A woman-owned and SBA-certified small business, DSFederal rose from a fledgling company in 2007 to become one of the fastest growing companies in Maryland and the United States.
The company is a government contractor that provides information technology (IT) and software solutions to several federal agencies in the Washington metropolitan area.
The success of DSFederal was far from easy. Sophia Parker, founder of DSFederal, Inc., attributes her success story to her persistence and patience.
Parker, while in her 50s, cashed out her 401k, and put all her savings into starting the company.
She said that it was tough to land the first contract. In fact, she went without a single contract between 2007 and 2009.
Without any cash flow for the first couple of years, Parker was motivated by her vision. She wanted to have a company that truly put the customer first. So, she formed a company that cares about the customer, employees and society. She wanted a company that followed the principles she believes in. She overcame many obstacles and made it happen.
She recalled, “During the most difficult time, I only had $600 in my pocket and couldn’t even pay my mortgage.”
Her friends told her that there was no point in suffering like this. They urged her to look for work in established companies, where, with her qualifications, she certainly would be employed soon.
But Parker refused to give up. She networked and made herself known to those who awarded contracts. For a long time, rejection followed rejection.
First Break
One day, a government official she had talked to over and over again said, “I might have something that will pan out for you. But you need to talk with the contractor first.”
She talked with that contractor, who sent her to another person, who said, “It might be okay, but you'll have to talk with another person first, then maybe I can give you the business.”
The third person was an elderly contractor who was going to retire, and needed someone to take over the work. She visited him the next day. After talking to him for a long time, he eventually said, “I should be able to give the business to you.”
Parker said, “You must have patience because it might take a long time for that first
opportunity to materialize. But, once you get your foot in the door, there will be more opportunities. Therefore, you should never get upset, and keep up the hope.”
