 Hey GovCon Giants family. Today we are doing a different type of podcast interview. We are starting an all new podcast entitled Making a Giant. That's right. It's called Making a Giant and the podcast is going to be hosted by our very own Maria Martinez. A lot of you know Maria Martinez. She went from working in the background and helping us out as a resource specialist to stepping up into the forefront and going out and winning her own contracts. Now she is an integral part of our organization helping small businesses get started and advancing to the next step. Well this new podcast entitled Making a Giant is being hosted by Maria Martinez where she interviews GovCon EDU students who won their first contract. That's right. Maria is interviewing students who won their first contract. Thank you so much for all the people who gave me comments and feedback saying Eric I love your podcast. It's wonderful but I want to know how does the person start. Like where do they get started from. And so again oftentimes we are motivated and excited by those persons who are doing tens of millions of dollars with hundreds of employees but that's not me. And so we decided to make an all new podcast entitled Making a Giant. It's where you start and at the very beginning. So I hope you enjoyed this episode. Today's guest episode 001 is Chris Facy the mad guitarist. And so in this particular episode Chris he was a former freight broker. He's still a freight broker. However as a freight broker he pursued a transportation readiness contract. So we're going to talk all about that in today's episode featuring our guest Chris Facy along with the host Maria Martinez. I hope you enjoy this episode. Give me your comments your feedback. I'm excited to hear what you think about it. Looking forward to our next coming episode with Leilani and future guests. So thanks so much for enjoying and watching. By the way before we start I just want to know we are having a January special for those persons who invest with us at GovCon EDU. Take a look at our website. We're going to be doing an eight week boot camp. So if you're interested in learning more about the eight week boot camp visit GovConChinese.com forward slash education. Thanks guys. Enjoy today's episode. We're actually here with Chris Facy and a lot of you guys might recognize him back a few months ago when all this COVID craziness was happening and he was brave enough to call out Eric when he was talking about freight and the cost of things being shipped to China to the United States. After Chris was bold enough to call out out of everybody Eric he was brought on a YouTube live to defend his side of things. And the rest has been history. So Chris welcome and thank you so much for being here. Oh my God. Well it's my pleasure and thank you for having me. You're an amazing host. Thank you. So Chris is actually one of our students and if you did not know Chris this past what was it about a month ago two months ago right after right after the fiscal year ended he landed 20 21 million dollar contract. Yep. So that is his claim to fame now. So he was one of the he was the biggest award winner in our Gulfcon Giants. So you are the Giants right now. You are the one that we are looking up to and asking how. But before you were this great old contract winner what were you doing. OK. Where are you located. Let's start there. OK. I'm in Pasadena California. My business is based in Boston Massachusetts. Oh wow. So from one end to the other. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I'm spread out all over the place. And what is your business. So I'm a freight broker. So my business is finding companies to ship manufacture distribute large and heavy goods and helping them with shipping their goods from point A to point B. And how long have you been doing it. I've been doing this in as a broker for 10 and a half years. Oh wow. Yeah. So you have the experience and you have the knowledge which is a lot of people don't have that but you know how the inner works. Well operating. I feel like I'm still learning a lot. Well. Yeah. Our shipping industry has changed in the past few years and big companies came on like Amazon and even like covid. I know covid made drastic changes to the way we receive things from day to day. So you've been doing this for 10 years. You are in California but your business is out of Boston. Why. That's right. You choose your business to be out of Boston. Well. So I'm from the East Coast originally and three years ago my wife and I moved out here for an opportunity for her. And so I took my business with me although I left it based in Massachusetts. We may go back there someday. I don't know. OK. So sunny California. You guys are going through a few changes once again because of covid. Yeah. So you are always on the news for us. So let's go back 10 years ago when you first started the brokering of the freight stuff. OK. What was your initial thought going into this. Is it just a job. Was it just something you always wanted to do. Is it what the path you dreamed of. Well I don't know if it was the path I dreamed of. So I came out of college and I got a job with a trucking company just because the companies were hiring. I didn't know what I wanted to do. And so I was like I'll do this for I literally said to myself I'll do this for six months. Get some experience and then I'll find a job that I really want. And then they just they sucked me in. They pulled me in and every time I tried to get out they would pull me in a little bit more. And then I did that for five years and I did a few different jobs for the trucking company and I moved through for a couple different terminals around the East Coast. And then after five years I absolutely hated it. And I was I was ready to quit. And then this opportunity to start a brokerage. So I was working for the carrier and I had an opportunity to start my own thing and be my own boss. And so I said I screw it. I'm doing it. I'm going to give it a shot. And here I am like more than 10 years later. So you were just like I'm done with working for someone else. I'm going to do this on my own. Yeah, absolutely. And I always wanted to to have a business and like I'm very entrepreneurial both my parents. So I always knew I wanted that in some capacity. But I just I never dreamed in a million years it would be trucking like I What did you go to school for? English. Okay, it makes no sense. It's a very broad subject area. Maybe one day you'll write a book about your trucking experience journey. I've thought about it. I've thought about it. So I got to write a 50 page contract bid. So it's close enough. Yeah, some books are shorter than that. Trust me, I've seen I that I could write a book with less effort than I put into that contract. Oh, yes, we all everyone that's in this