Get the GovClose Certification: https://www.govclose.com/sales-certification

Our students learn the government contracting skills to :

1. Start their own consulting business that can earn up to $400k as a "solopreneur" advising businesses that sell to the government.

2. Land high paying sales executive jobs with companies in the public sector.

3. Increase government contracting revenue for companies selling to the US government.

How can veterans turn military experience into a six-figure career or a business generating $35,000 a month? Government contracting offers three different paths to explore, whether you're leaving the military, already retired, or looking for another source of income.

In this video, you'll learn how your military background can help companies win government contracts, why some paths generate revenue faster than others, and how to choose between income potential, independence, and a steady paycheck.

We discuss earnings examples, high-paying federal sales jobs, and the approximately $3.1 million in average annual federal contract revenue per small business receiving prime awards in FY2025.

You'll also learn how to use veteran networking to find clients, career opportunities, and mentors, and why Sources Sought notices and service-disabled veteran-owned small business opportunities matter. Hal Fischer, author of The Connected Veteran, shares practical ways to build those relationships. Real veterans share how they've put these paths to work.

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RESOURCES MENTIONED

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SAM.gov — https://sam.gov

USAspending.gov — https://www.usaspending.gov

GovClose — https://www.govclose.com

SBA FY2025 Small Business Contracting Results — https://legacy.sba.gov/article/2026/06/25/sba-releases-fy25-scorecard-small-business-contracting

The Connected Veteran — https://connectedveteran.com

Hal Fischer on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/halfischer

The Civvie — https://thecivvie.com

RFP Easy — https://www.rfpeasy.app

Alexandra Tati / Avechos — https://avechos.com

Alexandra on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandratati

Financial 9 Line by Gene Redding — https://www.abebooks.com/products/isbn/9798997680800

Jobs & Full Job Descriptions:

Crossing Hurdles — Client Executive (Former Military Officer), Remote — https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/4485702361/

Verily — Account Executive, DoW, Remote — https://www.indeed.com/viewjob?jk=d45f1ffbe0d0738e

LinkedIn: Account Executive Defense Jobs — https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/search/?keywords=account%20executive%20defense&f_SAL=f_SA_id_226001%3A272015

Indeed: Account Executive, Military Jobs — https://www.indeed.com/jobs?q=account+executive%2C+military&l=United+States

#veteransday #veterans

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ABOUT RICK HOWARD

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Rick Howard is a retired USAF Lieutenant Colonel and former DoD acquisitions officer who managed over $82 billion in federal contracts. He is the founder of GovClose and the DoD Contract Academy, with 400+ graduates working as government contract consultants, federal account executives, and business owners winning federal contracts.

Rick Howard expresses his opinions as a former government contracting officer and presents public data on government contracts that he analyzes. GovClose makes no guarantees whatsoever about federal spending data or government contracts.

Government contracting data changes constantly, and we make no claims of perfection when presenting data. All data can be looked at from different angles, and it is up to the viewer to do their own research, their own data analysis, and decide if government contracting is for them.

Disclaimer: This video reflects Rick Howard's personal opinions and independent analysis of publicly available government data. It does not represent an official position, endorsement, or statement of the U.S. Air Force or the Department of Defense.

