Diving into government contracting is no small feat—it’s a bold undertaking requiring courage and a deep grasp of the intricate landscape of policy making and implementation. As this challenging yet rewarding path unfolds, Jennifer Hanks, CEO of MMC Consulting and Co-Founder of Fed Propel Institute, seizes the opportunity with determination.

In this episode, Jennifer shares strategies for building and managing cost-effective teams, navigating the challenges of entrepreneurship, and the unexpected twists of starting MMC Consulting amid pregnancy and parenting during the pandemic. Discover her commitment to shaping the next generation of acquisition professionals and the impactful initiatives of the FedPROPEL Institute, designed to empower women, veterans, and minority-owned businesses.

ADVERTISEMENT: If you are ready to explore entrepreneurship and looking for guidance, book a discovery call with me! With my extensive experience and knowledge, I can help you make a plan before you leap. Visit bladen-group.com/ to book a discovery call with Nikki Rogers.

Tune in to learn more about how she sheds light on the imperative of staying informed, adapting to constant policy and technology changes, and the strategic development necessary to thrive and remain relevant in the ever-evolving government contracting arena.

Thriving Points:

• Imposter syndrome is real. And it's like, as confident as we can be, there are going to be those moments where you doubt yourself. - Jennifer Hanks
• Even in your own business, there's going to be things that don't go as planned. And in that moment, we just had an attitude of we're doing this. - Jennifer Hanks
• You're writing proposals and all of those things. It's those things that just make you stronger, more resilient. And you just gain a new respect for yourself, your partner, and your team. - Jennifer Hanks

Get to Know the Guest:

Jennifer Hanks, CFCM, NCMA Fellow, is a dedicated small business advocate and is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of MMC Consulting, LLC. MMC Consulting provides acquisition, program, and human capital management to federal and commercial clients with a commitment to delivering innovative solutions to challenges facing the federal government. Jennifer oversees the operations of MMC’s commercial and federal practice with a portfolio that exceeds $1B in value.

As a former warranted contracting officer with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), she obtained domestic and international contracting experience in Afghanistan, Guatemala, and Germany. She has also worked for several large federal contractors that gave her a complete understanding of the full buyer/seller experience and how to provide effective and creative solutions for clients. In addition to her responsibilities as CEO of MMC Consulting, Jennifer is also Co-Founder and Senior Advisor of The FedPROPEL Institute whose mission is to help 10,000 minority-led firms become elite federal contractors over the next decade.

Connect with Jennifer Hanks:

• Website
• LinkedIn

A Team Dklutr Production

A different result requires a different approach.

Aspirations of growth often require a change in methodology in order to achieve new goals. But the mere thought of change scares us. Even when others are willing to give advice or share their experiences, we often cling to the familiar. Our old ways can serve as a comfort blanket.

While it can be uncomfortable to be in a new environment or unfamiliar situation, I want to remind you:

“Don't automatically discount that new way just because it's new or unfamiliar to you.”

Trust the wisdom of those who've walked the path before. Their guidance can help you avoid pitfalls and find shortcuts, ultimately leading you to your destination quicker.

ADVERTISEMENT: If you are ready to explore entrepreneurship and looking for guidance, book a discovery call with me! With my extensive experience and knowledge, I can help you make a plan before you leap. Visit bladen-group.com/ to book a discovery call with Nikki Rogers.

In this episode, I encourage you to ask three important questions to exercise your power of choice effectively:

• What guidance have you been overlooking or ignoring?
• What would your life or business look like if you followed that advice?
• What's getting in your way and causing resistance to taking that advice?

Be open to exploring new routes and suggestions from other people as it may lead you to bigger and better opportunities. There is more than one way to get to your destination. Some are shortcuts, some have barriers or challenges along the way, and some are longer but provide a better vantage point.

A rich experience is awaiting you if you follow guidance provided by those who have been where you want to go. You never know which new path will help you thrive even more in life and business!

Thriving Points:

• When you ignore the advice of those who are around you or the guidance that you've been given, you may still get to your goal but it's going to take up more resources.
• You always have the power to choose when there's an option for a new way.
• Don't automatically discount that new way just because it's new or unfamiliar to you.
• You may uncover or discover something that you never knew was there just because you're trying a new way.

