can start winning government contracts at the, at the local level, right in your neighborhood. Then there's the state level, so within the state of Florida, Alabama, Wyoming, Oregon, like wherever you are across the country. And then, um, then you have your state level. Then you have other agencies, districts, like the water management districts in your area and then you have federal.
Speaker 2:So there's contracts everywhere, they're everywhere. And so I had a podcast guest come on and he was talking about his. I have to give him some props sometimes because I use this story so often, because it's so good. He had a group of friends come over and it's about 10 friends and him and his wife hosted dinner and they said before dinner go ahead and give it. I'm going to give you a piece of paper and a pencil and I want you to go in the backyard and check out our fruit and vegetable garden and name as many fruit and vegetables that you can't. And they all went out and they're all excited and everything. And six of them came back immediately after and they're like I can't, there's nothing on their piece of paper. Only four came back with something on their paper and the one that one had four items. Do you know how many things fruits and vegetables they had in their garden? Cy?
Speaker 2:No way 25. And so he said to me he goes, if they would die of starvation because they don't even know it's there. This is the thing Government contracts are everywhere. They're everywhere. Imagine the roads, the bridges, the city streets, the lights, everything that blue-collar professionals do every single day. They're literally building our world and they're everywhere. So if you see a structure, a system that you do, there's a contract for it. That is just how it is. It's simple. It's so simple like that. Does that make sense? Does that help? Yeah?
Speaker 1:No, that's exactly. The answer to my question is because you know, of course there's taxpayers, money allocated, budgeted for whatever bill, et cetera, and whether that's at the local or the state, and you know it's crazy that you talk about DOT. Yeah, we have ARDOT, missouri has MODOT, as it's commonly referred to, m-o-d-o-t, and they all have. Why wouldn't they have those state level and then federal? That's crazy to think about. And so basically, you guys are there to tie contractors like myself that maybe haven't really stepped foot into this other than maybe their local municipality, local level for our conversation here. Our local level contract, but say somebody that wanted to step up into the state or that federal contract and the horror stories we have heard, as well as contractors, about some said contracts. It sounds like Ms Melinda is here to help us get started to ensure that contractually we avoid some of those horror stories.
Speaker 2:Absolutely Understanding, FAR like the Federal Acquisition Regulations. Understanding how business is done in government is key, but it doesn't need to be complicated. So I like to simplify the complicated. All right, I'm going to say this Government contracting is kind of like trying to find a speakeasy on a Saturday night.
Speaker 2:Okay, You're like where is this place Looking? Like every sign. They're like there's a blue blue sign. It's like every sign is blue, right, just like where does it where? But as soon as you find it, you get in, you know exactly where it is every single time after. That's how government contracting is the amount of paperwork is less than buying a house. Like have you bought a house before?
Speaker 2:like yes, ma'am right, and all of that stack of papers, hours and hours. You're sitting there, your butt's tired, right? But government contracting is not that. It's not that at all, right I know that's.
Speaker 1:That's definitely sitting here because, you're right, it does have a stigma about it. Um, just from the contractor side of things, I'm sitting here going government contract. Oh the red tape, the hoops I'm gonna have to jump through just to be a a legible contractor and deemed in their eyes in the state level. It sounds immediately I'm like no, no, that doesn't sound like anything I want to do. So how does a contractor say, like myself at PsyCon, how would I go about with your team? How would I go ahead and get started so I can maybe start seeing the right blue sign?
Speaker 2:All right, so I'm going to walk you through my five steps, because that's where we need to go, okay. So step number one is prepare. Okay, there is an abundant amount of opportunities, I don't care who's in administration. There is an abundant amount of opportunities for small businesses when it comes to government contracting, and if you just dive into government contracting, you will fail because you'll feel overwhelmed, like I don't know like there's just so much.
Speaker 2:So step one is prepare. Where do you want to go, like how much do you want to get? And this is the frame of mind that you want to go like how much do you want to get? And this is the frame of mind that you want to have. It's not I just want to get what is available for me. It is how much do I want?
