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Isabel Guzman didn't plan on a career in policy. She planned on building businesses — starting in the front office of her father's veterinary practice, continuing through Wharton, Penn, and a stint at Procter & Gamble, and eventually back to California to help her dad scale what had become a chain of hospitals. Government found her, not the other way around. But once she was in, she went deep — and what she learned about how capital actually flows to small businesses changed how she thinks about everything.
In this episode, Isabel joins Everett to break down the most common and costly misconceptions small business owners have about working with the government: why the grant era of COVID was an anomaly, not a baseline; why getting a "no" from one SBA lender doesn't mean the door is closed; and why building a strong private-sector portfolio is the single most important thing a founder can do before pursuing government contracts.
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3 Takeaways:
- Government capital has shifted back to loans. Founders who built on COVID-era grants need to recalibrate.
- Past performance is the entry ticket to government contracting (and most small businesses skip building it).
- LA's mega-events are a rare, time-bound revenue window. The businesses that benefit will treat it as a strategy, not a backdrop.
Timestamps:
[05:50] Why Isabel Left Corporate for Public Service
[09:45] The LA Mega Events Opportunity
[12:00] The Funding Story That Saved a Business
[14:10] Biggest Mistakes with Government Capital
[18:55] How to Win Government Contracts
Isabel’s Best Insights:
"One of the biggest hats you wear as an entrepreneur is a fundraiser for your company. Your ability to sustain and grow really relies on your ability to understand how to fundraise — loans, equity, grants, depending on your structure. I wish they had told me that in the beginning."
"Expect that [getting government contracts] is going to be hard work to learn the rules of the road. Building up your portfolio of private companies can really help you advance further in the government contracting space."
"I'm proud now to say everywhere I go that I've failed multiple times. But that doesn't mean I don't keep going."
Connect:
Isabel Guzman: www.linkedin.com/in/isabelcguzman
Everett Sands: www.linkedin.com/in/everettksands
Learn more about Lendistry: lendistry.com
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