Where did this idea come from?

This Project actually started with a Request For Proposal (RFP).  The Contracting Officer did something that I had never seen before.  He attempted to help out companies by facilitating the Networking process.  The Contracting Officer posted a spreadsheet with the names of over 900 MWBEs that were potentially interested in partnering on the RFP proposal.  The Contractor Officer had no ‘Skin In The Game’ – there were no financial awards involved with what he did.  I was impressed by his actions.

In attempting to determine potential partners for this RFP, I had to locate and view their company descriptions and NAICS/SICS Codes.  As I perused the numerous company descriptions, it dawned on me that we are using 21st Century technology, with a 20th Century mindset.  It is impractical for one to use unstructured narratives (i.e. text format of company description) to make decisions.  Since company Products/Services are not always accurately represented by the existing NAICS/SICS Codes, we have little choice but to use unstructured narratives.  Therein lies the problem – how can we optimize Collaborating/Networking with one another, if the information cannot be used efficiently?

The New York Payers Database was particularly interesting to me because it had as an objective to facilitate Interoperability/Collaboration amongst multiple entities in the Healthcare/Insurance area by using Data-Centric Methods.  My forte is Data Governance/Data Architecture.  If you’re familiar with Data Governance/Data Architecture, you will understand that Interoperability/Collaboration is my objective on every project.  It occurred to me, if I can service large companies to fulfill objectives similar to those of the New York Payers Database, why can’t I do the same for companies that are walking a mile in my shoes?

I’m a Small Business Entity.  I am highly endorsed by my clients.  I have 28 years of experience doing what I do. I am a good practitioner, but I am not very good at Marketing/Sales.  However, I know that there are a lot of SBEs out there that are probably good at Marketing/Sales.  I am also inviting them to join ‘The Team’ that I am forming.  These are just a few high level Business Areas (e.g., Information Management, Business Analysis, Marketing/Sales) that I am using to invite SBEs to join the ‘Team’.  The more diverse the ‘Team’, the better it will be.

I’ve been talking to leaders in a multitude of Small Business Entity/Minority Business Entity Advocacy Groups.  They all say that we need to fend for ourselves.  They all assume we have to do it ‘the old fashioned way’, ‘each man for himself’.  I am not naïve – to some degree they are correct – I am just attempting to ‘hedge our bets’, by using 21st Century Methods (e.g., Business Intelligence, Data Governance, Data Architecture).

Why are my fees so low?

When I worked for Fortune 500 companies (e.g., Aetna, United Health Group, JP Morgan Chase), I did not charge by Capitation, number of records, number of Products/Services, or number of Client Customers that would use my solution.  That is why the membership fee is so low.  My methodologies our scalable.  I practice what I preach.