Learn more about me, Eric Coffie, as I answer these questions about leadership!

LEADERSHIP QUESTIONS

1. When was the last time you overcame a challenge?

As a leader and an entrepreneur we face challenges every week.

Most recently, my supplier failed to deliver materials within a certain date which made my project late. Because of this, the government stopped paying me.

When the government stopped paying me, I had to find another source of income to replace the money until we finish the project. So, I went to a bank to borrow money to continue working until the problem was resolved.

2. Who was the first person you ever looked up to as a leader?

I look up to Robert Kiyosaki, the author of Rich Dad Poor Dad.

In fact, he taught me how to read financial statements and the concept of earning passive income (money generated by real estate or business that you are not involved in).

Apart from that, I also learned how to think like a business and not an employee. The difference is that employees pay taxes first and then spend what’s left over, meanwhile businesses spend all the money first and pay taxes on what’s left. 

“Profits are better than wages because you can multiply your results and generate double the money with same effort.”

3. Who are you as a leader?

As a leader, I am the final decision maker, the risk taker, and the conflict resolver. I am also the parent, the teacher, the student, the bearer of bad news, and the problem solver. 

“As a leader, you have to have big shoulders and carry the load of all the good as well as the bad.”

4. If you could be anyone you ever wanted to be today, who would it be and why?

I am the person I want to be today. I just really wish that I could have identified my gifts and talent sooner, so that I could have started developing them a long time ago.

5. What do you think the most important quality of leadership is?

That would be the ability to execute a decision in the presence of fear with limited information. 

In order to do that, that person must be able to trust his or her decision, even when faced with resistance, danger, pressure, fear, anxiety, and trouble.

6. What was your greatest accomplishment of your life so far?

I would say that it was my Youtube channel. It has given me the opportunity to reach thousands of small businesses around the nation. 

This also provides me to give them hope that they can one day grow their business to something substantial and significant, hoping that they will eventually help their family and community.

7. What’s the biggest risk you’ve ever taken?

I would say that it was starting a business with no money and no experience. 

“You have to work your butt off to ensure that everything goes well. You must learn a lot of new information in a short period of time. You have to execute on things that are foreign concepts. It was scary but also wildly exciting.”

8. What are your current goals?

As of writing this, I want:

• to build a real estate portfolio of 48 units;
• to grow my passive income to $100k/month;
• to reach 25,000 YouTube subscribers; and
• to help 200 companies achieve $5 million in revenues.

9. What is one thing you wish you would’ve done differently?

I wish I would have started doing YouTube sooner. I can’t imagine where I would be today, had I started 6 years ago when I first had the idea.

10. How do you encourage people within your work?

I am an avid reader. So, for most scenarios people face, I have a quote, phrase, or positive message to share. Typically I refer people to a book or video to provide comfort in the mist of their situation. 

LET ME HELP YOU!

With this in mind, let me help you become successful and achieve your goal and your lifetime dream of earning all that you can in the federal marketplace.

Just join us here at GovCon Giants by visiting our website and other social media platforms or check the new GovCon Edu where you learn everything about government contracting!