HP Needs Entrepreneurs.
By Sara Wilson

Monika Moo-Young, 34, may be a small business owner but she’s definitely no stranger to big business. Since founding MYI Consulting, an information efficiency firm, in 2000, Moo-Young has won procurement deals with the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of Transportation and even IBM. By helping government agencies, pharmaceutical companies and transportation-related organizations manage large sets of data and processes for their internal projects, she has put her Chester, Pennsylvania-based business securely on the map.

Moo-Young’s current endeavor is to provide project management and coordination support for one of Hewlett-Packard’s infrastructure rollout projects—a multi site, $75 million effort. In order to close the deal on the contract, Moo-Young had to undergo an intense selection process which involved compiling a 50 page Request for Proposal report detailing information about her company’s internal operations, quality processes and past performance—with a turnaround time of less than 48 hours. “We had been given a ‘window of opportunity,’” says Moo-Young, whose revenues are just under $1 million, “and we had to deliver.” The 18-month HP contract has greatly added to the company’s credibility, has possibly opened doors to more procurement opportunities down the road, and has granted Moo-Young invaluable insight into how to work effectively with big businesses. “It has given us an opportunity to boost our skill set on other projects,” says Moo-Young. “We know what things need to happen in those kickoff meetings and [how] to communicate with the customer.”

Winning corporate contracts can single handedly make a small business—but it can also break one. Having personally reaped the benefits of such opportunities, Moo-Young advises other small-business owners to have their own procedures and processes securely in place before pursuing a contract, to be prepared for every type of contingency, and to have the financial means to independently fund the project if necessary. “Payment may not happen in 30 days,” she says. “Some companies have different payment terms.”

Entrepreneurs who are still just trying to get their businesses noticed should start by registering their businesses online. A lot of corporations, including HP at www.hp.com/go/supplierdiversity, will allow suppliers to register on their websites to be considered for procurement opportunities. HP also proactively searches for small businesses by attending Business Matchmaking events, trade shows hosted by organizations like the National Minority Supplier Development Council and the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council of which they are members, and by hosting their own trade shows, says Brian Tippens, manager of HP’s Global Supplier Diversity Program. According to Tippens, the program spends more than $1 billion on minority owned, women-owned and veteran-owned businesses in the U.S. per year.

Once they’re given the spotlight, entrepreneurs can shine simply by avoiding one very common mistake. “All too frequently small businesses come to HP and say, ‘Hey, what can I do for you?’ rather than saying, ‘This is what I can do for you. I know what the competitive landscape looks like, I know how I stack up in comparison to my competitors, I know how I can add value to your enterprise,’” says Tippens. “At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter if you’re small, minority- or women owned. If you can’t add value to the supply chain, you can’t do anything for HP.”

In order to sweep a corporation off its feet, entrepreneurs should be prepared to roll out the red carpet if so desired–even when working within the constraints of a small-business budget. Knowing that a job well done would pay off in the end, Moo-Young went out of her way to over-deliver on the HP contract, assigning 12 people to the project even though the initial proposal only called for one. She explains, “You have to figure out creative ways to create that kind of importance with the customer.”

Sara Wilson is a writer in New York City.