Rob Blake, a veteran of the United States Air Force, joins the Crossing the Line of Departure: Life After the Military podcast to share his experiences working in the government contracting world. Rob, co-owner and co-founder of Verium, LLC, a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business, provides excellent insight into navigating the challenges of being successful in this workspace. Rob explains the challenges of the business development and capture management process and shares great stories on how to add value to your company and your government clients.
Key Takeaways:
0:00 Introduction
0:28 Lee introduces Rob Blake
1:22 Rob explains why he left the military
4:30 Rob shares his experiences about being a federal government contractor
8:00 Rob describes the challenges of working in a for-profit, government contracting environment
11:34 Rob talks about the value of networking with others
13:32 Rob gives great advice and insights into starting his own company
21:42 Rob encourages new business owners to consider having a complementary partner
24:45 Rob provides invaluable insights into the business development and capture management processes
31:17 Rob shares additional thoughts on managing the business development process
33:15 Rob tells a great business development story and the importance of bringing value
38:20 Rob provides advice to business leaders on integrating veterans into their organizations
40:15 Rob talks about his personal experiences when integrating into business organizations
42:52 Rob talks about what went right and what went wrong during his transition
48:51 Rob gives his definition of mental fitness and shares what he does to strengthen it
56:11 Lee close the episode
