Best Hubzone Podcasts (2026)

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309: The BRUTAL TRUTH About Teaming, Lawsuits, and Survival in GovCon with RJ Blake 1:22:24

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20h ago1:22:24

1:22:24

In this episode, Eric Coffie sits down with RJ Blake, Founder & CEO of Blake Wilson Group, for a real conversation about what it actually takes to build a GovCon business—from the first dollar of revenue to growing into prime contracts. RJ shares how his early "arena mindset" (trying, failing, refining) shaped his entrepreneurial journey, why most …

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Why GENERIC Proposals Quietly Kill Your CHANCES 4:45

2d ago4:45

4:45

In this episode of the Federal Help Center Podcast, Eric Coffie breaks down why technically correct proposals still lose when they ignore mission context and agency culture. He explains how over-engineering proposals, relying on generic buzzwords, or treating mission-driven environments like standard corporate facilities can quietly disqualify othe…

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INSIDE the Federal Help Center: How Members Actually WIN Contracts 6:10

3d ago6:10

6:10

In this episode of the Federal Help Center Podcast, Eric Coffie breaks down how contractors can leverage the Federal Help Center community to access opportunities, education, and strategic connections—without relying heavily on cold outreach. He explains the difference between Starter and Pro memberships, how webinars and trainings are structured, …

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The FASTEST Way to LOSE a Government Contract After You Win It 7:39

6d ago7:39

7:39

In this episode of the Federal Help Center Podcast, Eric Coffie breaks down one of the most dangerous mistakes contractors make when bidding on government work: overpromising what they can't realistically deliver. From unrealistic response times and staffing promises to inflated delivery schedules and "state-of-the-art" claims that don't yet exist,…

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This ONE Proposal Habit Is QUIETLY DISQUALIFYING You! 7:17

7d ago7:17

7:17

In this episode of the Federal Help Center Podcast, Eric Coffie breaks down one of the most common—and costly—mistakes contractors make in proposals: restating requirements instead of demonstrating understanding. Eric explains why copy-and-paste language fails evaluators and how winning proposals clearly show why requirements matter, how work will …

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308: From 90% Revenue LOSS to 2 Prime WINS: The Relationship Strategy That Worked For Christine Hopkins 44:25

8d ago44:25

44:25

In this episode, Eric Coffie sits down with Christine Hopkins, the CEO behind ASCII Federal Services, a 4PL (fourth-party logistics) company that manages end-to-end supply chain—from procurement and tracking to warehousing, inventory optimization, deliveries, and disposal. Christine shares how an existential crisis during COVID wiped out nearly 90%…

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The Quiet Tools Smart Contractors Use to Uncover Locked Doors 7:15

9d ago7:15

7:15

In this episode of the Federal Help Center Podcast, Randie Ward pulls back the curtain on one of the most frustrating barriers in GovCon: finding the right person to talk to. From leveraging tools like ZoomInfo and federal data sources to dissecting agency budgets and understanding why program managers are intentionally harder to find, this episode…

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Why Program Managers Don't Respond—And What to Do Anyway 5:58

10d ago5:58

5:58

In this episode of the Federal Help Center Podcast, Randie Ward breaks down one of the most overlooked but powerful strategies in government contracting: using industry day materials to identify and connect with real decision-makers before opportunities hit the street. Randie explains how experienced contractors mine industry day PDFs for program m…

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Why "Just Submitting the Bid" Is a Losing Government Contracting Strategy 9:22

13d ago9:22

9:22

In this episode of the Federal Help Center Podcast, Randie Ward walks newer contractors through the unsexy but critical research process most small businesses skip—how to identify the real decision makers behind a federal requirement. From tracking solicitation numbers and awards in SAM.gov to using LinkedIn, forecast lists, and small business offi…

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Why Contracting Officers Aren't the Real Decision Makers 9:47

14d ago9:47

9:47

In this episode of the Federal Help Center Podcast, Randie Ward breaks down the critical difference between tactical and strategic contracting. Randie walks through how experienced contractors identify expiring contracts, research incumbent awards, and uncover the real people behind the requirement—before the RFP ever hits SAM.gov. The episode rein…

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307: After 32 Years as a CONTRACTING OFFICER, Here's Why Most Small Businesses LOSE with Shelley Hall 1:03:46

15d ago1:03:46

1:03:46

In this episode of the Govcon Giants Podcast, Eric Coffie sits down with Shelley Hall, a former warranted contracting officer with 32 years inside the federal government and now VP of Client Services at Skyway Acquisition Solutions. Shelly shares a rare behind-the-desk perspective—from her time supporting Air Force and Space Force missions to helpi…

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Why Most SAM.gov RFPs Are TRAPS (And How to Avoid Them!) 9:09

16d ago9:09

9:09

Not every RFP on SAM.gov is worth chasing—and bidding the wrong ones can drain your time, money, and momentum. In this Federal Help Center episode, Ryan Atencio breaks down how to spot "pre-wired" solicitations, why ultra-specific requirements are often a warning sign, and how smart contractors win by understanding the end user, not just the contra…

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The Federal Contracting Mistake That Keeps You INVISIBLE! 8:00

