The finalists for WashingtonExec’s 2024 Pinnacle Awards were announced Sept. 20, and we’ll be highlighting some of them until the event takes place live, in-person Nov. 21.
Next is Jenna Young, director of strategic growth at Arlo Solutions, and finalist in the Business Development Executive of the Year, private company category. Here, she talks about recent achievements and shares career advice.
What key achievements did you have in 2024?
My key achievement in 2024 is integrating Generative Artificial Intelligence into all phases of our pre-award process including Business Development, Capture and Proposal. This has been a game changer for our small team as it allows us to automate time-consuming tasks, such as compliance matrices and draft outlines, while also improving proposal quality through compliance reviews and data driven insights. It has enabled Arlo to compete more effectively to achieve sustained growth.
What are your primary focus areas going forward, and why are those so important to the mission?
My primary focus area for the next year is to expand our client base to include additional agencies with missions aligned to ours, thereby diversifying our portfolio. This expansion is crucial as it allows us to leverage our expertise to further the objectives of the defense and intelligence communities, which are integral to national security. By targeting agencies with similar missions, we can provide tailored solutions that address their unique challenges, enhancing our support for critical missions and contributing to the stability and growth of our organization, particularly as a small business. Diversifying our client base mitigates risks associated with dependency on a limited number of clients and opens up new opportunities for collaboration and innovation.
What is your best career advice for those who want to follow in your footsteps?
Visualize yourself at the finish line of the accomplishment you are seeking. When you have a lofty goal, like securing a large opportunity, picture your self winning the procurement. Focus on what it feels like to celebrate. Then channel that energy and use it throughout the business development process. When I joined Arlo, our largest prime contract was $4.5 million. Winning the $25 million procurement in our pipeline felt daunting, but I continuously pictured our team celebrating the win and used that to drive the pursuit of excellence in preparing our proposal response. When we received the award notice, the celebration felt better than imagined and we used it drive our successful pursuit of two more similarly sized opportunities.
Fun Fact: What is something about you that most people do not know about?
I am like a human karaoke machine! I love music of all genres and have more song lyrics floating around in my brain than I care to admit