Speaker 2:there is a difference, because if you focus on, well, what's available for me, you know like, oh well, you're going to stay small and you're going to stay stop Guaranteed. If you focus on, well, what do I want, you get to be picky and choosy on what type of contracts you win, what type of opportunities you win, which agencies, which departments, which clients you want to work with. I just finished a two-day workshop with someone and he's like you know, I don't want to do any boring contracts. I want to work with, you know, offices that are actually doing things to help people create a better life, right?
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:Specific, mission-driven, people-driven, very heart-driven contracts. And he's getting excited because he gets to decide that on his own, like nobody's telling him otherwise. So that's number one is prepare. Now we move on to step. Number two is target. We need to know who's buying what we're selling. So when we know who's buying what we're selling, we're going to be targeted, to build relationship with them. To know who the competitors are, who the contractors are. And here's what I'm going to say about competitors in government contracting.
Speaker 2:Competitors are not competitors, they're just other contractors that want to contract, because in every single instance they be, they could potentially become a prime, a sub, a jv right, your best friend, you might buy their business right. There's so many things that happen within government contracts. You always want to be open to that. So that's step number two is target. Step number three is strategize. Now we start to create a strategy. Okay, so we're going to go toward it and hit these goals. This is what we want as casted vision for our business. These are the contracts that we want to win with this specific client. Why should they pick us? We want to have this conversation internally with your, your team, your wife, your spouse, everybody. Okay, because this is a mission that you're driving forward. We'll talk more about that later, but that strategy is really, really important before we get into.
Speaker 2:Step four is submit. That's when we start creating a price, a proposal. And here's the thing. I've said this before and people who usually kind of like cock their heads to the side when I say pricing tells a story. Pricing tells a story. There's two ways. There's two standard ways to do pricing in government contracts. It's usually best of final offer or AKA firm fixed price, and then there's cost plus, and typically they'll tell you which one is which. But you could tell a story with how you are writing a price. If you're the lowest, then they're going to expect that you're not the best Yep, even if it's best and final. So there are ways that you want to be strategic about how you position yourself in your proposal and in your bid.
Speaker 2:Now step five is track. I love track because it's about iterating and improving and building relationships. Do you know that there are some contracts that never even see the light of day? There are contracts regularly advertised and never responded to. There are contracts that don't require to be advertised, that they're so small that the government can actually pick up the phone, sai, and call you up and be like, hey, does Sai Khan complete this contract? It is so cool, it is so cool.
Speaker 2:So the goal is of my five-step strategy is to get on their speed dial. If you become, especially as a blue collar, if you could become on their speed dial, they'll call you when there is a national disaster. Now you're supporting your community, you're helping your people, your families, your friends have a better life. So it's changing the mindset. It's all about mindset here. Like we're going to be, we're in the zeros right. There's millions, billions of dollars to be won. And so if you say to yourself, I'm going to limit, I just want one contract, all I need is just one contract, I'm gonna tell you it's gonna be harder for you to win that one contract than it is if you said how many do I want. There's a difference, there's shift in messaging. I'm gonna give your audience a couple of ninja tricks.
Speaker 1:Is it okay if I just kind of give some love share all right.
Speaker 2:Oh, it's getting good. Okay, all right, and you listen up? In the us, they, every single city, every state they hold a meeting, a board meeting, and a lot of them are recorded meetings, meaning that you can press play and listen to them or watch them. Majority of them already have transcriptions. Why am I telling you this? This is where they're talking about the problem that they're about to create an advertisement for. This is where they're talking about the problem that they're about to create an advertisement for. This is where they're telling you who they're going to award before the rest of the world knows. This is when that, if you get into that space, you know, basically like you're a fly on the wall and you know what their pain points and you can show up and be the hero. It's kind of like how did you even know that? That was you ever seen an ad? You're like how did you even know that about me? It's kind of creepy, that level. All right, I'm going to give you a second one, okay.
Speaker 2:These are things I never ever share outside of my workshops.
Speaker 1:Oh, exclusive here on the BCB okay.