industry, we know how proposals could be those night and days and nights and nights and nights of like trying to understand it trying to make everything fit make sure you didn't miss anything. It goes way beyond some of us that are just like don't forget to cross your T's and dot your I's. Oh, God. Yeah, I wish there was that. So your parents were entrepreneurs. And I think that has a lot to do with who who you are these days because a lot of people know me like my parents came here from another country like I never even dreamed of or even thought of or had the even the inkling of starting a business because I remember I know we're speaking beforehand how I met Eric. But when Eric turns to me, he's like, just start your own business. I like looked at him like he was from another planet. Like are you crazy? Like I was like, I can't start a business for me having your own business. Not like you made it already. Like you had to have so much stuff already. You had to have a business, you had to have it running. And he goes, No, just go on the website and pay your $125. And that's it. And in my head, it's like, it can't be that easy. I'm like, there's no way. But you had that like seed planted in you that you wanted to be your own boss. Yeah, that's true. I um, yeah, that's interesting. I never thought about it. Yeah, when you when you do when you start it when you pay that fee to the state, you kind of do that. And it's that's it. Yeah, you're official. You don't you don't even get a certificate anymore. You get an email my maybe. Yeah, I remember I thought I was a lot cooler 10 years ago. Now when I have to pay that like that fee in Massachusetts 500 bucks a year. Oh, wow. Like now I'm like, I'm up for my LLC again this year. Like So when you started your business, did it already have momentum going? No, I started from zero. But I had I had a lot of customers, I had like a customer base in Boston. Well, really, is my customer base is in New Hampshire. And I started my business in Boston. And so I stole as many customers as I possibly could for my company. I was, I was going to my boss's accounts like I was ruthless. Good fun. But it does take being ruthless and being bold to get you noticed and get you places. Absolutely. Yeah, I probably the most productive six months of my life was the first six months when I started the business because I had five grand saved up and I had no debt. Like I made sure I paid off all my debts. I had about I figured I had about 10 grand of runway. Okay. And and then if that didn't work out, I was gonna have to find something else. But I made it work out. Like I was like, there's no way I'm not letting this work like, and it worked. And that's awesome, though, that it works. Because for a lot of us, it does take a lot more effort. And you having an idea of how it works again, even if it's a small idea, how it works, it made the process a lot easier. Definitely. So you're in this for five years. And at that point, when did you you were just doing commercial, right? Yeah, I was doing like, I was working for on the carrier side. So I worked for a physical like an asset based trucking company, which is, yeah, it's a it's a different type of sell, but you have a lot more control over the people and like what happens in the company, like now I'm on the third party side, so I'm more like, kind of customer service based and like finding different solutions for customers by like using different companies like to find the best fit. Okay. And you're just people call you up tell you they have to ship something and you you have to maneuver. What is the best way to get it from point A to point B? Yeah, exactly. So like my I try to be for my customers like, like they're outsourced shipping department. So like if they like, you shouldn't have to know you shouldn't have to be an expert in shipping, in my opinion. Oh, I know that. I totally know that. So for people out there, I came to know Chris during COVID times. And he was so Eric was like, Why are you doing it? Just have somebody deal with it. And I remember I'd spoken to you and you had talked about freight. So I like how I had to do is pick up the phone. I have this, this and this and you're like, how big is the pallet? I'm like, I don't know. And you're like, is it palletized? I'm like, where do I even get a palletized? I'm like, where do I even get a palletized? So you're like, how much it weighs? I have 50 boxes. And good thing that the thing said how much it weighed and things like that. So you are the source for some of us that just need to get it from point A to point B and have no clue what goes in between. Exactly. And you shouldn't have to because you're you're much better at other stuff like getting contracts and teaching children like where they are in the world and like, like history and Okay, here's a question. Just an odd, random question. What is the oddest or weirdest thing you had to ship? Do you know what you're shipping? What's the weirdest thing I've ever shipped? Yeah. Oh, that's that's a good one. Oh, man, I've shipped some weird stuff. And like, of course, I'm coming up pretty blank right the coolest thing that I'll start there I did. I have a customer who was doing the rally towels, the little towels that you wave around at NHL games. So I got to ship the rally towels for a couple seasons for the Bruins when they were in the playoffs. So that was really cool. That was a lot of fun because I was watching the games. I'd be like, I shipped those towels like I like I spent all day doing it. And like there they are people are like waving around. And that's the thing like people don't even think about like they had to get the product they have to make it then they have to box it then they have to get it here then I have to unbox it make sure it gets there on time because we know like certain things are very time sensitive. So it'd be pretty cool to see something on TV across the whole nation of something that you helped in a way make possible. That's really cool. Have you shipped like huge things like I've seen houses and boats and just like all these we all know how sucky it is to be behind that big semi with like a wide load and you can't go around them. Oh, I was I was joked like we'll be in the car my wife and I and they'll be like a slow truck and I'll be like, damn truckers like out of the way you just don't face the space like don't go but I make it every time you do the you do trucking and you do every which way boats planes any way you could get it there you've provided. Yeah, yeah. So trucks, planes, boats, if it's going to the ocean train will put stuff on rail. That's cheap but slow. So sometimes stuff goes on rail and people don't want it on the rail. And that's a bad thing. But someday maybe drones, I hope. Oh, we don't have that now but I want