Q: Congratulations on being named to the ’CUSE50! So, Hartnel, can you tell us a bit about your business?
A: Lambert Financial provides accounting, financial management, and federal consulting services to small businesses and government agencies. We help clients manage their accounting operations, develop budgets, improve internal controls, and make informed financial decisions. What sets us apart is depth in federal financial management. We support the full PPBE cycle (planning, programming, budgeting, and execution), and we work fluently in more than a dozen DoD and federal financial systems, including DFAS, WAWF, DTS, and MOCAS. We have served the federal contracting market since 2021 as a service-disabled veteran-owned and HUBZone-certified small business. As a business owner myself, I also understand what our commercial clients face: managing cash flow, supporting a team, and planning for growth.
We also recently opened Junction 1910, an entrepreneurship and resource hub in Birmingham’s historic Ensley community. Through our partnership with Network Navigator, we are bringing business resources, programming, and connections into the community. Lambert Financial helps businesses strengthen their financial foundations, while Junction 1910 gives entrepreneurs a place to connect, learn, and grow. Together, they reflect my commitment to building businesses that create opportunities for others.
Q: Success is often easier to trace in retrospect. Looking back, what was the big turning point for Lambert Financial?
A: Winning our first federal prime contracts, supporting the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Air Force at Maxwell Air Force Base, was the turning point for Lambert Financial. Federal contracting takes preparation and persistence, so moving from pursuing opportunities to delivering services made the possibilities feel tangible.
It also pushed me to think more seriously about building a company that could operate beyond my individual efforts. I began paying closer attention to team capacity, repeatable processes, and the opportunities that best matched our capabilities.
More recently, opening Junction 1910 represented another meaningful milestone. Seeing the building at 1801 19th Street in Ensley, which I had worked to restore, become a place where entrepreneurs and community members could gather made years of effort visible. Those experiences strengthened my confidence and clarified my responsibility to build something durable for our clients, our team, and the community around us.
Q: The ‘CUSE50 recognizes business growth. What specifically drove your growth over the past year?
A: Our growth over the past year has been driven by a clearer strategy, stronger partnerships, and a commitment to building a business capable of supporting larger opportunities. Earning our GSA Multiple Award Schedule in 2021 established an important foundation, but I learned that access to opportunities does not automatically translate into success. Growth requires preparation, persistence, the right relationships, and the ability to deliver consistently. Over the past year, we have focused on strengthening our business development processes, expanding strategic teaming relationships, and pursuing opportunities that align with our core expertise in accounting and federal financial management.
Another significant milestone was opening Junction 1910 in Birmingham's historic Ensley community. This investment represents more than business expansion. It reflects my commitment to creating an environment where entrepreneurs can access resources, build relationships, and pursue opportunities for sustainable growth. For me, growth is not simply about securing more contracts. It is about building a stronger organization that creates lasting value for our clients, our team, and our community.
Q: To get where you are, it often takes making difficult choices with big opportunity costs. What has been the hardest business decision you’ve had to make so far?
A: One of the most difficult decisions I have made as an entrepreneur was changing the original direction of Junction 1910 after investing significant time, financial resources, and personal effort into developing the space. My initial vision was to establish a coworking environment. However, as the project progressed, I recognized an opportunity to create something with a broader and more meaningful impact: an entrepreneurship and resource hub serving Birmingham's historic Ensley community.
Making that change required me to look beyond my original plans and recognize that the long-term success of the project mattered more than holding on to an initial vision. Through our partnership with Network Navigator, we began building a space designed to connect entrepreneurs with resources, programming, and professional relationships. That experience reinforced an important leadership lesson: being committed to your vision does not mean being unwilling to change your approach. Sometimes, the most important decision a business owner can make is to recognize when a different direction can create greater value.
Q: How has your experience in the military community shaped the way you lead or build your business?
