Starting a company in some industries requires detailed technical expertise or tremendous business experience. For example, inventing a new kidney dialysis machine and taking it to market would require a mind-boggling amount of technical knowledge, business acumen and “sales” expertise to be successful.

In many ways, successfully launching a company like this is like qualifying for the 100M sprint in the Olympics. You must have no-kidding natural, God-given ability. You either have it, or you don’t. Government Contracting Academy founder, Randy Wimmer, quickly realized that no matter how hard he trained, he would never be in the same league as an Olympic sprinter. In a race against Usain Bolt, Randy would be lumbering across the finish line only to see Usain finishing a hotdog that he bought from at a concession stand…with a long line.

Launching a startup company based upon complex technology or tremendous scale is a very daunting task that should not be attempted by “good” people. Leave that to the incredibly gifted and very fortunate “great” people. But here’s the good news. Starting a Federal Government contracting company is less like qualifying for the Olympics and more like hiking the Appalachian Trail.

Both are tremendous life events. However, one relies upon superhuman ability and the other depends almost exclusively upon perseverance. If properly motivated, most people could hike the Appalachian Trail from beginning to end…Just like most people can be successful in the Federal Government contracting industry with enough effort.

What if a billionaire promised to pay 5 MILLION DOLLARS to every person who hiked the entire Appalachian Trail? A lot of people would be buying hiking boots and a light-weight tent! If you have the commitment to try and the grit to see it through, then you have a great opportunity to be successful in the Federal Government contracting industry. And just forget about beating Usain Bolt. That guy is fast!