
GOVCONFeb 17, 202606:50
MOST New GovCon Businesses FAIL at This One SIMPLE Step!
Featured guest
Colin Nchako
Colin Nchako joined Eric Coffie on this episode.
About this episode
Most people think they're "new to government contracting." They're not. They're new to how the government does business—and that's a massive difference. In this episode, Colin Nchako breaks down how to help someone who wants to pivot (like a general contractor moving into the product game) without wasting months guessing what the Army buys.
The play is simple: stop speaking in vague terms like "Army supplies" and start doing real research using USAspending and FPDS, then match yourself to the right NAICS code so you can target opportunities with precision. Colin also explains the bigger lesson behind pivoting: you don't need to reinvent yourself—you need to identify a skill you can deliver, build credibility around it, and then use that credibility to win again. He shares examples from his own business where he added a capability (like training or SOP writing), landed awards, and used those wins to expand into more contracts.
The goal isn't to learn everything at once—it's to marry the skills you already have to a new client (the government) and move with confidence. If you want to learn more about the community