to get into it because I think it's cool. I think commercials, I thought it was happening but I think it'll be really weird if I see a box flying in the air. Yeah, it's weird. I think it's happening like on a test basis in other countries. Okay, or isn't it in California where they have the little robots just zooming through the sidewalk delivering stuff? I think it is. Yeah, yeah. That's a weird yeah, there's so many. There's so much weird stuff that's going to happen in the next 10 years that like that's just the start of it happening. Has it changed in the last 10 years already? Oh, it's changed a lot. It's it's changed a ton. Yeah, even just the like, the landscape seen a lot of companies go out of business that you'd never think would go out of business. The pricing just keeps skyrocketing and that's like, it's like funny to look back 10 years ago at like the cost of shipping. It was totally different than it is now. Like I, I never would have thought that in 10 years, like, you could even like, get people to pay for the rates that they have now. It's crazy, especially right now, because there's so much craziness going on with COVID sick and so with that with COVID, can you tell us a story how you came across Eric, because we got to know you during the pandemic? So you're doing commercial, you're doing all this stuff. When did you get that thought process of what is government contract and how I could get my foot in the door? Oh, well, I saw that that movie. Was it the arms and the dudes? I saw war dogs one night. I remember it was like, it was last November. So it was about a year and change again. And I was like, I remember thinking when I was watching a movie, I was like, sitting there drinking a beer. And I was like, is this real? And so I like, googled it. And the next day, I was like, I'm going to look into that. And the next day, I looked into it, and I went down a rabbit hole of YouTube. And I fit that's, I think that's how I found Eric's videos was on YouTube. And then further and further, and then there was in March, like, commenting on his on his videos, like being like, no, you're wrong about airframe. So when you commented that he was wrong, it was on what the airframe right on airframe because of COVID. It was because of code. Yeah. So so he he made it. Oh, maybe it was LinkedIn. I can't remember now exactly where it was. He made a comment. Maybe it was on YouTube. And he was saying like, brokers are not brokers, but airframe companies are price gouging. Yes. And and that's it set me off because I was like, no, they're not. They're not price gouging like the cost is going up the cost of skyrocketing. And so I very nicely reached out and I was like, Hey, Eric, brother, I love you, man. I love your videos. But I disagree with you a little bit. And so like, I when I started writing, I just kept going, going, going. And he was like, All right, man, why don't you come on my channel and argue me live? And I remember that because I remember that he called to me and he's like, Oh, this guy is because we were in the middle of the pandemic. And like, he like, everybody knows we had a few contracts. So the thing was like, they would tell us a price at like five in the morning. And by noon, the price would double. And we're like, Why is the price doubling? They're like, that's air freight. There's just no more room in the planes. There's no planes going to China. So we're like, that's crazy. Like, we're here needing everything. And a glove that costs nothing to make is costing me like 3040, even like a dollar per glove to get over here. And that's if I get lucky, and it doesn't sit there. So for us, like, just how it like, it like, it struck a cord with you. It was the same thing with us. It's like, what is he talking about? So remember Eric reached out to me, he's like, This guy, well, if he wants to challenge me, let's see if he could do it on YouTube live. And he's like, reach out to him. And I was like, Okay, so I remember setting that up for you guys. And you guys just trying to like, both argue your point on why it is why it isn't in the middle of all of us, like, having to hand so our masks, like we're pilgrims back in the day. Like, oh, let me sew my mask because I can't get it over here on a plane or a boat. Right? So is that where you finally like, put your toe in the dip your toe in the water into government contracting was that initial because I know you had thought about it because of the movie and everything. But is that when you're like, Okay, I'm gonna get into this. Yeah, it was like around that time, because I really like, I really liked the vibe that you guys had. So that kind of like pulled me in. I love, I love being able to have like a intelligent discussion. Like we were arguing, but it was very civil. And like, you know, we were listening to each other. And like, I love that it was like a good debate. And like, I think we ended up like saying, like, Okay, fine, you agree to disagree, you know? Oh yeah, because at the end, I was left like, wait, like, there's a draw, like nobody like I understand both points at the same time. It's like, who's right? Yeah, and no one was. Yeah, I mean, we ended up just leaving it like that. But but I was like, Yeah, this is a cool. I like the community. Like, I like the feel of it. So what did you do after that? Um, so I signed up, I signed up for the for the course like that. I, like started going to the course, I literally knew nothing. I mean, I still know basically nothing. I know a little bit more now. That's exactly the same thing I say, by the way. There's just so much to know. Like I don't like to be like, I would never I'll never think they'll get to the apex of like knowing government contracting, you know, like it's just that goes to show like you can't and I hear that a lot from people. It's like, Oh, but I'm I don't know everything yet. And I'm like, if you wait till you try to learn every single thing, you'll never get into this. Like you have to go into it knowing what you know, because at the end of the day, you know more than anybody else. If not, you'll never get into it because you'll never know it. Yeah, exactly. Yeah, actually, you know, it's funny when you said that I just, um, it's kind of like, um, and I know I was laughing with Eric about this, but I was telling him after like, I got that award for that may talk that idea Q. I was like, I gotta go finish your course now. Like I tell people don't ask me what percentage mine is. I stopped trying. I'm like, I gotta just like jump in and and like dive in and force myself to do it, you know. So you went from not knowing anything, but you've been in business for about what five close years at this point. Yeah, well, 10 years on my own. And then 10 years. Oh, so about 15 years. So then you watched a movie, you