Get the GovClose Certification: https://www.govclose.com/sales-certificationOur students learn the government contracting skills to :1. Start their own consulting business that can earn up to $400k as a "solopreneur" advising businesses that sell to the government.2. Land high paying sales executive jobs with companies in the public sector.3. Increase government contracting revenue for companies selling to the US government.Watch Next: More ways to find AI government contracting opportunities: https://youtu.be/nkeswSR54gsCould one of these five AI businesses be your path to a million-dollar government contract? The October 2026 research in this video covers 84 reported AI-related contract awards. Small businesses won 40 of those awards, representing approximately $80 million in obligated funding.But winning AI government contracts takes more than having a great product or submitting proposals. You need to understand which problems agencies are paying to solve, who buys what you sell, and how to position your business before the solicitation comes out.In this video, you'll discover five AI business opportunities backed by real federal contract awards, see how much small businesses are winning, and learn a four-step process for pursuing government contracts. You'll learn how to research awards on USAspending.gov, identify government buyers, find AI contract opportunities on SAM.gov, and recognize potential barriers such as contract vehicles and set-aside requirements. You'll also follow a real Sources Sought example to see how to respond with relevant capabilities and past performance, pursue meetings with government buyers, and compete before the RFP is released. Whether you're starting an AI business or growing an established company, these steps will help you identify opportunities worth pursuing.––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––RESOURCES MENTIONED––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––SAM.gov — https://sam.govUSAspending.gov — https://www.usaspending.govGovClose — https://www.govclose.comSBIR.gov — https://www.sbir.govDefense SBIR/STTR Innovation Portal (DSIP) — https://www.dodsbirsttr.mil/submissions/loginCarahsoft — https://www.carahsoft.comDVIDS — https://www.dvidshub.netB-roll credit: Publicly available, public-domain footage sourced from DVIDS featuring military personnel and businesses supporting the military. Use of this footage does not imply U.S. government endorsement.
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––ABOUT RICK HOWARD––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Rick Howard is a retired USAF Lieutenant Colonel and former DoD acquisitions officer who managed over $82 billion in federal contracts. He is the founder of GovClose and the DoD Contract Academy, with 400+ graduates working as government contract consultants, federal account executives, and business owners winning federal contracts.Rick Howard expresses his opinions as a former government contracting officer and presents public data on government contracts that he analyzes. GovClose makes no guarantees whatsoever about federal spending data or government contracts.Government contracting data changes constantly, and we make no claims of perfection when presenting data. All data can be looked at from different angles, and it is up to the viewer to do their own research, their own data analysis, and decide if government contracting is for them.Disclaimer: This video reflects Rick Howard's personal opinions and independent analysis of publicly available government data. It does not represent an official position, endorsement, or statement of the U.S. Air Force or the Department of Defense.

Can you build a million-dollar business providing laundry and dry cleaning services to the US government?

Get the GovClose Certification: https://www.govclose.com/sales-certificationOur students learn the government contracting skills to :1. Start their own consulting business that can earn up to $400k as a "solopreneur" advising businesses that sell to the government.2. Land high paying sales executive jobs with companies in the public sector.3. Increase government contracting revenue for companies selling to the US government.

The federal spending data reviewed in this video shows $152.7 million in fiscal year 2025 obligations for these services. In this analysis, the top 10% of businesses averaged approximately $2.6 million in annual federal contract obligations—a monthly equivalent of more than $222,000. But the gap between the top contractors and everyone else is enormous. Choosing the right niche, finding the agencies buying your services, and knowing how to approach an opportunity can make a difference. service you probably wouldn't expect.In this video, you'll discover 5 government contracting business niches within laundry and dry cleaning, from options an existing local business could pursue to specialized services requiring advanced capabilities. You'll learn how to research federal spending on USAspending.gov, identify agencies awarding contracts to small businesses, and find opportunities on SAM.gov using industry codes. You'll also see an overlooked step in the sales process that can help you get ahead of competitors before bidding begins, plus why building commercial experience matters before pursuing your first government contract.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––RESOURCES MENTIONED––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––SAM.gov — https://sam.govUSAspending.gov — https://www.usaspending.govGovClose — https://www.govclose.comU.S. Census Bureau (NAICS Codes) — https://www.census.govMilitary Footage: https://www.dvidshub.net––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––ABOUT RICK HOWARD––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Rick Howard is a retired USAF Lieutenant Colonel and former DoD acquisitions officer who managed over $82 billion in federal contracts. He is the founder of GovClose and the DoD Contract Academy, with 400+ graduates working as government contract consultants, federal account executives, and business owners winning federal contracts.Rick Howard expresses his opinions as a former government contracting officer and presents public data on government contracts that he analyzes. GovClose makes no guarantees whatsoever about federal spending data or government contracts.Government contracting data changes constantly, and we make no claims of perfection when presenting data. All data can be looked at from different angles, and it is up to the viewer to do their own research, their own data analysis, and decide if government contracting is for them.Disclaimer: This video reflects Rick Howard's personal opinions and independent analysis of publicly available government data. It does not represent an official position, endorsement, or statement of the U.S. Air Force or the Department of Defense.

