She Built Success

She Built Success

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She Built Success episodes

  • 51: Season 2 Finale of She Built Success

    Bold Moves Besties, the She Built Success Season 2 FINALE is here!


    We’re closing out the season with the TOP episodes you couldn’t get enough of:


    • Avoid This Big Mistake As A Small Business Charging 5+ Figures
    • The Man Behind The Lens (ft. Jason Lapointe)
    • Crafting Your Vision A Step-By-Step Guide for 2025
    • Don't Skip These 3 Business Financial Tips (ft. Kendra James Anderson)
    • FPDS vs. SAM.gov Which One Really Matters in 2025
    • Real Mom Talk From Claudia —plus the bloopers 😆 I definitely planned to share.


      • From powerful conversations to the moments that had us cracking up behind the scenes, this finale is packed with everything that made Season 2 unforgettable.


      Hit play, enjoy the highlights, and let’s wrap up this season in style!

      21 min
    • 50: Psychological Safety Starts With All of Us | Amanda Muhammad

      When we talk about psychological safety at work, we usually ask one question:

      Do I feel safe here?
      My guest Amanda Muhammad asks us to consider another one:
      Am I contributing to an environment where other people feel safe too?
      Amanda is a psychological safety consultant whose work grew from her own experience with stress, mindfulness and workplace wellness.
      She shares how yoga and mindfulness first became tools for managing stress in her own life, then eventually became part of the work she brought into schools and organizations. Over time, that work evolved into a deeper focus on psychological safety and the role each of us plays in creating it.
      We talk about what happens when organizations collect employee feedback but don't act on it, why that can erode trust and why checking the box on another training isn't the same thing as understanding what your people actually need.
      Amanda also explains why she prefers scenario-based learning that allows people to apply ideas to situations they actually encounter instead of simply being talked at.
      But this conversation doesn't stay inside the workplace.
      Amanda shares the faith journey behind her business, including leaving her job, watching money leave faster than it was coming in and landing an early contract after finding a creative way to get herself in front of potential clients.
      We talk about prayer, surrender, entrepreneurship, difficult seasons and continuing to move even when moving forward doesn't look fast.
      And when I ask Amanda how she defines success, her answer brings the conversation together: fun, faith and freedom. Her definition has evolved from primarily financial success toward having agency in her life, enjoying what she does and knowing that her work has an impact.
      In this episode:
      00:00 Psychological safety isn't only about how you feel
      01:00 Meet Amanda Muhammad
      02:00 What a psychological safety consultant does
      03:00 How mindfulness entered Amanda's life
      05:00 What she noticed about stress in the workplace
      07:00 From workplace wellness to psychological safety
      08:00 The role each of us plays in workplace culture
      10:00 What psychological safety can look like
      11:00 Why organizations need to understand their actual gaps
      13:00 Moving beyond cookie-cutter workplace training
      14:00 Why scenario-based learning works differently
      16:00 Being proactive instead of reactive
      18:00 What happens when employees give feedback and nothing changes
      20:00 The faith journey behind Amanda's business
      22:00 Starting a business when the money wasn't coming in
      24:00 The contract that helped change things
      25:00 Prayer, surrender and entrepreneurship
      27:00 Continuing to deepen her work
      30:00 Moving through difficult seasons
      33:00 How Amanda defines success
      34:00 Faith, wellness and staying in motion
      Join the conversation: Think about the environments you're part of. What is one thing you do that helps other people feel heard, respected or safe enough to speak?
      Subscribe to She Built Success for more conversations beyond the highlight reel.
      She Built Success goes beyond the highlight reel to explore the stories behind what we build. Through conversations about business, leadership and personal growth, we talk about the decisions, challenges and experiences that shape success along the way.

      37 min
    • 49: Can Your Business Sell to the Government? Here's How I Researched It

      Could the work you already do translate into something the government buys?

