seminars held by the U.S. Small Business Administration, which gave him further insight into how best to apply for and win federal contracts. A key occurrence, however, was


Rodney Hunt


was ready for another step upward. He applied for and obtained 8(a) status. His degrees, network of former colleagues, friends, and associates, and willingness to learn began pay off. Teel was a frequent attendee at events and


unexpected. Teel had joined the SBA’s mentor program. One day Rodney Hunt, whom he had never met, called Teel and asked if the younger man would want 1 Source to become Hunt’s protégé firm. His acceptance of the offer was swift; it was a good connection, since each firm had varied experience with DoE.


The break of a lifetime Within four years the combination of hard work–and Hunt’s guidance–boosted Teel’s annual revenue beyond $1 million.


His contracts came from a mix of public and private clients. Then Hunt made 1 Source a subcontractor on a $300 million DoE contract.


In 2006, 1 Source graduated from the 8(a) program. Teel says proudly that of all the contracts the company has won, less than 10 percent were designated for small or minority businesses. Teel is now a mentor and encour- ages young people to follow his lead. He stresses the verities of developing a strong business background, technical savvy, and most importantly good com- munication skills. “You often only have one opportunity to have a meaningful conversation with a prospective client,” he says. 


www.blackengineer.com


USBE&IT


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