CIO Bulletin

“I’m always looking at ways to build a company differentiator and to create pockets of uniqueness to offer our clients,” says Tanice “TK” Gonsalves, Co-owner and Managing Partner of Impyrian

Women have stood the test of time to become some of the most powerful leaders in the world. Over the last couple of decades, the technology industry has seen an uprising of women entrepreneurs take over and show off their impeccable skills.

Tanice “TK” Gonsalves was raised in a successful entrepreneurial household, paving the way for her to become a successful owner as a part of her destiny. She has proven to be one of the most innovative and compelling leaders in her field, with a mission to help those around her find their entrepreneurial mindset. Through her upbringing, she was able to develop the acumen to value alliances, partnerships, collaborations, and networking. TK has always stayed true to who she is as a leader and entrepreneur. The relationships she has built have been the central focus of her growth.TK believes trustworthiness in this business is everything.

She now co-owns and is the managing partner of Impyrian after starting out her career as a business development expert in what is now a successful career spanning more than two decades.

Entrepreneurship in artificial intelligence

Over a decade ago, TK could see how Artificial Intelligence (AI) was going to dominate the world. As an entrepreneur, she saw the advantages and formed an AI joint venture to bid on a $50 million AI contract, which she won. She has continued to push towards winning full and open large deals like a Department of Defense unmanned and manned vehicle support contract vehicle that supports Robotics as well as Data Operations. She has always applied the “if you don’t bat, you don’t win” type of mentality when it comes to bidding on federal contracting. She also strongly believes in the philosophy that people do business with people, not companies.

She strongly believed that AI was the right venture to get into, and in the government contracting industry, an industry that appreciates innovation and entrepreneurial excellence; she inspired and empowered multiple firms and partners to win impossible-to-win deals. Her leadership turned ordinary firms into growth engines. Her imagination set new standards for strategic deal-making and her innovative thought partnership inspired countless executives.

Impyrian, change brought by leadership

Impyrian is an award-winning, multi-million-dollar Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robotics-focused company. It is a SBA certified 8(a) company, which allows the company to receive sole source awards from federal agencies. As TK, takes charge of the company’s Growth and Strategy, and as a new owner and leader of the company, she has set her targets to take Impyrian from current $30 million in revenue to $200 million over the next five years. With her extensively detailed and aggressive high-tech strategic growth plan, TK seems to be on the right path to success.

Impyrian, is a company, focused on AI, Robotics, Audiovisual and Telecommunications, Digital Transformation, and Cyber Security. Impyrian is an automated company that uses the most advanced tools. They invest in internal automation that captures KPIs that help the company be more proactive. Impyrian also consists of a very strong engineering team, having recently launched AI in their Engineering and Construction Division. The company is set to become the first small business to have AI capabilities fully implemented within its engineering and construction department.

The leadership team at Impyrian, realizes the importance of how automation and AI combined can curtail costs and increase efficiencies in the engineering and construction industries. They strongly believe that it is through the increased use of machine learning that the future of designing and building sustainable and resilient infrastructure lays. Impyrian has become a company that wants to give their clients the best and the most, by being pioneers in their business.

Over the years, Impyrian has become one of the most trusted providers of AI, technology, and engineering services to agencies that include Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Air Force, the Department of Energy, and the Navy, among others.

The importance of working with partners

TK has often emphasized the importance of having the right partners and network when entering the world of entrepreneurship; she credits her business partner, co-owner, co-founder, and Managing Partner of Impyrian, Norman Sheriff, as a large part of the reason Impyrian is where it is today. Through hard work and determination, they have been able to build a successful AI and Robotics company in one of the most competitive fields today.

Matthew McCathorine, the principle, co-owner, and co-founder of Impyrian, is another vital part of the success behind Impyrian. As a business partner to TK and Norman, Matthew has been instrumental in setting up the company’s successful infrastructure to support their growth. With an impressive background as a P&L manager at large federal engineering firms with responsibilities in project development as well as management of large-scale technology projects in energy efficiency, plant and infrastructure automation solutions, smart grids, and many more, Matthew McCathorine has made a huge contribution towards positioning Impyrian in the federal market today.

TK truly believes that the three of them, as the dynamic trio, are unstoppable. Their strengths combined will position Impyrian to reach substantial growth and will continue to lead it to new heights over the next few years.

A large part of TK joining Impyrian as a partner was finding people who kept their word and stayed true to who they were. Being an entrepreneur was in TK’s blood and, in many ways, seemed to be what she was born to do. TK credits her mother, Madge Saintrose Shirley, as her hero and inspiration for finding her passion and now owning and leading multiple successful companies. TK also owns other successful companies like SaintRose Capital, which focuses on the purchase and management of investment properties in the DC, Maryland, and Virginia areas with big plans to expand to other locations. TK has also just launched the first technology-focused clothing line under her company, which she founded in 2022, called Silicon Connectr (SC) which is also focused on bringing Silicon Valley Companies and their innovative capabilities to the federal government.

A brief biography of Tanice “TK” Gonsalves

Tanice “TK” Gonsalves recently joined Impyrian as co-owner and managing partner. Prior to becoming a current co-owner at Impyrian, TK held senior executive positions at both large and small firms. She is responsible for bringing in more than $5B in new federal government contract vehicle awards over her career span thus far. TK is known in Industry as a contract vehicle winning guru. She likes leading small companies because of the agility that comes with smaller organizations. TK is unique in many ways but especially because her career journey includes roles ranging from Business Development, Capture, Operations and Growth and Strategy. She has gained experience in a variety of areas of expertise and knowledge including Artificial Intelligence, Healthcare, Cyber Security, Data Analytics, Management Consulting, and Logistics. “My diverse background allows me the ability to build growth areas in myriad vertical lines of business.” When I’m looking at growth and building a strategy for success, I’m not only focused on building a pipeline and winning opportunities. I am focusing on the big picture and setting up the company for future growth as well. I’m building out innovation from the inside out. I’m always looking at ways to build a company differentiator and to create pockets of uniqueness to offer our clients.”

She is the current CEO of SaintRose Capital, a successful real estate investment company with several properties in its portfolio. TK is also the CEO and Founder of Silicon Connectr, a technology-focused clothing brand, and a liaison between Silicon Valley companies and start-ups and the Government.

She enjoys reading poetry by her award-winning poet and sister Tanya Shirley and spending time with her husband and daughter. TK also takes great joy in watching her daughter excel on lacrosse fields across the globe.