About the Show:

Women Thriving in Business features candid unscripted conversations with entrepreneurs, business experts, authors, and academics aimed at contributing to business success. This weekly show provides interviews with business leaders who have built, grown, and are thriving in business. Nikki A. Rogers, host of the show, also discusses achievements, lessons learned, and advice for aspiring business owners to develop the mindset, strategies, and connections necessary to thrive in business. Whether you are just starting or you have been in business for decades, WTiB offers inspiration, strategies, and resources to help you THRIVE in business.

Connect with Nikki:

• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• Youtube

A Team Dklutr Production

The beauty of the human experience lies in how its meaning evolves over time. For Ronnette Meyers, it all began with her grandmother's front porch beauty salon, where she learned the art of braiding as a young girl. This was her first taste of earning through her skill – the spark that ignited her entrepreneurial journey.

From these humble beginnings, Ronnette became a senior leader in the federal government, which eventually led to her joining her mother's government contracting firm. From there, she forged her own path, founding an IT consulting company, and continuing to blaze trails in govcon for over 13 years. Ronnette has leveraged her business acumen to guide her company in obtaining numerous certifications and flourishing year after year. She’s building an empire that includes, govcon, real estate, hospitality, and performing arts.

ADVERTISEMENT: If you are ready to explore entrepreneurship and looking for guidance, book a discovery call with me! With my extensive experience and knowledge, I can help you make a plan before you leap. Visit bladen-group.com/ to book a discovery call with Nikki Rogers.

Amidst her impressive accomplishments, Ronnette firmly believes in the power of relationships. She emphasizes the significance of trust and confidence in her partnerships, an essential factor in striking a harmonious balance between her professional and personal life.

Listen in to learn more about Ronnette’s journey and how you can apply her insights to your own experiences.

Thriving Points:

• Starting as a subcontractor allowed me to build past performance so that I could go after a prime opportunity. - Ronnette Meyers
• Partnerships are key to developing good partners who actually care about you and the services you bring. - Ronnette Meyers
• You meet so many different people who are already in the business who may have more experience and you want to learn and partner with them on different opportunities. - Ronnette Meyers
• Being a subcontractor is a way to learn the business. Learn all the pieces and parts and not be the person on the hook for it. - Ronnette Meyers
• Pay attention to your subcontract agreement. Ask and clarify clauses you don’t agree with. - Ronnette Meyers
• The key is socialization outside of business because you really have to know people and understand their values. - Ronnette Meyers
• And now, we are hotel investors. We invest in Broadway plays, apartments, and brand new condo construction. Once you’re at a certain playing field, you can actually support these different efforts. - Ronnette Meyers

Get to Know the Guest:

Ronnette Meyers, President and CEO, has leveraged her extensive experience as a former federal employee and as a senior executive with a multi-million dollar, award-winning government contractor to create JLAN Solutions, a premiere provider of superior IT and management consulting services. Ronnette’s reputation in the government contracting sector is unparalleled, and she is a sought-after partner for engagements of all types. Ronnette is laser-focused on providing superior service and peace of mind to government customers at all levels.

Ronnette is a graduate of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program, the Small Business Administration Emerging Leaders Program, and the Inner City Capital Connections program.

Connect with Ronnette Meyers:

• Website
• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Instagram
• Twitter

A

Revamping your career is no small feat; it requires strategic thinking and unwavering determination. In a journey marked by calculated risks and meticulous planning, Tasha Jones serves as a role model for transforming apprehension into achievements. She isn't just building a business; she's crafting her legacy through an intentional approach to achieve her envisioned future.

After dedicating more than two decades to government consulting following her service in the US Navy, Tasha made a defining choice to seize control of her career and embark on an independent professional path. This bold decision unearthed a profound purpose: her overarching mission is to create an investment fund by the year 2039 that will provide capital support to businesses and communities.

ADVERTISEMENT: If you are ready to explore entrepreneurship and looking for guidance, book a discovery call with me! With my extensive experience and knowledge, I can help you make a plan before you leap. Visit bladen-group.com/ to book a discovery call with Nikki Rogers.

Tasha’s insights on planning, establishing robust support systems, and exploring the unknown will inspire you to reassess your own career journey.

