She Built Success

She Built Success

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She Built Success episodes

  • 61: I Was in LinkedIn's Creator Program - Here's What I Learned

    LinkedIn can be more than a place to post professional accomplishments. It can also be a space to build relationships around your experience, interests and expertise.


    In this episode, I'm sharing lessons from my participation in LinkedIn's Creator Accelerator Program and how I used content to connect with people in technology, data analytics and business.


    From my Can We Talk Data series to Carline Chronicles, I talk about showing up in ways that felt natural to me and how those experiences helped people remember and connect with my work.


    We also explore practical ways small-business owners can approach LinkedIn as a relationship-building platform rather than simply another place to publish content.


    In this episode:

    00:00 Five ways to approach LinkedIn strategically

    02:00 My Can We Talk Data content series

    04:00 Lessons from LinkedIn's Creator Accelerator

    06:00 Creating content around your expertise

    08:00 Building relationships through conversations

    10:00 Making your professional presence memorable


    Let's talk: What do you want people to associate with you when they come across your content?


    Subscribe to She Built Success for more conversations beyond the highlight reel, exploring business, leadership and personal growth.

    15 min
  • 60: How I Research Federal Agencies Before Pursuing Government Contracts

    Finding a government contract is one thing. Understanding the agency behind it is another.

    In this episode, I'm sharing research approaches I use to learn more about federal agencies, their priorities and potential contracting activity.
    We discuss the value of looking beyond solicitation listings and using additional sources of information to understand what's happening within the agencies you're interested in pursuing.
    I also share a simple research assignment involving Google Alerts for three target agencies.
    The larger lesson is that government contracting research should be an ongoing part of your business-development process, not something you only do when it's time to submit a proposal.
    In this episode:
    00:00 Researching beyond open solicitations
    02:00 Using targeted agency search terms
    04:00 Reviewing fiscal-year information
    06:00 Finding agency contacts and relevant events
    08:00 Turning research into an ongoing process
    Let's talk: Which federal agencies have you spent time researching and what made you interested in them?
    Archive note: The examples and agency information discussed reflect the period in which this episode was recorded. Verify current federal priorities and procurement activity through official sources.
    Subscribe to She Built Success for more conversations beyond the highlight reel, exploring business, leadership and personal growth.

    6 min
  • 59: How I Manage My Time as a Business Owner | Time Blocking & Systems

    Managing multiple responsibilities as a business owner requires knowing where your time is going and creating systems that support the work.

    In this episode, I'm sharing how I approach time management, including time blocking and the planning systems I use to organize my responsibilities.
    We're talking about being intentional with your calendar, creating structure around your priorities and recognizing that having a system doesn't mean every day will unfold exactly as planned.
    This is a look at how I manage my own time while navigating the different responsibilities that come with business ownership.
    In this episode:
    00:00 My approach to time management
    02:00 Planning around different responsibilities
    04:00 Family routines and shared responsibilities
    06:00 How I structure my calendar
    08:00 Protecting personal and family time
    10:00 Using workflows to manage recurring work
    13:00 Managing content and team responsibilities
    16:00 Creating space for focused work
    18:00 Strategic time blocks
    20:00 What happens when plans change
    22:00 Capturing ideas and managing tasks
    24:00 Delegation and reviewing the workload
    Let's talk: What's one responsibility you need to make more intentional space for in your week?
    Subscribe to She Built Success for more conversations beyond the highlight reel, exploring business, leadership and personal growth.

    27 min
  • 58: Think GovCon Starts With SAM.gov? Here's a Better Place to Begin

    Getting started in government contracting involves more than creating a SAM.gov registration and waiting for an opportunity.

    In this episode, I'm sharing some of the less obvious ways small businesses can begin researching the federal marketplace.
    We discuss why understanding agency activity, identifying potential customers and gathering information before pursuing contracts can make your efforts more intentional.
    I also share how I think about incorporating different research resources into a government contracting strategy so you're not relying exclusively on open solicitations to decide where to focus.
    In this episode:
    00:00 Uncommon ways to enter government contracting
    02:00 Looking beyond direct federal awards
    04:00 Researching existing contract holders
    06:00 Exploring subcontracting relationships
    08:00 Using agency procurement forecasts
    10:00 Understanding alternative entry points
    12:00 Exploring additional federal resources
    Let's talk: When you're researching a new market, what's the first place you go for information?
    Archive note: Government websites, available research tools and their functionality may have changed since this episode was recorded.
    Subscribe to She Built Success for more conversations beyond the highlight reel, exploring business, leadership and personal growth.