Speaker 2:Super, super explicit. So the second tip is when you're putting together a proposal, a price, even an email, you're going to speak in the in the future tense Like I will deliver this. We will work with you, we will make it happen. Why? Because it creates in neuroscience, it creates momentum.
Speaker 2:And so when people are in momentum, they buy. So that's another tip. Okay, I'm going to give you one more tip. Oh, okay, I'm going to give you one more tip. Okay, okay, I'm excited, I'm super excited. My mind's like, okay, this this, this, this this, but then this podcast will be really really long.
Speaker 1:So take your time. They, I promise you. There is, uh, several members watching on the website right now at bluecollarbusinesspodcastcom, or they're watching on spotify, our heart, amazon and has probably. I. I don't know if you guys have been watching on somewhere where you can see on visual, but I've been sitting here taking notes myself, guys. I mean this is interesting stuff and I'm looking to do it myself. I mean this is awesome, do?
Speaker 2:it. There's nothing holding you back. That's another tip. There's nothing holding you back. So the third tip I'm going to share is money flow of strategy. This is fire. This is going to change your minds. This will change the perspective of how you look at opportunity. Okay, money flow when there, when anyone says anything in the media, go find facts. Okay, that's a side, that's a tangent.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I could go there too, just go find the facts.
Speaker 2:There are facts behind that, but usually when anyone from the administration is in the media, they're talking about a problem or a solution. Either way, that is going to become a contract. If they start talking about a problem, like a couple years ago, um, president biden was in new york and he was at the train station and he was talking about how he's a kid and he would ride the station, the train, all day and you just have all these stories and everything like that and then oh, by the way, in that same message he was talking about the infrastructure investment jobs act.
Speaker 2:Do you know about? You know about ija? 3.7 trillion dollars? Yeah, that was an. Oh, by the way, did it hit media in a big way?
Speaker 2:no, that was his acknowledgement that this was just signed, that this was just passed. And so, when we listen, that moment, when I heard that, I called all my clients in new york and I was just like get on the phone with your government clients, your state, local, county, municipalities, your departments, your agencies, everyone because contracts are coming and you want to be in front of it, not when it's advertised, you want to be before it so that you can support how they write it. So there are things that you could do. It's called money flow. Um, locally, if you see construction in your neighborhood and you're like, oh, they're just building, it's way too late for me to get involved. It's a domino effect of cash. Money is an economy system, so it has to stay in motion.
Speaker 2:So, if we look at it from that perspective, what's the next thing that they're going to have to solve in this continuation of problems? Right, then we will always be ahead of opportunities. You see, because problems create solutions, but solutions create problems. We buy a new phone. You got to get a case, an adapter, a screen and download all of our apps, but we still buy the phone. So problems are, in my opinion, our way of seeing abundance, because when there's a problem, there's always going to be a solution. But when there's a solution, there's always going to be a solution. But when there's a solution, there's always going to be a new problem. So that means we're never done solving problems.
Speaker 1:It's push, pull, give, take in every aspect of the word. It's so interesting to hear broken down so elementary.
Speaker 1:Yes, Like you know I've been at the whole being a contractor thing for nine years, proud of it, but haven't even really spent the time. And I'm an immigrant myself, like I'm a permanent resident myself still. And is there any? I'm sorry to go off here, but is there? Do you minorities have an edge? I know there's always been a thing with women-owned businesses on the utility side to land public contracts. So can you speak on that just for a minute?
Speaker 2:100%. So disadvantaged certifications at the state and federal level are very powerful, and it opens up another conversation about set-asides. So, like I said earlier, small businesses have an in when it comes to government contracts. So there is also another set-aside for minority businesses, veteran-owned businesses. Okay, so this is a completely different pool of money and there are certifications within that. Yeah, so there's certifications that you could apply for your business. If you're 51% or more ownership in your business, there's an ANA certification. There are so many opportunities for you to leverage who you are, your identity, and use that to win more government contracts. And I'll give you another tip or strategy for that.
Speaker 1:Please.