A: Serving in the Navy taught me discipline, preparation, and accountability. I learned that people depend on you to fulfill your responsibilities, communicate clearly, and perform under pressure. Those lessons continue to guide how I lead Lambert Financial and build Junction 1910. That shows up in our work every day. In federal financial management, a missed deadline or an unreconciled number affects a mission, not just a report. I run every engagement by the standard I learned in the Navy: know your responsibilities, check your work, and tell people the truth early.
One adjustment has been learning that people have different working styles and need different kinds of support. I have become more intentional about explaining expectations, listening, and delegating. The Navy gave me a strong foundation, and entrepreneurship continues to teach me how to apply it with flexibility, patience, and trust.
Q: What is one lesson, connection, or experience from a D’Aniello IVMF program or event that still influences how you run your business today?
A: As an EBV graduate, I have stayed connected to the IVMF community, and participating in the Accelerator Challenge and attending Veteran EDGE each year have shaped how I run my business. The biggest lesson I have taken from those experiences is the importance of working on the business and making time to think strategically about its future. As an entrepreneur, it is easy to get consumed by daily responsibilities. Those experiences have encouraged me to step back, evaluate our direction, and focus on the relationships, systems, and team needed for sustainable growth.
I apply that mindset at Lambert Financial by being more intentional about the opportunities we pursue and how we prepare to deliver. It also influences my vision for Junction 1910 in Ensley. Experiencing the value of an entrepreneurial community has strengthened my commitment to creating a place where other business owners can connect, learn, and grow.
Q: What are you focused on next?
A: My next focus is strengthening Lambert Financial’s commercial accounting services and expanding our federal financial management and advisory work, including turning our GSA Schedule into recurring task orders and building delivery depth so our capabilities do not rest on one person. I want to build a dependable pipeline of opportunities that fits our capabilities and gives our team room to grow. That requires disciplined business development, strong teaming relationships, and clear accountability throughout the proposal and service delivery process. It also means making sure our operations can support the work we pursue.
At Junction 1910, my focus is developing the hub into a valuable resource for entrepreneurs in Ensley. Through partnerships and programming, I want to help business owners strengthen their financial knowledge, prepare for procurement opportunities, and build useful relationships. The greatest opportunity is connecting our financial expertise with our commitment to entrepreneurship. Success will require consistent execution, the right people, and patience as we build lasting relationships.
Q: What would you tell a veteran or military spouse entrepreneur in their first year who hopes to build a company like yours someday?
A: I have trained hundreds of entrepreneurs on financial systems, and my advice always starts in the same place: understand your numbers and build good habits. Know what it costs to deliver your services, price your work carefully, maintain accurate records, and pay attention to cash flow. Those fundamentals influence nearly every decision you will make.
I would also encourage them to build relationships early. Find mentors, connect with other entrepreneurs, and take advantage of programs that support the military community. You can learn a great deal from people who have already worked through challenges you are facing.
What I wish someone had emphasized to me is that you can be ambitious while being selective. Every opportunity requires time, money, and attention. Choose work that fits your capabilities and supports your long-term goals. Stay disciplined, be willing to adjust, and give yourself time to develop.
Q: It’s the final day of National Veterans Small Business Week. What is one action someone could take that would make a meaningful difference for a veteran-owned business like yours?
A: One of the most meaningful ways to support a veteran-owned business is to make a purposeful introduction. Connecting a veteran entrepreneur with a potential client, strategic partner, mentor, or decisionmaker can create opportunities that might otherwise take years to develop. For Lambert Financial, an introduction to an organization seeking accounting or financial management support could lead to a valuable business relationship. For Junction 1910, connecting us with professionals or organizations willing to share their expertise and resources could directly benefit entrepreneurs in Birmingham's Ensley community.
Veteran-owned businesses bring discipline, leadership, and valuable experience to the marketplace. What we often need is an opportunity to demonstrate those capabilities. A meaningful introduction can open a door, a new partnership can create jobs, and those opportunities can strengthen an entire community.