Don't miss out on this episode; prepare to be captivated by Tasha's compelling story.

Thriving Points:

• Having that consistent support structure, planning in advance, and having alternative options for the things that are very important ensure that I'm not taking too much high risk when I transition careers. - Tasha Jones
• Sometimes we glamorize what we don't know, but talking to people who are in those roles helps a lot. - Tasha Jones
• Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there to ask and show that you're still curious and you're trying to learn. - Tasha Jones
• It's a different kind of grind, with all the regulations, it's not enough to just win contracts— you have to build infrastructure. - Tasha Jones
• I always had systems and processes and things in place. If I made the decision to grow, I wanted to have things in place for that so I did put those in place upfront. - Tasha Jones
• I'm glad I had the confidence to try and grow a business because it's helping me to see some things that I didn't even realize I had already been exposed to. - Tasha Jones
• Since I want to create a product that makes services more accessible at a broader scale for businesses that don't have the revenue, I need to do it smartly so it doesn't break me financially. - Tasha Jones
• I always try to ensure that I'm engaged in the industry organizations that tend to yield the best results versus just being a member. - Tasha Jones

Get to Know the Guest:

Tasha Jones is a U.S. Navy Veteran and Founder of Twenty39, a data-focused professional services firm leveraging over twenty years of experience primarily in the U.S. Federal, Defense and Intelligence market space. From scaling multi-million-dollar, functionally diverse global portfolios to spearheading multiple high-visibility project turnaround efforts for major IT systems and processes at the US Department of Justice, Ms. Jones is an industry-recognized leader in developing data-informed solutions, turning around “off the rail” projects and “just getting the job done!"

Tasha founded and co-hosts Unveiled: GovCon Stories podcast – to spotlight the true experiences and learned lessons from small business founders in government contracting; and is a Citrine Angels board member, a DC-based angel group of women investing in women.

Connect with Tasha Jones:

• Website
• LinkedIn
• Unveiled: GovCon Stories Podcast
• <

It may seem like the worlds of aerospace systems design and organizational development exist in entirely separate realms. But what if we told you they actually are connected in a fascinating way? Well, they are, and in this episode we're diving deep into this convergence with Sonya Hopson.

Sonya is an expert at working within systems, and she sees the world through that lens. Whether at NASA engineering rockets, or assisting various government agencies and commercial clients with strategic planning, she's all about putting the pieces together to develop a cohesive solution.

ADVERTISEMENT: If you are ready to explore entrepreneurship and looking for guidance, book a discovery call with me! With my extensive experience and knowledge, I can help you make a plan before you leap. Visit bladen-group.com/ to book a discovery call with Nikki Rogers.

Join us as we embark on Sonya's remarkable journey, from her early days as a practicing engineer to her impactful work at NASA. Discover how she transitioned into an unexpected role that led to teaching resume writing in a detention center, and eventually founded her own consulting business. Throughout her story, you'll learn what it truly means to perceive the world as a series of interconnected systems and how you can leverage that perspective in your own business.

This is an episode you don't want to miss, as it offers valuable insights into Sonya Hopson's career and worldview.

Thriving Points:

• I see the world in systems. I see them as pieces being integrated together. - Sonya Hopson
• We help design, build and launch people, products and processes into their proper orbit. - Sonya Hopson
• We focused on what we did well. We built systems. So it's just seeing the world as a series of gears and pieces. - Sonya Hopson
• Your child is unique. You have unique relationships, but it really requires a system for everybody to make it out happy, healthy, and whole. - Nikki Rogers
• Our job helps put everybody back to the North Star, identify what is their role and contribution to making things happen. - Sonya Hopson
• We come in, we work shoulder to shoulder with our government partners to give them the solution that they can implement. - Sonya Hopson

Get to Know the Guest:

Sonya Hopson is a Strategic Partner of DVIRC and the CEO of Sage Services Group LLC. For over 20 years, Sonya has provided leadership on mission-critical projects with a diverse range of public and private organizations to improve performance and strengthen organizational effectiveness.

