Ron LaSalvia

Three things. 1 #business (payroll), 1 #govcon (recommendations) and 1 personal. 1. Personal - The podcast I did, I posted a clip earlier. Ezekiel Russell also posted a clip. I just had a pineapple soda, some off brand thing. blech. Nasty. How do you get pineapple soda wrong? 2. Govcon. I have been remiss. I don't think I've mentioned the 7J program in a year. This free program that is sponsored by the SBA, gives training and webinars on SPECIFIC aspects of govcon. It's FREE!! to anyone who has a certification (8a, WOSB, etc). Check out bidspeed. If you are new entrant, check them out. If you are not certified, spend the money for this training. They have federal and state pipelines that can be tailored to your company (free). They have templates for RFIs, RFPs and RFQs (free) that has been vetted by contract officers. You do not need to buy a GovConAI. It's already available to you. I'll also add Govology. If you are a PTAC client, you will get a discount code to Govology classes. PTAC also has a pipeline, for state. I don't know about federal. What none of these programs do is give you business intelligence but the pipelines, classes and templates are fine! Did I mention Free? It's free or discounted (Govology) 3. Payroll is $248,149.90. This is not a MASS error but MASS will make anyone hurt by this, whole. We'll reimburse any NSF, late fees, etc. From 8am-9:50am, HR and I were trying to figure out if and how we can pay people today but it's impossible. I'm currently in LA to meet with the team so, I was braced at 10am when I walked into the office to face 50 angry people. That's not what happened. People were still angry but they understood what happened, what we did so this doesn't happen again and that we will make those negatively affected, whole. The pain of payroll never abates and sometimes, things outside of your control will have an impact. It's how you address it. Not getting paid is enough for people to quit. Rightly so. Complain bitterly. Rightfully so. I was mentally prepared to take those blows. Take it and not say a fucking thing except I'm sorry. I still said I'm sorry. But there was no blows given. $248k is going out Monday. Sunday's article is about Risk Tolerance in Business. Every business owner has a level of risk tolerance, some high, some low. I speak more about this Sunday.

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We need leaders who are not only fluent in strategy and technology but who can stand firm in integrity when the lines blur. Leaders who will defend values with the same energy they defend results." I wrote this in my newsletter this week. The responses flooded in. Not agreement. Not disagreement. Questions. "What do you do when your lines blur?" "How do you protect your team that you care about?" "What happens when defending values means missing targets?" 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻'𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗼𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆'𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹. The lines are blurring everywhere. AI is making decisions that used to require human judgment. Pressure to deliver results is mounting with do less with more as the mantra. And leaders are caught in the middle, trying to protect their teams whilst hitting targets that feel increasingly impossible without compromise. 𝗦𝗼 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗺𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲: 𝟭. 𝗞𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝗼𝗻-𝗻𝗲𝗴𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗵𝗶𝘁𝘀 Don't wait until you're in the moment to figure out your values. When the pressure is on, you won't have time to think clearly. Write down your three non-negotiables right now. The things you will not compromise on, no matter what. 𝟮. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗯𝗹𝘂𝗿 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 Small compromises become big ones. The first time you stay quiet when something feels wrong, it gets easier the next time. Speak up early. Not dramatically. Just clearly. 𝟯. 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗶𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 There will be moments when you have to choose between shielding your team and delivering what's being asked of you. That's when leadership costs something. Take the heat. Push back on unrealistic demands. Absorb the pressure so your team doesn't have to operate in moral grey areas. 𝟰. 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝘀𝘁 Yes, you need to deliver. But if you're delivering results by burning out your team, cutting corners, or compromising integrity, you're not leading. You're managing decline. 𝟱. 𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗲 If your organisation is asking you to operate in ways that violate your values consistently, you have two choices: Fight to change it, or help your team get out. Both are acts of integrity. Staying and quietly complying isn't. 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵: The lines will blur. The pressure will come. The easy path will always be right there. But your team is watching. Not what you say in meetings. Not what you write in your values statement. They're watching what you do when it costs you something. That's leadership. What do you do when your lines blur? 👇

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Strength for Peace: Advancing Defense Without Advancing War I know so many across the globe with whom this resonates...we love our countries, and we love our fellow peace-loving-global citizens...here is a govcon opportunity that makes a lot of sense in a new era when overly complex weapon systems can be wolloped by small inexpensive weapons. Seize the opportunities to build a stronger defense machine... * Peace through preparedness: We should always prioritize diplomacy and de-escalation—but maintaining strong, modern defense capabilities ensures we can deter conflict before it starts and protect lives if it doesn’t. * Defense, not destruction: Advancements like a unified command structure in the defense counter-UAS race reflect a focus on safeguarding people, infrastructure, and national security—not promoting aggression, but preventing emerging threats from escalating into harm. * Strength enables stability: A capable, coordinated defense posture creates the conditions for peace—reducing uncertainty, discouraging adversarial actions, and allowing nations to resolve differences without resorting to war.

