Karwanna D. Irving – Erase a Cheap Mindset to Secure Premium Government Contracts

Government contracts are not easy to secure, which is why many people stick with a mindset that won’t serve them in the long run. If we can adopt an abundance mindset, we can eliminate negative thoughts and make room for good things to come and stay.

“You have to be who you want to attract” is one piece of wisdom that Karwanna D. Irving, the founder of She’s Got Goals, has gained through her journey as a government contractor. Transitioning from entertainment to government contracts, she is now a coach who helps many businesses thrive in the government contracting space.

In a podcast with host Kizzy Parks, she recalled her journey with important milestones. With her extensive experience, she has valuable insights to share with others. Let’s dive in!

From Entertainment to Government Contracts, Then Found Her Passion with Teaching

“I’ve always been the type of person who, if there was something that I wanted to do, I would create a lane for myself to make sure that I get it done.” – Karwanna D.

Growing up, Karwanna dreamed of becoming a singer. After college, she shifted to entertainment media and artist management, creating a local TV show to interview and manage artists. This led to a role on a Celebrity Cruise, where she interviewed A-list celebrities. Although she pursued these ventures out of passion, she realized she wasn’t making much money.

When Karwanna started her own business, her goal was to generate income. Initially, she struggled, earning only $20,000 to $30,000 a year despite working full-time. Fortunately, being part of a two-income household allowed her the flexibility to experiment and learn.

“Thankfully, I had a two-income household, so I was able to just kind of do that and play around until I learned how to do business the right way,” she recalled.

Despite her efforts, Karwanna struggled to grow her business using traditional methods learned in business school, such as seeking startup capital from banks or attending vendor shows and SCORE meetings. Thankfully, one person has appeared and changed her life forever.

This billionaire, an African-American from a similar urban background who attended the same church as her and had hired her for freelance video production and photography.

She said, “I got sick and tired of trying to figure out how to grow a business and found that a lot of what I learned in business school didn’t work for me. I’d go to the bank for startup capital, and they wouldn’t give it to me; I’d go to vendor shows and SCORE meetings, and nothing worked. I needed to make some money, so I asked him, ‘How did you become a billionaire?’ I got real with him, like, ‘Dude, how did you do it?””

He revealed that the services she provided for him could also be offered to the government. Initially skeptical, she dove into research and discovered that the government has substantial funds available for small business entrepreneurs.

As a woman and a Black woman, she found even more opportunities opening up, which enabled her to build a thriving business.

Karwanna discovered a multi-billion dollar project in San Francisco through the transportation department, which required the involvement of women and local businesses. Having obtained the necessary certifications, she secured a multi-six-figure contract by creatively carving out a specific scope of work, such as videotaping success stories of small businesses.

This success inspired Karwanna to develop a strategy she calls “contract stacking,” where she continuously landed and expanded contracts. Despite initial challenges with pricing and understanding her value, she quickly adapted and refined her approach.

“So, I basically went back and looked at what I did to get that particular contract, and I did it again. Then, I started landing contracts on top of contracts—I call it contract stacking. I was landing them simultaneously, and before I knew it, those contracts were getting larger and larger,” the coach said.

“I just actually rinsed and repeated what I did, and then it led to larger opportunities and better opportunities,” she added.

During her journey, Karwanna discovered that the industry is not only incredibly lucrative but also full of opportunities for small businesses. However, she noticed that many people were unaware of these possibilities. This realization ignited her passion to educate and empower others, helping them to thrive in this field. Fueled by this newfound mission, she eventually founded She’s Got Goals Academy to turn her passion into action and guide others to success.

Karwanna expressed, “Then I said, Oh my God, just imagine if more people knew about this.” They don’t teach this in schools; they don’t teach this in business school. When you go down to open up your business license, they don’t tell you about this stuff. I realized I needed to be the voice to spread the word and let people know what’s going on. So eventually, I evolved into also becoming a consultant and teaching other people how to do this stuff.”

