I went to a sub-contractor networking event yesterday hosted by my prime proposal partners. Networking events with government contractors are my least favorite thing to do. I hate juggling my beer and small plate of snacks and making awkward chit chat. Now, some people love this stuff. They love talking with everyone and connecting on LinkedIn and blah blah blah. That's not my style. It's very draining to me. So what I do instead is to set up a goal of talking to 1-3 people there. I'll try to talk to the host if they're there, and then a few other new people. Once I do that, I give myself permission to leave. In this case, my main prime POC wasn't there (which is why I went in the first place), so I chatted with some other folks at the prime, met a few other sub-contractors, and then went home. It took about an hour. If you have to go to a networking event and you hate doing them, just set a small attainable goal of having 1-3 good conversations and then get the hell out of there. Who knows, maybe one of those conversations can lead to a new opportunity down the line. But if not, at least you didn't waste an extra few hours at something you didn't want to do in the first place. If you're interested in learning how to get your first solo 1099 federal sub-contract, check out my book: |
Going 1099 is a book that teaches you how to become a solo federal sub-contractor and gain control of your working life, earn more money and unlock more free time. I wrote it because quite a few people have asked me how they can become a 1099. I figured it was best to write a single book that I can send them and that I can share with others who are interested. This newsletter goes out Monday - Friday and covers topics that will help you succeed in starting and maintaining successful 1099 career.
Halt and Catch Fire @HaltAMC The realization. #HaltAndCatchFire 1:0 PM • Oct 19, 2017 79 Retweets 360 Likes Read 17 replies When I first went 1099, I applied to grad school thinking I'd use the extra money I would save to fund my living expenses if I got in. Well, I never got into grad school, and then I ended up doing the 1099 thing for a long time. The thing is, my goal was to never become a 1099 for its own sake. It was to buy myself more time and resources to go to grad school and do what...
Most days for me My company was recently awarded a contract on the GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS). Now, this doesn't mean I actually won any work. It just means that if the government wants to do business with me, they can use the MAS as the administrative vehicle. There are two ways I can get work now using MAS: I can bid on stuff on GSA eBUY, where government agencies put out RFPs specifically for GSA MAS contract holders I can persuade government agencies directly to do business with me...
At least this guy is honest!Source When you're a solo 1099, you don't have to do any recruiting. You just have to find projects for yourself. When you try to grow a government contracting business, you will have to recruit people. It's tough! It's particularly tough in the early stages. Here's why: You don't have recruiting processes in place. You are probably reliant on your personal network, which will run out eventually It takes a lot of time. Reading resumes, meeting people, interviewing...