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Unveiled: GovCon Stories
Coming Full Circle: Returning to Small Business Leadership
Season 3, Ep. 6
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Today’s guest is one of those rare individuals who has excelled in leadership positions that include not just public sector government service but the private sector as well. We are joined by Rob Brown, the current Chief Technology Officer and Executive Vice President of Systalex, a company providing commercial and federal agencies with contemporary solutions. Prior to his roles at Systalex, Rob worked at several private companies and spent seven years at the US Citizen and Immigration Services (USCIS), first as Division Chief and then as CTO. He has a strong background in IT and business and has extensive experience in the field, from managing technical teams and corporate IT strategies to completing large-scale IT deployments. In this conversation with Rob, we discuss his experience of navigating both the public and private sectors, what it’s been like returning to small business leadership, and his advice for others considering this type of transition. Tuning in, you’ll learn about the challenges of transitioning between these worlds, the regulations and dynamics that govern each sphere, valuable lessons that can help agencies be better small business partners, and much more!
Key Points From This Episode:
- An overview of Rob’s experience as CTO at USCIS.
- What made him return to the private sector.
- A rundown of the various roles that he occupies at Systalex.
- Navigating the transition between the public and private sectors.
- Rob’s reflections on contracts, networking, timing, and re-establishing connections.
- Top takeaways on cultivating a growth strategy and getting buy-in from your team.
- How Rob managed his relationships during his transition to the private sector.
- Finding balance: the demands of occupying an executive role and delivering resources.
- Rob’s advice for federal employees looking to transition into the private sector.
- Human-centered design, AI products for government, and what’s next for Rob and Systalex.
- A recap and summary of what we covered today.
Sponsors:
Withum: withum.com
Withum is a forward-thinking, technology-driven advisory and accounting firm that offers a range of services including business advisory, forensic and valuation services, accounting and assurance, digital transformation, cybersecurity, and tax consulting.
Twenty39 — Helping small businesses be successful in GovCon: twenty39.com
If your business is considering government contracting and needs expert advisory, business development, proposal management, and/or operations support, we are here to help! We provide end-to-end enablement for pursuing government contracts.
Hive39 Community: twenty39.com/hive39-community
An inclusive online community for GovCon Small Businesses and Consultants to learn, share, and grow. Receive free resources to support your business in pursuing government contracts, meet new partners, identify small business-relevant events and cost-appropriate vendor resources, stay up to date on policy and legal changes impacting small businesses, and share 1099 and partnership opportunities. Join today!
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