said that you would be brave enough to drive through the triangle to get your merchandise to your destination. Then you were bold enough to call out somebody on YouTube that has 200 plus videos and go live with them. And now you're inside this course to try to learn how to do it on your own. Right, right. Now I'm like, I'm going to learn. I can learn from this guy, you know, he's just not a face talking and not knowing what he's saying. And I think that's very important for everyone to hear is that Eric actually knows this. Like coming from someone that works beside him, he lives this like there is no conversation that could go without talking about work. Like anything from anything would bring up a conversation. Anyplace, anywhere up in the sky in a sea plane going to see whales, we're talking about work on his birthday. So it's things like that. So then you start the course and you start with us. And then. Yeah, I started I started the course. I started like ripping through it as much as I could. I started my my TML, my target market list. And I worked on that. I got up to like 300, like to the point where I like was working on 300 different contacts, like throughout in the different agencies I identified. And I was just hustling and hustling and hustling, just trying to figure out, like just still trying to figure out like what the lay of the land was, you know, like still not really knowing. So you don't mean all I have to do is register on Sam. They're going to call me. Ah, I wish it was that easy. Although that that was pretty, pretty hard to get registered on Sam. I think he makes it sound easy, but I thought that was pretty difficult. Like I had a pretty tough time with it. Yeah, there's little things that will get you stuck. Like, yeah, small, like for me, it was the IRS 10 match. I got denied that. And I'm like looking at it. I'm like, I know I'm spelling my name right. Like I've been spelling it for 30 plus years. I'm I'm like, and I'm like, M M a like going through my name, like a kindergartner again. And so, so, yeah, so there's stumbles, but you kept on going, not understanding anything you kept on going on. Just kept pressing on. And I think at some point I showed I showed Eric like I asked him for help, like I got far enough. So I was like, you know, I feel like I've really been hustling hard and like really trying to learn it. And this is after probably a couple of few months. And I ended up asking him for help for something. And he was like, I will show me what you've done like for work. He was like, show me your target market lists. And I think he thought that I was going to show him like a, you know, 10, like a quick spreadsheet that I threw together. And I opened up my spreadsheet, I started scrolling and it was like in the hundreds. And he was like, he was like, Jesus, man, like, all right, all right, we're going to get you a contract. He's like, I promise, I promise we'll get you a contract. Which is like a great feeling because I felt like he was like, I believed him and he was he was right. He stuck right behind me the whole time while I was doing that. I definitely definitely could not have gotten that award without him. So talking about your award, where did you find this great opportunity? So actually, as we were having our weekly four p.m. GovCon. I'm like, it's not four, but yeah, for you, it's four p.m. like smack in the middle of the day, you're on these calls. Right. Well, that's true. I forget it's seven. It's actually seven p.m. But yeah, for me, it's like that's why a lot of times you guys don't see me. I would be in my backyard or like, you know, restricted with COVID and everything. Everybody's at home because all this is happening during COVID now. Right. Right. Everything during COVID. So yeah, one day this was after I'd already gone through and like asked Eric, like, hey, you like kind of guide me like where I should be. And I'm he had on this young kid. I always forget how old he was. I say 16. Yeah. 16. OK. Yeah. That kid on his podcast. And then that night, like we were talking about something in the meeting and just like people were psyching each other up. And so I came in after the meeting was over and I started scrolling through beta SAM and lo and behold, like that afternoon, this contract solicitation was posted and my eyes like bulged out of my head. I'm like, oh my God, this is the one like this is I can do this. Like I can this is like right on my alley. And then the hardest like four weeks of my life ensued after that, like trying to figure out how to write a bid and stuff. So I was actually going on vacation the next week, which was which was good because I ended up not being on vacation, just working on that bid the whole time. Oh, wow, four weeks. Well, it took me. Yeah, I would say it was about it was like four weeks because they extended it. So it was like originally it was going to be three weeks. And then one of the other contractors asked them to extend it. And of course, they, you know, they always extend it a few days. So yeah. And I remember that my first contract, I called them to ask for an extension and they did it. And I will never forget. I'm like, I didn't even think about it. Like Eric said, like sometimes you call and they give it to you. So it wasn't even a thought process. I just did it. If you had asked normal me to do it on a normal day that it was not expiring in a few minutes, I would have never done it. I'd be like, no, they're not going to do it. Like, why would they do that? Like, no, yeah, I feel like they always they're always behind too. So they're probably like, yeah, we need a couple of like, we just need someone to ask us, you know, so when you opened up this, where did you find a beta Sam? Yeah, I was on beta Sam. So when you opened up all the paperwork and the solicitations, what was your feeling like going into it? That I totally overwhelmed, like completely overwhelmed. I didn't understand anything like I did just keep Googling stuff. And poor Eric, I I was like texting him and calling him all week. They like to try to like help figure out like even just the language in a lot of it. But I feel like I learned a ton just doing that one. Like if I had done the bid and not gotten any award, it's still going to I still view it as like a huge win just to go through the process. Where did you feel like it was a good place to start with just having all this information under like not knowing where to begin? Like, where did you figure out that was your starting point? Do you mean like, like at what at what point did I feel like I could take on a bid or like when did you where did you start this proposal writing it? Like, do you start like just typing your name and like, you know how every author just writes one line and just like looks at it and right