Everything’s bigger in Texas, including opportunities. That’s the impression that Bulgaria native and Chicago resident Mirela Gabrovska gained in signing a two-year contract with Texas Instruments.

Gabrovska’s company, MBG Consulting, Inc., joins TI’s existing team — which includes the Staubach Company as its main contractor — as a supplier of lease audit services for the Texas electronics guru.

The agreement originates from Gabrovska’s previous effort to gain a contract with TI, which went to another firm.As a finalist for that contract,Gabrovska, who started her company in 2002, had the opportunity to meet with TI staff to showcase her firm.

“I was given 20 minutes, but we kept discussing critical issues related to lease auditing,” she recalled.“We started discussing their next request for proposal, which was lease auditing services. So when that proposal came out, they asked us to participate in the process.”

The deal represents immense potential for MBG Consulting, a certified women’s business enterprise through the Women’s Business Development Center Chicago.

“TI has the desire to do the same process for their international portfolio. And we specialize in that,” Gabrovska explained, adding that her nine-member staff is multilingual.In addition,the contract will allow MBG Consulting and TI to forge deeper ties.

“We’re looking into establishing a meaningful relationship where we understand TI’s strategy goals not only for real estate, but also as a business so we can focus on further contribution bringing additional measurable revenue to TI’s operations.”

The agreement also expands the company’s prominent client list. Already, MBG Consulting services entities such as Duke University, Exelon Corp. and Steelcase, Inc., providing lease portfolio administration and lease audit services; lease abstractions; administration of leased, owned and subleased properties; rent payment processing; sublease billing and collection; security deposits and tenant improvement allowances monitoring; international portfolio management; and corporate real estate processes and procedures consulting.

Gabrovska’s latest venture came about not only through MBG Consulting’s experience and successful track record, but through help from colleagues. For example, as TI was putting together a request for proposal for lease administrative services in February 2007, Gabrovska’s CoreNet (www2.corenetglobal.org) colleague realized the potential for MBG Consulting.

“TI was looking for work space analysis of their portfolio, and Gary Miciunas with Nelson [Mullins Riley] suggested we partner in the process,” Gabrovska recounted regarding her first encounter with TI.

Then in the bidding for lease audit process, Gabrovska turned to colleagues again, asking for information about TI.

“It was part of the intelligence gathering process,” Gabrovska said. “The more we know about the client, their business and their priorities, the better we are prepared to showcase our expertise and how we fit with a client’s culture and business objectives.”

Another colleague, Elizabeth Solender, president of Solender/Hall and past president of CREW (Commercial Real Estate Women) Dallas, helped Gabrovska further along by introducing her to Michael Warrick,who oversees TI’s commitment to diversity and support of bringing minority- and women-owned businesses into TI’s supplier pool.

“She contacted him, and he said he would be more than happy to help so long as we qualify,” Gabrovska said. In the end, Gabrovska was able to prove her staff could provide TI with quality best-in-class service. “We proved we can deliver and exceed the level of services that Texas Instruments expects,” she said.

Gabrovska said she is grateful for the Texas-sized opportunity the TI contract provides for her firm and is indebted to her colleagues for unconditional support and assistance. “It was good to see how reputation and relationships can work to help advance someone,” she said, adding their support proved what could happen when smaller enterprises stick together. “In this case, it was truly proof that it could work, that it’s possible to happen.”