Best Center For Presidential Transition Podcasts (2025)

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Like: The button that changed the world 43:01

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1M ago43:01

43:01

Martin Reeves of the BCG Henderson Institute returns to Amtower Off Center to discuss his latest book. "Like: The Button That Changed the World". Topics include: The evolution of the Like button What the creation and adoption of the button reveals about technical innovation Why the button is addictive The rise of the "Like" economy How Like transfo…

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The Strategic Enemy 38:38

3M ago38:38

38:38

Laura Ries, chairwoman of Reis Consulting and author of multiple business strategy books, joins host Mark Amtower on this week's Amtower Off Center to discuss her latest book: The Strategic Enemy. Topics include: Building your brand with an "enemy" in mind Branding mistakes entrepreneurs make The power of saying NO to maintain focus Why brand exten…

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Branding & thought leadership 43:20

4M ago43:20

43:20

This week on Amtower Off Center, host Mark Amtower is joined by Evan Weisel, principal and co-founder of W2 Communications for a discussion on thought leadership in GovCon. Topics discussed include: What constitutes thought leadership for our market Thought leadership examples including white papers, case studies, data-based research and more How t…

1
Navigating the current GovCon environment 43:23

4M ago43:23

43:23

This week on Amtower Off Center, host Mark Amtower is joined by Kaamil Khan, president of Makpar Corporation, a small IT services firm. Topics discussed include: Khan's journey to become president of the family owned business, leveraging his law degree and a natural talent for BD Makpar's experience with my LinkedIn training and the benefits thereo…

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A deep dive into government contracting 44:52

6M ago44:52

44:52

This week on Amtower Off Center, Kevin Plexico, SVP of Deltek, joins host Mark Amtower for a deep discussion on the current state of government contracting. Topics include: YTD contract activity vs FY 24, and how it has impacted spending The impact on SIs, VARs, small contractors and others Regulatory changes and the future of GWACs The new Deltek …

1
State of the GovCon market 41:16

6M ago41:16

41:16

This week on Amtower Off Center, Nick Wakeman, editor in chief of Washington Technology, joins host Mark Amtower for a wide-ranging discussion on the state of the GovCon market as reflected by the WashTech 2025 Top 100 contractors. Topics discussed include: First year-over-year decline in prime contracts since 2016 sequestration A recap of CGI's St…

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The state of the SmartPay program 43:21

7M ago43:21

43:21

Shauna Weatherly, former govie and now founder and president of FebSubK,joins host MarkAmtower for an in-depth discussion on the current state of the SmartPay (government charge card) program. Topics include: The charge card program background from inception in the late 1980s How it works and why it is so successful at what it does What is happenin…

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The Trump administation's executive orders and their impact on GovCon 40:32

9M ago40:32

40:32

This week on Amtower Off Center, host Mark Amtower is joined by Nick Wakeman, editor in chief of Washington Technology for a wide-ranging, candid discussion of the new administration's executive orders impacting the GovCon industry. Topics include: The order from GSA to investigate the"consulting" contracts of the top 10 OASIS contractors Tthe temp…

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The 2024 Presidential Transition: What Happened? With Heath Brown 52:21

10M ago52:21

52:21

The peaceful transfer of power occurred successfully at noon on Jan. 20, 2025, when President Joe Biden handed control of the federal government to President-elect Donald Trump. After an election cycle characterized by intense partisanship and distrust, how did officials manage this monumental task? Today on the final episode this season of “Transi…

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Managing the presidential transition 41:12

12M ago41:12

41:12

This week on Amtower Off Center, host Mark Amtower is joined by GovNavigators co-founder Robert Shea for a very lively discussion on the upcoming administration. Topics include: Managing the transition Major policy shifts What are some of the priorities for DOD DOGE and the impending efficiencies OPM and Schedule F Lots of great policy-nerd minutae…

1
Breaking the standard 43:28

12M ago43:28

43:28

This week on Amtower Off Center, host Mark Amtower is joined by Aubrey Gainfort, by day a federal contracting officer, and after work host of the Breaking the Standard podcast, which is nearing its 5th anniversary. Topics discussed include: Five things contractors need to do Five things contractors should NOT do How and why to start your own podcas…

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How’s the 2024 transition going? With Max Stier 35:26

12M ago35:26

35:26

‘Tis the season – and not just for the holidays! The 2024 transition is in full swing, so for this episode of Transition Lab, we invited our CEO and president Max Stier to join us for a discussion of President-elect Donald Trump’s (second!) presidential transition and how it stacks up against those of the last few administrations. Max Stier has ser…

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Tips on how to bid for government contracts 42:50

