Entrepreneur Collaboration Center – Opportunities in Tampa
These last two months of my DoD Skill Bridge fellowship at Global SOF Foundation have been very dynamic. I was able to attend three “Operation Start-Up” sessions at the Entrepreneur Collaboration Center (ECC) in Ybor where I learned about Quickbooks, the intricacies of federal contracting, and how to become better at sales. The ECC brings instructors that are successful in business to lecture. Their perspective is current and is always a great learning and networking environment. I highly recommend checking one out!
GSF Projects
One focus of GSF during the period of my fellowship has been the development of the SOF Imperatives and the GSF Capabilities Catalog. We hosted an event for our GSF Corporate Partners (CP) at the Tampa Club in July to brief and fine tune both of those documents. We also hosted a guest briefer from the Combating Terrorism Technical Support Office (CTTSO) at that event. Mr. Mark Kobe briefed the group on CTTSO’s organization and an overview of how requirements are advertised, received and processed. I was able to play a key role in making that brief happen, so it was a good day for me and all of the CP attendees!
I spent another day in July with Stu, when we headed to Orlando to attend a series of events in a city that has blossoming federal contract potential. We started our day at the Program Executive Office – Simulation Training and Instrumentation (PEO-STRI) Procurement Administration Lead Time (PALT) update and heard from both the PEO-STRI staff and the Army Contracting Command (ACC) Orlando.
We then hosted a luncheon for GSF CP’s at Azteca D’ Oro and then attended the US Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) Warfare Center Training Systems Division (NAWCTSD) – that is a mouthful! – PALT update as well. There were some great industry “intel” nuggets that came out in these government events. To wrap up the day, Design Interactive Inc., a GSF CP, hosted Stu and I for a tour of their facility where we enjoyed meeting some SUPER SMART people and seeing their fascinating and innovative technology.
Thank you, and I’ll see you again!
August 1 was my 30-day-to-retirement mark and, for those of you who have yet to transition, I think you will find that this is when post-retirement opportunities become more plentiful and more serious. In early August, after a series of phone interviews, I flew to Albuquerque, New Mexico where I interviewed for, and accepted a position that will allow me to work in Tampa. You will have to friend / follow me on LinkedIn to see that announcement on 10 September!
The month of August wrapped up with my school teacher wife and kids heading back to school. It was great to be home for that annual transition. All that is left for me is my “Blue-Card” (retiree ID card) appointment on 28 August. It has been a tremendous adventure and I am eternally grateful to Stu and the GSF Team for allowing me to leverage the Skill Bridge fellowship. My network has grown intensely as has my eagerness and readiness to enter the workforce.
God Bless America! #SOFforLIFE
– Chuck
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