Over the last 13 years, Sonya has provided Training and Development, Organizational Design and Development, and Strategic Planning support to nearly twenty different Federal agencies, State government offices, and commercial clients. Sage has established a history of helping leaders and organizations in navigating challenging situations. They excel in bringing leaders and their teams together to identify strengths and limitations and agree on goals.

Connect with Sonya Hopson:

• Website
• LinkedIn
• Twitter

Other resources mentioned:

• QBQ! The Question Behind the Question: Practicing Personal Accountability in Work and in Life by Jo

How do you transition from working in the corporate to finally starting and leading your own business?

While it’s not entirely impossible—I know a lot of people who took a leap of faith and started their own entrepreneurial journey—it takes a special kind of courage, especially for women and women of color to transition from the corporate setting to leading their own companies.

So really, how do you do this?

For Lesa Adeboye, CEO of Alliance Group, it’s a matter of presenting your authentic self and building genuine relationships. With her mantra of “where there’s a will, there’s a way,” Lesa reminds us that it’s not about being good at everything, but it’s about knowing how to make real partnerships and identify the best people to engage when opportunities arise.

ADVERTISEMENT: If you are ready to explore entrepreneurship and looking for guidance, book a discovery call with me! With my extensive experience and knowledge, I can help you make a plan before you leap. Visit bladen-group.com/ to book a discovery call with Nikki Rogers.

In this episode, Lesa and I talk about her knowledge of govcon and how the desire for freedom motivated her to start her successful business after over 20 years in corporate.

Thriving Points:

• I wasn't fearful about anything. But I made a lot of mistakes. Coming out of corporate, I thought I knew everything, so I had to learn that business is a whole other beast. I had to humble myself, but that took some time. I made a lot of mistakes but I learned a lot from the mistakes that I’ve made. - Lesa Adeboye
• What I have learned—and it's taken a while—is bringing my authentic self to the table and making genuine relationships, doing business with the people that my personality resonates with. - Lesa Adeboye
• I love women-owned businesses because I see it as an avenue to freedom. Entrepreneurship is an avenue to freedom. - Lesa Adeboye

Get to Know the Guest:

Lesa Adeboye, the CEO of Alliance Group, has over 25 years of federal government contracting experience. Alliance Group's corporate capabilities include management consulting, professional and administrative services, and visual communications (film, animation, and graphic design). Before becoming a business owner, Lesa served in roles that include Director of Contracts and Procurement, Director of Business Development, and Executive Program Director, for Fortune 500, mid-sized, and small businesses.

Connect with Lesa Adeboye:

• Website
• LinkedIn
• Instagram

Other resources mentioned:

• The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom (A Toltec Wisdom Book) by Don Miguel Ruiz

About the Show:

Women Thriving in Business features candid unscripted conversations with entrepreneurs, business experts, authors, and academics aimed at contributing to business success. This weekly show provides interviews with business leaders who have built, grown, and are thriving in business. Nikki A. Rogers, host of the show, also discusses achievements, lessons learned, and advice for aspiring business owners to develop the mindset, strategies, and connections necessary to thrive in business. Whether you are just starting or you have been in business for decades, WTiB offers inspiration, strategies, and resources to help you THRIVE in business.

Connect with Nikki:

• LinkedIn

Studies tell us that on average, humans spend more than 30% of their lives at work.

Given that work is such a significant aspect of our lives, it is important that we work in an environment where we feel valued and appreciated.

But how can we ensure that we work in a healthy environment where we can thrive?

In episode 810, we discuss this topic with our guest, Dr. Melba Nicholson Sullivan, CEO of Freedom Flow Solutions. Melba believes that creating a culture where individuals feel seen and heard is the first step toward achieving a healthy work environment. With her clinical psychology background and passion for the performing arts, she customizes a solution based on each organization's unique challenges, recognizing that different industries require different approaches.

If you want to find out more about Dr. Sullivan’s distinctive approach to a sustainable workplace, tune in to this episode!

ADVERTISEMENT: If you are ready to explore entrepreneurship and looking for guidance, book a discovery call with me! With my extensive experience and knowledge, I can help you make a plan before you leap. Visit bladen-group.com/ to book a discovery call with Nikki Rogers.