    16 min
  • 57: Finding Government Contract Opportunities Across Different Industries | FPDS Part 2

    Government contracting isn't limited to the industries most people associate with federal work.

    In Part 2 of my FPDS walkthrough, we're continuing the research process by exploring less commonly discussed business categories, including commercial real estate and other products and services purchased by federal agencies.
    I demonstrate how historical award data and procurement classifications can help you investigate purchasing activity within a particular industry.
    The goal is to get you thinking more broadly about what your business offers, how agencies describe their requirements and where additional research might lead.
    In this episode:
    00:00 Continuing the FPDS walkthrough
    02:00 Researching commercial real estate
    04:00 Sorting historical award records
    06:00 Understanding modifications and contract dates
    08:00 Identifying agencies and award recipients
    10:00 Exploring the purchase description
    12:00 Using contract details for additional research
    14:00 Investigating prime and subcontracting relationships
    16:00 Looking beyond large contract awards
    20:00 Researching smaller purchasing needs
    22:00 Reviewing equipment-related awards
    26:00 Exploring additional business opportunities
    30:00 Understanding the volume of historical awards
    34:00 Applying the research to your business
    Let's talk: What industry would you like to investigate using historical federal award data?
    Archive note: This episode demonstrates the procurement research process available at recording. Federal platforms, search functionality and award classifications may change.
    Subscribe to She Built Success for more conversations beyond the highlight reel, exploring business, leadership and personal growth.

    35 min
  • 56: How I Use FPDS for Winning Contracts A Hands-On Guide (Part 1)

    How do you research what the federal government has already purchased before deciding which agencies to pursue?

    In Part 1 of this FPDS walkthrough, I'm sharing how I approached historical federal contract research using the Federal Procurement Data System.
    Rather than simply searching for an open solicitation, we're looking at how historical award information can help small businesses better understand purchasing patterns, potential customers and how their products or services fit into the marketplace.
    Follow along as I demonstrate the research process and explain why looking across multiple fiscal years can provide additional context.
    In this episode:
    00:00 Introduction to FPDS research
    02:00 Preparing for the walkthrough
    04:00 Understanding NAICS classifications
    06:00 Navigating the FPDS search interface
    08:00 Reviewing contracting agencies and results
    10:00 Understanding modifications and award records
    12:00 Refining your search
    16:00 Examining individual contract information
    20:00 Working through additional search filters
    22:00 Exploring purchase-card records
    24:00 Identifying agencies behind purchases
    28:00 Returning to NAICS research
    30:00 Reviewing award details
    32:00 Using the findings in your GovCon research
    Let's talk: Have you researched historical government spending for your industry or are you primarily searching for open opportunities?
    Archive note: This walkthrough reflects FPDS and related procurement tools at the time of recording. Interfaces, data access and federal reporting systems may have changed. Verify current procedures through official government sources.
    Subscribe to She Built Success for more conversations beyond the highlight reel, exploring business, leadership and personal growth.

    31 min
  • 55: Building a Luxury Home Staging Business on Your Own Terms | Erica Martin

    What does it take to turn an interest in real estate and design into a growing home staging business?

    I sit down with Erica Martin of Staging Solutions to discuss her transition from property management into entrepreneurship, building her staging business and creating a brand around the experience she wants clients to have.
    We get into the operational realities behind beautiful spaces, including managing furniture inventory, moving from home storage into a warehouse and navigating business growth.
    But this conversation goes beyond staging. Erica shares her perspective on motherhood, personal fulfillment and making decisions that reflect what success actually means to you.
    In this episode:
    00:00 Meet Erica Martin of Staging Solutions
    02:00 Leaving corporate America for entrepreneurship
    04:00 What professional home staging involves
    07:00 The business behind the design
    09:00 Growing the company and managing inventory
    12:00 Expanding into new creative services
    14:00 Navigating client relationships and boundaries
    17:00 Motherhood, family and entrepreneurship
    21:00 Recognizing when to pull back
    24:00 Erica's definition of success
    27:00 Building the team and managing operations
    30:00 Creating more room for what brings you joy
    Let's talk: Are you building toward something you genuinely want or something you've been conditioned to pursue?
    Subscribe to She Built Success for more conversations beyond the highlight reel, exploring business, leadership and personal growth.