1y ago42:50

42:50

This week on Amtower Off Center, host Mark Amtower is joined by Brian Lindholm, founder and managing principal at FedSavvy Strategies for a discussion on the myriad of sources available to government contractors for researching before bidding. Topics include: What open source intel is available to contractors How to parse this data for useful items…

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Too many cooks in the kitchen? With Lanhee Chen 42:18

1y ago42:18

42:18

Assigning one job to two people can be a recipe for disaster. Yet, presidential candidates typically have two policy teams—one for the campaign operation and one for the transition operation. Campaigns already do policy work, so why does a transition need a policy team, too? Today on “Transition Lab,” we’re joined by Lanhee Chen, the policy directo…

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The 2024 Fast 50 government contractors 42:27

1y ago42:27

42:27

Ross Wilkers, senior reporter for Washington Technology, joins host Mark Amtower on this week's Amtower Off Center for a follow-up interview, this time addressing the Washington Technology Fast 50 contractors. The list includes fifty companies that submitted financial data to WashTech to verify their growth over the past 5 years. Topics include: Ty…

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An expert's take on B2G content 49:31

1y ago49:31

49:31

Chris Parente of Story Tech Consulting joins host Mark Amtower on this week's Amtower Off Center for a wide ranging discussion on B2G content. Topics discussed include: The value of a content calendar Developing your own/your company POV Listening when customers and prospects talk as they are often telling you what they want to hear back from you W…

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How do we build a better government? With Jenny Mattingley 38:58

1y ago38:58

38:58

Political pundits wax on about government waste, red tape and inefficiency, but the truth is that while the federal government can learn plenty from the private sector, no magic wand would make government operate exactly like a business—and for good reasons. This week on “Transition Lab," we speak with our resident expert on government management, …

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How do you become a political appointee? With Kathryn Dunn Tenpas 52:03

1y ago52:03

52:03

Getting a job can be really hard—but getting a job as a Senate-confirmed, presidential appointee can be even harder. Today on “Transition Lab,” we welcome Kathryn Dunn Tenpas for a conversation about the role of political appointees in the federal government and the pathway to these jobs. Tenpas is director of the Katzmann Initiative and a visiting…

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Current trends in the GovCon market 41:29

1y ago41:29

41:29

This week on Amtower Off Center, Ross Wilkers, senior reporter with Washington Technology, joins host Mark Amtower for a wide-ranging discussion regarding current events in the government market. Topics discussed include: Market trends M&A activity across the market VC activity becoming even more strategic Trends in the Top 100 contractors The upco…

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Ever heard of an agency review team? With Melody Barnes 49:24

1y ago49:24

49:24

During every presidential transition, flocks of people parachute into agencies across the federal government. From November to January, these agency review teams serve as the bridge between the president-elect and the mammoth organization they will soon oversee, relaying information back and forth to prepare for a smooth handoff of power. Organizin…

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The Trust Paradigm 42:03

1y ago42:03

42:03

Author, consultant and speaker Andy Fry joins host Mark Amtower on this week's Amtower Off Center for a discussion of two of Fry's books: The Consultant's Code and The Trust Paradigm. Topics discussed include: The 4 pillars of consulting (intelligence, effort, likeability and intent) with a brief dive into each pillar. Why trust is key, including W…

1
Regulation changes & other issues in contracting 43:05

1y ago43:05

43:05

This week on Amtower Off Center, Larry Allen, president of Allen Federal Business Partners, joins host Mark Amtower to discuss current issues in contracting including upcoming changes in regulations. Topics include: The recurring issue of contractors failing to deliver on what was promised in their contracts New OMB guidance is coming on the use of…

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What if the Constitution had the solutions all along? With Yuval Levin 46:21

1y ago46:21

46:21

The federal government seems broken, but it might not be for the reasons you think. In this episode of “Transition Lab,” Yuval Levin talks with us about the surprising ways in which a the U.S. Constitution—despite being centuries old—could help us address our most pressing modern social and political problems. Yuval Levin is the director of Social,…

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The evolution of podcasting in GovCon 42:51

1y ago42:51

42:51

This week on Amtower Off Center, host Mark Amtower is joined by Peter Jacobs of the Merritt Group for a discussion on the evolution and current state of podcasting, especially as it pertains to GovCon. Topics include: The advent of podcasts with other Web 2.0 tools in the late 1990s, early 2000s Types of GovCon podcasts Hurdles to starting a podcas…

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How do you lead a presidential transition? With former Governor Mike Leavitt 40:00

1+ y ago40:00

40:00

A law on presidential transitions bears former Utah Gov. Mike Leavitt's name for a reason: he wrote the book on managing the peaceful transfer of power from one president to the next. Twelve years ago, Leavitt built “the ship that never sailed:” the Romney Readiness Project. He memorialized this work in a book by the same name, creating a playbook …