next. Yeah, yeah, I mean, pretty much it's like a like you ever heard that saying like you get behind yourself and push sometimes it was like that. I just I was like, I guess I will just open up a Google Doc. And I wrote the bid number on the top. I was like copying and pasting the bid number. And then I just started like answering. I went down and it answered every question. And I put like red marks like throughout the like the weeks that I was working on it. And then my job at the last couple of days was like, get rid of all the red marks. Because those were all like questions that I had or like unanswered or something I needed to talk to Eric about, you know, to like help me if it was like a far question. I had a lot of far F.A.R. questions. So yeah, I don't know. I just kind of like stumbled through it blindly. I feel like like looking like three feet ahead at a time and no further. Yeah. And that's how it has to be. Like you and you listen to the question and thought about it a different way. So I'll ask you that one. Oh, sorry. No, no, it was a good one, though. When did you feel like this was actually possible? Because we don't go into doing a proposal and bidding something without the thought process of it's possible. Because I'm not going to do something just for a learning experience. Yeah. Had I known who I was going up against, I might have just been like, well, maybe I'll just wait, you know, a whole lot. But I didn't really think about it all that much. I just thought it was something that I knew that we could do is kind of a stretch. But like I once I like kind of pooled the resources with the agency that I work with, I was like, we have this covered for sure. We could do a good job. And I like knowing who the other government contracting competitors are, like I feel comfortable like going toe to toe with them. Oh. So. Yeah. You're bold, my friend. Because I never look at competitors, because like you said, sometimes we look at competitors, we're just going to be like, oh, no, I'm not ready. Yeah. And then when you, how long was your proposal? Was it different volumes? Oh, it was multiple volumes. Yeah. There was it was multiple volumes. There was there was sample sample responses like event responses. OK. This is like a disaster response. What if? Yeah, it was like, hey, what if there's a terrorist attack in Anchorage, Alaska? And we have to send that was the real question. This is all public. I'm not disclosing anything. That's yeah. But yeah, I had to like I had to create like a sample response, like timing who like who would get what phone call at what time and like when we'd be able to dispatch a truck, what when would the planes take off that we were going to charter? Like on stuff like I actually really enjoyed that. It was like. Did you do this all on your own? Well, so I was organizing it, but a lot of the information that I was getting like like for chartering planes, I had to go through someone else at at my company. So I was like I was pulling in all these resources. And of course, I told them like, you know, here's the opportunity. It's 20 million dollars plus over two years. And everyone like your ears perk up when you hear that. You're like that would you know, everybody's like, this is a cool project to work on. Yeah. No one had heard of the agency like the that we were working for. So yeah, no, it was I was at the center of it, but I was like helping folk sort of like pulling in information. And then you get all their information. You put it together into one doc, one doc, or a few documents in the order that they want you to do it in the way. Yeah, to make it all seem sense in what they want, because we all know they're very, very specific where they want things, how they want them and even down to the font size sometimes and what the subject or the title has to be of your document. Oh, it's funny you say that, because I kept I kept reducing the size of my font to try to get within the page restriction. And then I after I'd done the whole thing, I came across this line that said must be in time, you know, times new by 12. I was like, oh, my God, you can't even include anything. Like on an aerial size 10, like double now. It's either like we do the whole thing. That happened. Oh, yeah. It was it was brutal. Oh, that would hurt. See, it's like you went through all this hard work and thought processes trying to make things fit. And then you came and make it fit. That was brutal. So what did your people around you in your circle, not people that are working on the contract, like your wife, your parents, your close friends, think about you in these three, four weeks that you're going through all this. Well, I happen to be with most of my family for like the main week that I was working. Like the week that I put the most work in was the week I was on vacation because I had the most time. I had the most time. I had all my my week was completely free because I wasn't I didn't need to work. You know, I already I already planned it out. But the opportunity was too big to pass up. So they kind of understood. OK, at least you have understanding. Well, maybe because, like you said, they come from that kind of background of you have to put in the work when you can and when you have to like me showing up. I mean, I don't know if my mom still knows what I do. I feel you, Maria. I really do like totally get that. Sometimes I don't think we know exactly what we do. Well, yeah, that's true. It's tough to explain. Yeah. So so yeah. So at least you had that like kind of like the support system of like, leave him alone. He's working. He's going to bring home the big bucks one day. Oh, yeah, totally. Now they're very understanding. Yeah, that's awesome. And then when you finally complete everything, you're like, OK, it's done. You step away and you send off that email. I know that feeling. What was that feeling of? It was like I had a beer in each hand. It was like double fisting right after I was like. I finished with like four minutes left. Like I remember I was sitting at this table looking at the clock and there and it was literally I was like, oh, my God, I'm I'm like not quite done. And I like finally, finally got it done. And there was just minutes on the clock. It was a huge relief. But of course, then it was like weeks and weeks and weeks of back and forth with the with the guys from the government because they had a bunch of questions. They had to like re explain stuff and like have all that everyone who worked on the bid like kind of redo things and like reprice things and like clarify. So it went on and on and on. So it wasn't you just hit submit and then you get a nice email or phone call saying you won. No, it was like it was like sending it into the ether. It was like, I, you know, I made sure that they got it and they they