American Express OPEN Forum: Powering Small Business Success

VIP Mentorship

The VIP Mentorship program is part of American Express OPEN's Victory in Procurement™ (VIP) for Small Business initiative - a national program launched in 2009 designed to help small business owners capitalize on the enormous growth opportunity provided through government contracts. By partnering with Women Impacting Public Policy (www.giveme5.com), SCORE "Counselors to America's Small Business" (www.score.org) the VIP program is helping business owners at every level of contract readiness. Since 2009, OPEN has mentored twelve small business owners looking to grow their business through government contracting. The VIP mentees have been at all levels of contract readiness and have learned about topics from the GSA schedule, business certifications, teaming arrangements and the importance of networking. The mentorship program consists of 12 hours of one-on-one virtual communications with a government contracting expert. To apply for the VIP Mentorship program, please fill out the VIP Mentorship Application, fill out by May 1, 2012 and email to VIPMentorship@mbooth.com.

The Experts - 2012 Mentors include:

Lourdes Martin-Rosa

American Express OPEN Advisor on Government Contracting

After more than ten years of lobbying in Washington, D.C. on behalf of small business and government procurement, Lourdes Martin-Rosa began to see that a void in representation existed for small businesses. She had traveled several times to argue for the rights of her clients, had won her fight and knew her formula would work for other small businesses. This is when Lourdes founded Government Business Solutions (GBS). As the American Express OPEN Advisor on Government Contracting, Lourdes coaches small business owners on how to get contract-ready and help find contract success. In partnership with American Express OPEN, she has helped create resources and guides that offer "mainstreet" shortcuts to all small business owners.

Doña Storey

American Express OPEN Advisor on Procurement

For the past 18 years, Doña Storey has played an active role advocating for small business in procurement and impacting public policy at both state and national levels. Through Doña’s leadership, she successfully grew Quality Technical Services (QTS), a woman-owned small business she founded in 1980, through government and corporate procurement work. QTS was one of the original 12 companies selected for the first Department of Defense (DOD) Mentor-Protégé (M-P) Pilot Program in 1991. This experience and a later return to the DOD M-P program enabled Doña to design and execute two similar pilot programs for the Department of the Navy and the Office of the Secretary of Defense. As the American Express OPEN Advisor on Procurement, Dona lends her expertise to help small business navigate the procurement maze and find success.