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Sue Tellier GRBJ 2022 Award

JetCo Federal President Named Among 50 Most Influential Women in West Michigan

GRAND RAPIDS, MICH (February 18, 2022) — Sue Schweim Tellier, President of JetCo Federal, has been named among the Grand Rapids Business Journal’s (GRBJ) 50 Most Influential Women in West Michigan for 2022.

According to the GRBJ, “Honorees were selected by the editorial department based on community involvement, leadership capabilities, depth of responsibility, and participation in mentoring other women.”

Schweim Tellier started JetCo Federal in 2007. Under her leadership, the company has significantly expanded its services for government and defense prime contractors.

Schweim Tellier is active in small business advocacy, serving as a second vice chair of the Small Business Association of Michigan (SBAM). She was appointed by Governor Whitmer to serve as a Michigan Strategic Fund Board Member in 2019, and was reappointed to another 4-year term in 2021.

She actively serves on the Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP) Leadership Advisory Council as Vice Chair and is a WIPP board member. Schweim Tellier also leads in the defense industry, serving as Vice Chair for the Women in Defense National Council and as Vice President of Women in Defense – Michigan Chapter.

Schweim Tellier holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Public Affairs Management from Michigan State University and a Graduate Certificate in Economic Development from Wayne State University.

The GRBJ 50 Most Influential Women in West Michigan celebrates West Michigan women who are making a difference in the community. View the full list of 2022 influential women on the GRBJ’s website.

Podcast of Sue Tellier

JetCo Federal President Talks Defense Contracting on The Michigan Opportunity Podcast

JetCo Federal’s President, Sue Tellier, chats with host, Ed Clemente, about small business, defense contracting, and more on The Michigan Opportunity podcast. Listen to the full podcast (episode 39) on the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) website.

Capital Building Black and White

JetCo Federal President to Moderate Webinar on Pathways to Government Procurement Success

JetCo Federal’s President, Sue Tellier, will moderate a Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP) webinar titled “Government Procurement – Pathways to Success” on Monday, December 13 at 2 PM EST.

According to WIPP, to succeed in government contracting, it takes a well-laid plan, focus, patience, and resilience. The webinar will feature four women business owners as they share their story of trials and triumphs on the journey to success using WOSB, 8a, and HUBZone programs. 

To find more information and register for the event, visit WIPP’s website. 

Paul Laidler Blog Picture

Paul Laidler Joins JetCo Federal as Director of Operations

GRAND RAPIDS, MICH (October 28, 2021) JetCo Federal, a Grand Rapids-based supply chain management and logistics company, welcomed a new team member this month.

Paul Laidler

Paul Laidler joins the JetCo Federal team as Director of Operations. In this role, he leads strategic planning, business development, and management of the company’s day-to-day operations. 

Laidler brings with him extensive experience in the logistics, supply chain, and manufacturing industries. In his most recent position, he served as assistant plant manager and process engineer for a contract manufacturer of machined, painted, and illuminated components for the aerospace, military, and automotive industries.

Laidler is a graduate of Michigan State University where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management.

To learn more about the JetCo Federal team, please visit our leadership page.

Sue Tellier WIPP Board of Directors

JetCo Federal President Elected to Women Impacting Public Policy Board of Directors

Grand Rapids, MICH (Oct 27, 2021) — Sue (Schweim) Tellier, Owner and President of Grand Rapids-based JetCo Federal, a supply chain management and logistics company, was recently elected as the new Leadership Advisory Council Vice Chair and a Member of the Board for Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP).

WIPP is a national nonpartisan organization advocating on behalf of women entrepreneurs—strengthening their impact on our nation’s public policy, creating economic opportunities, and forging alliances with other business organizations.

(Schweim) Tellier will assume her positions on WIPP’s board starting January 1 of 2022 and will work with fellow board members to execute and deliver strategic objectives for the organization.

“WIPP is widely respected for their advocacy on behalf of women-owned small businesses, and their knowledge of programs that support women entrepreneurs,” said (Schweim) Tellier. “The business owners and leaders I have met through WIPP are already lifelong friends – they are women who generously share their time and talent. I’m honored to serve with them, and I’m excited to further WIPP’s mission.”

Kathie Fuce-Hobohm of Space, Inc. (also a Michigan business owner), Pamela O’Rourke of Icon Information Consultants, LaJuanna Russell of Business Management Associates, and Andrea Tsakanikas of CrewFacilities.com join (Schweim) Tellier as newly elected WIPP board members.

For more information about Women Impacting Public Policy, please visit www.wipp.org/.

