Set Asides Don’t Give You Work. Harsh Truth

I was once at a very tall, new-looking building of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). It seemed as though it was 10 stories high! I was there in a fancy conference room with a great view, and I was helping a woman learn more about business. A Small Business representative was with us too.

During our talk, I explained to her that having a special business advantage, called a set-aside, is simply something nice, like the icing on a cake. In this newsletter, I’m going to share why you shouldn’t hurry to get a set-aside, even though other people may say you should.?

Myth About Set-Asides?

See, there’s a common myth people believe in which is that if you have a special type of business like one owned by women, veterans, or different groups, you'll automatically get lots of work. This isn't always true.?

For example, a woman reached out and told me that her coworkers said she should declare herself as having a service-related disability to win more contracts. Also, I met a man who already owned a business and got one of these special labels, but even after a year, he didn’t get any contracts from the government. So, it’s important to understand that having a set-aside isn't enough. You need to really show your value.?

In business, especially when you want to work with the government, it's super important to show off the special things your business can do. Some businesses may try to get labels like “woman-owned” or “veteran-owned” because they think it will help them get more work. These labels can open doors, but they're only the start. When you sign up your business on websites like SAM.gov, you're stepping into a big group of small businesses all trying to get contracts. This means you have lots of competition.

Standing Out and Gaining Experience?

So, keeping that in mind, your main job should be to figure out how to win government work by showing what makes your business different and better. For example, in my own business, we do all sorts of jobs, big and small. It doesn’t matter if it’s selling simple things like corn and laptops or doing big jobs like building things or providing security, our goal is to make the government's job easier.

But simply setting up your business and waiting for work to come won't work. You need to be active and show off what makes your business special. My background in studying how organizations work helps my company do better in training and managing people, which is not common in government contracts. We use what we've learned from research to solve real problems.

Gaining experience is important too. If you're new to this kind of work, it may feel overwhelming, but you can learn a lot by working with other companies that already have government contracts. You can find these companies through the Dynamic Small Business Search on SAM.gov. This is how you can meet people who may need your help, and it's a good way to start building your reputation.

Staying Positive?

Being positive and continuously trying is very important. Sometimes, people may not respond to you or things might not go as planned. But you have to keep reaching out and looking for opportunities. The hard work is necessary to eventually win your first government contract.

Also, sometimes, you may feel the need to look for advice from organizations like the Small Business Administration (SBA), which can be helpful. However, remember that not all the advisors have run a business themselves, so it's also a good idea to find a mentor who has direct experience.

Again, don’t rush into getting set-asides thinking they’re a quick solution. Instead, focus on building a business that stands out because of what you offer and how you help solve problems.

Now that I’ve set the record straight for you about set-asides, subscribe to my official YouTube channel to learn more about how you can continuously be a GovCon Winner.?

Click here today to subscribe to my YouTube channel.?

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I’m the author of the newly released book “The GovCon Winners Way: How To Win Government Contracts Faster Than Trying to Do It Alone!” At 28, I was awarded my first 5-figure federal government contract. I own and operate multiple government contracting businesses and have over $50 million in federal government contract awards. Today, I’ve helped my students win over $3M in Federal Government Contracts in less than 6 months, and I’ll help you, too!?

-#EverythingIsPossible