      That's the question I'm testing in real time in this episode.
      Instead of starting with the usual government contracting terminology, I went to LinkedIn and pulled ordinary professional titles. Then I used those titles and capabilities as starting points for researching historical federal contract awards.
      Culture and leadership expert.
      Event manager.
      Technical writer.
      Makeup artist.
      Personal stylist.
      Graphic designer.
      I even move beyond services and look at a physical product.
      The point isn't that finding a keyword match automatically means you've found a contract you should pursue. In fact, some of my searches demonstrate exactly the opposite. A keyword can appear in an award for a completely unrelated reason, which means you still have to research what you're looking at.
      What I wanted to demonstrate was a different way of thinking about market research.
      Instead of assuming the government doesn't buy what you offer because you don't immediately recognize your exact title, start with the actual work you perform. Look at related language. Explore how similar services and products have historically been categorized and purchased.
      The research can help you begin asking better questions about where your business might fit.
      In this episode:
      00:00 Using professional titles to research government buying
      01:00 Starting with real LinkedIn profiles
      02:00 Researching a culture and leadership expert
      05:00 Looking beyond the first search result
      07:00 Researching event management services
      10:00 Understanding what you're seeing in award data
      13:00 Researching technical writing
      16:00 Can the government buy makeup services?
      19:00 Researching personal styling services
      23:00 Looking at graphic design
      27:00 Moving from services to physical products
      29:00 What this research exercise is really meant to show
      30:00 Try the research with your own business
      Join the conversation: Describe what your business actually does in a few words. Is that the same language your potential customers would use when searching for it?
      Subscribe to She Built Success for more conversations beyond the highlight reel.
      She Built Success goes beyond the highlight reel to explore the stories behind what we build. Through conversations about business, leadership and personal growth, we talk about the decisions, challenges and experiences that shape success along the way.
      Archive note: This episode demonstrates the research process and tools available when it was originally recorded. Federal procurement systems, terminology, classifications, award data and search functionality can change. Use current official government sources when conducting your own research.

      31 min
    • 48: Why Government Agencies Struggle to Reach Small Businesses

      There's a gap between the information government agencies provide small businesses and the information small businesses actually need to take their next step.

      In this episode, I'm looking at that gap from both sides.
      I've spent years working in government contracting, and one thing I've noticed is that small-business offices have an opportunity to make their outreach much more useful.
      Success stories are valuable. General information sessions have their place.
      But what if agencies also broke the process into smaller, actionable pieces?
      What are your priorities?
      What industries are you focused on?
      What should a small business understand before approaching your agency?
      What does an industry day actually look like?
      What should a business do after attending one?
      Those are the kinds of conversations that can help small businesses move beyond simply knowing an opportunity exists and begin determining whether they're actually positioned to pursue it.
      I also get into something that was becoming increasingly important to me at the time: how agencies use content and social media to communicate.
      Video, podcasts, short-form content and behind-the-scenes storytelling can help make government information more accessible when the content is built around what the audience actually needs rather than simply checking a communications box.
      And that idea extends beyond government contracting.
      Whether you're an agency, company or entrepreneur, putting information online isn't the same thing as communicating effectively.
      In this episode:
      00:00 Why small-business outreach could be more useful
      01:00 Where agency content can miss the mark
      02:00 Turning common questions into practical education
      03:00 Connecting agency priorities to small-business opportunities
      04:00 Using video and podcasts to reach small businesses
      05:00 Making government content easier to discover
      06:00 Bridging the gap between agencies and small businesses
      07:00 Breaking complex information into actionable pieces
      08:00 Why presentation and production quality matter
      09:00 Creating content that actually gets attention
      10:00 Moving beyond information without a next step
      11:00 How agencies can use social media differently
      12:00 The bigger opportunity for government communications
      13:00 A question for organizations creating content
      Join the conversation: When an organization says it wants to engage its community, what actually makes you feel informed enough to take the next step?
      Subscribe to She Built Success for more conversations beyond the highlight reel.
      She Built Success goes beyond the highlight reel to explore the stories behind what we build. Through conversations about business, leadership and personal growth, we talk about the decisions, challenges and experiences that shape success along the way.
      Archive note: This episode reflects my perspective and the government contracting environment at the time it was recorded. Government programs, procurement systems, agency priorities and digital platforms can change. Verify current information through official government sources.

      14 min
    • 47: What Small Businesses Get Wrong About Government Contracting | Akiesha Foster

      Knowing government contracting from the inside and building a business that sells to the government are two very different experiences.


      My guest Akiesha Foster learned that firsthand. After more than two decades working in government contracting and acquisition, Akiesha moved to the other side of the table as a contractor and business owner.


      She knew contracting.


      What changed was having to build relationships, understand new agencies, develop the business and experience what it's actually like to enter the market as a small business.


      In this episode, we get into some of the mistakes we were seeing small businesses make when pursuing government work.


      Trying to sell everything.

      Contacting agencies without understanding what they buy.

      Expecting relationships to happen immediately.

      Operating without the back-office systems needed to support the work.

      And focusing so heavily on winning a contract that you haven't thought enough about what happens after you win it.


