Eii
Selling to the expansive government market is a major opportunity for small businesses, one that is often overlooked. It is different in important ways, however, with a specific vocabulary and new and often unfamiliar processes, procedures and tools. In fact, it often requires training and guidance to enter the market, win contracts and be successful. For Janine Klein, CEO of Eii, a leadership and emotional intelligence training company, opportunities abounded in government contracting and she turned to the no-cost, expert consulting, business training and market research resources of the Florida APEX Accelerator at the University of Central Florida (Florida APEX at UCF) for the assistance she needed. Her payoff has been remarkable.
Eii provides a mental training gym that bridges the gap left by artificial intelligence (AI) with live, human-led interactions through advanced avatar technology. Using familiar platforms like Zoom, their solutions bring nuance, empathy, and adaptability to create authentic experiences tailored to their clients’ needs. “We work in a very niche space with a blend of AI and human interaction,” Klein states, “addressing emotional, trauma-based issues. We create customized scenarios with our clients and train our interactors to perform as avatars with their staff to practice real world difficult conversations in real time.”
Having successfully penetrated the private sector, Klein saw an unmet need for Eii’s services in the government, especially the military where hard conversations are the order of the day. To educate herself on how to enter that market, she contacted the Florida APEX at UCF, an affiliate of the Florida SBDC at UCF.
“Our journey with the APEX Accelerator has been instrumental for us in navigating government contracting,” recalls Klein. “Their expertise has helped us secure our Woman Owned Small Business (WOSB) certification and their continuous guidance in this ever-changing landscape of government contracting has been invaluable. We’ve benefited greatly from their seminars and workshops. They have helped us understand local contracting opportunities and having access to their market research and databases has been crucial in tracking requests for information and requests for proposals and to identify potential opportunities.”
“Personally, working with APEX has been great for me,” Kelin shared. “To find support when I’ve felt alone as a leader has contributed to my success as an owner and as a person.” She has also seen a lot of success on the business side. “The changes that have happened since working with APEX is our revenues have increased steadily these last four (4) years from $500,000 to $3.6 million. We started with one and have grown to 25 employees. We currently hold four (4) active government contracts with the help of APEX and are exploring loan opportunities as well,” Klein reports.
“I would highly recommend anyone to work with the APEX Accelerator, “ Klein concluded. “Their expert guidance, resources and support have been invaluable in navigating the challenges of government contracting and achieve business growth. Having experienced advisors and consultants who understand the industry and have offered tailored solutions is something that money really can’t buy. If you’re looking to grow, APEX is a game changer.”
For information about Eii, please visit https://www.eiieq.com/ .