17d ago8:00

8:00

Federal contracts aren't won by chasing contracting officers or blindly responding to solicitations—they're captured by getting to the customer first. In this episode, Ryan Atencio explains how large integrators lock in work by identifying key stakeholders, shaping requirements early, and turning services and supplies into unbeatable solutions. Fro…

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Why the "BORING" Government Contracts Quietly Make the MOST Money 7:26

20d ago7:26

7:26

Professional services may get you in the door—but supplies are often how you scale faster inside federal agencies. In this episode, Ryan Atencio breaks down why selling services as supplies can dramatically reduce friction, shorten buying cycles, and unlock easier revenue. From packaging services into supply contracts to exploiting the government's…

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The SIMPLEST Government Contracting STRATEGY Most Contractors Overcomplicate 6:22

21d ago6:22

6:22

In this episode of the Federal Help Center Podcast, we have Ryan Atencio, a former Army Special Operations veteran turned government contracting insider, to break down how federal contracts actually get created, evaluated, and awarded. Drawing from years spent as the end user, COR, and technical evaluator, Ryan pulls back the curtain on why supplie…

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306: Veteran Entrepreneur Strategies: Why Doing It Alone Cost Him $100K with David Pere 1:04:13

22d ago1:04:13

1:04:13

In this episode, Eric sits down with David Pere, a veteran entrepreneur and real estate investor, for a brutally honest conversation about the real price of trying to do business alone. David breaks down how skipping mentorship led to six-figure losses, failed flips, lawsuits, and years of unnecessary stress—mistakes that could have been avoided by…

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Most People Fail in GovCon Because They Never Leave the House 9:03

23d ago9:03

9:03

In this episode, Eric breaks down how fast your situation can change in government contracting when you stop letting your current circumstances define your future. He shares the real story of going from financial desperation to landing a multi-million-dollar subcontract by taking responsibility, showing up consistently, and positioning himself wher…

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SAIC VP Exposes How Small Businesses Actually Get In the Door 9:20

24d ago9:20

9:20

In this power-packed conversation, Eric sits down with Shawn Kingsberry, VP of Cybersecurity & Treasury Account Executive at SAIC, one of the largest integrators in federal contracting. Sean explains exactly when small businesses should approach primes, how their small business intake process works, and what capabilities large primes are actively l…

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97% of Small GovCon Businesses Will Fail When Funding Returns — Don't Be One of Them 10:11

27d ago10:11

10:11

If you're a small business tired of losing to the same primes, submitting proposals into a black hole, or waiting for 8(a) magic that never arrives—this episode is your wake-up call. Eric sits down with four real former federal contracting officers who awarded contracts for AI weapon systems, billion-dollar construction, and tech transformation pro…

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You Got 8(a)... Now What? Why No Contracts Are Coming 12:42

28d ago12:42

12:42

In today's episode, Eric sits down with Venus Quates, President & CEO of LaunchTech, to unpack the real truth about certifications—how they open doors, how they fail you when you rely on them alone, and why hunger and capability win long-term. Venus shares how she landed her very first state contract by responding overnight, expanded the work, unde…

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305: AI Is Coming for Your Job: Why Most Workers Won't Survive Without New Skills with Justin Vianello 1:09:58

29d ago1:09:58

1:09:58

In this episode of Govcon Giants, Eric sits down with Justin Vianello, CEO and equity partner at SkillStorm, to unpack how federal agencies and large integrators can stop recycling the same expensive talent and start building net-new cleared technologists. Justin shares his global journey from chartered accountant at PwC to scaling multiple compani…

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Stop Wasting Your 20s: The 7 Skills That Actually Make You Rich 15:38

30d ago15:38

15:38

In this reflective and brutally practical episode, Eric reveals the seven lessons that turned his messy, uncertain 20s into the foundation for multiple million-dollar businesses. From mastering high-value skills to buying back his time, building quietly, learning real money math, and valuing relationships, Eric walks through the decisions, mentors,…

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The Government Doesn't Care About Your Small Business—Here's How You Win Anyway! 8:39

1M ago8:39

8:39

In this brutally honest episode, Eric tears down the myths that keep small businesses broke and frustrated in government contracting. He breaks down why the system was never designed with small businesses in mind, how weighted goals inflate the government's success numbers, and why relying on SAM.gov or SBA programs alone will keep you invisible. E…

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You're Approaching Primes Wrong—SAIC VP Reveals What Actually Works! 9:44

1M ago9:44

9:44

In this power-packed conversation, Eric sits down with Sean Kingsbury, VP of Cybersecurity and Account Executive for the Department of Treasury at SAIC, to reveal exactly how small businesses can partner with one of the biggest integrators in the game. Sean breaks down when to approach primes, how SAIC vets potential partners, the role of their sma…

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If You Don't Know About Vendor Pools, You're Losing Money Every Month 13:10

1M ago13:10

13:10

In this episode, Eric Coffie breaks down one of the most overlooked—but most powerful—entry points in government contracting: local vendor pool contracts. Using Miami-Dade County as an example, Eric shows how pre-qualification pools work, why they offer low competition, and how one of his students used this exact method to go from $0 to $90,000 per…