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The best leaders don’t always lead. That’s not theory—it’s what shows up in the best-performing teams, across industries and org charts. Rich Diviney, a former Navy SEAL commander, calls it dynamic subordination—where the best-suited person takes the lead in the moment, regardless of title. It works in high-stakes environments. But what about the rest of us? The CEO still answers to the board. The VP still reports to the CEO. And most managers are expected to own the room—not hand the reins to someone else. But dynamic leadership isn’t about stepping back. 💡 It’s about building a team where leadership shifts when needed—without losing accountability. And this isn’t just for crises. It plays out in the day-to-day: 🡒 Who leads the discussion—not based on rank, but on who has the insight? 🡒 Who owns the decision—not by title, but by proximity to the issue? 🡒 Who shapes the agenda—when the situation demands speed, not hierarchy? This way of operating becomes more essential in uncertainty—when no one has perfect clarity and adaptability becomes a competitive advantage. But most organizations still default to titles, status, and structured permission. 🤐 What would it take to change that? 🡒 OKRs tied to outcomes, not just ownership 🡒 Teams that know when it’s their turn to lead—and don’t need a formal handoff 🡒 Leaders who stay accountable, even when they’re not always in control How can you make this more of a reality—for your team, and your organization? 🤔 Because in times of uncertainty, the cost of rigid leadership isn’t just delay. It’s missed decisions, missed signals, and missed moments. #StrategyToAction #partneringleadership #leadership #dynamicsubordination Partnering Leadership Strategic Leadership Ventures #strategy #culture #collaboration #management

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“𝗜 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗺𝘆 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆.” I hear this at least three times a week. They aren’t lying. Their calendars are packed. But here is the hard truth I learned as a "Mustang"; an officer who started as an enlisted Soldier: 𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝗼 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝘆 𝗳𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆’𝘀 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗿𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗲, 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗯𝘂𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘄’𝘀 𝗯𝗹𝗮𝘇𝗲. In the Army, we have a name for this: being "tactically consumed." When you’re stuck in First-Order Thinking—solving the immediate problem right in front of you—you feel a temporary rush of efficacy. You fixed the server. You handled the angry client. You filled the vacant seat. But without a strategic vision (what we call "Commander’s Intent" in the military), those quick fixes often create more problems. You solve a turnover problem by raising pay for one department, only to realize you’ve just wrecked your budget and alienated your other teams. You win the tactical skirmish, but you’re losing the war for your company’s future. If you don’t step back to look at the map, you’ll eventually walk into a loop. You’ll find yourself solving the same three problems over and over again, wondering why the business won't grow. The primary constraint on your organization’s growth isn’t capital, talent, or the market. It is 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽. If you can't see past Friday, your business will never see past next year. If you’re feeling pinned down, I want you to consider two things this week: 𝟭. 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗹𝗲 𝗮 "𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀" Carve out two hours to sit in a coffee shop (or at home with a glass of bourbon) and ask yourself: "𝘐𝘧 𝘐 𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘥𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘹𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘥𝘪𝘥 𝘵𝘰𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘹𝘵 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳, 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘶𝘱?" If that answer makes you uncomfortable, you have a strategy problem, not a time problem. 𝟮. 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 "𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁?" 𝗧𝗲𝘀𝘁 The next time you’re about to implement a "quick fix" for a tactical issue, ask "And then what?" three times. That's Second and Third-Order Thinking. You’ll start to see the ripple effects on your culture, your DNA, and your legacy. Leadership isn't about having all the answers; it’s about having the courage to ask the right questions when the noise is at its loudest. You don’t need a canned 10-step program. You need a realistic action plan that you can follow. 𝗜𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗿𝘂𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂, 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗿𝘂𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀? If you’re tired of the tactical treadmill and ready to pull the real answers out of the chaos, let’s talk. I help you build a plan you can actually execute. Click the link below or send me a DM to set up a connection call. https://lnkd.in/e_D5jgke

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Marketing is a strategy – not a task list. Strategic commenting, consistent posts, videos etc. is critical but Strategic Marketing for government contracting starts with knowing: • how federal agencies buy • how primes find subcontractors • your core capabilities and differentiators Too many government contractors think marketing can be left to chance. In fact, your marketing strategy should be a written and vetted part of your business plan and speak to outcomes, not just campaigns or processes. 🟢  Niche Market Positioning • Hyper-focus your core competencies against the big picture 🟢  Memorable Messaging • Specify how you can help your target federal agency achieve its mission 🟢  Walk The Customer Journey • Speak to their needs, stresses and target outcomes 🟢  Have SMART goals •  Use anchor keywords and track metrics on activity When we use clearly defined and written marketing strategies, we can hold ourselves more accountable. Other business can see how they can align with us. Customers will begin to recognize our strengths and relevance. Do you have a strategy or are you just winging it?  What would you recommend to others just getting into the #GovCon space? ___________________ 🟦 I’m Cecilia McDonnell – Follow me to learn to be visible to the right buyers and teaming partners. “Invisible companies don’t win government contracts.”