Start a Government Contracting Career: https://www.govclose.com---------------------------------

What's an overlooked business you can start after 50 using the experience you already have? In this video, you'll explore three government contract consulting business models, with revenue examples ranging from $5,000–$15,000 a month part-time to $35,000 a month—and a third option with even more upside.Whether your background is in healthcare, construction, the military, software, or another industry, companies need help winning government contracts and solving problems that affect their revenue. Combining your career experience with government contracting expertise can put you in a position to offer services those companies are willing to pay for.You'll learn how to turn your experience into a consulting offer, identify industries with federal spending, and build recurring revenue through projects and monthly retainers.

You'll also see real consulting invoices, examples of services companies pay for, and the math behind different revenue models—all for a business you can run remotely.

These are examples and possibilities, not guaranteed results. Building the expertise and finding clients takes work.

Start a Government Contracting Career: https://www.govclose.comOur students learn the government contracting skills to :1. Start their own consulting business that can earn up to $400k as a "solopreneur" advising businesses that sell to the government.2. Land high paying sales executive jobs with companies in the public sector.3. Increase government contracting revenue for companies selling to the US government.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––RESOURCES MENTIONED––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––SAM.gov — https://sam.govUSAspending.gov — https://www.usaspending.govGovClose — https://www.govclose.comQuickBooks — https://quickbooks.intuit.com/-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Government Websites Used For Research & Footage-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------https://www.dvidshub.nethttps://www.sba.gov/https://www.federalreserve.gov––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––ABOUT RICK HOWARD––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Rick Howard is a retired USAF Lieutenant Colonel and former DoD acquisitions officer who managed over $82 billion in federal contracts. He is the founder of GovClose and the DoD Contract Academy, with 400+ graduates working as government contract consultants, federal account executives, and business owners winning federal contracts.Rick Howard expresses his opinions as a former government contracting officer and presents public data on government contracts that he analyzes. GovClose makes no guarantees whatsoever about federal spending data or government contracts.Government contracting data changes constantly, and we make no claims of perfection when presenting data. All data can be looked at from different angles, and it is up to the viewer to do their own research, their own data analysis, and decide if government contracting is for them.Disclaimer: This video reflects Rick Howard's personal opinions and independent analysis of publicly available government data. It does not represent an official position, endorsement, or statement of the U.S. Air Force or the Department of Defense.

Omar Elouizi joined GovClose in February 2026, started company operations in March, and won his first federal contract in June.

By September, his company, Providence Federal Group, had won 12 contracts as a prime contractor.His wins include transportation, portable restroom trailer rentals, fire extinguisher services, crane repair, dock fender repair, dumpster services, and pressure washing.

We break down the actual contract values, what he made on a one-day restroom rental, and how small contracts helped him build past performance in facilities maintenance and base operations.In this interview, you'll learn how Omar qualifies government contract opportunities, uses a compliance matrix to prepare proposals, finds opportunities before the RFP, builds relationships with government buyers, and selects subcontractors.

We also discuss small business set-asides, teaming agreements, and the bidding pipeline behind his first 12 wins.

Get the GovClose Certification: https://www.govclose.com/sales-certificationOur students learn the government contracting skills to :1. Start their own consulting business that can earn up to $400k as a "solopreneur" advising businesses that sell to the government.2. Land high paying sales executive jobs with companies in the public sector.3. Increase government contracting revenue for companies selling to the US government.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––RESOURCES MENTIONED––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Providence Federal Group — https://www.providencefederalgroup.com/Connect with Omar Elouizi on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/omar-elouizi-67487619aSAM.gov — https://sam.govUSAspending.gov — https://www.usaspending.govGovClose — https://www.govclose.com

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––ABOUT RICK HOWARD––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Rick Howard is a retired USAF Lieutenant Colonel and former DoD acquisitions officer who managed over $82 billion in federal contracts. He is the founder of GovClose and the DoD Contract Academy, with 400+ graduates working as government contract consultants, federal account executives, and business owners winning federal contracts.Rick Howard expresses his opinions as a former government contracting officer and presents public data on government contracts that he analyzes. GovClose makes no guarantees whatsoever about federal spending data or government contracts.Government contracting data changes constantly, and we make no claims of perfection when presenting data. All data can be looked at from different angles, and it is up to the viewer to do their own research, their own data analysis, and decide if government contracting is for them.Disclaimer: This video reflects Rick Howard's personal opinions and independent analysis of publicly available government data. It does not represent an official position, endorsement, or statement of the U.S. Air Force or the Department of Defense.