Speaker 2:When you're going up against a competitor who has a minority certification, that's okay, that's one hundred percent okay, because you could get your certification. You could link arms or partner with someone else who has a bigger past performance or portfolio and compete with them like you compete against them. Now that's a different strategy because a lot of people don't think about that that you could be a subcontractor bringing value to a prime who doesn't have a certification yep. Yep, that becomes a differentiator.
Speaker 1:Wow, I didn't even think about it like that too. Yeah, that is crazy. So what do you? I mean, it sounds just like just wonderful to just hop right in. You know why haven't I done this? People are like sitting there going. Why haven't I done this Other than your? Hey, there's this glaring blue sign that we don't see. Um, let's, let's talk about some of the biggest challenges that these guys are going to face, walking up and go. Hey, ms Belinda, I'm ready to get started. What's, what's these largest challenges that you've seen over the years? Uh, back back when, and now here with fortis giving up.
Speaker 2:That's the number one thing, even corporate. I saw executives, vice presidents. They just gave up. They said, oh man, you know our competitor is going to be going after this. They're probably going to win this. This rp is written for them. You know, there's no use, right? It's just kind of all like setting yourself up for failure and you're gonna fail. Um, so the focus is the alternative of that is just to put your hat in the race, put your best foot forward. Because the thing is, is what I the step number five, what I teach track is about having a conversation with the client. So if you lose, like, let's say, worst case scenario, you lose. So what? You reach out to them and you say, hey, can.
Speaker 2:I schedule a debrief.
Speaker 2:And they'll give you a debrief and guess what that's, when you teach them and tell them about your business and oh, by the way, do you have potentially contract that I need might be a good fit for this is this strategy really works well, because they'll remember you that you asked. It doesn't hurt to ask. So that's one, that's one, so you're aware you're familiar with that strategy. That's awesome, um, and I would say the. The second one that I see most common, most common mistake that contractors make is undervaluing their past performance, undervaluing your past performance. Oh, I don't have experience with government before. I don't have any contracts, um, I just have. I've worked with the commercial. I've worked in the private side. I've done only residential. What they care about most is that you can actually complete the project, like you could actually fulfill the scope of work.
Speaker 2:So how you got it is less important than do you got it right. So if you have experience fulfilling the scope of work, then use that experience. It is okay, right, this is how we get into government contracting. It's not a chicken and egg situation. In government contracting. They will tell you that lie. It's a lie. I know. I was talking to a friend of mine, ray, and he was telling me about a young lady that he met at an event and she was just starting her business. She had literally just registered her LLC and a few months later he bumped into her again at a different event and she said that she won a million dollar contract for her business.
Speaker 1:Like brand new business.
Speaker 2:Why am I saying this? It's so important to know that you have value before you even start a business, let alone when you've been in business. You just need to know how to position it, how to package it right. It's like well, it's just about like anything. You know, a bottle of water is a bottle of water is a bottle of water, but we pay $5, $10, $15 for it. At a stadium, at the airport or at the grocery store. It's the same bottle of water, it's just packaged differently. People will buy it.
Speaker 1:Oh, I've got to jump on two things you just mentioned. You're slinging some sales strategy here too.
Speaker 1:I've got to give you some props, you're not just giving the audience, descoping and getting feedback to somebody like myself is everything Most of the time. Okay, talking to you guys that are in the private sector world, that work with developers and private money, that we don't get it. A lot of times we get no man, it just wasn't you and we move on and there's no feedback, there's no, nothing. But I will tell you I can't honestly put my thumb on one certain situation or other, anyhow, calling the contractor and go hey man. Or the developer, hey man, were we just flat high? Did you, did you have a past relationship? Never. Or just give us that key information. I don't care about the nitty gritty, I just let me know where it went wrong with me. And then, okay, that brings up the one major sore subject. He's going to freaking, tell me. And then I'm going to tell him hey man, did you know that? We do this to avoid that? No, I heard this. Well, let me just tell you and let me show you through my marketing or anyways, that's a totally different subject for another day.