    34 min
  • 54: The Federal Government Buys That? Weird Contracts You Need to See

    Government contracting goes well beyond IT, construction and professional consulting services. In this episode, we're exploring some of the more unusual purchases associated with the federal marketplace.

    From wildlife-related services and specialty products to purchases you probably wouldn't think to associate with a government contract, I'm using examples to challenge how small businesses think about what they sell.
    We also touch on NAICS codes, Product Service Codes (PSC) and why researching historical purchases can broaden your understanding of the marketplace.
    The point isn't that every unusual purchase represents an opportunity for your business. It's to encourage you to look beyond the obvious categories when researching government customers.
    In this episode:
    00:00 Government purchases you might not expect
    01:00 Exploring unusual contract categories
    03:00 Cheese manufacturing and federal purchasing
    04:00 Whale removal contracts
    05:00 Live animals and other specialty purchases
    07:00 Specialized training and services
    09:00 What these examples mean for small businesses
    Let's talk: What's the most unexpected product or service you've heard of a government agency purchasing?
    Archive note: The examples discussed reflect research presented when this episode was recorded. Verify historical award details, classifications and current purchasing activity through official federal sources.
    Subscribe to She Built Success for more conversations beyond the highlight reel, exploring business, leadership and personal growth.

    8 min
  • 53: Don't Let Politics Distract You—Here's How to Land the Contract

    What happens to your government contracting strategy when federal priorities shift? In this episode, I'm talking about how small businesses can approach uncertainty through research rather than assumptions.

    Using examples from the federal contracting environment at the time of recording, I discuss why I pay attention to executive orders, agency decisions and changing operational needs.
    We also explore how a change in direction can affect the types of products or services an agency needs and why understanding your customer's actual requirements matters when positioning your business.
    The larger lesson is about being informed, remaining adaptable and not building your entire business strategy around one expectation.
    In this episode:
    00:00 Adapting your business to changing priorities
    02:00 Looking beyond political headlines
    04:00 How workforce changes can create different needs
    06:00 Exploring potential service requirements
    08:00 Why your strategy needs to remain adaptable
    10:00 Researching agency purchasing activity
    12:00 Positioning your business intentionally
    Let's talk: How do you stay informed when changes outside your business could affect your next move?
    Archive note: This episode discusses federal priorities and circumstances at the time it was recorded. It is not an assessment of current administration policies or contracting opportunities.
    Subscribe to She Built Success for more conversations beyond the highlight reel, exploring business, leadership and personal growth.

    17 min
  • 52: This Podcast is Changing—And It's All About Winning Government Contracts

    Why dedicate a season of She Built Success to government contracting? I'm sharing the thinking behind the shift and what I wanted this next chapter of the podcast to accomplish.

    After two seasons exploring different definitions of success, I wanted to bring more of my own business experience into the conversation, including what I've learned building a consulting company in the government marketplace.
    We're talking about the questions small businesses were asking, why I wanted to make GovCon more approachable and what you can expect from this season.
    The mission of She Built Success hasn't changed. We're still talking about the wins, the lessons and the real experiences behind what we build. This season, we're spending more time inside government contracting.
    In this episode:
    00:00 Why Season 3 is changing direction
    02:00 My background in government contracting
    04:00 Looking back at Seasons 1 and 2
    06:00 Why I want to make GovCon more approachable
    08:00 The realities of building a contracting business
    11:00 Moving from an idea to a GovCon strategy
    15:00 The mission behind She Built Success
    19:00 Finding opportunities for your existing business
    23:00 What to expect from this season
    Let's talk: What part of your professional experience do you wish more people understood?
    Subscribe to She Built Success for more conversations beyond the highlight reel, exploring business, leadership and personal growth.

    31 min

About She Built Success

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She Built Success is a podcast & video platform for entrepreneurs who are building in real time , not just celebrating wins, but navigating the work behind them.