With its comprehensive suite of strategic solutions, Legion Systems is diligently serving businesses and the government alike

We live in a competitive era, and due to extensive modernization, it has become difficult for businesses to sustain in the market. Whether it is education, defense, services, or business, the competition has become very arduous in every sector. All the organizations are fighting to stay ahead of the curve and outdo each other. To successfully run a thriving business, you should use advisory services at every step. An advisory firm’s main function is to support the business in its undertakings and help them overcome obstacles. The services of an advisory firm will help you create an impact on the minds of the audiences and stakeholders alike.

Having an advisory firm by your side is a plus, and the firm known as Legion Systems offers top-notch advisory and defense contracting services to help you advance towards success. Legion is uniquely organized along with two complimentary business units with the agility to cross utilize over 250 highly skilled subject matter experts across 30+ disparate locations. Advisory Services performs business development, business, and competitive intelligence, and capture and proposal management support services on behalf of the large, medium, and small companies. Government Solutions is comprised of Legion’s defense contracting portfolio, where it offers a wide range of services. This is built on years of experience supporting the Department of Defense, Interagency, and the private sector, leveraging current best practices.

Legion Systems was founded in 2010, and it is based in Tampa, Florida.

In conversation with Dan Vanderheyden, Co-Founder and Managing Member of Legion Systems

Q. Briefly explain your company’s successful journey to date.

Legion’s success to date can be directly attributed to the team we have assembled. Unlike most small business providers who start firms directly from military or government service, Legion’s team has spent significant time in the aerospace and defense industry prior to Legion’s creation. After three years of building a successful reputation in the consulting industry under our Advisory Services business unit, we opened our second business unit. Government Solutions offers a full suite of education & training and professional services for the Intelligence and Special Operations communities. Our goal was to combine these services with our comprehensive consulting and organize them along a robust back office to maintain a small business’s agility with the expertise and discipline of a large systems integrator capable of addressing any challenge.

Q. How do you market your services?

Primarily word of mouth within our existing client base – both government and commercial. We identified and made a strategic hire in 2019 to establish and utilize a new marketing plan by analyzing our competitor’s marketing approaches. We then used that to assist our business development team in order to develop a thorough value proposition that differentiated our firm. We also utilized “online” marketing platforms with investments in a new website and social media platforms’ development and growth.

Q. Defense and government services firms face a dynamic environment marked by industry consolidation, new competitors, technical innovation, and uncertainties. How do you help them cope with the adversaries?

First, we must recognize and accept that the old ways of doing this business no longer work effectively. With the increasingly intense competitive challenges and the recent pandemic, those who cannot innovate will wither. However, very few have challenged the status quo. We continuously analyze market trends, listen to our customers, and study what our competitors are doing to spot the right time and opportunities to innovate. The goal is to constantly be on the lookout for ways to reduce costs and eliminate waste. We strive to improve employee relations because they are the best source of innovative ideas for our customers. An innovative workplace is stimulating for employees, which cultivates pride in our services and a desire for Legion to be an industry leader.

Q. How did Legion devise its proprietary methodologies?

We have tweaked a number of techniques and procedures, taken from different methodologies, to suit our organization. For instance, our consulting business line has a tailored business development methodology – Prepare, Plan, and Pursue (P3) in which we utilize to both assist and train our clients on winning high revenue-generating opportunities. Another example is our recruiting platform and process – Legion for Life. This has led to 100% staffing and 93% retention rates across our core competencies, which sits well above industry standards.

Q. How robust are your offerings, and how do you secure your offerings?

We provide analysis, planning, and education & training services across the Counter Intelligence (CI), Computer Network Operations (CNO), Cyber Intelligence, Electronic Warfare (EW), Human Intelligence (HUMINT), and Information Operations (IO) domains.

Q. Do you have qualified individuals who can maintain the quality of your services?

A key aspect of our offering is access to a substantial personnel pool and the ability to cross utilize our existing employee base. This allows us to accommodate surges (new requirements or changes to existing requirements) using existing resources, while also absorbing employees for reassignment after contract closeout.

Q. How do you earn your customer’s loyalty, trust, and confidence?

Effective Communication, Honesty, Professionalism, and the fact we don’t over-sell nor self-promote.

Q. Do you have any new services ready to be launched?

Yes, we have developed an Innovative Staffing Solution we call the Episodic Support Model that provides flexible Surge capacity for any Knowledge-Based Service requirement requiring additional contractor support for operational needs or contingencies.

Meet the leader behind the success of Legion Systems

Dan Vanderheyden is a Co-founder & Managing Member of Legion. He is responsible for the day-to-day leadership, growth, and general management of the company. Dan is a veteran of the United States Navy and previously held senior management positions for Tier-One, Mid-Size, and niche boutique Defense firms. Drawing from these experiences, Dan has quickly established Legion as a global, award-winning, innovative solutions provider for the Department of Defense and Interagency.

“A key aspect of our offering is access to a substantial personnel pool and the ability to cross utilize our existing employee base.”