1
What can we learn from the 2016 transition? With Ann O’Leary and Rich Bagger 53:13

1+ y ago53:13

53:13

We remember the 2016 election as one of the most bruising, knockdown, polarized elections of our time, but behind the scenes, representatives for both Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton were quietly preparing each candidate to transition into office. Today, we speak with Ann O’Leary, co-executive director of the Clinton-Kaine Transition Project, and …

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Branding in GovCon 42:50

1+ y ago42:50

42:50

This week on Amtower Off Center, host Mark Amtower is joined by GovCon marketing expert Lisa Sherwin Wulf of LSW Marketing, who returns for a lively discussion on branding in GovCon. Topics discussed include: Do small contractors understand the power of branding and how to implement it Key elements of a brand plan Tag lines and logos How does a com…

1
Two parties, too many problems? With Lee Drutman 42:52

1+ y ago42:52

42:52

Red versus blue, Republican versus Democrat, liberal versus conservative. Today’s politics are driven by intense partisan conflict, but things haven’t always been this way. In this episode of “Transition Lab,” we talk to Lee Drutman about how our two-party system and winner-take-all elections have inflamed our political divisions. Not to worry, tho…

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Why should we care about government, anyway? With Eric Liu 55:11

1+ y ago55:11

55:11

Once we leave high school social studies behind, government can feel distant, complex, impersonal and overwhelming. On today’s episode of Transition Lab, we talk with Eric Liu, co-founder of Citizen University. Eric established Citizen University to rebuild a civic culture in America and help individuals engage with one another across partisan line…

1
End of Fiscal Year marketing 41:45

1+ y ago41:45

41:45

This week on Amtower Off Center, host Mark Amtower is joined by GovCon marketing expert Lisa Sherwin Wulf of LSW Marketing. Topics discussed include: End of FY marketing Things NOT to do at end of FY Content and when to gate your content End of FY events See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.…

1
How Fragile is American Democracy? With Archon Fung 40:13

1+ y ago40:13

40:13

As the 2024 presidential election approaches, you can almost feel the tension rising in the air. Today on Transition Lab, we talk with Harvard professor Archon Fung about why political discourse today feels so rough, why our democratic institutions feel so fragile and what we might do about it. Archon Fung is the director of the Ash Center for Demo…

1
The 2024 High Growth Study 42:00

1+ y ago42:00

42:00

This week on Amtower Off Center, host Mark Amtower is joined by Elizabeth Harr, managing partner of Hinge Marketing, for a wide-ranging conversation focused on Hinge's latest study, the 2024 High Growth Study. The study is conducted annually and is a detailed survey of high growth professional services firms. Topics discussed include: What is high …

1
Q4 do's and don'ts 41:29

1+ y ago41:29

41:29

This week on Amtower Off Center, host Mark Amtower is joined by Larry Allen, president of Allen Federal Business Partners and a regular on Federal News Network. The wide-ranging conversation covers: Q4 do's and don'ts Issues around the GSA Schedule program, including why many do not require a Schedule The delay in Alliant 3 and issues surrounding t…

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America’s at a crossroads. Where do we go from here? With Judy Woodruff 43:45

1+ y ago43:45

43:45

Journalist Judy Woodruff spent the last two years “reporting on America” by traveling the country to speak to people and try to find out why we’ve become so polarized. Today on Transition Lab, she tells us about how politics has changed since she arrived in Washington, D.C., during the Carter administration, how these changes inspired her current s…

1
All things SmartPay 42:30

1+ y ago42:30

42:30

This week on Amtower Off Center, host Mark Amtower is joined by Brian Stauffer, CEO of Paperless Innovations at Actus, for a wide-ranging discussion on issues regarding the government purchase card- SmartPay. Topics include: The possible increase in both micro-purchase and simplified acquisition threshold Issues confronting the agency comptroller r…

1
Is history repeating itself? With Lindsay Chervinsky 36:31

1+ y ago36:31

36:31

Do you know all the ways that America’s first presidential elections look like today’s? We sure didn’t! In this episode of Transition Lab, historian Lindsay Chervinsky tells us the story of America’s first two presidential transitions and how George Washington, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson established a tradition for the peaceful transition of p…

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Transition Lab Season 2 Trailer 4:51

1+ y ago4:51

4:51

Welcome to season two of Transition Lab, hosted by Valerie Boyd, Director of the Center for Presidential Transition. During the first season, we introduced the public to the inner workings of a presidential transition by featuring former White House chiefs of staff, members of Congress and other government leaders who worked behind the scenes to en…

1
The keys to winning government contracts 40:42

1+ y ago40:42

40:42

This week on Amtower Off Center, Dr Bob Frey, author author of Successful Proposal Strategies On-the Go and principal of Successful Proposal Strategies LLC, joins host Mark Amtower for a discussion on winning proposals. Topics discussed include:. The six functional areas needed for winning proposals What do evaluators across the spectrum (DOD, mili…

