For those who get the reference, I am a huge fan of Star Wars’ The Mandalorian. “This is the way” is recited by members of that fictional race, as a reminder of their commitment to one another and their religion. This makes a great lead-in for this government contracting topic.

When it comes to approaching success in the business of Government Contracting, the federal sector specifically, there are as many opinions as there are agencies, about the “right” way to go about doing it. Ethical Stalking for Government Contractors® Bootcamp is our way. Here’s why.

More than a decade ago, well after Maggie and I launched The American Small Business Coalition, I began to create a system to help companies understand how to more effectively find and use information that mattered. At that time, the subculture of third-party market intelligence providers was still small and dominated by one entity. There was a growing trend by those in industry to treat subscription-based intelligence as gospel although it certainly was not then, and still isn’t today. Our first gatherings of what would become Ethical Stalking for Government Contractors® Bootcamp showed companies root sources of information and effective ways to cultivate it. Those early programs lasted 1-2 hours, and were a big hit. As we received participant feedback, we built more into the program, to include more in-depth conversations and tutorials for knowing about and efficiently using tactics, terminology, tools and resources to identify and discern between customers from buyers, leads from opportunities, and competitors from potential partners. Today, Ethical Stalking for Government Contractors® represents our entire education and training portfolio. Bootcamp Complete, a comprehensive program delivering knowledge, skills and confidence far beyond industry norms, is the flagship.

Building a business, no matter your end game, starts with a solid foundation. A crucial part of that foundation is the WHAT, as in what will you do, or to put it another way, what will you offer. Too often, The Inspired Ones engage federal contracting with wide-eyed amazement and a belief money is falling from the heavens, just for them. Further, many feel they are owed contract dollars simply for showing up with a capability statement, or that they can string together an offering and achieve success overnight, regardless of how much or how little they know about the product or service they intend to sell. They have forgotten, or never knew there would likely be substance required. It may not have occurred they might actually need to speak with someone and have to demonstrate knowledge, capability and capacity for doing the work associated with the contracts opportunities they were pursuing. The number of unqualified companies that pivoted or popped-up to sell PPE during the pandemic, and the volume of product the Government had to return or dispose of, is just one example. This is not the way.

The cornerstone of a solid foundation, at least for me, is a fundamental understanding of the marketplace. I have been blessed to meet and support legions of tremendously intelligent and motivated good people over the course of three decades in Government Contracting. They are mathematicians, scientists, military leaders, technologists and much more. In that room, I attest, I am not the smartest person. However, I do bring something to the table that levels the field. My contribution has and continues to be that fundamental understanding of culture, processes, and terminology that is typically foreign to newcomers. By newcomers, I mean anyone new to executing growth strategies and tactics in this industry.

A fundamental understanding is what allows us to develop context. This the key that unlocks the ability for us to recognize and use information. Helping those legions of intelligent and motivated people to become familiar with completely foreign ideas, tactics and terminology, is one of the most revealing and rewarding accomplishments we achieve. After attending Bootcamp, cohort members tell us it was if they were tasked with creating a map with no knowledge of North, East, South and West. While they might eventually get to their destination, it will cost more time and more money to do so. Ethical Stalking for Government Contractors® is built on the premise of informed accuracy and reducing the cost of acquiring business. We call this “reducing your C.A.B. Fare.™“

As far back as the beginning of Ethical Stalking for Government Contractors®, we and our cohort members have seen fantastic outcomes, both immediate and down the road. In the current version of Bootcamp, the initial outcomes happen in the first few hours of the 2-day Immersion. This is when Michele Bull and I execute The Level-Set, a myth busters series of discussions and exercises to debunk beliefs based on inaccurate and incomplete information. It’s during this segment that we begin installing accurate and relevant information to prepare attendees for the introduction of processes and tools. The audible gasp is among the more mild reactions to this content. During the April 2022 Bootcamp in Tysons Corner, one cohort member literally started smiling and shaking his head in a way that let us know he’d just had one of the many revelations attendees realize on Day One.

One of our favorites is, “I wish I would have taken this course years ago.”

For more established small and large companies participating, the realization sets in when they can actually visualize the amount of time and money they will save by making subtle changes.

The very best reactions, however, are during the exercises when participants use their own information to develop real-world intelligence using practical tactics, similar to their own. What’s different is usually one piece of information, or the source they use in class. It’s during this segment that we’ve had participants:

The energy I hope you are feeling right now, is a direct result of the energy conveyed to Michele and I by each of the cohorts we lead. Ethical Stalking for Government Contractors® is unique, and the way we deliver it is powerful and relevant. If you want to elevate your ability to thrive in federal contracting, this is the way.

Peace, Health and Success,

Go-To-Guy Timberlake