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Game Changers for Government Contractors was designed BY government contractors FOR government contractors. Every episode delivers actionable tips, tricks, and strategies to help you find and win more government contracts. Each episode features Subject Matter Experts (SMEs), companies actively winning contracts, and nationally recognized professional speakers and authors. The show is hosted by government contracting expert Michael LeJeune of RSM Federal. RSM Federal has trained over 25,000 government contractors, and their coaching programs have helped clients win over $14 Billion in government contracts. New episodes release every week. Keywords: Government Contractor, Government Contracting, Government Contracts, Government Sales, Government Subcontracting, How to Win Government Contracts, Where to Find Government Contracts, Small Business Government Contracting, Federal Contracting, Government RFP, How to Write a Proposal, Capability Statement, FPDS Training, The Government Sales Manual, Government Contract Coaching, Government Contract Training, Government Contract Consultant, GSA Schedule, SBIR, Set-Aside Contracts, Government Proposal Writing, Federal Sales Strategy.

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Check latest episodes from Game Changers for Government Contractors podcast

Ep 441 | $0 to $55M a Year, 90% of It as a Subcontractor

2026/10/12

What if your real customer is the prime and not the government? In this episode, I interview Rick Stengard from EBWATER, who took a business unit from zero to about $55 million a year in federal revenue and an exit to private equity. More than 90% of that revenue came as a subcontractor, and that was by design. Rick walks through the 18 months it took to win the first contract, why his company had 8(a) and SDVOSB status and built the business around the primes instead, and what debriefs and CPARS taught his team. He also coaches drivers at the Porsche Experience Center in Atlanta (yes, we talk about that too).

Ep 440 | The 4 Rules Behind $14.6 Billion In Government Contracts

2026/10/05

In this episode, I walk through the four rules I give every client before we start working together. Be a good communicator. Follow through. Have high integrity. Stay solution focused. My clients have won more than $14.6 billion in government contracts, and these rules are how we work together to get there. These rules start with me! I hold myself to them first (and you can steal them for your own team and clients).

Ep 439 | After 400 Episodes, The Mic Gets Turned On Michael LeJeune

2026/09/28

After more than 400 episodes of asking the questions, Michael LeJeune takes the other seat. In this episode of Game Changers for Government Contractors, the microphone turns toward the host for a conversation that puts his own experience and perspective in the spotlight. It’s a change of pace for longtime listeners and an introduction to the person behind the show for anyone tuning in for the first time.

Ep 438 | Is the Sky Falling Again for Government Contractors

2026/09/21

Is the sky falling again for government contractors? SBA's proposed size standard changes could add 37,000 companies to the small business pool, and the panic is loud. In this episode, I give you my take as an SDVOSB who's watched this market survive CMMC, COVID, DOGE, and three administrations. I get into the question nobody's asking: how many of those 37,000 companies can qualify for a socio-economic status when those programs are controlled by ownership? And why would a $200 million company want to fight over a $4 million contract in the first place?

Ep 437 | Healing Starts at 10,000 Feet

2026/09/11

In this special episode, I interview Alex Buggy and John Wayne Walding, from the Best Defense Foundation. together they built the Stronghold program, where special operations veterans spend a week at 10,000 feet in Utah with doctors, NFL players, and operators who've already made the transition. It's peer-led, it costs the veteran nothing, and more than 100 have been through it.

Ep 436 | He as a $3m Business and Still Works in a Factory

2026/09/07

In this episode, I get into vanity metrics, using a high school friend of mine who took home nothing out of a company doing $3 million with 40 employees. Before he hired me he asked two questions, how much revenue I make and how many employees I have. My numbers were smaller than his, so he passed. I also break down the numbers I would put in their place. Margin per product, per service and per job instead of one blended average, whether you are paying yourself and your people above market, and why you look at all of it weekly instead of once a quarter.

Ep 435: The X-Factor of Working with Women-Owned Small Businesses

2026/08/31

In this episode I break down the X factor of working with a women-owned small business, why they make outstanding teaming partners in government contracting, and the four things I find myself coaching them out of every time.

Ep 434: The Boring Habits that Win Government Contracts

2026/08/24

In this episode I get into what I call putting in the reps. It's the boring, repetitive stuff almost nobody does consistently, and it's what quietly decides who wins. I run through the reps that matter in your business, including the one almost everybody quits on way too early.

Ep 433: The Loyalty Trap: When a Long-Time Employee Can't Scale With You

2026/08/17

What do you do with the employee who was perfect for the company you used to run? In this episode, I get into what I call the loyalty trap, the thing that catches a lot of owners between $5M and $10M. The business grew, the skill the job needs grew, and the person you hired on day one stayed right where they were. Most owners read that as an employee problem. It is usually a company problem. I also walk through the sit-down conversation, the fork in the road, and the exit that keeps everyone's dignity intact.

Ep 432: What Would You Do With 8 Hours Back This Week?

2026/08/10

What would you do with eight hours back this week? In this episode, I interview Luke Thompson from The Operations Guide about the work he has been doing to implement AI in organizations. One of his favorite implementations is an AI agent that wakes up periodically, checks your systems, and then makes decisions and takes action based on your rules.He also talks about how this can all be managed (once it's setup) from your phone and a simple text.

Ep 431: Stop Selling Services. Start Creating Experiences.