Courtney Fairchild from Global Services

Woman-Owned Business Spotlight: Global Services

In this edition of our woman-owned small business spotlight series, we feature Global Services, headed by President and CEO, Courtney Fairchild. In 23 years within the arena of federal proposals and GSA Schedules, Global Services has empowered clients with over 3,000 contract awards valuing more than 20 billion dollars.

Global Services Logo

Author’s note: Global Services doesn’t just empower clients – they generously share knowledge that builds stronger compliance systems, which enable scale for sales. Also, they’re fun.

Courtney Fairchild shares her story with us:

Can you give us some background on your start with Global Services?

I have been with Global Services since our inception, and I was fortunate enough to be able to purchase the company seventeen years ago. Since the beginning, I worked in and developed every aspect of our business allowing it to morph along the way guided by client demand. For me, the only logical step was to make it my own!

What is your proudest moment for the company?

My proudest moment for our company was crossing the $1,000,000 revenue threshold in our early years. I remembered a statistic in American Express Small Business Reports that less than 3% of Women-Owned Businesses had revenue in excess of $1,000,000 and I was thrilled to be a part of this elite group.

What is the biggest challenge you have overcome with Global Services?

Over seven years ago, just as I had poised Global Services to truly grow, it became clear to me that my business partner was not interested in taking this journey or risk any further.  Believing in myself, and what I had created over time, I decided to purchase the other half of our company. Since that time, I have been able to lead Global Services to over 66% revenue growth.

What advice would you give to other women entrepreneurs?

Embrace your fear. A lot of people think entrepreneurship is about not being afraid, but the truth is that it is more about acknowledging the fear. As you take risks, it is essential that you recognize, analyze, and experience your fear in order to be able to push past it.

Do you have any suggestions on resources that women-owned small businesses should use?

Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP) is a strong resource for all WOSBs who want to grow their businesses. WIPP is a national nonpartisan organization advocating on behalf of women entrepreneurs—strengthening their impact on our nation’s public policy, creating economic opportunities, and forging alliances with other business organizations. I am honored to serve on the WIPP Board of Directors.

Another author’s note: Courtney is a badass WOSB advocate. She demonstrates support of women entrepreneurs routinely – with her actions and her guidance. I met Courtney through WIPP. She was welcoming, and she’s encouraged me to increase my involvement with the organization.

To learn more about Global Services, please visit https://www.globalservicesinc.com/.

JetCo Federal Graphic

JetCo Federal Secures Spot on Inc. 5000 List

JetCo Federal ranks No. 2960 on the Inc. 5000 with three-year revenue growth of 133 percent

GRAND RAPIDS, MICH (August 12, 2020) — Grand Rapids-based supply chain management and warehouse supply company, JetCo Federal, was recently ranked by Inc. magazine in its annual Inc. 5000, the most prestigious ranking of the nation’s fastest growing private companies. The list represents the most successful organizations within the American economy’s most dynamic segment — independent small businesses.

JetCo Federal, a local woman-owned small business, was ranked no. 2960 with three-year revenue growth of 133 percent.

According to Sue Tellier, President at JetCo Federal, the growth is attributed to the niche they credibly hold with their customer base.

“Our successful and extensive experience with the Department of Defense earns respect from warehousing decision-makers,” said Tellier. “We embrace complex supply chain challenges, we deliver on time, and we offer blunt, creative ideas that resonate.”

Not only have the companies on the 2020 Inc. 5000 been very competitive within their markets, but the list as a whole shows staggering growth compared to prior years. The 2020 Inc. 5000 achieved a three-year average growth of over 500 percent, and a median growth rate of 165 percent. The Inc. 5000’s aggregate revenue was $209 billion in 2019, accounting for over 1 million jobs over the past three years.

“Our significant growth doesn’t surprise me. We have tenacious employees and a scrappy, no-whining culture,” said Tellier. “We’re not done growing, either.”

Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found at www.inc.com/inc5000.

JetCo Federal Website Image

JetCo Federal Unveils New Website, Expanded Services

JetCo Federal, a supply chain management and warehouse supply company, has unveiled a new website that showcases the company’s expanded products and services.

“For more than 13 years, government and commercial customers have trusted JetCo Federal to reliably deliver high-quality products,” said Sue Tellier, President of JetCo Federal. “The expansion of our capabilities, as showcased on our new website, will allow us to serve a larger customer base while still upholding our commitment to supplying the highest quality products both now and in the future.”

JetCo Federal’s expanded products and services include warehousing, storage, packaging design, kitting, and a larger selection of warehouse consumables. The new website can be viewed at www.jetcofederal.com.