1
Navigating the capture process 41:23

1+ y ago41:23

41:23

This week on Amtower Off Center, host Mark Amtower is joined by capture guru Jennifer Namvar, CEO of The Peerless Group. Namvar developed a multi-point "cheat sheet" on the capture process, which we discuss on the show. Topics include: The fundamentals of opportuities Acquisition timing and capture process Corporate capabilities to win Customer int…

1
The value of GovCon associations 41:01

1+ y ago41:01

41:01

This week onAmtower Off Center, GovCon expert Katie Helwig of MildRed joins host Mark Amtower to discuss the value of GovCon associations. Topics include: Creating visibility in GovCon The GovCon association landscape Criteria for selecting the association which will be best for you Getting involved with your association See Privacy Policy at https…

1
An overview of generative AI 41:12

2y ago41:12

41:12

This week on Amtower Off Center, host Mark Amtower interviews Fergal McGovern, CEO of Visible Thread. Visible Thread(VT) provides support tools and processes for the contractor side of the proposal community, especially in the evolving area of generative AI. Topics include: Fergal's background and what VT offers to the contractor community An overv…

1
The "do's and don'ts" of GovCon 44:27

2y ago44:27

44:27

This week on Amtower Off Center, host Mark Amtower starts year 18 at Federal News Network with guest Kevine Jans, president of Skyway Acquisition and host of the Contracting Officer's Podcast. Topics include: Kevin's background as a DOD contracting officer prior to Skyway Starting his podcast 10 years ago Proposal "do's and dont's" The Aristotelian…

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The top contracting stories of 2023 40:36

2y ago40:36

40:36

This week on Amtower Off Center, Nick Wakeman, editor in chief of Washington Technology, joins host Mark Amtower for an animated and wide-ranging discussion of the biggest issues facing contractors. Topics include: The top stories of 2023-24 M&A trends and activity The increasing role of private equity in the federal market Key elements for growth …

1
25 things all small busines contractors should know 43:00

2y ago43:00

43:00

This week on Amtower Off Center, Host Mark Amtower interviews contract funding expert Teresa Moon of Parabilis on a wide variety of issues facing smaller contractors and those new to the market. Our topics include: Is your product or service viable in GovCon and have you done enough research to bear this out What is your event/networking strategy? …

1
All things ACT-IAC 41:10

2y ago41:10

41:10

This week on Amtower Off Center, host Mark Amtower is joined by ACT-IAC CEO Dave Wennergren for a lively and wide-ranging discussion about ACT-IAC. Topics include: a brief history of ACT-IAC the mission of the organization professional development opportunities committees and communities of interest the ongoing events for the councils and the major…

1
All things AI 45:05

2y ago45:05

45:05

This week on Amtower Off Center, host Mark Amtower is joined by Peter Erickson of MoDev, producer of the GovAI Summit. Topics discussed include: the current evolutionary stepping point in technology that AI, ML and LLM represent a little historical perspective on what brought us to this point, including earlier uses of voice recognition the emergen…

1
Using artificial intelligence to improve contract proposals 39:48

2y ago39:48

39:48

Government proposal guru Carl Dickson joins host Mark Amtower on this week's Amtower Off Center to discuss several recent topics Dickson has written about, including: 5 Ways to use AI to Improve proposals 14 ways to determine if your proposal is any good How branding can hurt your proposals 10 things the customer might choose to do instead of accep…

1
Hard Talk: Confessions of an Accidental Marketing and Communications Professional 42:23

2y ago42:23

42:23

This week on Amtower Off Center, host Mark Amtower is joined by Eileen Rivera, Federal MarCom leader and the author of Hard Talk: Confessions of an Accidental Marketing and Communications Professional. Topics discussed include: Why did you write Hard Talk? Who is the audience Dealing with unexpected situations that can impact a company's reputation…

1
Branding & marketing in GovCon 43:01

2+ y ago43:01

43:01

This week on Amtower Off Center, host Mark Amtower is joined by fellow GovCon consultant Mike LeJeune ofRSM Federal for a wide ranging discussion on branding and marketing in GovCon. Topics include: Defining your market niche Being able to enunciate your market position in 90 seconds or less Why your capabilities statement is not etched in stone Th…

1
Trends in the government market 43:24

2+ y ago43:24

43:24

This week on Amtower Off Center, host Mark Amtower is joined by Kevin Plexico, senior vice president of Information Solutions at Deltek, to discuss the latest Clarity Study. Clarity is Deltek's annual study on trends and contractors perspectives of the government market. Topics discussed include: Companies attitudes and mindsets toward the governme…