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Why Corporate Veterans Struggle to Go Solo: The Blueprint Advantage When the Fortune 500 swallows another company whole, it doesn’t do it with spit and a handshake. It’s not a dinner napkin deal scrawled over cocktails. It’s a carefully orchestrated symphony of structure. The investment bankers arrive — and the legal machinery spins up: due diligence checklists, risk disclosures, and more acronyms than a military drill. If you’ve ever peeked inside the war room of an IPO, you’ve seen it: teams of specialists combing through financials, compliance, intellectual property rights. Every conceivable risk is itemized, tagged, and filed. It’s not just ritual; it’s survival. When one company buys another, the Transition Services Agreement (TSA) gets written in blood. It’s the playbook. It spells out exactly what will happen, for how long, and under what terms. Payroll, vendor contracts, IT systems, even the coffee supplier — it’s all preordained. Nothing is left to chance because chance is the enemy of value. Maybe you’re a corporate exec, a field operations expert, a veteran who’s spent decades navigating bureaucracy, managing teams, executing someone else’s strategy. You know how to lead, how to solve problems, how to get things done. But now, you’re ready to do it for yourself. And here’s where it gets interesting. If you’re doing this for the first time, you’re missing something critical: structure. Not structure as in processes and procedures — you’ve lived that. I’m talking about the structure of acquisition or launch, the kind of preordained playbook the big leaguers use to gobble up companies and grow. When you start a business, what does your playbook look like? If you buy one, who guarantees that what you’re buying is real? Who proves that the revenue numbers weren’t scribbled together over scotch and bravado? That’s where franchising comes in. Franchising is a risk-mitigation machine dressed-up as a brand. It gives you what M&A gives the big shots — a playbook, a governance framework, and the ability to validate claims. The Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) is required by the FTC. A living, breathing document that spells out the rules: - Who owns the intellectual property? - How many units closed ops in the last three years? - Who’s allowed to sell near your territory? But the real power — the power that Fortune 500s take for granted — is validation. In franchising, you can speak to existing owners. You can call them up and ask: - Are you profitable? - Was the franchisor accurate about start-up costs? - Maybe even - would you do it again? This isn’t a pitch for franchising. It’s a wake-up call about structure. When a corporate giant buys a company, they don’t wing it. If you’re stepping out to buy or start your own business, ask yourself: Do I have that kind of structure? If not, franchising deserves more than a second look. Not because it’s easy. But because it’s proven.

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Iza, this framework lays out what many attempt to capture but few articulate clearly: the visible traits that signal real credibility. What’s often overlooked in discussions like this is the influence of peer endorsement. When respected professionals consistently reference or bring someone into key conversations, that visibility carries far more weight than self-promotion ever could. It’s not just about authority, it’s about who trusts you when you’re not in the room. There’s also the matter of cross-platform consistency. Presence isn’t just built through expertise, but through coherence, how someone shows up in conversations, in strategy rooms, on panels, and across digital channels. When that message aligns, it reinforces authority. When it doesn’t, it creates noise. In the end, expertise that stands out isn’t loud, it’s consistent, relevant, and backed by the trust of others who matter. And that kind of visibility can’t be gamed. #leadership #thoughtleadership #expertpositioning #credibility #executivepresence

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Negotiations get a bad reputation. They are often framed as tense, adversarial, or zero sum. Lately I have had a few tough negotiations with team members, and it reinforced something I deeply believe. The best outcomes come from a true win win mindset. My approach is simple but not easy. First, I spend time really understanding what the other person needs and what they are optimizing for. Then I am transparent about what I am working toward and the constraints I am operating within. Only after both sides feel heard do we start brainstorming solutions together. That is where creativity shows up. When there is mutual respect and openness, people are far more willing to share what actually matters to them and to explore options that might not be obvious at first. Often the answer is not a straight yes or no, but a creative economic incentive that aligns both sides over time. What has stood out to me most is this. Great negotiations require an environment of trust where both sides are open about their needs. They require flexibility in how value is created and shared. And they only work when both parties genuinely want the other side to win too. This does not just apply to employees. It applies to vendors, clients, partners, and really any meaningful long term relationship. When both sides leave feeling respected and aligned, the negotiation did its job.

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Federal contracts don’t have to take years . . . some land in under 90 days. 🗝️ Insights: There are 3 fast-track paths that consistently open doors: 🔹OTA for prototypes (30–90 days) 🔹BPA call on a partner’s Schedule (15–45 days) 🔹CSO pitch with DIU/AFWERX (45–60 days) What this means: *️⃣ You don’t need a massive contract to prove value. You need one mission office, one urgent pain point, and the right entry path. *️⃣ For startups, these small wins become springboards for scale and strong signals that investors notice. ❓ AI founders: Which path would your company test first? Why? #AI #AIStartups #GovTech #FederalFunding #OTAs #BPAs #CSO

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