Game Changers for Government Contractors

Most government contractors aren’t limited by the market, certifications, or competition. They’re limited by an invisible cage they’ve built around their business. In this episode, inspired by a powerful moment from The Equalizer, Michael breaks down the mindset shift that separates reactive contractors from strategic builders. You’ll learn the four “worlds” most contractors operate in, why chasin...

If you think rebranding means “new logo, new website, done”… this episode will convince you otherwise. Michael sits down with Erica Dobbs, CEO of Dobson Solutions, to break down why a company with a strong reputation chose to rebrand and why timing matters when your business matures. Erica shares how her team shifted from speaking pure DoD language to building a more universal message that attract...

In this episode, Michael calls out a growing problem in the government contracting space, too many people are whining about FAR changes, small business rules, and politics, and not enough people are focused on winning. He breaks down why winners do not obsess over whether the rules are fair, they simply ask, “What is the new play, coach” and adapt. You will hear why your only real job is to unders...

Over 400 episodes and a decade in, we step back and ask a big question: how has government contracting really changed, and what is coming next? In this special fireside chat, Michael LeJeune, Joshua Frank, Rich Earnest, and Tom Prokop break down the shifts that matter. We talk about rising simplified acquisition and micro-purchase thresholds, the VA and contract vehicle strategies, market maturity...

Ep 399: Winter is Coming for Your GovCon Strategy by RSM Federal

In this episode of Game Changers for Government Contractors, Michael LeJeune speaks with Alexa Tsui about the industry shift from traditional business development and capture toward disciplined go-to-market (GTM) strategies. Alexa explains why top tech entrants (Palantir, OpenAI, etc.) hire “go-to-market” leaders, not old-school BD roles, and why GovCon companies must stop piling up tools and star...

AI is no longer a buzzword, it is quietly reshaping how companies work, hire, and compete. In this episode, I sit down with AI and automation expert (and repeat founder) Luke Thompson to unpack the real state of AI and what it means for business leaders. We talk about why free AI tools give you a false sense of security, why executives must lean in instead of banning AI, and how to build simple au...

In this episode of Game Changers for Government Contractors, Michael LeJeune is joined by Kim Koster (VP of GovCon Strategy at Unanet) and John Sisson (EVP of CRM at Unanet) to discuss the newly released 2025 GAGE Report. Built from the input of over 1,200 GovCon leaders, the report benchmarks government contracting performance across compliance, accounting, utilization, growth, and efficiency. Th...

In this solo episode of Game Changers for Government Contractors, Michael LeJeune breaks down the federal government’s OneGov strategy, a move that centralizes enterprise agreements with giants like Microsoft, Oracle, AWS, and Google. For years, many contractors relied on the “middleman” model, making margins by simply reselling software and hardware licenses. But those days are coming to an end....

Struggling to hire elite, often-cleared technical talent in GovCon? In this episode, Jessica Oliver shares practical ways to source beyond the usual platforms and cut through the noise. Learn where top engineers actually hang out online, how to personalize outreach with transparent offers and real-life perks, and how to assess both technical skill and culture fit. We also cover managing remote tea...

In this episode of Game Changers for Government Contractors, host Michael LeJeune welcomes back legal expert Steven Koprince to dissect the latest wave of proposed federal contracting changes. From GSA’s push to raise thresholds and alter the “Rule of Two,” to the potential expansion of veteran-owned small business opportunities under the NDAA, this conversation dives deep into what these changes...

In this episode of Game Changers for Government Contractors, host Michael LeJeune welcomes back Lori Revely, CEO of Cavalry Consulting and chair of SAME’s Small Business Council, to preview the upcoming SAME Small Business Conference in Phoenix, AZ. With more than 6,000 attendees last year, SAME SBC has become the premier government contracting event for the AEC industry and beyond drawing small b...

CMMC is officially here. The DoD finalized the DFARS rule on September 10, with CMMC clauses eligible in solicitations by November 10 and a three-year phase-in through November 10, 2028. We break down Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3, the 180-day conditional grace period, prime flowdowns, and COTS exemptions. The headline: Level 2 can be a self-assessment on some programs, dramatically lowering cost...

Non-traditional contracting is exploding in government contracting, and small businesses can win faster by learning the rules. In this episode, Michael LeJeune and guest expert Angela Webb break down BAAs, CSOs, OTAs, and SBIR/STTR, when to use each, and where to find them on SAM.gov. You will learn the typical cadence from five-page white paper to full proposal, realistic timelines to award, how...

The FAR Part 19 deviation is here, and the world is not on fire. In this episode, I break down why “small business first” largely formalizes how agencies already operate, and why overreliance on 8(a), WOSB, and SDVOSB status is a risky strategy going forward. We talk about legal headwinds to socioeconomic programs, the SBA’s shrinking role, and what contractors should do right now. The punchline i...

In this solo episode of Game Changers for Government Contractors, Michael LeJeune dismantles the “invincible leader” myth and makes the case for sustainable leadership. Your real job isn’t doing everything, it’s setting the temperature (be a thermostat, not a thermometer), building systems that work without you, and modeling healthy boundaries. Hear a candid client story: after years of 70–100-hou...

In this episode of Game Changers for Government Contractors, Michael LeJeune is joined by Jenny Karn and Rhi Ruff of Lumino to explore the surprising role Wikipedia plays in your government contracting success. Far from being “just an online encyclopedia,” Wikipedia feeds into Google, Siri, Alexa, social media verification, and even AI tools like ChatGPT. That means what’s written on Wikipedia cou...

If your results are flat, it might be time to look in the mirror. In this episode, Michael breaks down “radical ownership” for GovCon leaders and shows how to fix what’s left of the equal sign, and the behaviors that drive outcomes. We unpack common scapegoats like politics, FAR changes, and slow agencies, and replace them with actions that actually move revenue: better BD cadence, smarter keyword...

In this episode of Game Changers for Government Contractors, Michael LeJeune talks with Kim Ali of Kim Ali Consulting about her remarkable comeback after losing 80% of her revenue in early 2025 due to sweeping executive orders. Kim shares how she used equitable adjustments to create a financial cushion, analyzed shifting federal priorities, and rebuilt her pipeline to $40M in just months. They dis...

Ep 385: How to Write Emails Government Buyers Actually Answer by RSM Federal

Struggling to hire the right people, especially before a contract award? In this episode of Game Changers for Government Contractors, host Michael LeJeune talks with recruiting expert Al Vega about what it really takes to build a talent pipeline in GovCon. From cleared candidates to proposal recruiting, Al shares why “hypothetical recruiting” is critical to success and how to keep candidates warm...

Ep 383: 4 Keys to Scaling Your GovCon Business Faster and Smarter by RSM Federal

In this episode of Game Changers for Government Contractors, host Michael LeJeune is joined by Christa Williams and Erin Olenjack from Bank of America’s government contracting team for a candid and practical discussion about what contracting officers and bankers wish every contractor knew. Erin, a former contracting officer, unpacks the most common misconceptions about KO relationships—like why yo...

In this episode of Game Changers for Government Contractors, host Michael LeJeune reveals five hidden profit levers that can dramatically improve your bottom line—without spending a dime on more leads. Drawing from decades of experience and over $14.5 billion in contract wins, Michael shares smarter ways to grow by improving your conversion rate, increasing average sale size, boosting transaction...

he GSA schedule just became the hottest asset in government contracting. In this episode of Game Changers for Government Contractors, host Michael LeJeune sits down with RSM Federal sales strategist Rich Ernest to break down why GSA schedules are more critical than ever thanks to a recent executive order pushing 400–500% more spending through them. They expose costly myths, explain why getting a s...