      Akiesha also shares why she recommends getting to know the customer before pursuing them, how industry events can help you evaluate fit and why subcontracting can give a smaller company an opportunity to build experience without immediately trying to become the prime contractor.


      We talk about pricing, capacity, systems, business development and the reality that government contracting isn't a shortcut to revenue. And toward the end, the conversation moves beyond contracts altogether.


      For Akiesha, entrepreneurship created something she'd spent years without: the ability to be more present with her husband, children, grandchildren and the people she loves.Her definition of success isn't a contract value.


      It's waking up happy about the work she's doing and being able to answer the phone when her family calls.


      In this episode:

      00:00 Meet Akiesha Foster

      01:00 Moving from government acquisition to the contractor side

      03:00 What small businesses often get wrong

      05:00 The systems businesses need behind the scenes

      06:00 Start by getting to know your customer

      08:00 How industry events can help build relationships

      10:00 What a capabilities brief is

      12:00 The work behind pursuing government contracts

      13:00 Understanding pricing and your numbers

      15:00 Why GovCon requires a long-term strategy

      17:00 Building relationships and past performance

      18:00 Managing GovCon when you have a very small team

      20:00 Certifications and strategy

      22:00 Understanding smaller-dollar opportunities

      25:00 Starting with opportunities your business can actually perform

      27:00 Responding to market research opportunities

      29:00 Staying focused on your area of expertise

      31:00 How entrepreneurship changed Akiesha's life

      32:00 Akiesha's definition of success

      35:00 Final advice for small businesses


      Join the conversation: What's one part of your business you know needs to be stronger before you pursue a bigger opportunity?


      Subscribe to She Built Success for more conversations beyond the highlight reel.She Built Success goes beyond the highlight reel to explore the stories behind what we build. Through conversations about business, leadership and personal growth, we talk about the decisions, challenges and experiences that shape success along the way.


      Archive note: This episode reflects the government contracting environment at the time it was recorded. Procurement thresholds, certifications, acquisition procedures, websites and other requirements can change. Verify current requirements directly through official government sources before relying on specific procedural guidance.

      40 min
    • 46: Government Contracting Isn't for Every Business

      Government contracting isn't for every business.

      And that's not necessarily a bad thing.
      In this episode, I'm talking about something I didn't think was being said enough at the time: the difference between being interested in government contracting and actually being prepared to pursue it.
      If you're expecting to register your business today and land a multimillion-dollar contract tomorrow, you're probably approaching this with the wrong expectations.
      Government contracting requires research.
      It requires patience.
      It requires learning how your target agencies actually buy.
      It requires relationships.
      And even after you've been doing it for years, there's still more to learn because regulations, policies and procurement priorities change.
      I also talk about why business owners need to understand this space themselves before completely outsourcing the work. You may eventually build a team around business development, capture or proposals, but you still need enough understanding to know what makes sense for your company and recognize when something doesn't.
      We get into subcontracting, certifications, relationships, industry events, past performance and why winning the contract isn't the end of the work.
      But there's a larger business lesson underneath all of it:
      Don't build a strategy around the best-case scenario. Understand what the opportunity actually requires from your business first.
      In this episode:
      00:00 Why government contracting isn't for every business
      01:00 Unrealistic expectations about winning large contracts
      02:00 Why you have to remain a student of the industry
      05:00 Understanding your own business before outsourcing GovCon
      06:00 Researching what agencies actually buy
      08:00 Knowing when an opportunity fits your company
      10:00 Why shortcuts can cost you
      11:00 Free resources and learning the process
      12:00 What certifications can and cannot do
      14:00 Relationships versus handing out business cards
      15:00 Winning the contract is only the beginning
      17:00 Why you need to vet the people you hire for help
      18:00 Patience, research and longevity
      20:00 Why subcontracting can be a smart entry point
      22:00 Capacity and business development
      25:00 Building relationships even when you don't win
      28:00 Is government contracting right for your business right now?
      Join the conversation: Have you ever realized that an opportunity could be good, but still not be right for your business right now?
      Subscribe to She Built Success for more conversations beyond the highlight reel.
      She Built Success goes beyond the highlight reel to explore the stories behind what we build. Through conversations about business, leadership and personal growth, we talk about the decisions, challenges and experiences that shape success along the way.
      Archive note: This episode reflects my experience and the government contracting environment at the time it was recorded. Procurement thresholds, certifications, programs, policies, websites and other requirements can change. Verify current information directly through official government sources before making business decisions.

