Private Market Mastermind Series: Position, Prepare & Connect for Growth
The Private Market Mastermind Series is a five-part professional development program designed to help contractors and service providers confidently transition from public procurement to private-sector opportunities. Through four virtual workshops and a culminating in-person networking capstone, participants will gain the knowledge, tools, and relationships needed to compete in today's evolving construction and development landscape.
Each session builds on the previous one - covering business positioning, strategic networking, commercial project readiness, and financial preparedness while the mastermind approach encourages accountability, collaboration, and real-world application. The series concludes with an in-person networking event where participants will put their new skills into practice by connecting with developers, lenders, industry leaders, and fellow business owners.
AUGUST 25 | Positioning Your Business Beyond: Entering the Private Market
This is the first workshop in the Private Market Mastermind Series which is designed to help contractors and service providers successfully transition into private-sector opportunities. Participants will explore the key differences between public and private markets, learn how developers evaluate potential partners, and discover strategies to reposition their business for greater competitiveness. Through practical exercises and expert guidance, attendees will refine their messaging, strengthen their elevator pitch, and identify actionable next steps to begin building relationships in the private market.
SEPTEMBER 22 | From Networking to Relationship Pipelines: How Private Deals Really Happen
This workshop moves beyond traditional networking to teach participants how to build strategic relationships that lead to real business opportunities. In this interactive mastermind session, attendees will learn how to identify key decision-makers, develop targeted outreach strategies, and confidently engage with developers, general contractors, and lenders. Through practical exercises, peer feedback, and actionable templates, participants will leave with a personalized relationship-building plan and clear next steps for growing their private-sector pipeline.
OCTOBER 13 | How to Work with Commercial & Private Projects
This workshop equips contractors with the knowledge and tools needed to confidently pursue commercial and private-sector opportunities. Participants will gain a practical understanding of the private project lifecycle, learn how to get on the radar of developers and general contractors, and explore strategies for improving estimating, proposals, and project readiness. This workshop also covers key contract and risk considerations while providing practical resources to help businesses respond quickly and compete effectively in the private market.
OCTOBER 27 | Money, Bonding & Readiness: What Lenders Expect
This workshop prepares contractors and service providers to confidently pursue financing and larger private-sector opportunities. Participants will learn how lenders and developers evaluate risk, explore financing and bonding options, and understand the key financial documents needed to support business growth. Featuring insights from lending professionals, this workshop provides practical guidance to help businesses strengthen their financial readiness, navigate funding conversations, and build lasting relationships with capital partners.
NOVEMBER 10 | Beyond the Workshops: Putting Relationships into Action
After four workshops focused on positioning, networking, project readiness, and access to capital, it's time to put those strategies into practice. This in-person capstone event brings participants together with industry leaders and peers for meaningful conversations, relationship-building, and next-step planning. Walk away with valuable contacts, practical insights, and a roadmap for pursuing new opportunities.
LOCATION: TBA
Meet Your Presenter: Yolanda Strey
Yolanda Strey is the CEO of Strey Group LLC, a Texas‑based consulting firm specializing in business development, procurement compliance, auditing, and strategic vendor empowerment.
With 35 years of public‑sector leadership at state, university and local government she is known for steward leadership, integrity, transparency, and building modular systems that elevate clients, small businesses, and construction teams. She architects scalable processes, delivers evaluator‑ready tools, and guides organizations with clarity, accountability, and purpose. Through Strey Group LLC, she equips clients with clean, repeatable frameworks that strengthen compliance, accelerate growth, and empower underrepresented businesses to compete and thrive.
Texas State University SBDC is a proud member of the Texas South-West SBDC Network, which is funded in part through the State of Texas and a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), is hosted by Texas State University and accredited nationally by America’s SBDC. The Small Business Development Center services are provided to all U.S. citizens, legal residents, and foreign nationals that intend to invest in the United States, in accordance with Federal funding requirements. Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities or limited English proficiency will be made if requested at least two weeks in advance.