Overcoming Challenges and Taking Risks: MTCI's Dalena Kanouse

This month, Sterling Women Manassas had the pleasure of hearing Dalena Kanouse tell her story of challenge and success. Kanouse is President and CEO of MTCI, Management and Training Consultants, Inc. in Manassas and Chairwoman-elect for the Prince William Chamber of Commerce. She became involved with Sterling Women when Shateea Holmes, Founder of Sterling Women Manassas, started talking to her while they were in line for lunch. Holmes invited Kanouse who says she was “truly humbled.

“If my life experience will help others, I am more than happy to share, both good and bad,” says Kanouse.

Kanouse took over the business after her husband Samuel Kanouse passed away in 2009. Picking up her husband’s business was a new and challenging experience, but Kanouse rose to the occasion during an especially difficult time. She had never worked with in Federal contracting, and she had never run her own business. And when Kanouse lost her husband, their business also lost its status as service-disabled, veteran-owned 8(a). They became a women-owned business, which has been one of their biggest challenges because, according to Kanouse, women-owned businesses still do not have the kinds or amounts of opportunities they should.

Kanouse said when her husband passed, she was scared, but determined to run her business as her husband had wished, so she worked through her insecurities to succeed. “He believed in me. I just had to believe in me. I have come so far,” says Kanouse.

The message Kanouse wants to get across to women is that you have to be willing to take a risk, take a leap of faith, because if you don’t take risks you will never know if you could have succeeded.

She also advises business owners to “always hire someone smarter than you.” Kanouse says she doesn’t mind admitting that her employees have expertise which she doesn’t share. Her staff has insights into the government world and contracting that she doesn’t, and she’s happy to be able to collaborate with them. Kanouse says, “[At] MTCI…our greatest assets is our people. We are who we are because of the dedication that they provide each and every day.”

Kanouse says she feels blessed to work with her oldest daughter, Domonique Basler, who has previous experience with Booz Allen and came back to work as the V.P. of MTCI. “She helped her daddy start the company when she was an undergrad,” says Kanouse. Basler has expertise working with MTCI’s main client, the National Guard, as well as Navy and Army.

Kanouse says the most gratifying part of her job is “knowing we’re doing the right things and doing things right.” She is particularly proud of the resiliency training they do, working with military family members going through the stress of multiple deployments and sometimes dealing with drug and alcohol abuse. Resiliency training is also for wounded warriors, but Kanouse says it’s effective for everyone, including teachers and first responders. She wants to bring resiliency training to the public sector because it’s not just for the military and could be beneficial to businesses and schools.

Reflecting on the six years since she’s taken over the company, Kanouse says she’s a stronger person because of the adversity she had to face. “Sometimes our greatest accomplishment comes from our greatest challenges. I truly believe that,” she says.

Sterling Women Manassas is a local network of professionals committed to encouraging, supporting, inspiring and strengthening one another. Through events and monthly meetings, Sterling Women Manassas showcases and celebrates exceptional women in the Prince William Area.

Register now for next month’s program featuring Jaspen Booth, Founder of Final Salute, Inc.