      29 min
    • 45: Being Good on Camera Starts With Being Yourself | XayLi Barclay

      Being comfortable on camera isn't only about learning what to say.

      Sometimes it's about becoming comfortable enough with yourself to be seen.
      In this episode, I sit down with XayLi Barclay, video coach and founder of Brave On Video, for a conversation that goes much deeper than cameras.
      I've watched XayLi's work for years, and one of the things that always stood out to me was the way she showed up. There was an ease to it, but more importantly, there was a genuine connection with the people watching.
      XayLi shares how that developed over time.
      She talks about growing up in Trinidad, moving to the U.S. and initially trying to erase parts of herself to fit in before eventually becoming more confident in who she was. She also shares how writing, blogging and documenting her own experiences eventually translated into storytelling on camera.
      We talk about why connection can't simply be a social media strategy, building community by actually acknowledging the people in it and why authenticity requires knowing who you are before trying to emulate what you see someone else doing online.
      XayLi also walks through her approach to finding stories in your everyday life and explains why business owners need a story bank they can continue pulling from as they build their brands.
      And for anyone still hesitant to get on camera, her advice is simple: figure out what feels most natural to you, understand why you want to show up in the first place and start there.
      In this episode:
      00:00 Meet XayLi Barclay
      02:00 Trinidad, identity and embracing where you come from
      05:00 How XayLi's confidence evolved
      06:00 Writing, blogging and learning to tell her story
      08:00 Why genuine connection matters online
      10:00 Treating your online community like real people
      13:00 The story behind XayLi's Camera Confidence Cards
      16:00 Building a business around the way you actually work
      21:00 Authenticity and resisting the urge to become someone else
      22:00 Where to start if you're uncomfortable on camera
      26:00 How XayLi defines success
      30:00 Building a story bank for your brand
      31:00 XayLi's UNIQUE storytelling method
      35:00 Why brands struggle to feel human
      39:00 Helping more women confidently show up
      40:00 Start where you are
      Join the conversation: What part of yourself have you become more comfortable letting people see?
      Subscribe to She Built Success for more conversations beyond the highlight reel.
      She Built Success goes beyond the highlight reel to explore the stories behind what we build. Through conversations about business, leadership and personal growth, we talk about the decisions, challenges and experiences that shape success along the way.

      42 min
    • 44: How I Researched Government Contract Opportunities

      Finding a government contract opportunity was never just about searching for an RFP and deciding whether we wanted to bid.

      There was a research process behind it.
      In this episode, I walk through how I used tools including SAM.gov and FPDS as part of the government contracting research process at the time this episode was recorded.
      I talk about how I researched opportunities and previous awards, then connected that information to something equally important: our internal systems.
      We maintained a pipeline tracker for potential opportunities, including things like the opportunity itself, agency, response dates, question deadlines and other information our team needed to keep track of.
      And yes, I learned the importance of tracking the time and time zone of a deadline the hard way after we missed one.
      We also used a CRM to track the relationships surrounding those opportunities, including potential partners and government contacts.
      The two systems worked together.
      If an opportunity aligned with a relationship we'd already been developing, we could see that connection and determine how it affected our priorities.
      You'll also hear how I approached historical contract research, vendor research and looking for patterns in how agencies bought the kinds of services we provided.
      The specific government systems and interfaces discussed in this episode may have changed since it was recorded. But the larger principle still matters:
      Research the market. Track the opportunity. Track the relationship. And don't wait until a solicitation appears to start figuring everything out.
      In this episode:
      00:00 Why tracking opportunities and relationships matters
      01:00 The government research tools I was using
      02:00 How I researched previous contract awards
      04:00 Building a government contracting pipeline tracker
      05:00 The information I tracked for each opportunity
      06:00 The deadline mistake that changed our process
      07:00 How we used SAM.gov in our pipeline process
      08:00 Why we also tracked relationships
      10:00 Connecting the CRM to contract opportunities
      11:00 Researching contract history
      13:00 Free research versus paid tools
      14:00 Looking for patterns in how agencies buy
      15:00 Using research to expand your search
      16:00 Resources and support available at the time
      17:00 Starting your own research process
      Join the conversation: When you're pursuing new business, do you have an actual system for tracking opportunities and relationships, or is most of it still living in your head?
      Subscribe to She Built Success for more conversations beyond the highlight reel.
      She Built Success goes beyond the highlight reel to explore the stories behind what we build. Through conversations about business, leadership and personal growth, we talk about the decisions, challenges and experiences that shape success along the way.
      Archive note: This episode reflects the government contracting systems, websites and processes available when it was recorded. Federal procurement platforms, interfaces and requirements can change. Verify current information directly through official government sources before relying on specific procedural guidance.