Misconceptions About Government Contracts: They Don’t Only Want Ammunition

It’s common to think that the government only purchases military-related products like ammunition and weapons. However, as the largest buyer in the country, they buy everything—from janitorial supplies to video production services.

And one more thing, they have to buy from small businesses. According to She’s Got Goals Academy founder, under the Small Business Act, the government is required to allocate a certain percentage of its spending to small businesses and entrepreneurs.

She said, “What I learned was that through the Small Business Act, the government has to spend a certain percentage with entrepreneurs and small businesses. The answer I found to those questions was that they cannot source their own products and services; they have to outsource, and they have to outsource to people who can actually provide that.”

Karwanna realized that if the government can’t directly source even simple items like pens and pencils, and she has the skills to find and supply those items, she could secure contracts to provide them. This was a no-brainer for her. Local agencies where she was based needed services like video production, photography, marketing, and websites, which they couldn’t handle internally. She leveraged her skills and talents to meet these needs, and they paid her to deliver exactly what they were looking for.

Fasten Your Growth – The Importance of Investing in Coaches

In the past, Karwanna once believed she could save money by figuring out how to build her business on her own. However, this DIY approach ended up costing her more in the long run. The countless hours spent trying to learn everything herself led to missed opportunities and delayed success.

She came to understand that by delaying her investment in a coach, she missed out on the income and growth she could have attained much earlier.

“I thought I was saving money, but what happened was I was actually losing money because it took me forever to figure it out. Most of the things I never figured out, and it cost me money—the opportunity cost. It was costing me the money that I’m making now, which I could have been making a long time ago had I invested in a coach,” she claimed.

Karwanna now has a coach for almost everything, including spiritual guidance. She has coaches for business, accounting, public speaking, and even coaching itself. She believes that investing in yourself is crucial because it opens up opportunities for significant returns.

The coach stated, “One thing that I learned is that when you invest in yourself, it opens up opportunities for you to receive a return on your investment. That return on your investment multiplies by hundreds of thousands, more than what you invested in the first place. So, it actually doesn’t save you money to save money and not invest; it actually costs you money. But it makes you money when you spend money.”

“In order for me to grow to where I am today, it took other coaches to help me open my mind and pull back the chains that had me bound,” Karwanna also expressed.

How Can You Confidently Charge What You’re Worth?

The federal government can be an incredibly lucrative client, often paying premium prices for high-quality services and products. For instance, Kizzy Parks, the host who interviewed Karwanna D, mentioned being paid nearly $80,000 for a 40-hour class, which breaks down to about $2,000 per hour.

This means that if you provide high-quality services, you shouldn’t hesitate to ask for what you’re worth. However, not everyone has the confidence to do so. To be in a better position, Karwanna suggests that other contractors should invest in themselves by acquiring premium knowledge and acting like premium suppliers. This way, they can confidently charge premium prices for their services.

Trying to cut corners or save pennies can ultimately cost you more in the long run, both in terms of missed opportunities and undervaluing your work, as shared by Karwanna.

She stated, “A lot of times when people start a business, I would say 100% of the people don’t really understand their worth. You’re spending time chasing customers, undercutting, and bargaining your services, while there are premium buyers out there who will pay you top dollar for your services. Until you understand how to get in front of those premium buyers, it’s going to be really hard for you.”

When she first started her business, she ended up working extremely long hours for very little pay, essentially creating a demanding job for herself rather than a successful business. This situation felt like self-imposed slavery because of the intense work and minimal financial reward.

She learned that you attract clients who reflect your own mindset and behavior. Initially, she was frugal and hesitant to spend money, which made it difficult for her to charge higher prices. It wasn’t until she started investing in high-quality services herself that she felt justified in asking for premium prices.

Karwanna recalled, “What I also learned is that you are who you attract. I used to be a cheap person, and it wasn’t until I started spending premium dollars that I felt comfortable charging premium prices. If you do it, then you have the right to ask for it.

The She’s Got Goal Academy founder added, “You cannot be a cheap person who wants to bargain shop and then ask someone for a premium price. It’s out of alignment, and your energy will be off when you ask for that. You have to be who you want to attract. That’s very key in life, business, and relationships—you have to be who you want to attract.”

