NSBA Small Business Conversations | Christine Hopkins

Join NSBA for a Small Business Conversation with our Leadership Council member and SBA Small Business Winner of the Year for Alaska for 2025, Christine Hopkins.

Learn more how NSBA can grow your impacts, influence, and change on the federal level at: NSBAadvocate.org/join

01:17 - Why Christine won what she did: resilience through adversity

01:34 - How Christine came to own ASCI: ascillc.com

02:13 - Christine’s Small-Business story of surviving COVID

03:22 - From zero funds, to survival through PPP and SBA support

03:45 - ASCI starts generating revenue – March 2023

04:09 - What does ASCI stand for? What does ASCI do?

05:17 - Who would benefit from ASCI’s services? How would they find ASCI?

05:38 - Match.com sets big things in motion for Christine and the Small-Business owner she’s become

06:01 - What are some advantages you’ve found being a Small-Business owner?

06:21 - Real talk on working with customers and managing on-site culture

06:38 - ASCI’s philosophy sets them apart: Make the customer more efficient

06:44 - Small-Business advantages over bigger enterprises and competition

07:10 - Any advice for Small Businesses looking to compete for federal contracts?

07:13 - “Find your swim lane, and stick to it.”

7:30 - “When you’re first entering, your reputation is all you have.”

07:43 - How do you juggle being a woman, wife, mom AND Small-Business owner?

08:37 - How Christine is raising a responsible teenage to become a positively contributing member of society

09:10 - What are the growth plans for ASCI?

09:12 - ASCI at its height with $20-25 million in annual revenue

09:20 - ASCI at is smallest, poised for its biggest comeback

09:27 - ASCI today: approx. 50 employees and $7.5 million in annual revenue

09:37 - ASCI’s big plan to stay small and why

09:58 - How Christine and ASCI measure Small-Business success

10:04 - ASCI’s darkest moments and the CHART OF DEATH

10:13 - Christine’s winning approach to employee retention: too much transparency

10:41 - Christine’s personal metric of success: coming through adversity without attrition

10:54 - Christine and ASCI’s investment in the Military and Veteran community

11:03 - ASCI and the Military Spouse Employment Partnership. Learn more at: msepjobs.militaryonesource.mil/msep

11:17 - How are you handling the recent Executive Orders being issued from D.C.?

11:22 - Confidence in federal contracts continuing

11:36 - No one doing it better than Small Businesses!

11:40 - Good news for ASC I from the White House

11:50 - Common sense is good for cuts to contract requirements under President Trump’s recent Executive Orders

11:58 - Executive Orders from Washington mean good news for ASCI as a Small Business serving a federal contract from Alaska

12:19 - “Things change when Administrations change. Be strategic. Don’t just react.”

12:32 - Christine’s advice on Small-Businesses navigating federal contracts

12:40 - “They’re cutting it back. …We all know it needs to happen.”

12:44 - “It’s going to be uncomfortable, we probably won’t like the way it happens…especially if you’re in the area being cut, but they’re cutting.” And it’s a good thing, says Christine.

13:03 - Outlook looks good for Small Business: more federal contracting opportunities with more cuts to federal staffing because it’s cheaper with Small Business

13:21 - How should s Small-Business owner develop their federal contracting strategy?

13:23 - “Don’t whipsaw and react.”

13:28 - How can Small-Business owners become Small-Business leaders?

13:33 - Join with other Small-Business owners and have your voice heard!

13:42 - Looking to get involved in the Small-Business community? Join NSBA, like Christine.

13:49 - Politics aren’t all bad, especially when it comes to influencing positive change for more productive federal Small-Business policy

14:11 - Christine’s NSBA story

14:26 - Christine and Congressman Nick Begich (AK-At Large-R), featuring husband Ken and NSBA Government Affairs Manager Jack Furth

14:35 - Thank you to the Small Business Administration (SBA)

14:39 - Thank you to the Alaska Women’s Business Center

14:45 - Thank you to NSBA!

14:52 - Thank you to the Human Resources Certification Institute!

14:57 - Thank YOU, Christine, for all you do for Small Business and the opportunities you’re continuing to create through your influence of more productive Small-Business policy!

Learn more at: bit.ly/Small-Business-Conversations-ASCI