Hello, this is Chelsea Meggitt, and I'm excited to discuss a topic that is fundamental to scaling in the federal contracting space. Shirley Collier, president and founder of Scale2Market and a federal business development consultant, will be joining me. Shirley provides a wealth of experience, having created strategic playbooks that have helped tiny GovCons grow from humble beginnings to major market competitors.

Shirley delves into the components of these strategic playbooks, which include market understanding, refining internal procedures, and honing the articulation of a company's value proposition. She enthusiastically explains how these tools are designed to not only detect but also grasp growth possibilities in the complex federal scene.

We also discuss the genuine obstacles that small firms face in this area, such as navigating a highly regulated environment and the value of a laser-focused strategy over a scattergun approach. Shirley shares lessons from her path, which has included developing her own businesses and assisting others in climbing the arduous ladder of government contract achievement.

So, join Shirley and me as we discuss the complexities of developing a successful strategy in federal contracting, the importance of deep market intelligence, and the transforming power of a well-crafted playbook. This episode is jam-packed with professional information, personal success stories, and actionable techniques to help you win more federal contracts. Join us for a conversation that will not only inform, but also inspire!

In This Episode:

[00:39 ] - Shirley introduces herself. She's the president and founder of Scale2Market, a group of federal business development management consultants.

[01:25 ] - They develop playbooks that consist of understanding the market, internal processes of discipline, people, and articulating your true value proposition.

[02:38 ] - The playbook is typically a 90-day process. The process is very data driven.

[03:07 ] - Clients include small GovCons who want to grow and companies who want to enter the federal marketplace.

[04:58 ] - She has grown four businesses in the federal marketplace and gained knowledge and experience in the process.

[06:05 ] - She helps CEOs create value in their businesses.

[08:49 ] - The key to success is focusing, and the way to do that is to have knowledge.

[10:59 ] - One of the things that Shirley's team specializes in is finding what their clients do better than the competition.

[13:25 ] - She also helps coach clients through the execution plan.

[16:36 ] - There are so many people involved in government contracting projects which presents multiple challenges. 

[20:00 ] - She has a background in IT, but the playbooks are very data driven.

[24:34 ] - Shirley loves helping clients and when she hears them repeating information she's shared with them, it's very rewarding.

[25:06 ] - Shirley shares her best advice. Educate yourself about the market. Carve out a niche. Get a partner. Be aggressive about getting a foot in the door. 

Links and Resources:

Scale2Market

SCollier@Scale2Market.com

Growth Masters Federal™ Podcasts

Shirley D. Collier LinkedIn