Business Development with NOVA AFCEA

Two months of business development at NOVA AFCEA has created below log of effort. Being new in community, it's important to politely learn the social protocols of behavior, the art of manners, respect, deference for other personalities, position of authority, etc. That being said, "Fortune favors the Bold [Virgil]" ... don't be a mouse, express yourself as appropriate. I offer the following observations:
1. Make yourself useful to the community immediately, being occupied with a task will relax you, connect you to others, assist in step-by-step building credibility and trustful recognition
2. Define what you want to accomplish in this community (i.e. your intentions)
3. Identify potential sage-mentor(s) to assist you.
4. Tactfully approach sage-mentor(s) with questions such as: "How am I to constructively accomplish my goals here at AFCEA NOVA"
5. Be accountable to your objectives, manage your strategy such that you are able to quantify how useful + effective your efforts are at accomplishing your goals.
6. Learn how to relax, enjoy community, enjoy others ... after all someday we shall all die and wonder for what glory did we live and spend our days.
7. Warmth, gentleness, erudition, humor ... will serve you well in community.
8. Be discerning, be confidential as discretion requires

Here is my log:

March 20 Young ACEANS Mentor Protege Night: "The Secret of My Success"

March 21 AFCEA NOVA Monthly Lunch Series, LTG Jeffrey Sorensen, CIO (G-6) U.S.Army

March 30 Congressman Jim Moran "8th Annual Federal Procurement Conference"

(3 events attended in March)

April 2 AFCEA NOVA Small Business Breakfast, "Making Sense of NetCents II Services"
Brig. Gen. Thomas J. Verbeck, Asst Comdr, Air Force Dist Wash.
Ronald A. Poussard, Dir. Office Small Business, Sec. Air Force
John S. DeLauche, Vice President of Operations, NETCENTS PMO
Kevin Plexico, Executive Vice President of Operations, INPUT

April 18 AFCEA NOVA Monthly Lunch Series, John Grimes, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Networks and Information Integration, and DoD CIO.

April 23, Fort Myer Small Business Fair, David T. Boddie Organizer

April 24, AFCEA NOVA Golf Tournament

April 29, Young AFCEAN "Recruit! bring a friend" Happy Hour, Rio Grande in Fairfax Corner 6pm-9pm. (26 people attended), organized by Chris McKee

(5 events attended in April)

well, as a local Pastor says ... "So what" (i.e. what is the point of all this effort). Below is list of tasks accomplished after two months of involvement with NOVA AFCEA. My goal was to learn how the community functions, seamlessly "fit in", find a place to serve, and grow towards my specific objectives.

1. 53+ business contacts/cards attained
2. One true Government Official, a peer in age, who needs my services in next 12-18 months
3. Created "Linkedin" Account, used my 800+ gmail list to form "69 worthwhile connections", within an 800,000+ network, reconnected with a few "Industry Icons" from my boyhood in the 90's, have 92 pending connections (i.e. potential connections). A "worthwhile connection" is a person with whom you have an authentic common purpose, a common mind regarding growing and serving in industry.
4. Re-purposed my FaceBook account with a mature professional look to maximize industry connectivity.
5. Updated CCR
6. Revised April 2008 DatabaseVisions,Inc. Capability Statement
7. Scheduled May 30, 11am PTAP Counseling Session with Mr. James Regan, to whom I owe an explanation as to where I have been the last 2 years!
8. Adhered to Mr. Charles R. Corjay advise to dress professionally: purchased JHaneBarnes blue-striped suit, Abboud grey-striped suit, Burberry blue-sport coat. Ties: red stripped, blue stripped, red-blue pattern, tan-blue stripped. In progress to buy a blue Abboud suit ... i take my time with clothing. This networking stress has worn down my body from a 42L to a 41L, haha, i'll need to exercise more so these clothes fit properly. Oh well, nothing wrong with salubrious endurance, and nice attire. Mr Corjay was not impressed by my "IT Server-Room" blue-blazer look at the YoungAFCEAN Mentor-Protege Night, and i was purposefully dressing down to fit in. ha
9. Scheduled a phone conversation with sage-mentor to review this "bus-dev-log"
10. Solidified "Contract Capture Strategy" in my mind, need to express this to mentor(s).
.... OK here are the Sage-Mentor remarks:
a. NOVA AFCEA Protocal: be honest, be respectful, be truthful
b. Listen closely, gather information
c. Grow your network, based on trust ... this creates "warm leads", preferable than "cold calls."
d. Create a defined level of trust and credibility.
e. Remember, AFCEA is also about creating Academic Scholarships for Math & Science, as well as serving Disabled Veterans.