Thriving Points:

• Avoidance is one of the key ways that we navigate trauma. - Melba Nicholson Sullivan, Ph.D.
• We're very committed to creating a space for wisdom that sits in every seat. - Melba Nicholson Sullivan, Ph.D.
• When I'm working with somebody individually, I'm working with them to navigate the impact of a work environment that needs to change. When I'm working with the organization as the client, I'm changing the context in which that individual is working. - Melba Nicholson Sullivan, Ph.D.

Get to Know the Guest:

Dr. Melba Nicholson Sullivan is a licensed clinical community psychologist, Executive Coach, and vocalist. She uses theater arts, contemplative practice, and body-based approaches to navigate systemic oppression while promoting resilience and liberation. Melba grew up as one of 3 Black children in her graduating class of 300 in Deerfield, IL. She earned her BS in Psychology from Howard University and her Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She completed postdoctoral studies in child and family trauma and social policy at Duke University, as well as global mental health at Harvard Medical School/Istituto Superiore di Sanità. Prior to creating her own companies, Melba worked for more than 20 years in nonprofit leadership and as clinical faculty at Northwestern University, Bellevue Hospital Center, NYU School of Medicine, and Ackerman Institute for the Family. She created a university counseling center at the American University of Nigeria, in Yola, Nigeria. She lives with her family in Brooklyn, NY.

Connect with Melba Nicholson Sullivan, Ph.D.:

• Website
• LinkedIn

About the Show:

Women Thriving in Business features candid unscripted conversations with entrepreneurs, business experts, authors, and academics aimed at contributing to business success. This weekly show provides interviews with business leaders who have built, grown, and are thriving in business. Nikki A. Rogers, host of the show, also discusses achievements, lessons learned, and advice for aspiring business owners to develop the mindset, strategies, and connections necessary to thrive in business. Whether you are just starting or you have been in business for decades, WTiB offers inspiration, strategies, and resources to help you THRIVE in business.

Connect with Nikki:

• LinkedIn

Have you ever wished for a "recipe" for business success? Imagine the efficiency and effectiveness you could achieve if your organization's processes were documented and communicated. Imagine what could be possible if everyone on your team understood what work needed to be accomplished and how to do it.

But how do we document processes and establish consistency that benefits our businesses?

This week, we're joined by Alicia Butler Pierre, the Founder & CEO of Equilibria, Inc., and the bestselling author of Behind the Façade—the world's first published book on business infrastructure. Alicia is an evangelist about the importance of operations and infrastructure management for companies of all sizes and types.

ADVERTISEMENT: If you are ready to explore entrepreneurship and looking for guidance, book a discovery call with me! With my extensive experience and knowledge, I can help you make a plan before you leap. Visit bladen-group.com/ to book a discovery call with Nikki Rogers.

To achieve business success, it's essential to clearly identify every individual activity involved in delivering your product or service—from initial client interaction to final delivery.

Want to learn how to enhance your business processes from an expert? Tune in to Episode 809 and listen to Alicia's insights today!

Other Resources Mentioned:

• Behind the Facade: How to Structure Company Operations for Sustainable Success
• How to Win Friends & Influence People

Thriving Points:

• “You are naturally skilled and talented at where your joy and your passion lies.” - Alicia Butler Pierre
• “By joining different networking groups that would meet fairly regularly, I was able to build that base of contacts.” - Alicia Butler Pierre
• “The concepts and basic principles that I learned in engineering enabled myself to apply them to the world of business.” - Alicia Butler Pierre
• “Process ensures consistency in the way that you provide your services or produce your goods.” - Alicia Butler Pierre
• “Blame the process before you blame the person. You have to take the time to train them, to onboard them; otherwise, you will lose them.” - Alicia Butler Pierre

Connect with Alicia:

• Website
• Instagram
• Linkedin
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Youtube

About the Show:

Women Thriving in Business features candid unscripted conversations with entrepreneurs, business experts, authors, and academics aimed at contributing to business success. This weekly show provides interviews with business leaders who have built, grown, and are thriving in business. Nikki A. Rogers, host of the show, also discusses achievements, lessons learned, and advice for aspiring business owners to develop the mindset, strategies, and connections necessary to thrive in business. Whether you are just starting or you have been in business for decades, WTiB offers inspiration, strategies, and resources to help you THRIVE