JetCo Federal Office

Our First Government Contract and Where We Are Now

JetCo Federal’s first government client was the Michigan Department of Corrections. They didn’t just need packaging and industrial supplies – they needed a contractor to deliver these supplies correctly. Delivering to a correctional facility is exceptional. The driver must be cleared by law enforcement and may not carry tobacco, a cell phone, or any type of weapon – this includes a multi-functional tool like a Leatherman. The delivery hours are very limited, and every delivery can be postponed or canceled if a lock-down or other security breach requires it. Delivery rules are strict as well. Every truck must leave empty for security purposes, and there are multiple steps in the delivery schedule.

This first client was not an accident. Neither was the second, a complex packaging solution for critical items for the Army. From day one, we didn’t want the easy projects.

In those early days, the company had two stubborn, hard-working, scrappy employees. (It was my husband Jon and I.) Today, we have 12. And I’ve been fortunate to hire in accordance with our values. Every employee we have wants a challenge and takes them on with diligence and scrappiness.

Our clients today are remarkably similar to the original ones in 2007. (Actually, some are the same clients. We earn repeat business. Bragging and proud.) The projects are bigger because we can handle much more scale and our supply chain is deeper and wider.

It’s interesting to me how much the government experience matters across the board. Most of our non-government clients chose us because of our government success. They assume that if the Department of Defense (DoD) trusts us, they can as well. This is a safe assumption, as the DoD expects extreme quality and delivery capabilities.

Recently, I had a proud moment. We were gathering some metrics for our new website, and I saw how many secure deliveries we’ve made in our 13 years of operations. (And we maintained a 98% on-time delivery rating.) We’re still a small business, with the mindset that we’d rather be great at our niche than ginormous. (Check out Small Giants by Bo Burlingham to dive into this topic.)

A small business with mighty capabilities. That’s how I want our customers to regard us. We didn’t want the easy projects then, and we don’t want the easy projects now. Complex is what we do best, and we’ll keep doing just that.

 

References

Burlingham, B. (2005). Small giants: Companies that choose to be great instead of big. Penguin Group. http://www.smallgiantsbook.com/

SBAM Board at Hockey Rink

Big Impact from Small Businesses

This is a challenging time for small business owners. The unpredictable, ever-changing nature of our economy due to the global pandemic causes ambiguity for employers and employees. Many service providers are sending multiple alerts each day, flooding our inboxes with well-intentioned information.

So many of my close friends are other small business owners. We’ve been talking, commiserating, and sharing online about the horrible options in front of us. Some had to close in the early days of the pandemic because of the nature of their business – they are hospitality or salons or gyms. I’ve heard their pain in having to close or severely curtail operations. It’s heartbreaking to watch affected companies and their leaders make difficult decisions about shuttering or temporary layoffs.

Silver linings for small businesses will become more evident with time. A few have already jumped out.

  1. It becomes VERY obvious if a small business is working with the right partner for accounting and insurance. I’ve sent thank you emails to our CPA, Rehmann, and commercial insurance company, BHS. They’ve really killed it with timely information, giving it concisely and intuitively. Our banker at Macatawa Bank has also reached out proactively to ensure we have all the information we need and has calmly and quickly responded to any questions.
  2. Small businesses support other small businesses. This is demonstrated with our purchasing decisions and through information sharing and support. I’m having a weekly virtual happy hour with about a dozen women who own businesses in Michigan (Sheri Welsh, Welsh and Associates; Gina Thorson, Stormy Kromer; Rebecca Cox, Savant Group; Lorri Rishar, EDGE Partnerships; Ginny Sherrow, Fenton Winery and Brewery; Sassa Akervall, Akervall Technologies; Anita Abrol, Lewis Knopf CPAs; Sue LaBonville, Allis Information Management.) It’s therapeutic, and can make us all feel less lonely about the tough decisions.
  3. Standout employees show their stripes. I can’t tell you how impressed I am with my team. They are working tenaciously to support each other, step in where help is needed, and become even more intense. We have coffee mugs that say “No damn whining.” Their actions show these aren’t just words.
  4. Inspiration is EVERWHERE. Two very close friends, Gina Thorson of Stormy Kromer and Sassa Akervall of Akervall Technologies (who are part of my weekly virtual happy hour), retooled their manufacturing operations to make masks, gowns, and face shields. This kept their employees working, and flattened the impact of closures on their revenue streams.
  5. Sharing talent and time matters. Every text I’ve gotten from a business owner friend, I’ve responded quickly and helpfully. They’ve done the same. (Kim Bode, Jennifer Jurgens, Jason Dodge… the list goes ON.)Crisis breeds creativity.

Small business owners are creative as hell.