Speaker 1:But prepare so good and target and strategy way before. Just, oh, they gave me a ring. Uh, we're going to throw a number out and go yes, no, I agree with you. Uh, miss Melinda, I think if somebody like myself I've got a salesman and I've got an estimator they would. They're going to digest all this information as fast as they can bring it to me. We're going to talk about it. I have gotten to the level where we have some pre-contract strategy. Go no-go matrix. Yes, exactly, yes, exactly. Strategizing yourself, putting yourself in that prime position and reaching out to somebody like you that's already been there helps other contractors and help strategize. I'll tell you from the blue collar side we're going to go hey, man, phone rang. I think this is a good one here. Quick draw a price and go oh, just unit price, it'd be all right. And send it in. They need it. You know, I can't tell you I've. I've done some crazy stuff like that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but nobody's there. There's no resource to call up and go. Am I been this right? Or I mean it's just education is expensive and experience is priceless and as you go through this time after time after time, you reinvest in yourself. But just how? How is there, like a website, that these guys can go and get certified? I've heard you say certified a couple of times. Talk a little bit in detail there how a contractor can be certified to be, I guess, visible to the government side.
Speaker 2:Okay, so the certifications specifically were related to minority certifications and veteran-owned certifications, so we're for disadvantaged businesses.
Speaker 1:Oh, okay.
Speaker 2:But in terms of, I just want to win a contract, you don't need a certification, Anyone can win it. Even if you are listening to this and you do not live in the United States of America, you can win a government contract for your business. Even if you live in the United States of America and want to do business on international soil, you can win government contracts on international soil. So there are endless opportunities Now to answer your question. There is a website that I would like to invite your audience to register for so that I can break down the system for them and answer specific questions. Live, give them that support in that direction. Live. So it's govconmillionscom. I'm going to spell it for you g-o-v-c-o-n-m-i-l-l-i-o-n-s. Trying to do it like an infomercial, but it didn't work I heard that little jingle going on right, sorry, g-o-v-c-o-n-m-i-l-l-i-o-n-s right.
Speaker 2:Govconmillionscom, come hang out with us. It's a money party, and what we do is completely free, by the way, and what we do is we will guide you through the process. You'll understand the system and that way, you can make a decision how you're going to start winning government contracts. I'm going to tell you this. For people that are listening, they may say wow, it's a great idea. They're going to subscribe and like this podcast and then they're going to go home, right, they're going to hang out with their family and they're going to forget about this, or it's going to linger in their mind to the next project, to the next project, to the next project, mind, to the next project, to the next project, to the next project. Time is of the essence. We don't know how much we have of it, and so what I'm going to say is take action now. So go to govconmillionscom, make sure you're listening to this podcast, because what we need to know is right here. All of the information is available to us. We have to take action on it now, not just when the time is right. We have to take action now.
Speaker 2:I lovingly pressure because I just want to see people change their lives and enjoy their life and enjoy the lives that they created. And it's the next generation that needs us to show up and stand up and take action so that they can see what the example is, so that they're not under someone else's thumb they're not under someone else's thumb, so that they don't have to go through the hard that we went through, so that they can see the memory that we've left them that is greater, so that they can create a bigger memory for their people and their people's people and their people. That's real generational wealth is changing the definition of your last name, and so I share that, because it's so important for me to help legacy builders, generational wealth creators, who are like I want this vision, I want this idea, but I just don't have enough hours. Make the hours or the hours will be taken from you, guaranteed. I love you.
Speaker 1:Money is a tool to buy time.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:And if it changed my life? First time I read it and took me probably a year past it. Chewing on money is a tool to buy time. Money is a tool like.
Speaker 1:But you're right, I was just talking about the private sector work and before we go, I really want to talk about pricing and say you know, there's a contractor out there listening, or maybe this is an estimator sitting out there listening and he wants to. He sees a potential on a government contract. This is his first go around. How does that differ? How are we going to price things differently? Obviously differ. How are we going to price things differently? Obviously, govcon can help you and direct you in which way. But maybe a broad overview of how pricing is going to be different than in the government contract space, compared to, say, a guy like myself, and mainly the private sector side.
