Brewing a winning formulatobe the successful enterprise: Succeed To Lead, LLC

The Silicon Review

”Management is efficiency in climbing the ladder of success; leadership determines whether the ladder is leaning against the right wall.” -Stephen Covey

All businesses are selling solutions to problems whether they want to admitted it or not. Selling is about solving customer problems. Your prospective customers may be aware of these problems, or you can bring these problems to their attention. Your prospective customers may face these problems currently or they will face these problems as the situation and their needs change.
Founded in 2007, Succeed To Lead, LLC (STL), headquartered at Virginia, is a SBA Certified 8(a) Program Participant, Certified Small Disadvantaged and Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business. It is committed to serving as a force for integrity, good sense, and wise solutions to the problems facing organizations, large and small and supports and serves customers in DoD, federal, state, and local governments as well as the private and public sectors.

STL provides a broad range of consulting services in Financial Management including all areasof Budget Analysis and Budget Execution, Program Management, Information Technology, IT Portfolio Management, Logistics Management Services, Strategic Planning & Leadership Training, IA & Cyber Security & Training, Cyber Security & Intelligence, Insider Threat Programs and Technical Documentation & Editing to the Department of Defense, other federal agencies and state and local governments.

Reaching out to clientele with strong leadership skills
“Our low overhead costs, competitive benefits package and strong ties with big businesses as well as federal agencies and routine addition of qualified professionals to our database, allows us to be responsive to a variety of staffing and consulting needs. We play to our strengths rather than spread ourselves too thin. Too many other companies, especially small companies, try to be all things to all people. That’s a sure way to lose credibility quickly”, believes Founder, Dr Cherry.

With strong skills in Marketing and Selling and a belief in creating Customer Value by satisfying the customer’s needs, STL is in a strong position to respond to the fluctuations in today’s market. For example, the United States had a defense budget of US$607.5 billion (including allocation for OCO) in 2014 and the government is expected to sustain a high level of expenditure over the forecast period according to PR Newswire. Although the allocation for overseas operations is estimated to remain stable atUS$37.3 billion over the forecast period, the country is expected to increase its base military expenditure at a CAGR of 1.75%. The looming threat of budget cuts and sequestration is not expected to terminate or affect existing contracts, but will impact DoD’s future contracts and the number of military hardware to be procured under these contracts. According to PR Newswire, significant opportunities are expected to exist in the fields of C4ISR, aircraft, cyber security, missile defense systems and submarines.
At a time when big firms and larger organizations are now teaming with smaller companies to compete for opportunities, which the government has now set aside as small business awards, it is hard to compete because of the experience and reputation that the large firms bring in. However STL has managed to emerge victorious in these times of neck to neck competition and In fact Dr Cherry says, “I do not look at my fellow business owners as competitors. I see them as a motivating force that keeps me working hard to make my business bigger and better!”

Sparking the growth towards innovation

Talking about the journey of the company so far, Dr. Cherry erstwhile known as COL Cherry defines STL’s journey as a ‘very modest one’. He says, “After I retired from the US Army, I went to work 18 months for a large company and then in June 2010, set my path on the road that now has STL as a pace setter. My first contract came as an Independent Consultant. I did this for one year until I was able to secure my first contract with the US Special Operations Command. Besides, I had seen how certain businesses, especially small businesses were not servicing their customers’ needs as they should. Noticing this, I set a plan in motion to be that firm that would sit down, use the three (3) L’s – “Look, Listen and Learn” to what the customer had to say and what they were looking for. In doing so, we set in place a strategy and a structure that would be the organization to meet those needs. This made a huge impact on my life and we were able to launch from there and grow to the capacity where we are today”.

Affordable and versatile Offerings

With Financial Management, Budget Analysis and Budget Execution, Program Management, Information Technology, IT Portfolio Management, Logistics Management Services, Strategic Planning & Leadership Training, IA & Cyber Security & Training, Cyber Security & Intelligence, Insider Threat Programs and Technical Documentation & Editing as its areas of Offerings, STL boasts of having served clientele such as Department of Defense; HQ US Army; HQs Training & Doctrine Command (TRADOC); HQ US Army Cyber Center, Fort Gordon; HQ USMC P&R (Programs & Resources); HQ MARCORSYSCOM (Marine Corps Systems Command); HQ MARCORLOGCOM (Marine Corps Logistics Command); US Department of Agriculture, etc.
Sharing his experience of having worked with STL, Brandon Whitfield, Management Analyst, Programs & Resources, USMC says, “STL was more than willing to work with the customer to tackle contingency requirements within the scope of the contract. Their communication is excellent. STL listened, and made any adjustments necessary to help the customer achieve its mission”.

Looking ahead

STL continues to see the traction within the Department of Defense sector and is now all set to expand into many other federal agencies and looking forward to some great teaming relationships with some of the larger firms. Marching forward this company will continue to be a great organization that provides high quality and great service to its clients. “We are Veteran-friendly. Employees with prior military service often bring keen insight, experience, and knowledge of our government customers’ needs and requirements; this helps us develop better solutions for the most critical challenges which is a reflection of our motto, Your Success is Our Success!” Today STL has not only met but it has exceeded in being a successful enterprise. In fact the company’s experts are assembled and organized in a manner that results in immediate positive results for customers.

Client Testimonials
“Your team has played an instrumental part in support of our government financial analysts, from training, to document development, account reconciliation and management, your support allows the government analysts to concentrate on inherently governmental functions knowing that the day-to-day funds management challenges are being appropriately and successfully achieved
– COTR, MARCORSYSCOM
“STL has shown diversity and depth in the company’s portfolio of support.”
– COTR, J61, Information Technology Management Office, MacDill AFB

Mission & Vision
“Our vision is to support leaders by providing resources and tools that build the organization as well as provide training and consultation that supports personal and professional development across the business infrastructure.