      19 min
    • 43: Sometimes You Need to Stop Moving Long Enough to Think

      When I get inspired, my instinct is to move.

      There isn't much walking involved. I get the idea and I'm ready to go.
      But I've learned that sometimes the best thing I can do before taking action is give myself enough room to actually think.
      In this episode, I'm talking about what that looks like in real life.
      Not disappearing for a week.
      Not booking some elaborate retreat.
      Sometimes it's literally sitting on my deck and asking myself a few questions.
      Where is the business going?
      Where do I want it to grow?
      Do I actually have the capacity for what I'm considering?
      What has worked before?
      And what are we absolutely not doing again?
      At the time of this recording, I was considering new ways to serve small businesses and needed space to decide whether I had the capacity to do it well. That thinking time helped me look at where I'd been, where I wanted the company to go and what actually deserved a yes.
      I also talk about how I capture ideas from conversations and communities, then come back to them later instead of immediately turning every spark into a new initiative.
      Because taking action matters.
      But so does giving yourself enough space to decide whether the action you're about to take actually belongs in the life and business you're building.
      In this episode:
      00:00 Why action isn't always the immediate answer
      01:00 Making space to think
      02:00 When the vacation isn't an option
      03:00 Creating reflection time in regular life
      04:00 Looking back at what has worked before
      05:00 Why constant movement can work against you
      06:00 Capturing ideas without immediately acting on them
      06:30 Checking in with yourself
      07:00 What I learned when my planned break didn't happen
      07:30 Knowing when inspiration needs a little restraint
      08:00 Creating your own version of thinking time
      Join the conversation: Where do you go, physically or mentally, when you need enough quiet to hear yourself think?
      Subscribe to She Built Success for more conversations beyond the highlight reel.
      She Built Success goes beyond the highlight reel to explore the stories behind what we build. Through conversations about business, leadership and personal growth, we talk about the decisions, challenges and experiences that shape success along the way.

      10 min
    • 42: The Man Behind The Lens: Family, Focus and Winning Federal Contracts Part 2 | Jason Lapointe

      For Jason Lapointe, success comes down to one word:

      Options.
      The ability to look at what's in front of you and make a decision instead of feeling like your back is against the wall.
      That definition comes near the end of this conversation, but it connects so much of what we talk about in Part 2.
      We pick up our conversation with Jason talking about fatherhood and what it's like watching his sons reach the ages he was when he lost his mother and later no longer had his father around.
      He's now experiencing fatherhood from the other side, trying to give his sons the guidance, love and support he didn't always have while also recognizing that he can't protect them from every mistake. Sometimes they have to figure it out themselves.
      We talk about his relationship with his wife, how her family pushed him to think differently about his future when he was young and why they're intentionally thinking about the life they'll have together after their sons are grown.
      Then we move into business.
      Jason shares how skills from an earlier career unexpectedly prepared him for entrepreneurship and government contracting, particularly case management, communication and relationship building.
      We also talk about learning a new industry, why relationships matter, building systems, trusting a team and creating a business that doesn't require you to stay at the center of everything.
      This is Part 2 of my conversation with Jason. If you haven't watched Part 1, start there for the story behind how he became the man behind the camera.
      In this episode:
      00:00 Picking up our conversation with Jason
      01:00 Fatherhood through the lens of his own childhood
      04:00 Letting your kids learn from their own mistakes
      05:00 Modeling healthy relationships for his sons
      07:00 How Jason met his wife
      09:00 The family that pushed him to think bigger
      11:00 What Jason and his wife want for their next chapter
      13:00 How his previous career prepared him for business
      15:00 Communication and relationship building
      17:00 Learning the government contracting space
      19:00 Why focus matters when pursuing opportunities
      21:00 Reading and understanding what's actually being asked
      23:00 Building the team and systems needed to grow
      25:00 Why Jason defines success as having options
      26:00 Learning from what didn't work
      27:00 The 30-day challenge
      Join the conversation: If success meant having more options, what option would you want your life or business to give you?
      Subscribe to She Built Success for more conversations beyond the highlight reel.
      She Built Success goes beyond the highlight reel to explore the stories behind what we build. Through conversations about business, leadership and personal growth, we talk about the decisions, challenges and experiences that shape success along the way.

      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.