Speaker 2:That's such a good question. Okay, Hi, overview. So because I also do private and government contracting, I see both sides of that. Um, I have premium programs, I have mid-size programs. It just really depends on my pricing and how I value my offers right On the private side. That's one thing.
Speaker 2:On the government contracting side, there is margin that you could have. There's definitely you can make profit on that right side, but it's not going to be this exorbitant amount of profit you're seeing in private side. So the strategy that I recommend, that I teach my clients, is to use government contracts to stabilize your business. Like the overhead, the cost of doing business, employee labor, like all of the taxes, all this. Use government contracting to stabilize that so that you can deal with the ups and down, the volatility of having a business private sector. That way you're.
Speaker 2:You're not showing up fearful and giving a low number and just like kicking yourself afterwards like they said yes too fast, right, right, you could take the time to be really strategic and use government contracting as an authority builder. So say that, yes, this is a standard for government contracting, this scope of work, I am delivering this right now, right, and so that becomes a value add to your private sector clients. But also prime. On the private sector there is more opportunity to increase your profits just by saying you do business with the government. So it's just. I can go into the weeds with this in terms of strategy, but high level, the profit margins are going to be higher in private sector. That way you can use government contracting to stabilize your business and you can deal with the volatility. Stabilize your business and you can deal with the volatility.
Speaker 1:So it sounds like what you're telling me is we're going to find good volume, you're going to have stable workflow, they're going to pay on time.
Speaker 1:You know it's coming and there's going to be some margin there, but it's not going to necessarily be the home runs like you can on the private side. But it sounds like this can be a good payroll stability for you to go out and take these risks on these higher private jobs that may take 90, 120 days to pay. You can still make payroll with the government's money that's coming in every month and you've got your crew set up making a little bit of money with them. And so I think that is a huge key thing because I can tell you from inexperience and experience of myself is walking into the private sector world and be like let's just start bidding all this work and just doing it all and you end up with cash flow problems like he's never seen and you got this guy paying you 100 100 days late and this guy paying you in 35 days and you got this guy over here paying you in 90 days, and it's just super volatile.
Speaker 1:Never know when you're going to get paid till the day before you're going to get paid, and there is no planning, there is no forecasting. So if you can inject a, a government, a, a more flat lined or upward trending line, however you want to depict it, but you know it's consistently there 100, yes, exactly talk about scaling with government contracts real quick. I mean, I just touched on that just a little bit, but go ahead and talk about that. Oh boy, you're gonna like oh, this is so good.
Speaker 2:These are all. I just love these conversations. Okay, I want to add something to that, because just a year ago, right, a lot of businesses were relying on banks. And what did banks do? They said, nope, we're not loaning any more money anymore to any businesses right now because of a quote, unquote recession. That's another conversation, but that's what happened conversation. But that's what happened. And a lot of tradesmen really suffered through that time because they couldn't exactly what you just said 30, 60, 90s, whatever the net was. They were behind. The clients were behind because they were waiting to get paid, and that impacted your wallet.
Speaker 2:Imagine something like that happening again and you're not winning government contracts right now. Imagine something like that happening again and you're not winning government contracts right now. That is where I mean now you're dealing with your. You don't have to worry about your credit, your business credit. You're not having to worry about having to, like, stomp in and beg for a line of credit anymore, like you can set that up freely. You can just breathe and know that I'm not. I'm not worried about the bank giving me a loan. I'm going to go get contracts to leverage this time so that I can just get over the hump right. When there's a dark time, contracts are still flowing. When there is a high season, contract is still flowing, like every season. Because currently, right now, during this administration, when there is an up and down and a lot of media nonsense, contracts are flowing. My clients are still winning government contracts. So what I'm saying is like, when everything seems to be not working, government contracts have been working and it's going to continue to do that for another 250 years.