were like received, you know, and then I just I didn't hear anything for a couple of weeks. And I reached out to him and was like, I just want to make sure I didn't like miss an email where you guys said that I won the thing. And I was like. Where's their point? Even like you send it. You thought the hard work was done. Like you wrote it like all the numbers, all the scenarios, everything sent off into the internet world. And someone received it on the other end because you get that nice email that says received, right? And then you're like, I'm done. I'm done. And then all these questions come, like, is there a point that you're just like throw throw your hands up in the air? It's like, like, what more can you ask for? Oh, absolutely. Like pretty much every time it's like, God, give up. Like, I don't even I don't care anymore. Yeah, because it's like, I don't care anymore. Like, just forget it. I'm not I could go work at McDonald's or something, right? But what kept you going? What kept you answering email after email after phone call? This the zeros on the end of the the ID IQ. I've never seen that many zero. So on a realistic percentage scale, what percentage did you really truly and honestly believe that you're going to get this contract? Oh, like less than half a percent. If I had to put a percentage on it, like, I didn't think there was any. I thought there was like a snowball's chance in hell that I would get an award just because, like, you know, not only am I new to government contracting, so I don't even know how to write a bid or, you know, I'm like figuring everything out for the first time. And like some of the stuff I'm calling Eric out, because I can't even like figure I can't even figure it out. And I'm like sitting here for 30 minutes trying to read one paragraph. So there was that. And then also going up against competitors that are much bigger and much, much more experienced with government contracting. You know, I'm like all this year is reading about I'm like watching all these like seven hundred and fifty thousand dollar contracts go to my competitors. I'm just like, oh, God, I want that so bad all year. And then I'm going up against them. So I figured there wasn't a very good chance that I would. And then one day you get a nice way. Is it a phone call or an email that you know, the time period in between the time you submitted it and the day you got the email? I so I submit I can figure it out. I submitted it in around mid August. And then the email came in like late October, I think. So it was it was a couple months, two and a half months. And there was a lot of like back and forth price negotiations and all that stuff. Yeah, it was a quick email. I thought when I first opened it up, I was like, I knew it a lot. And it was like your price is accepted. And I was like, oh, can we swear? Yeah. Holy moly. Holy moly. Holy moly, Batman. Like I can't. And like and it had all the zeros you had seen and all those zeros that kept you motivated to answer every email, every phone call ask a thousand questions, all those zeros were on that contract. Yeah, they were there, they were all there. And I'd already, I'd broken it down a million ways, you know, like trying to figure out like, oh, if we get this portion and like this and like. Like if they were to break down the contract, like how you would maneuver the numbers. Yeah, right, exactly, exactly. Who did you call first? My wife had just left, so I called. Oh! I know, it was a bummer, it was a bummer. I called her and she was like, damn it, I'm at work. Like I can't even, I can't, I don't want to jump up there. I yell and scream. Oh, I remember that you called Eric and I happened to be there with him. Like, I'm in the- That's right, that's right, you guys were shopping. No! You were shopping, you were getting some gooch, as I recall. I was getting my bonus, thank you. I was getting my, ever since I started this, honestly, and it goes to a good story. Ever since I started this, I used to say, man, my first contract, I'm gonna get me my Louis Vuitton purse and my red bottom shoes. Like my first contract came, I got that check and I was like, ooh, I can't spend that much money on just a purse and some shoes. Like, I work too hard. Yeah, I guess you're right. Like that hurts, like I can't do that second contract. I'm like, oh, but it looks so nice in my bank account. So finally, I made a deal with Eric, like if we hit a certain target and a certain goal, that I would get it. So that's where we were, thank you. So I should know the date that you got your contract. Oh, that's funny, that's right. We were both celebrating, I remember that. So yes, I remember that we were in the middle of the mall. We were at Neiman Marcus or Nordstrom's, one of those. And I remember he's like, come over here. And I was like, and then you told me, I did it for your wife. I'm in the middle of this high-end store, like, oh, I'm going crazy, like no way, no, no home. That was awesome. I was watching way, like no. And then when you told me, and this was before I even knew the amount. And then when you told me the amount, I was like, oh, like wow. So I know, like I was like super duper, duper excited for him. Yeah, that was awesome. I mean, I feel really good because you guys were like, how excited you guys were, it was like that. You were as excited as I was. Like that's awesome. That's so cool. Yeah. So then you became are like, oh, like you did it. Like this is, and talking from someone that works close leader Eric, like this is what we do it for. Like we want you guys to end. Like we want to celebrate those wings because those means so much more than what we can do. Especially with Eric and Eric tells me that all the time. It's like, yeah, cause he, he see, he tells us about his contracts, but he gets more excited when you guys win them, when I win them. I remember my first one and things like that. So it's like, those are, that's why we do the YouTube's, we do the podcast, we do the free resources. Now the Spanish video, especially the Spanish videos. And now that I work in a Spanish community, like I want to do even more. Like, ooh, like help my people out here. Like, please. So, so yeah. So, and so now that you finally got your award and a lot of people say is like, oh, you got the award and you start working, you get paid. No, well, yeah, it's, oh my God. I wish it was like, I wish it was that simple, but I was telling you the other day, so I got the award and originally thought it was a sole source award, but it's actually a May talk. So now I'm back, I'm back in the mix like competing on price for each of these individual task orders, which is fine. I told you before, I'll go toe to toe with anybody. And that's the best thing for the government. So that, you know, that's, that's, it is what it