Eronica Dew is an intentional leader and a trusted source on entrepreneurship, government contracting, proposal management, and proposal writing.
Eronica is the CEO and founder of BES Solutions Inc., building the firm from the ground up and securing more than $13M in federal contracts as a prime contractor in the company’s start-up phase.
Eronica is mission driven – a constant throughout her career.
Prior to striking out on her own, Eronica served 10 years in the U.S. Air Force, including a deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Later, as a Program Manager at Lockheed Martin, she managed a $26M Logistics and Communications contract serving Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C.
She became an expert in capture management, proposal management, proposal writing, and win plans, leading numerous proposal teams and securing over $3B in federal government contracts.
But as she grew in her career, she didn’t see many people who looked like her – Black women, service-disabled Veterans, people balancing family life with ambition – in the same spaces. She didn’t have the same luxury of mentorship as many of her peers.
That’s what drives Eronica to break down the barriers and widely share the knowledge she’s gained in her decades of experience. She is passionate about helping people elevate their careers, their businesses, and themselves as they build the lives they truly want.
Company: BES Solutions, Inc.
We are thrilled to have you join us today, welcome to ValiantCEO Magazine’s exclusive interview! Let’s start off with a little introduction. Tell our readers a bit about yourself and your company
Eronica Dew: I’m Eronica Dew, the CEO and founder of BES Solutions, Inc. (BESS). My background is in government contracting, proposal management, and proposal writing and I’m passionate about sharing this knowledge and working with others in our community to create effective solutions.
My journey to entrepreneurship really started well before I actually started BESS.
I served 10 years in the U.S. Air Force, including a deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Following my military service, I worked as a federal employee before eventually switching into government contracting, working directly for government clients and later for large defense contractors. As a Program Manager at Lockheed Martin, I managed a $26M Logistics and Communications contract serving Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. and became an expert in capture management, proposal management, proposal writing, and win plans, leading numerous proposal teams and securing over $3B in federal government contracts.
Fast forward to 2018. I was winning proposals for large firms but I couldn’t stop seeing a gap that I knew I could fill. BESS was born out of this strong need for a customer-service-focused firm lean, agile, and adept enough to navigate the complex government landscape. At first it was going to be more of a side hustle but when the pandemic hit, I was home with more time on my hands and I decided to let go of that safety net and fully commit to building BESS.
Since 2020, we’ve won more than $13M in federal contracts, securing these wins as a prime contractor on every single contract during BESS’s start-up years – an extreme rarity for a new firm.
I’m also a wife (married for more than 30 years!) and a mother of five. I’m a member of The BOW Collective, an organization and sisterhood of the Nation’s top 1% of small business owners, and I serve on the Board for the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Prince George’s, among other volunteer work.
If you were in an elevator with Warren Buffett, how would you describe your company, your services or products? What makes your company different from others? What is your company’s biggest strength?
Eronica Dew: BES Solutions, Inc. brings clarity to complexity and delivers precision-driven value through our Program and Project Management, Information Technology, Logistics, Facility Management, and Construction service offerings. Our tailored solutions meet the unique goals and challenges of our clients, driving meaningful progress for businesses and government agencies nationwide.
Where you see challenges, we see opportunity. What sets BES Solutions apart is our uncanny ability to uncover an issue, understand the full extent of the issue’s impact, design a solution to match, and then execute that solution.
We aren’t industry limited and have delivered solutions for clients ranging from medical support and Veterans health care to the development of training materials to program management and executive administrative support services for some of the largest federal government agencies. It’s a firm powered by people. BESS is committed to making sure the people at every end of the business from clients and customers to staff and contractors to end users are treated with respect and dignity.
Quiet quitting, The Great Resignation, is an ongoing trend causing many businesses to struggle to keep talent engaged and motivated. Most are leaving because of their boss or their company culture. 82% of people feel unheard, undervalued, and misunderstood in the workplace. In your experience, what keeps employees happy? And how are you adapting to the current shift we see?
Eronica Dew: At BES Solutions Inc., fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace is more than a commitment; it’s a core value that shapes every aspect of our company culture. One of the fundamental ways we embed these values is through open communication. I make it a priority to regularly talk with our employees, clients, and corporate team. This continuous dialogue ensures that everyone feels heard and that we can address any issues promptly and effectively. By maintaining an open-door policy, we encourage transparency and trust within our organization.
I also believe in the importance of learning from our experiences. I keep detailed records of lessons learned from dealing with employee matters and use these insights to improve our practices continuously. This proactive approach helps us to address potential issues before they become significant problems and fosters a culture of continuous improvement.
My leadership is also rooted in a deep understanding of the challenges faced by working parents. Having raised five children while managing a demanding career, I recognize that working parents are often unfairly punished for not being able to attend work events or for needing to prioritize their children’s needs alongside their professional responsibilities. This firsthand experience has taught me the importance of creating a supportive and accommodating work environment. At BESS, I strive to ensure that our policies reflect this understanding by promoting work-life balance, offering flexible schedules, and fostering a culture where employees feel valued for their contributions, not penalized for their family commitments. By acknowledging and addressing these challenges, I aim to empower working parents to thrive both at home and in their careers.