Speaker 2:Um, so scaling what I love about this government contract scaling, man sigh, you're asking like the really the best questions and I want to pull out my whiteboard and be like this is what it is right. Um, but so scaling it makes it easier. Like it's just, we call it GovCon stacking. So GovCon stacking is adding multiple contracts on top of each other and staggering them across a Gantt chart. Like, imagine you have a Gantt chart, quarter to quarter, month to month, and you're trying to figure out the.
Speaker 2:You know the workability right and you're trying to figure out the workability right, your overhead resources, man hours, et cetera, tools and equipment, things like that. You will know ahead of time, the majority of contracts that came from that $4.4 billion were backlog contracts, meaning that they won the contract and they knew that they had months, sometimes weeks. Won the contract and they knew that they had months, sometimes weeks, to prepare for those contracts before they came out. So imagine that, like you're not going to get an award and say we need you right now. I mean that's going to be considered a uh, an immediate emergency or natural disaster kind of situation. You're going to have time to prepare, to hire, to train, to rent the right equipment, to purchase the right equipment, get your equipment lease agreements All of that set up before you even start the contract. That's crazy.
Speaker 1:In private side it's hey, I just signed a contract, You're going to be out there tomorrow. I need to fill up tomorrow. I need dirt turning tomorrow. I need I got all these people. I need you there tomorrow. Interest clocks running my expense clocks running like like we, I get it boys but like can I at least you know maybe plan how to get all my equipment there, yeah?
Speaker 1:so, um, it absolutely would only make it easier, and I'm and I'm kind of kicking myself, especially being a minority owned business uh, never, really sounds like I'll be heading to govconmillionscom. So, um, what about bond? Okay, last question, just just for my own intrigue here sure, what about bonding? Are we having to bond all these projects, or they will request.
Speaker 2:So in the rfp. The same thing with search certificates of insurance, right? So this goes back to target. If you, if you know the types of clients that you want to work with state, local, federal you can go to their website and they have a copy of their agreements on their website. You know ahead of time, before an advertisement comes out, what you need before you need it. So bonding requirements absolutely you need a bonding letter to include in your RFPs or your proposals when you respond, or your bids. Certificates of insurance however, like I said, there's different ways to bid. So you could bid as a subcontractor. The prime owns the responsibility of the contract. They can hold the bond and the insurance. You can have insurance, of course, for your business, but you don't need bond because they have it Right.
Speaker 2:So there's different strategies that you can go about it depending on the size of the contract, your comfortability. Go about it depending on the size of the contract, your comfortability. But again it goes back to the process.
Speaker 2:It's like step one where do we want to go? Step two right. Who do we want to target? Step three, then how do we strategize? That's when we pull in partners. Right In your own community, Sai, you could probably create partners to win government contracts. Wouldn't that be amazing? Like, wouldn't that be amazing? Like, yeah, would that be amazing? Like just, oh my gosh, so cool talk about community local level.
Speaker 1:I the we talk about it on this show every single episode. Relationships are everything, relationships are everything. And I've got episodes um talking with engineer inspectors and civil engineers and structuralists and I've got episodes um talk I guess I don't have anybody from the city level but uh, those city entity relationships are huge, especially for a utility contractor.
Speaker 1:I know there's so many other types of contractors out there. But, um, find your local level that has reoccurring work coming out. And you're absolutely right, melinda was hey, find the minutes from the last meeting. Find out what they're all complaining about and provide a solution and they'll figure out how to fund it. So, absolutely so, that's a big testament.
Speaker 1:All right, my last thing for you. I've got for you that I ask every single person that comes on this show, number one, before I go there. Thank you so much for just the insight today. That was insane on government contracts. But for the, the blue collar men and working men and woman out there who is just sick and tired of being stuck in the mud in a trap, in the mental trap, in the physical trap, and they just got to get up and they got to do it again, I think you may have number one, giving them a little insight on a way out. Maybe if you know that entrepreneur is looking for work, but even down to the guy that's just starting out in the trades world, is this really for me? Talk, talk a little bit to them absolutely 100.
Speaker 2:It is for you, it's for anyone, anyone. It's for anyone that wants a better life. That's how I'll say it. It's for anyone that wants a better life.
