gackerman1

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How to Build a Solid Basis of Estimate (BOE) for Your Next Government Proposal

Ugh, So I Need to Create a BOE! If you’re a veteran-owned business competing for federal contracts, you’ve likely heard the term Basis of Estimate (BOE). Whether it’s your first bid or your hundredth, building a compliant and convincing BOE can be the difference between a winning proposal and a missed opportunity. This guide will walk you through how to create a BOE that’s FAR-compliant,…

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Bits and Pieces

Hi All –

I haven’t posted in the past few months and wanted to provide an update. I had spread myself a little too thin and need to truly focus on my primary business and growing. One decision I made was to transfer ownership of another startupI owned to a family member. The lesson to me was I cannot run two companies at once and truly push them both forward to their maximum potential. This…

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How to Move Your Business Forward

How to Move Your Business Forward

Moving your Federal Contracting business forward is the meat and potatoes of your business success; so your business strategy and the actions you take to gain business and grow are how you gain momentum. So how do you go about it?

The answer is somewhat simplistic — you need a road map on where you want to go, and the type of map depends on where you are in your business’ life cycle:…

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Secret on How to Launch Your Federal Small Business

Secret on How to Launch Your Federal Small Business

So you’ve started your veteran owned small business and you’re trying to generate revenue, but despite your best efforts it seems you just can’t move forward. This blog will help you gain insight on how to gain traction to generate income and build your skills to succeed.

Large federal contractors have a host of resources available to them such as business development teams comprised of marketing…

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Making Choices

Hi All –

It’s been a while since I’ve posted, but I wanted to share one more blog before the end of the year.  This blog is all about decisions and how they affect every element of our lives.  Big decisions, little decisions, life changing decisions– our choices have brought us to this  moment in our lives.  Do you have the love, physical, spiritual, and emotional health to be your best self?  If…

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Six Simple Steps to Achieving your Dreams

Six Simple Steps to Achieving your Dreams

Now that the New Year is quickly approaching, I wanted to share six simple strategies to help you to live the life of your dreams.  These strategies will help get you started quickly, and we’ll help you achieve momentum and the velocity needed to keep you moving forward.

If you have an idea of what you would like to do, whether writing a novel, getting healthy, developing an invention, starting a…

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Never Trust a Rudderless Ship to Take you to Your Heart’s Desire

Never Trust a Rudderless Ship to Take you to Your Heart’s Desire

Destiny is manifested by one’s true purpose, thoughts and actions — not by doing what other believe you should do; what you’ve been taught, or through following someone else’s dreams. Are you living the life that was assigned to you or living a life youhave chosen? For many of us, choosing our work, usually by working for someone else has never been a true choice. For most of us, circumstances or…

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I want to be an inspiration to people. Perhaps this is an egotistical pursuit but if I succeed, I will feel that I’ve done something worthwhile with my life. Does the reason why really matter? How many of us live our lives by just getting by each day? I’m not talking just financially but emotionally too. Do you truly feel alive? Life can be so much more than getting a job, getting married, having a family, and then retiring, and her ultimate demise. The question to ask ourselves is: Do we have true and meaningful relationships with our family, friends and ourselves or are we just drifting through life, living a role that we’ve been assigned. The problem is that most of us don’t realize our full potential. Often times it starts with our parents, who although their desire is to protect us, have taught us to be cautious and to timidly live lives of mediocrity. It’s time to break this pattern. The difference between each of us is an illusion. Although it’s been said many times before, what one man is done another can do. The truth is we are mirrors of each other; the difference that we believe exists between us is just an illusion. Each and everyone of us has a story to tell. The trick is what we do with that story. Are we the hero of our own lives or are we the victim of somebody else’s choices? What we do with our life matters – it’s not just about ourselves – but the generations that follow, our kids and our grandkids. If we come from generations of abuse, whether it is from physical or mental abuse, or a pervasive multi-generation belief that was passed down – saying we are not good enough – it is time to break the cycle. It starts with each of us. We can change the lives of future generations – our children and our children’s  children.  Yes I want to inspire others and ultimately I want to inspire myself. I sincerely hope you do too. That is my wish for you. As always take action and show gratitude each and every day. With love and respect, Gary

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Learning Social Media

i’ve been dabbling in using social media since starting my blog. I started with a Twitter account and tentatively posted a few tweets. The main purpose was to advertise my blog so that I could get the word out to entrepreneurs and service disabled veterans.

