Month: April 2023

167: Empowering Women Veteran Entrepreneurs: Insights from the Director of the Women Veteran-Owned Small Business Initiative with Michelle Gardner-Ince

Posted on by Eric Coffie

In this episode, we’re joined by a highly decorated Air Force Veteran and a retired Colonel, Ms. Michelle (aka “G-I”) Gardner-Ince, who is the Director of the Women Veteran-Owned Small Business Initiative (WVOSBI) at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU).

Ms. Gardner-Ince is the architect of the first program of its kind in the federal government, the WVOSBI, which connects and enables women Veteran entrepreneurs within the VA, federal and commercial marketplace. The program is known in the Veteran and small business community as “VetBizLady” or “VetBizLadies,” and Ms. “G-I” leads the Department’s efforts to develop programs that remove obstacles and enable the success of veteran-owned small businesses.

She has successfully led several directorates within OSDBU, including the National Veterans Small Business Engagement (NVSBE), which is the Department’s premier event for Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (VOSBs) to connect with Procurement Decision Makers and contracting experts from the federal and commercial marketplaces.

Don’t miss this inspiring conversation with Ms. Michelle L. Gardner-Ince. Let’s welcome our next giant, Michelle (aka “G-I”) Gardner-Ince.

If you want to connect with Michelle (aka “G-I”) Gardner-Ince, you can click these links:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theg-ifactor/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/vetbizexpert
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thegifactor/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thegifactor/
Email: [email protected]
Contact number: +1 301-327-1277
Book a discovery call: https://calendly.com/ask4gi/discovery-call?month=2023-04
Office of Small & Disadvantaged Business Utilization: https://www.va.gov/OSDBU/wvosbi.asp

166: Navigating Procurement and Supplier Diversity with Diane Dempsey

Posted on by Eric Coffie

In this episode, we have Diane Dempsey, the Director of Small Business Programs for BAE Systems Intelligence & Security Sector. With her extensive experience in procurement, subcontracts, and supplier diversity, Ms. Dempsey is a highly respected advocate for small businesses in the DC Metropolitan area.

We talked about her current role as Director of Small Business Programs for BAE Systems Intelligence & Security Sector and the responsibilities that come with it. She also shared about her experience as a small business advocate for several prime contractors in the DC Metropolitan area. In this episode, you get to hear her advice for small businesses looking to work with larger companies, including the importance of networking and building relationships and the resources available to small businesses, such as Small Business Development Centers and Procurement Technical Assistance Centers.

Diane Dempsey provides valuable insights and advice for small businesses looking to work with larger companies and navigate the government procurement process. Her extensive experience in procurement, subcontracts, and supplier diversity make her a valuable resource for anyone looking to succeed in the world of government contracting.

Tune in to our episode with our next Giant, Diane Dempsey.

If you want to connect with Diane, you can go through these links:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-dempsey-a625b249/ 

Corporate Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/baesystemsinc/

Website: https://www.baesystems.com/en/home 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BAESystemsplc 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/baesystems/ 

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/BAESystemsplc 

Contact Bae Systems: https://www.baesystems.com/en/contactus 

165: Empowering Small Businesses: Insights and Strategies for Federal Contracting with Lori Smith

Posted on by Eric Coffie

Today’s guest is Lori Smith, founder of Acu-Elligent LLC, a consulting agency specialized in helping small businesses successfully obtain government contracts. With 40+ years of experience as a Procurement decision maker & Contracting Officer, Lori provides insider perspective and guidance to navigate the government marketplace. In this episode, Lori shares her insights and tips on how to successfully win federal, state & local contracts for your business.

Lori is committed to helping black women-owned and other small businesses obtain lucrative contracts and simplify the federal contracting process. She also shares her journey from federal service to founding Acu-Elligent LLC, highlighting the difficulties small businesses often face when trying to secure government contracts. She explains how her team of seasoned business strategists collaborates to develop cost-effective solutions that help companies achieve their contracting goals.

Navigating the government marketplace can be a challenging and complex process, but with Lori’s insights and guidance, small businesses can successfully win government contracts. So let’s welcome our next Giant, Lori Smith.

If you want to connect with Lori, you can go through these links:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lori-smith-17985a18/ 

Corporate Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/acuelligent/about/ 

Email: [email protected] 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/acuelligent