Speaker 2:That's how I'll say it. It's not just government contracting. Right, government contracting is a vehicle. It's about knowing having that knowledge, education and the experience winning government contracts. That's the unlock. It is the partnerships that you build. It's the relationships you build. It's knowing how the government works, beyond what the media says, like. It's actually knowing where your tax dollars are going and how it gets recycled back to you. It's about knowing things that we take for granted every single day.
Speaker 2:Listen, I worked for AEC firms architect, engineering, construction firms in the commercial side. I worked for big construction firms, huge construction firms in the commercial side. I worked for big construction firms, huge construction firms. Okay, I worked for engineering. Mep, av, lv. I know this world, this, I understand this world.
Speaker 2:The thing that really just like hurts my heart is y'all build this world and you don't even realize it, and so this, this money, is for you. It's not something that you want to sleep on. You want to take advantage of it. So if you're tired, I get it. Keep going. We need a better world. If you're just frustrated with the system, I get it.
Speaker 2:The word government is supposed to scare you away, which means that you need to run after it anyway, because those opportunities are set up for you, right? Don't give them to someone else. Stop just like skipping over these opportunities and doing it the hard way, like if you want to keep doing the hard thing and expecting a different result, right? Or do you want to do something easy and make it your life better? You've already done the hard, you've already worked hard. Just make it easy for yourself, and that's one of the hardest things you can do, but it's the most rewarding things that will that you could do. That will transcend this sense of time for your life, for your family, the sense of time for your life for your family.
Speaker 2:I mean, just look at your kids, your spouse, your friends for your, your staff, your employees, your subcontractors, like, think about their lives and what this could do for them. So what I would say to that is just um, let's just go back to loving people and their value and um, and we stay focused on our skills and talents as something that is very valuable, because I appreciate every single one of you. I've seen exactly. I used to work for a sustainability engineering firm. Okay, I understand a nanofiltration and I wish I didn't know what that was.
Speaker 2:Okay, so, I understand what potable water is and I get scared every time I hear it across the news when there is a storm, okay and so I know you guys are working your butt off water treatment plants, wastewater treatment plants oh my gosh. I don't even know why they're. They're on my way to publics. I don't even understand why they're on my way to the grocery store but they're there for us.
Speaker 1:I'll tell you, it's the lowest point. It's the lowest point in your town, that's all. Gravity flows downhill.
Speaker 2:I know, oh my gosh. I I know, I'm sure. I just try not to think about it but, but, um, but it's so necessary, because what if we didn't have those things?
Speaker 1:Oh, God, everybody would be sick. I sick, I don't, I don't want to go back. I don't want to go back in time, not on things like plumbing. Come on, no no.
Speaker 2:So why I'm saying all of that is to kind of like, beat your chest and realize that you have some real power and control and authority, and so because of that you need to just go get what's yours, go get it, just go get it, just go get it's yours, go get it. Just go get it, just go get it. Just stop with the excuses. Stop tomorrow, just go get it right now, because that's yours that is so awesome.
Speaker 1:I really appreciate your time. I am very intrigued to find out a little bit more and I hope we stay in contact and continue this conversation for myself, uh, alone, the audience members. But, guys, if you've loved this episode and this is the type of content if this is the first episode you're joining with us number one thank you. If you're a returning member, I really appreciate you guys more than you know. I am starting to get some emails and messages from you guys about how the show is adding value back to you and I know this episode hopefully helped a few of you. And if it did, let me know.
Speaker 1:Go to bluecollarbusinesspodcastcom, get in, contact us or maybe become a sponsor. If you've got a product or service that we can help you sell right here on the Blue Collar Business Podcast, we'd love to get behind it and help you guys as a team. But, ms Melinda, thank you so much for your time and for this insight. Go, check out govconmillionscom and until next time, you guys, be safe. If you've enjoyed this episode, be sure to give it a like, share it with the fellers. Check out our website to send us any questions and comments about your experience in the blue card business. Who do you want to hear from? Send them our way and we'll do our best to answer any questions you may have. Until next time, guys.