Erin Willett—
It was always understood that ACS would only keep going and be “ACS” if both Mandy and I were 100% committed. In the fall of 2013, we found ourselves once again back in that same Starbucks. This time we were taking a breather from a busy work schedule. In the preceding six months, we had branded ourselves as two pretty great proposal consultants, which meant a lot of really long hours, lots of weekends (we still say that Saturday is just another day in our 7-day workweek), and more all-nighters than I can count (way more than I suffered through in my college days).
The first ACS website “Who We Are” photo (October 2013) after ACS welcomed its first official employee. Side note: Has anyone ever seen Erin actually wear a skirt?
So, there we were, two exhausted women, reviewing yet another request for our services. Mandy opened up the financial spreadsheet to go over the impact of taking on new work and to make a case for a new hire. Oddly, neither of us had brought up the fact that we had not talked about whether ACS could be an ongoing activity.
Until this point, we weren’t exactly paying ourselves very much and weren’t yet firmly convinced that ACS was going to be viable over the long term. Right there, I blurted out “So, I guess we still have a company.”
And, of course, the answer was yes… we still had a company.
Over the next two weeks, Mandy and I are going share more of our memories and personal stories with you. There have been good days and there have been bad days. But the absolute joy of owning a small business, where we get to make a difference in the lives of our employees, customers, and the national security of our nation, remains.
Tune in tomorrow for two introverts’ perspectives on business development.
Up Next >>
Available Now
ACS Origins, Part 5: Growing a Business in the World of Introverts (by Mandy Parmer)
ABOUT ASSURED CONSULTING SOLUTIONS
Founded in 2011 and headquartered in Reston, Virginia, Assured Consulting Solutions is a well-respected and trusted partner, domain expert, and provider of expert-level support. ACS is a certified Woman-Owned Small Business (WOSB) that delivers advanced technology solutions and strategic support services in support of critical national security missions for Intelligence, Defense, and Federal Civilian customers. Learn more at www.assured-consulting.com.
MEDIA CONTACT
Public Relations
(703) 662-5062
pr@assured-consulting.com