“My special sweet spot is being able to be in the middle — to help guide the requirements and the functional community to the technology and also help the technology team be able to deliver their technology.”
That particular skill, in part, drove Brian Jacobs to strike out on his own to create a company that helps Defense Department agencies embrace digital modernization, he said during an interview for the Society of Defense Financial Management’s The Business of Defense podcast on Federal News Network.
After more than two decades during which he worked as a civilian in the Army and then supporting DoD at a technology consulting company, Jacobs took a leap in 2024 and founded weElevateIT.
“It was no question that this was the right time,” he said. “I’m in it for the journey. I’m in it to add the value. I’m in it to learn, to grow and to really contribute — and hopefully even inspire others.”
Jacobs shared the future he sees for supporting the Defense mission, helping DoD evolve its use of new technologies and also growing his young business.
Working to support the government — it’s a calling
Jacobs didn’t initially plan to work in the government. It wasn’t something that he thought much about before 9/11.
“I was in my last semester of my undergraduate program in computer science, and it had a profound impact on me, just like it did for countless others who experienced that day,” he said, adding that although he enjoyed his then job as a software engineer, “I had this feeling like I wanted to learn more about our government, our country. I wanted to help in some way.”
He took a job with a defense contractor and then, in 2005, he began working as a civilian in the Army.
“I worked for the deputy assistant secretary of the Army for cost and economics,” he recalled. “I’ll never forget going to the Pentagon. I couldn’t believe where I was. I had goosebumps walking in the building for the first time.” Jacobs worked for the Army for the better part of 14 years.
During that time, he found his passion for bringing the business and operational teams together with technologists to problem solve.
Artificial intelligence — it’s taking hold
Today, at weElevateIT, Jacobs aims to build on his work in financial management and technology. The company focuses on three chief disciplines: advisory, process automation, and data visualizations and analytics.
“The technology right now, the advancements in technology, with artificial intelligence, with generative AI, the opportunities that are there — I want to be helping to set the pace and introducing these technologies,” Jacobs said. “I see such value.”
That desire also harkens back to his experiences directly working in the Army. He recounted learning about SAP, implementing back-office solutions and deploying cost management modules. Ultimately, his team also successfully tested and implemented robotic process automation for financial management uses.
Copyright
© 2024 Federal News Network. All rights reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.