How much money can a small business make through government subcontracting?

Based on the federal subcontracting data analyzed in this video, the average small business in the USAspending.gov data generated approximately $1.2 million per year in federal subcontract revenue.

Federal subcontracting is one of the most overlooked ways for small businesses to make money selling to the U.S. government. In FY2025, approximately $179 billion in federal prime contracts went to small businesses, while total small business prime and subcontract awards approached $273 billion.

In this video, you'll learn how federal government subcontracting works, how much subcontractors are earning, and how to find government subcontracting opportunities before an RFP is released. You'll also learn how to find prime contractors with relevant federal past performance, approach them with an actual government opportunity instead of simply asking for work, form teaming relationships, and position your small business to win its first government subcontract.Get the GovClose Certification: https://www.govclose.com/sales-certificationOur students learn the government contracting skills to :1. Start their own consulting business that can earn up to $400k as a "solopreneur" advising businesses that sell to the government.2. Land high paying sales executive jobs with companies in the public sector.3. Increase government contracting revenue for companies selling to the US government.––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––RESOURCES MENTIONED––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––SAM.gov — https://sam.govUSAspending.gov — https://www.usaspending.govGovClose — https://www.govclose.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/govclose/––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––ABOUT RICK HOWARD––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Rick Howard is a retired USAF Lieutenant Colonel and former DoD acquisitions officer who managed over $82 billion in federal contracts. He is the founder of GovClose and the DoD Contract Academy, with 400+ graduates working as government contract consultants, federal account executives, and business owners winning federal contracts.

Get the GovClose Certification: https://www.govclose.com/sales-certificationOur students learn the government contracting skills to :1. Start their own consulting business that can earn up to $400k as a "solopreneur" advising businesses that sell to the government.2. Land high paying sales executive jobs with companies in the public sector.3. Increase government contracting revenue for companies selling to the US government.Watch Next: the most profitable government contracting business you've never heard of: https://youtu.be/bsMTu_4JRy4?si=a_wgqi50_-ZDpQD2How much money can a small business make selling to the federal government? In fiscal year 2025, the average small business receiving federal prime contracts generated approximately $3.1 million in government contract revenue. But winning government contracts isn't about blindly searching for RFPs and submitting proposals. You need to know what the government buys, which agencies are buying it, how they buy it, and where to find opportunities early enough to have a realistic chance of winning.In this video, you'll learn a step-by-step government contracting sales strategy using USAspending.gov and SAM.gov. I show you how to research federal spending, identify the agencies buying what your business sells, analyze small business and set-aside opportunities, find government contract leads through Sources Sought notices and RFIs, and build a pipeline to manage those opportunities from early market research through solicitation and award. You'll also learn how to qualify opportunities, use go/no-go decisions, develop relationships with government buyers, and calculate how much pipeline you need to reach your government contracting revenue goals.0:00 How Much Money Can You Make Selling to the Government?3:00 Does the Government Buy What Your Business Sells?5:27 How to Research Federal Contract Spending on USAspending.gov9:30 How to Find Government Agencies That Buy What You Sell12:03 How to Find Small Business & Set-Aside Opportunities17:27 How to Find Government Contract Leads on SAM.gov19:57 Sources Sought & RFIs: Find Contracts Before the RFP24:48 How to Build a Government Contracting Sales Pipeline30:25 How to Win Government Contracts: Qualify, Team & Follow Up38:18 How Much Pipeline Do You Need to Reach $3.1M in Revenue?––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––RESOURCES MENTIONED––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––SAM.gov — https://sam.govUSAspending.gov — https://www.usaspending.govGovClose — https://www.govclose.com––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––ABOUT RICK HOWARD––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Rick Howard is a retired USAF Lieutenant Colonel and former DoD acquisitions officer who managed over $82 billion in federal contracts. He is the founder of GovClose and the DoD Contract Academy, with 400+ graduates working as government contract consultants, federal account executives, and business owners winning federal contracts.Rick Howard expresses his opinions as a former government contracting officer and presents public data on government contracts that he analyzes. GovClose makes no guarantees whatsoever about federal spending data or government contracts.Government contracting data changes constantly, and we make no claims of perfection when presenting data. All data can be looked at from different angles, and it is up to the viewer to do their own research, their own data analysis, and decide if government contracting is for them.Disclaimer: This video reflects Rick Howard's personal opinions and independent analysis of publicly available government data. It does not represent an official position, endorsement, or statement of the U.S. Air Force or the Department of Defense.