When I started BESS, I wanted to ensure that no one in my company would face the same barriers I did. We have implemented fair and transparent processes for promotion and recognition, ensuring that everyone has an equal opportunity to advance based on their skills and contributions. We celebrate diversity and strive to create a supportive environment where all employees feel valued.
Online business keeps on surging higher than ever, B2B, B2C, online shopping, virtual meetings, remote work, Zoom medical consultations, what are your expectations for the year to come and how are you capitalizing on the tidal wave?
Eronica Dew: I expect these trends to continue growing and further embedding themselves into the fabric of daily operations across industries.
The increasing reliance on digital platforms offers numerous opportunities for innovation, efficiency, and expanded service offerings presents an array of opportunities for federal contractors like BESS. We are currently enhancing our digital infrastructure, investing in collaboration tools, expanding remote services, leveraging data analytics, and adopting agile practices, so we will be well-positioned to capitalize on this tidal wave while continuing to deliver exceptional value to our clients.
Business is all about overcoming obstacles and creating opportunities for growth. What do you see as THE real challenge right now?
Eronica Dew: From a federal contractor perspective, one of the most pressing challenges right now is navigating the uncertainty associated with potential administrative changes in the White House and modifications to the 8(a) Business Development Program. An administrative shift can significantly change federal budget allocations, regulatory policies, and contracting priorities. These changes can disrupt ongoing projects and impact future opportunities, especially for businesses heavily reliant on federal contracts.
Additionally, potential modifications to the 8(a) program, a contract set-aside created to help firms owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals, could alter eligibility criteria and program benefits, affecting our ability to compete for specific contracts. To address these uncertainties, we emphasize staying informed about policy developments, maintaining strong relationships with key stakeholders, and diversifying our contract portfolio to reduce reliance on any single program or client. We are a certified SDVOSB and an EDWOSB, and we will lean into opportunities presented by those small business set-aside contracts. This diversifying proactive approach helps us anticipate changes and adapt strategies to ensure business continuity and growth.
I also feel like the current labor market poses a challenge in attracting and retaining top talent. The competition for skilled professionals, particularly in IT and cybersecurity, is intense. At BESS, we are people-powered and committed to creating an attractive work environment that offers competitive compensation and opportunities for professional growth and development. By investing in our employees and fostering a culture of innovation and inclusivity, we can build a dedicated, skilled workforce that drives our success.
In your experience, what tends to be the most underestimated part of running a company? Can you share an example?
Eronica Dew: Balancing being the face of your company with actually running it is a monumental task. It’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day and not be able to focus on the future.
My background is in business development and I’m good at that part of the job, but teaching someone else that skill set would really help me with time management. It takes time to go through the GovWin accounts, identify partners and connect with them, and build winning proposals and that is time that can no longer be used on other tasks.
When you are running a company, you’re the CEO, the proposal manager, the HR manager – always wearing 5,6 different hats. It’s just a challenge. One of my biggest lessons learned since starting BESS is to train the people you like, know, and trust in your specific skill set and see where you can outsource tasks. This will give you the time you need to focus on strategic growth.
On a lighter note, if you had the ability to pick any business superpower, what would it be and how would you put it into practice?
Eronica Dew: If I could pick any business superpower, it would be the ability to instantly connect and build relationships with key decision-makers and political influencers. As a federal contractor, having direct access to these individuals would be invaluable in understanding the intricacies of policy changes, securing critical contracts, and positioning BES Solutions Inc. as a trusted partner within the government sector. This superpower would allow me to effortlessly navigate the often complex and bureaucratic processes involved in federal contracting, ensuring that our company is always at the forefront of new opportunities and can influence decisions that impact our industry.
Putting this superpower into practice, I would use it to foster strong, strategic relationships that align with our business goals and mission. By connecting with influential figures, I could gain insights into upcoming policy shifts and emerging needs within the federal government, allowing us to tailor our services and solutions proactively. It would also enable us to advocate more effectively for the interests of our clients and the broader community, ensuring that we are growing our business and contributing positively to the public sector.
What does “success” in 2024 mean to you? It could be on a personal or business level, please share your vision
Eronica Dew: 2024 is a building year for us. We are currently awaiting our 8(a) certification and an Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) award for the General Services Administration (GSA) Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) and we are getting everything in place so that when our government clients and partners come to us for direct awards, we can say, “yes,” without hesitation.
We’ve expanded our services this year to include IT, construction, logistics, and facility management. We’re working toward gaining company wide facility clearance, allowing BESS to support America’s critical intelligence community.
We’ve established our first internship program for college students from underserved communities and disadvantaged backgrounds. Business development, executing win plans, and creating value propositions are not typically taught in college courses; these are skills learned through hands-on experience in corporations. By creating these internship opportunities, I hope to help bridge the gap and provide invaluable learning experiences for young individuals who might not otherwise have access to such knowledge.
Success for us this year looks like making significant progress in these areas and raising our profile to ensure everyone sees us as a trusted partner.
