Why Certifications Don’t Save You in GovCon and What Actually Does

from GovCon Unscripted · host Chelsea Roberts

In this Success After Service (SAS) Special Episode of GovCon Unscripted, Chelsea Roberts sits down with Michelle Gardner-Ince, retired Air Force Colonel, former VA executive, and founder of GI Strategic Solutions, to unpack one of the most misunderstood assumptions in government contracting: that certifications alone lead to contracts.Michelle shares what she learned from fixing and leading the VA’s Veteran-Owned Small Business Certification Program, why “control” is the most common reason companies fail certification, and how veterans and small businesses should rethink past performance, niche strategy, and transition planning. This conversation explores what actually drives awards in GovCon and why relevance, credibility, and trust matter more than logos and labels.Timestamps:00:00 – Welcome to GovCon Unscripted01:00 – Success After Service series introduction02:00 – Michelle’s Air Force and entrepreneurial background05:00 – Transitioning from military service to business ownership07:00 – Entering the VA and fixing VetCert12:00 – Why control is the #1 certification failure point18:00 – Veteran-owned certification as an “earned” designation22:00 – Why chasing certifications misses the real problem26:00 – Turning rank into relevance and revenue31:00 – Past performance starts with you36:00 – The danger of “pass-through” GovCon models41:00 – Niching down and building credibility inside agencies46:00 – Final advice for transitioning leadersResources:Michelle Gardner-Ince's LinkedIn profileGI Strategic SolutionsChelsea Roberts' LinkedIn profile🎧 Listen now on:🔹 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/govcon-unscripted/id1766384482🔹 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1NL0kFAvmgECLTJpUZYNHyLike and follow us:🔹 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GovConUnscriptedUS🔹 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/govconunscriptedpodcast/🔹 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/govcon-unscripted/posts/Join our #govcon #community:https://www.linkedin.com/groups/14618490/New to GovCon? Here’s a guide for you:https://share.hsforms.com/288nO18bsRCCmdJZL66pClwbzmvx21 AI Prompts to Supercharge Your GovCon BD Engine:https://collaborativecompositions.com/21-ai-prompts-to-supercharge-your-govcon-bd-engine/

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Jan 12, 2026

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Why Certifications Don’t Save You in GovCon and What Actually Does

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