is. Yeah, but at least you're not competing against 5,000 other people now. No, it's a very small pool. Yeah. Yeah, so your chances of getting it are like so much better than anybody else out there right now. I'm trying to find it. You got your award on October 20, I'm going to say the 28th. No, it was before October. Was it? It was before October. And so it was October 12. Oh, here it is. October 9th. Oh wow. Okay, that was, that was way before I thought it was. Man, so it's a two month, that was two months ago. We still nothing, it's not even come close to starting. And that's the thing, even with like projects like ours, like the construction ones that we are get soul source, like we, we get the email, we signed that nice box and we send it back. And then it's like, we wait. Then we wait again. Yeah. So it's like we wait and we wait and we wait. So yours is now, you're waiting again for that first, like call to you guys that we need you. Like let's do this. Yeah. I mean, like we've been trying to just get them to, to issue or just find out like, Hey, when, when is the kickoff meeting going to be? Cause we don't even, you know, I've reached out to my main contact. It was the CO and now it's a COR, but he's busy. I suspect he's busy working on some other distribution things that might be going on right now. And this kind of took a backseat to that. That's my guess anyways, but yeah, I know when it's going to happen. But as you know, your patience has paid off before. Right. And then all of a sudden out of the blue, you get another nice email or phone call and you're like, let's go and you're at it again. Yep. Yeah. And in the meantime, I'll just keep, I'll just keep looking for opportunities. And that was my next question. What are you doing now? Now that you know that you could put it together, now that you know that you could get another, an award because that's the thing, like after that first one and somebody else is telling me, it's like, what keeps you going? She's like that high. It's like that next award high. It's like that next contract. It's like every time you get one, it's like you get all amped up for the next one. Yeah. Yeah. I imagine that you could just chase that dragon forever. That's like sales, like times 10 or 100. Yeah. So now you're right back where and people, we have to think about it's like, okay, you got an award. Let's say you did it, but now you have to go find the other one and go find the other one. So what are you doing to find that next one? Yeah. So I like to write out like 10 X lists. So I'll challenge myself to come up with like 10 ways, 10 different ways. This is like a Scott, the guy who wrote Dilbert, Scott Adams. This is like a Scott Adams thing. He'll say like, try to diversify, you know, like you would a portfolio. You should do that with sales. So I'll try to come up with like 10 different ways that I could reach out to government agencies or whatever to try to find new contract opportunities. So I came up with like six really good ones that I'll pursue next. It's all part of my government contract and evil master plan. So you're so at it. You're back right where you were a few months ago trying to find that next one and... This is my favorite part, the hunt. That's what I love is like the lead up to it. You know, like getting the award, that was like amazing and like exciting, like fun, but like I really love the hunt, like the chase. Yeah, hindsight, right? Because when you're in it is as exciting as when you're... No, that's like, that's the fun part is when you, cause you don't know, you know, like what's the opportunity like could be anything. Oh yeah. And these days, I've been a little bit out of it because I went back to the normal people world, but start, no, but I'm telling you, start. Part time though, that's part time. This is full time stuff. I just told somebody that though. I just told that. Cause I was, I just joined this Facebook group and one of the question was hobbies. And you know what my response was? I'm like, well, I just went back to teaching. So I guess that's really my hobby. That's your job and that's your job and your part time stuff. Oh man. So, but doing these and then I had, I spoke to somebody else yesterday, like she's like, Maria. And then it actually, I got to invoice the close guard last night, like 11 o'clock at night. I was invoicing the close guard and just talking to you guys and invoicing brought that, that itch back. Like, I'm like, ooh, I'm going back. I'm like, ooh, I'm like, I'm like, when is school over? I'm done. Like, like it, it brought back that excitement. Like you said, it's the hunt, that exciting part of finding things. And it's like, oh, I found this. And like, oh, I got that callback. And I turned this in, I'm waiting and like, it's crazy. And, but I think it takes a little bit of crazy to, to get this done. Obviously. Yeah. Yeah. Like, I know what you mean. I know what you mean. But yeah, this is like digging for gold kind of. You get like this like primal, like you feel like you're going to find some sort of, it is kind of like a treasure a little bit when you find a contract that paid out. So I'm excited to, I'm going to reorganize my day. All right. To go back into it. Awesome. So that's something I haven't told many people, but I'm counting, I'm going back. You're a hot star. Yeah. I like, I'm just, I bet you're an amazing teacher, but you're definitely a hot star. You just, you are. My dad says that my dad's 88. And even when I quit teaching and, and between things, he's like, I never worried about you. He's like, you always had to find a way to figure it out. Like you found a way to make money. Like you never really worried me to work. You're going to need somebody. Yeah. You never want to be a hustler because it's just, you're always, you're backed against the wall. You're always going to figure it out. You're going to figure it out. Yeah. So I'm excited to, to, I might come back to it. Rejoin the game. Yeah. We'll be back. So, yeah. You just need a little break. You need to step away for a little while. And that's what I tell people. You sometimes you have to step away to, to understand it. Like I stepped away from teaching. And then I'm like, I miss it. I miss it. I miss it. But coming back right now, it's like, but I miss this too. So it's just figuring things out right now. So what's next? I don't know. There's like a few different opportunities that I want to pursue. Like one of the, like my, the biggest thing for me would be to like get involved with like the DOD and like moving department of defense free. And that's actually Eric Bowman. He was like, if you want to do that, I think that's, that's, that was what our conversation was about. I told him, he was like, where are you getting stuck? Cause I, I started looking into it. And