ATLANTA — It’s a common adage: It’s not what you know, it’s who you know. For Roseheather “Latrice” Gatison, the founder and CEO of consulting firm Visionaire Academy, it’s a combination of both that has propelled her company to success. Atlanta-based Visionaire Academy, founded in 2016, offers a full suite of services including executive coaching, streamlining operating procedures, handbook development, behavioral assessments, training (in person, virtual, on-demand), and other business coaching services.
In 2022, the company had amassed a successful track record working with private industry and was looking to enter the government space. Gatison had tried unsuccessfully to pursue government contracts, when she learned about the GT APEX Accelerator, an organization housed in Georgia Tech’s Enterprise Innovation Institute (EI2). It is part of a national network of APEX Accelerators supported by the federal government through the Department of Defense’s Office of Small Business Programs.
This network of APEX Accelerators coaches business leaders on how to go after and succeed in the government (federal, state, and local) contracting space.
Enter Susan Johnson, the GT APEX Accelerator procurement counselor, who started in Atlanta and now works out of the Athens region. Johnson saw the work Gatison had been doing in the private and nonprofit sectors and knew she could help Visionaire crack the government code.
The first task was getting Visionaire certified in ways that could open the door to contracts.
“I helped her get the Woman Owned Small Business certification,” Johnson said. “She had submitted it, and they had pushed it back and said that they needed more information and clarification on her role. We cleared up her documents, resubmitted them, and she got her Woman Owned certification.”
Johnson also helped with getting Visionaire 8(a) certified, another Small Business Administration certification for companies owned by traditionally economically disadvantaged individuals.
According to Gatison, the support Susan and GT APEX Accelerator provided didn’t stop with the certification assistance.
“Susan and her team provided the mentorship and strategic insights needed to reset and move forward with renewed confidence,” Gatison said. “They assisted in refining Visionaire Academy’s approach, offering practical advice on how to position the company for future opportunities and strengthen our competitiveness in the government contracting space.”
GT APEX Accelerator also helps with specifics within government contracting, Gatison said.
“One of the key ways the GT APEX Accelerator added value was by helping us locate contracts that were the right fit,” she said. “They worked closely with the team to identify opportunities that aligned with the company’s core capabilities and service offerings. Their deep understanding of government procurement processes made it possible to target high-value contracts that would elevate Visionaire Academy’s standing and secure long-term partnerships.”
Less than one year after beginning to work with Johnson and GT APEX Accelerator, Visionaire Academy won a prime, sole source contract with the CDC to deliver training, operational development, operating procedures, morale building, and executive coaching. It was practically unheard of, Johnson said. Usually, companies work as sub-contractors before becoming primary contractors for the federal government. The initial contract was for $245,000, then grew to $315,000, because of the good work Gatison and her team did.
Johnson was in San Diego with APEX Accelerators people from around the country when she got word that Visionaire had landed the CDC contract. “They couldn’t believe that she had only been working with me for a year, and she landed her first sole-source contract. It just shows how much determination she has.”
With that contract under her belt, Johnson and Gatison are working to build Gatison’s network, so that more government agencies — federal, state, and local — are aware of her company and the work it does. Johnson is also introducing Gatison to other clients, so that they can partner on work.
“Now, federal government agencies have been reaching out to her about her doing training and partnering with them,” Johnson says. “They’re noticing that she’s out there and that she’s had contracts.”
Johnson insists that Gatison’s determination and commitment to doing great work are the reasons for her success. But Gatison credits Johnson for much of her business growth.
“She’s one of those angels,” Gatison said about Johnson. “And GT APEX Accelerator is one of those hidden gems that many don’t know that they need.”