I also found that Twitter was a good way to receive valuable information on government contracting, entrepreneurship, and other items of…

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Can Failure be Success?

Look. The future isn’t guaranteed. We don’t know if we will succeed or even if we will be alive tomorrow. But what we can do is try to live our dreams each and every day. We can only do this by taking action. 

When we take action, we are proving to ourselves that life is more than just a monotonous series of day to day events. When we strive to live our dreams or live up to our potential, our…

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How to Relieve Allergies, Breath Easy, Sleep Better, and Not Worry about Naegleria fowleri

How to Relieve Allergies, Breath Easy, Sleep Better, and Not Worry about Naegleria fowleri

Hi All –

I hope this post finds everyone healthy and happy.

Have you ever used a neti pot? Neti pots were used as an ayurvedic yoga tradition in ancient India for nasal irrigation, In the past few year neti pots gained popularity in the United States after they were featured on the Oprah Winfrey show by Dr. Oz as a natural and health alternative for allergy and nasal infection sufferers.

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Say Hello to Your New Best Friend "Fear"

Say Hello to Your New Best Friend “Fear”

So what is keeping us from taking control of your life and choosing our own path? Perhaps it’s our old nemesis Fear with a capital “F”!. Fear has derailed the dreams and potential of too many for far too long, but there is a way to turn fear on its head and use it to your advantage.

Fear as we all know can take on may forms, but for the entrepreneur, artist, or and other wishing to live with…

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How to Certify your Veteran Owned Small Business

Check out my latest Blog: How to Certify your Veteran Owned Small Business

Hi All –

In lieu of providing my philosophy on business and life, I’ve decided it was time I kept my promise about providing information on certifying your Veteran-Owned Small Business to complete for Federal contracting dollars.

There are two methods for certification: 1) Self-certification and 2) Verification through the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA), Center for Verification and Evaluation…

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Who Starts a Business?

Hi All –

So what type of person takes the initiative and risk to start their own business?  There are several books and website that state the type of personality that is required – self motivated, disciplined, risk taker, expertise in a certain field, and etc.  According to these sources, if you do not have these essential qualities, you should stay in your job and let someone else take that…

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What Life Offers (Freedom is trying to Make Your Dreams Come True)

What Life Offers (Freedom is trying to Make Your Dreams Come True)

Hi All -

I just viewed this incredible video.  It is far too extreme a passion for me to ever try, but I found the message inspiring.  As stated by one of the people in the film, “Freedom is trying to make your dreams come true.”

The notion of success has been evolving — it is no longer defined as attaining a certain position, a high income, or even a significant achievement – it’s about…

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Thanks and Gratitude (or Learning how to be Joyful)

Thanks and Gratitude

Greetings All -

I’m visiting my family for Thanksgiving this week.  As I am already feeling grateful for being able to visit with my family this week, the holiday is providing another opportunity to reflect on thankfulness in general.

There comes a time in life, if we are lucky, through personal experience, growth, and wisdom we come to realize we are responsible for every element of our lives. …

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Knowing the "Why" of things

Hi All -

I’m a big fan of online content to find inspiration, ideas, and to learn.  It’s one of the reasons I started this blog — to provide information to others, like myself, who wish to pursue their dreams.  I feel that I have been fortunate to have had the opportunity to learn a small bit about federal contracting and wanted to share that knowledge with others who do not have a background in…