Alexandra Tati spent 12 years in the U.S. Air Force, including four years at the Air Force Academy and eight years working in engineering and program management. Within approximately four months of leaving the military she:

1. Launched her government contracting consulting business

2. Signed 3 clients

3. Negotiating a high-paying W-2 position

Get the GovClose Certification: https://www.govclose.com/sales-certificationOur students learn the government contracting skills to :1. Start their own consulting business that can earn up to $400k as a "solopreneur" advising businesses that sell to the government.2. Land high paying sales executive jobs with companies in the public sector.3. Increase government contracting revenue for companies selling to the US government.In this interview, Alexandra explains the challenges she faced transitioning from the military into entrepreneurship, including learning sales, conducting discovery calls with CEOs, hearing “no,” pricing her services, and convincing a company to become her first client. She also breaks down what clients are paying her to do.We discuss veteran entrepreneurship, finding your government contracting niche, working remotely, creating multiple income streams, and how GovClose helped Alexandra and her husband turn their military experience into government contracting revenue.2:03 Transitioning From Military Service to Entrepreneurship3:21 Turning Job Offers Into Consulting Opportunities4:54 Learning Government Business Development and Sales8:04 Three Clients and a High-Paying W-2 Opportunity9:33 Building Three Government Contracting Income Streams10:24 Overcoming Fear and Uncertainty After the Military11:33 How Her Husband Secured Three Government Contracts12:02 Government Contracts, Consulting Clients, and W-2 12:26 Government Contracting as a High-Income Career13:42 Opportunities for College Students15:24 The Skills You Need to Win Consulting Clients18:45 How the GovClose Community Helps Students20:18 Why Veterans Must Understand Their Market Value21:39 How to Price Consulting Services25:15 How to Find Your Government Contracting Niche27:36 Alexandra’s First 20–30 Discovery Calls28:36 Learning to Hear “No” and Keep Selling32:27 Building a Startup’s Business Development Operation32:57 Combining Cybersecurity and Government Contracting34:18 How Alexandra Won Her First Consulting Client34:54 Using SkillBridge to Start a Consulting Business35:36 Building an SBIR/STTR Phase II and Phase III Roadmap43:27 Creating Independence and Freedom Through Consulting––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––RESOURCES MENTIONED––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––GovClose Program Overview (free 20-minute training): https://www.govclose.comWork With Alexandra and Avechos: https://avechos.comConnect with Alexandra on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandratatiMetro State Applied Innovation InstituteCyber Innovation Accelerator: https://accelerator.getchkd.com/Applied Innovation Institute: https://msaii.org––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––ABOUT RICK HOWARD––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Rick Howard is a retired USAF Lieutenant Colonel and former DoD acquisitions officer who managed over $82 billion in federal contracts. He is the founder of GovClose and the DoD Contract Academy, with 400+ graduates working as government contract consultants, federal account executives, and business owners winning federal contracts.Rick Howard expresses his opinions as a former government contracting officer and presents public data on government contracts that he analyzes. GovClose makes no guarantees whatsoever about federal spending data or government contracts.Disclaimer: This video reflects Rick Howard's personal opinions and independent analysis of publicly available government data. It does not represent an official position, endorsement, or statement of the U.S. Air Force or the Department of Defense.