By Willis H. Thomas, Ph.D.
JA Business Correspondent
Las Vegas: The energy surrounding the AVANCE Global conference in Las Vegas was unmistakable. AVANCE Global describes itself as a gathering at the intersection of capital, leadership and Latino prosperity. Those themes could be seen throughout the conference.
Sept. 14-16, AVANCE Global offered conference attendees a national vision of economic mobility. Thousands of entrepreneurs, executives, investors and community leaders gathered at the Bellagio to discuss Latino prosperity, access to capital, leadership and business growth. Conference attendees were encouraged to think bigger, build relationships and pursue opportunities capable of benefiting both their businesses and their communities.
AVANCE Global’s conference demonstrated the scale, ambition and economic influence of the Latino business community. The lessons learned there also apply to Black-owned businesses and other historically underrepresented firms in Mississippi.
I accepted the assignment to cover this conference, in part, because I have an interest in identifying and sharing with Jackson Advocate audiences specific and effective strategies that can help small and diverse businesses compete more effectively for public and private sector contracts.
In addition to attending the conference, I also visited the Nevada APEX Accelerator office and met with Cynthia “Cindy” Randall and Ken Wineberg. Meeting with Randall and Wineberg inside the Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development connected the ambitions expressed at the AVANCE Global conference with the practical infrastructure required to support business growth.
Randall brought the perspective of Nevada APEX and its procurement-assistance resources. Wineberg contributed extensive government-contracting, sales and technology experience. Together, our discussion focused on what businesses must do to become more competitive for government contracts and subcontracting opportunities.
They explained that success in the public sector requires much more than locating an open solicitation. Businesses must understand the agencies and prime contractors they hope to serve, identify realistic opportunities, communicate their capabilities, build credible relationships and demonstrate they can perform after receiving an award.
They noted a company may have excellent technical skills and still be unprepared for government contracting. It may lack a focused capability statement, appropriate registrations, accurate cost information, documented processes or an understanding of proposal requirements. A contractor may know how to complete the physical work but lack the scheduling, project-management and reporting systems needed to manage a larger contract. In their view, these are not minor administrative issues – they determine whether a company can compete, perform and grow.
The location of the Nevada APEX is important. It operates within the Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development. Its Las Vegas office is in the same building and on the same floor as the state’s economic-development operation.
That physical proximity communicates that government contracting, small-business development, workforce preparation and statewide economic growth are not treated as unrelated activities. They are positioned within the same economic-development structure.
For a small-business owner walking into the Nevada APEX office, its location sends a powerful message: helping Nevada companies compete for government work is not a peripheral activity. It is part of the state’s broader strategy for creating jobs, diversifying the economy and developing stronger businesses.
Although the conversions occurred at the AVANCE Global conference and in the Nevada APEX office, the lessons learned have direct relevance for Jackson and the broader Mississippi business community. Mississippi has comparable resources that can help businesses pursue contracts, develop employees and build stronger management systems. Among these is the Mississippi APEX Accelerator, which operates through the Mississippi Development Authority’s Minority and Small Business Development Division. Its office is located in the Woolfolk State Office Building in Jackson.
