Can you believe we’re at the end of another year already?

I distinctly remember a trip with my family to NYC between Christmas and New Year’s, staying in Times Square, and taking in all that the Big Apple has to offer (in three days). That was already one year ago. Obviously, I must be having fun because time sure is flying. Nevertheless, here we are wrapping up 2023 and preparing for 2024, the calendar year 2024, not the fiscal year. FY 2024 is already out of the gate with a passed budget and all the trimmings, if you can believe it.

Congress Passes Fiscal 2024 Defense Spending Bill, Pay Raise for Service Members.
Both the House and Senate have passed the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act, which is expected to be signed by the president. Dec 14, 2023 defense.gov

2023 has been a good year for The ASBC, and as Maggie and I, Michele and MT head into our holiday break (December 22nd through January 1st), we’ll reminisce just a little when we think about some of the wonderful experiences we had, like these:

• Having Mary Therese (MT) Collins join the team as our Community Specialist;

• Expanding the number of strategic planning mastermind groups;

• Hosting multiple sold out occurrences of Ethical Stalking for Government Contractors® Bootcamp;

• Starting a brand new business relationship with GovCon Marketing Guru Stephanie Geiger;

• Relaunching our Business Over Breakfast™ (BoB) program in Columbia, MD and Tysons, VA;

• Me facilitating education and training for VIP GROW, ChallengeHER (Chicago, Phoenix, and DC), and the 2023 HUBZone Conference;

• Hosting three Wingman REFUEL & REFOCUS retreats with amazing business leaders;

• Celebrating with our friends at Global Services on the occasion of their 25th anniversary;

• Attending the HRC 2030 Conversation with Industry hosted by US Army Human Resources Command and meeting Government leaders (and new friends) Mike Carroll, Kris Saling, Charles Stewart and Patricia Bourgeois Houchin;

• Me leading an awesome session with Allan Rubin at the 2023 GAIN conference AND receiving heaping mounds of praise from the stage from the one and only Francis Rose;

• Hosting the super-successful 2024 Fiscal New Year’s Bash sponsored by Infotrend on October 3, 2023, and receiving incredible support from our friends in Government and Industry as guests and presenters (wait until you see what we’ve planned for the next one);

• Sponsoring the govmates first-ever Holiday Bash (and having a blast!);

• Being told about, and seeing the amazing achievements our members, students, and cohort members are realizing with their federal contracting customers, and for their own communities.

In addition to all of this, we’re busy at work building for 2024! We are:

• increasing our education offerings;

• improving our membership program;

• expanding the scope of support we provide to our Wingman Mastermind members, and;

• making continuous improvements to Bootcamp to ensure it stays on top as the most practical and relevant education and training for achieving growth in federal contracting, for novice and experienced GovCon’s.

We look forward to seeing you, and supporting you in 2024, and wish you and yours the happiest, safest and merriest holiday season.

Peace, Health, and Victories in 2024,

Go-To-Guy Timberlake