then he advised me. He was like, go find some lower hanging fruit first before you like try to go through the 10 levels of debt to get into the department of defense. So like at some point I would like to do that. But yeah, like I've, I attended a couple of NASA events and networking there. I think there's some opportunities at the VA. And then yeah, I don't know what else there's, I'm still trying to like figure out where the, the good opportunities are for trucking. Yeah. And that's been one of the hardest questions. We've had a lot of people come and why like trucking, trucking, trucking, but it's like we have you, we're still trying to figure out where that sweet spot is for your industry. And like you said, there's all these bigger companies out there that have been doing these for years. So agencies are like, oh, they, they get it done. It's easy just to give it to them, just to give it to them. And so somebody like you comes along and challenges that. Right. So that's what it takes. Yeah. That's one of the companies that also is in the inner circle of this award, this May talk is the like whale, like the whale. So yeah, I don't know. So you've, it's been a year and maybe a month since you started all this with us. No, it's been less. Yeah. That you knew about it because you didn't come into YouTube till COVID and that was like March kind of. Yeah. March is kind of really. August, October, November, December, nine months. And nine months has been the biggest lesson. What's been the biggest lesson like since I started? Yeah. I have to say it's just to ask for help. And maybe not like not reaching out by phone call to you and Eric or even texts, but just like, and this may be a thing that's like very personal to me. Like I need to like learn to like use the resources that are available. And like you guys are an amazing resource. So like, yeah, try to find the answer. If the answer is out there in the course somewhere, like of course I'm going to like look there first or like obviously do research and stuff. But like if it's a far question, like for instance, I'm dealing with a like a legal thing right now. And Eric referred me to a lawyer who's going to help me kind of figure out the, you know, it's just like a little bit beyond where I feel comfortable doing and do it because it's a legal thing. It should be, I should pay a little bit, you know? So, so yeah, I think ask for help. That's been my biggest thing. And that, that's what like helped me. I had to ask for help a million times, putting the contract together. And as a result, I'm a lot better at it now than I was even four months ago or whenever I started. Yeah. And even completing the proposal and stuff, like it gives you confidence. Absolutely. Like the confidence you got from it was just, you can't, you can't pay for that. You can't learn that again. No, definitely not. Well, any advice for all of us out there trying to dip our toes in and not, cause I don't think you dipped your toe in, by the way. I think you just like cannonballed it into the pool. You know, it's like, oh, how's the water? You're like, no, I'm going to challenge someone. Oh yeah. Now I full on like tree swung ball in. I think that's the best way to do it. Like, like, yeah, do the course and like kind of figure out, get the lay of the land a little bit and like do the like target market list, like help me out a lot. I made hundreds of phone calls before I found this opportunity. And then when I found it, I can't involve. And that's what people need to hear. I think most of the time is that it does take work. It's not like you're just going to get into this and things are going to be easy. Like there are things that you're not going to understand. Trust me. Like they are a lot of words in certain things, like especially the far it's like the far. I remember someone lost the contract because they didn't like cross the little check mark on the floors. So like I go through each line to make sure I don't have to check up, do not, will not, all those things. And it gets confusing. It gets very overwhelming. Even the target market list, it's like, it's, but you have to put in the work and you are the perfect example that you did put on the work because you didn't just go visit family that you haven't seen and just laid back and sip on mimosas or fancy water. You actually were working and a lot of, and that's one similarity we all share is that our family sees that work and then we are able to show our stories because of the work that we've done. Yeah, totally. So yeah, thank you so much. Aw, this is awesome. I love hanging out with you. So this is just like- I thought you were gonna come here with a song with all the guitars always in the background. I don't even have time to play music anymore because all I do is- Oh, so you did play music though. It's not just the wife. Oh yeah, no, I've been a guitarist. I started playing 25 years ago. Actually, I was thinking about, I'm 37, I started when I was 12. So yeah, I've played guitar for a quarter of a century. Oh wow, where have you played? We've played with my wife. We've played at a lot of places around Boston. So like Titi the Bears, kind of smaller mid-sized venues, nothing more than like one time we did open for Hunter Hayes. Which is, that was cool. It was like a sold-out crowd. Yeah, it's so awesome. That was really cool. That was one of the most fun, that was the most fun show that we've ever played because it was like, the crowd was just awesome. You want to talk about a high? Get on stage and play 10 songs for a crowd of like screaming 16-year-old girls. That's Hunter, that's his demographic, you know? Yeah. They're insane. They're absolutely like all emotion. When you're up on stage, can you just, can you see anybody? Because I can't imagine you see like people and just hear the roar. Yeah, no, I black out. And it's like also like lights are like directly in your eyes. So you can't focus on anybody, you can't see anybody anyways, so. Oh, so you mean when my favorite country star is like, hey, you right there. He's not really looking at me. Well, I mean, they're like 100% pros. Whereas, you know, I was just like kind of ass back where it's backing into it, you know, riding on my wife's coattails. That's awesome. Yeah. Well, thank you once again. Happy, happy holidays to you. Happy holidays to you as well. Thank you. So with a pleasure to be your third guest, right? Yeah, this is the third one and we'll see how. On the 13 Maria podcast. So can we do like a spin? We do like a spin out or what is the hurricane? Can I start like a little one and spin out and then turn into the giant or the baby goat? The baby go inside the hurricane. There you go. Yeah, yeah, the goat. Yeah, the cow. Thank you very much. Have a good day. All right, you too. I'll talk to Maria.