Shift Away from a Cheap Mindset!

To get out of a cheap mindset, Karwanna uses Myron Golden’s method to advise people on changing their mindset and behavior. In his trainings, Myron Golden often state that people cannot behave consistently in ways that are inconsistent with their self-identity.

Essentially, where you are today is a result of your actions over the past five years, and those actions stem from who you are and how you see yourself. That’s the reason why if you want to see different outcomes in your life, you must first change how you identify yourself.

“You have to change your identity if you want to get different results,” Karwanna said.

Karwanna’s advice is all about shaking things up and stepping out of your comfort zone. Imagine you’re always on the hunt for the best deals, clipping coupons, and never spending a penny more than necessary. Karwanna suggests flipping the script. Instead of always going for the cheapest option, try paying a premium for a service or leaving a generous tip. This isn’t just about spending more money; it’s about changing your mindset.

Think of it like training for a marathon. At first, it feels uncomfortable and challenging, but over time, you build new habits and endurance. Similarly, by occasionally splurging or being more generous, you start to see the value in quality and abundance. It’s like pruning a tree—sometimes you need to cut back the old branches to make way for new growth.

“Get into the habit of doing something daily—daily actions to do something different—and over time, it will change. That’s how you create a new habit: take account of everything you’ve been doing and stop doing that. Do something different,” she suggested.

Or you can have a coach or mentor who has achieved the success you aspire to, learn about their daily routines and adapt some of these practices into your own life, according to Karwanna.

“You need to know what their daily habits are and then adapt some of those things to create your own new daily habits in order to change,” she explained.

She’s advised that achieving big goals requires a deep commitment to personal growth, and it starts with building a powerful mindset. Her approach is to consciously shift away from distractions and negativity, filling that space with practices that fuel confidence and motivation.

For example, she follows a “555” morning ritual—5 minutes each of motivation, meditation, and affirmation. This daily practice helps her tap into a higher energy level and maintain a clear, empowered mindset, setting a positive tone for the day. By actively choosing uplifting content and routines, you can start to rewire your mind, replacing limiting beliefs with inspiration and purpose.

“Sometimes, you need to turn off the TV, stop listening to the garbage, and start filling yourself with food and brain power that will help you be more confident. Reading is fundamental, but you have to be reading the right stuff,” she advised.

Reignite the Abundance Mindset!

According to Karwanna, often people lose sight of their dreams due to life challenges and the discouragement they’ve encountered along the way. To guide them toward success, it’s sometimes necessary to reconnect them with the sense of possibility they had as children—when dreams felt limitless and unencumbered by self-doubt or others’ judgments.

She stated, “I remember when I was a kid and teaching little kids; they used to have story time on the carpet. We would sit in circles, and sometimes during story time, they would ask, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Kids are so innocent—they haven’t been told “no” a million times or been discouraged by naysayers.”

“It’s not until you start listening to naysayers that your dreams become deferred and you start doubting who you are. Sometimes you have to reignite a person’s childhood innocence and their dreams, showing them what they said they wanted to accomplish. Unfortunately, because of life, those dreams may have become deferred. But don’t you know it’s your calling, your duty? There are people waiting on you. If you never do this, they will never be free from their situation and circumstance,” Karwanna further said.

Karwanna believes in the power of reigniting a person’s inner child to help them dream big and visualize endless possibilities. It can help when showing people a clear pathway to their goals, complete with specific steps and actions, makes the journey much more achievable. Without actionable steps, a goal remains just a dream.

If You Are Ready to Change, Just Take Action!

When your dream has been reignited, you are in a position to embrace the changes. There is one thing that you need to do – take action.

“I would say the one thing you can do is take action. That’s it. It’s really that simple. The one thing you can do is take action, and the one thing that can help you take action is faith. The Bible talks about how faith without works—taking action—is dead. So, the one thing you can do is have faith. All it takes is a little bit of faith because it’s the faith that actually fuels you into action. When you take action, you get results,” Karwanna insisted.