Mandy Parmer—
First order of business—find some customers!
Both Erin and I came to the business with a few engagements in our pocket, but a business can’t survive on one or two projects alone. And then there was the pesky issue of—well, what are we actually offering?
The 10-pound capabilities presentation. There wasn’t much we didn’t include.
So, and I know you’ll be shocked to hear this, we sat down at a Starbucks (we mixed it up and went to one in Chantilly, Virginia this time) to create our first ever ACS capabilities presentation. Yes, the presentation was meaty and thorough—and 25 pages long. My goodness were we proud of that thing. It detailed, down to the nth degree, everything that we were offering and the value proposition to each customer for these offerings.
And this is where mentors, partnerships with other businesses, and honesty come in. With great glee with sent our presentation over to John Baran for a first chop. He kindly suggested a lunch might be a good idea—meeting in person to go over our presentation and to gain a few pointers.
At lunch, in the most gentle of ways, John reminded us that more is really not always more. And, during that lunch, helped us expand our thinking while paring down the presentation.
And John is not the only one who helped us along the way. A special shoutout to Zolon Tech, American Systems, ASI Government, ManTech, Trusted Partners Consulting, and EIS who were all there in our first year. We would not be here without their guidance, work engagements, and in some cases, their surplus office furniture.
While not all of the B2B partnerships remain, the individual relationships have endured and carried to new companies as the people move and grow.
Up next, Erin and I seek inspiration, and new engagements, at our first conference.
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.
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