2026/07/27

If I printed 10 capability statements, yours and nine competitors', then cut off every logo, could you pick yours out of the stack? Most contractors say yes. Most contractors are wrong. In this episode I break down why "we're different" is the most common claim in government contracting and the least believable one. Quality work, on time, under budget, great customer service. Those are not differentiators. That is the price of admission, and we have set the bar so low in this country that clearing it by an inch feels exceptional. So I get into what actually separates you. How customer service turns into customer experience. Why the escape room I took Natasha to did more marketing in ten minutes than most capability statements do in a year. And how to build a named methodology of your own so buyers start asking for your process by name. I also share the play that produced 20 to 25 million dollars in direct awards in my first two years in this business. No competition. No RFP fight. Your challenge this week: find the stalest part of your delivery and make it memorable.

Ep 430: The Customer is Usually Right (Even When You Hate the Answer)

2026/07/20

In this episode of Game Changers for Government Contractors, Michael LeJeune sits down with Dean Wegner, founder and CEO of Authentically American, to explore the leadership lessons, branding strategies, and entrepreneurial mindset behind building a fast-growing American-made apparel company. Dean shares how his experiences at West Point, Ranger School, and leading soldiers shaped his approach to business, customer service, and team building. He also reveals the biggest mistake he made as a founder, why listening to customers transformed his company, and the three keys to earning national media coverage without a massive marketing budget. Whether you're building a GovCon company or any business, this conversation is packed with practical lessons on leadership, storytelling, branding, and creating an unforgettable customer experience.

Ep 429: The Leadership Vacuum Killing Your Company's Growth

2026/07/13

In this episode, Michael LeJeune explains why businesses often stall between $1 million and $5 million in revenue, not because the opportunity disappears, but because the founder is still leading like it’s a startup. He breaks down the differences between leading in the military, corporate America, and a growing small business, and why those leadership styles don’t always translate. You’ll also learn how to identify whether your company has the right leaders, the right culture, and the right mindset to scale beyond its current ceiling. If your company has stopped growing and you can’t quite figure out why, this episode may help you find the answer.

Ep 428: How Smart CEOs Use AI

2026/07/06

In this episode, Michael sits down with Ben Thompson from The Operations Guide to explore what AI looks like when it becomes part of your business instead of just another chatbot. They discuss building an AI productivity headquarters, connecting tools like Google Drive and Read.ai, using Claude Code and Codex to automate real work, and identifying the repetitive business problems AI can solve today. If you’ve been frustrated with AI, overwhelmed by constant updates, or unsure where to begin, this conversation will completely change how you think about it. You’ll walk away with practical examples, a better framework for using AI, and a simple question every business owner should ask before investing in another tool: What work gets deleted if I use this?

Ep 427: The BD Lie of Busyness

2026/06/29

Most government contractors are measuring the wrong things. They celebrate phone calls made, emails sent, and capability statements distributed, while completely ignoring the only metrics that actually predict contract wins. In this episode, Michael breaks down why activity is one of the biggest lies in business development. He explains the difference between being busy and making progress, why meaningful conversations should be your primary KPI, how many Sources Sought and proposals you should realistically target each month, and the critical difference between P-Win and your actual win rate. If you’re tired of spinning your wheels and want a BD process that produces results instead of excuses, this episode gives you the framework to start measuring what actually matters.

Podcast reviews

Read Game Changers for Government Contractors podcast reviews

4.8 out of 5

69 reviews

★★★★★

Jay JS. 2025/07/30

Best podcast on GovCon

Michael L. With RSM Federal has the best content on GovCOn. Short and effective!

★★★★★

One improvement needed! 2025/07/28

Great podcast for anyone in government contracting

This podcast covers many topics and provides direction based on experiences from seasoned professionals. I definitely recommend this to anyone even r...

★★★★★

MarkNewlan 2025/07/28

Essential Listening for Government Contractors

A must-listen for anyone in the federal contracting space. Each episode is packed with practical tips, expert insights, and real-world strategies that...

★★★★★

April Molina 2025/07/28

Wow!

I am very glad I found you, I have missing pieces in my business, a few episodes in,and I have the clear vision of what I need to do in order to scale...

★★★★★

RobinLK 2023/09/02

Worth your Time!

7+ episodes in two commuting days & 1 housecleaning day. On point, helpful, and approachable… like a chat over coffee. Thanks, Michael LeJeune!

★★★★★

isk24 2023/05/09

Taught me so much

I have listed to hours upon hours of Game Changers. These podcasts are packed with info that is incredibly helpful!

★★★★★

CAN1000$ 2023/03/16

Best of the best for the GovCon community!

I stumbled upon this Podcast a few weeks ago and as a senior executive at a small business, I have found it invaluable. This show has validated what I...

★★★★★

Cindy J with MD 2023/01/03

Best GovCon podcast

I’ve been listening to this podcast for years. The information is always up to date and informative. We also subscribe to federal-access.com, which h...

★★★★★

Lchristian5577 2021/12/08

My go to podcast.

I love Game Changers for For Government Contractors podcast. It provides great subject matter experts, impactful content and genuine hosts who truly ...

★★★★★

Drew, GovCon Contractor 2021/12/07

Must Listen Podcast

I have been in the GovCon business about 10 years now for a Large multi billion dollar contractor. The training that these guys provide for free in th...

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