GovCon Executive Slice

Running the Full-Court Press on Growth with Krystn Macomber of Summit Strategy

In this episode, David Blackburn sits down with Krystn Macomber, Founder and CEO of Summit Strategy and one of the most respected voices in GovCon growth. Krystn has spent more than twenty years transforming marketing, business development, and proposal teams into true revenue engines. She has partnered with companies from early stage to global scale, building the systems, processes, and brand alignment they need to stop reacting and start winning. She leads Summit Strategy’s work as a win studio for growth-obsessed teams while giving back as a mentor and industry leader across major organizations. Krystn is also a 2026 Engage 150 honoree and a former Division I basketball player for the University of Richmond Spiders.
 
Today we will dig into the fundamentals she wishes every new GovCon-curious business owner understood, how to approach proposal improvement when you do not know where to start, and the patterns she has seen across hundreds of companies that either fuel growth or hold teams back.
 
Click here to watch The Great Proposal Bake Off: AI Edition referenced during the interview.
 
To connect with Krystn, follow her on LinkedIn here.Learn more about Summit Strategy by visiting their webpage here.

A New Chapter at Red Team Consulting. Blake Harvey on Where GovCon Is Headed

In this conversation, David Blackburn is joined by Blake Harvey, the newly announced President of Red Team Consulting, one of the most trusted institutions in the GovCon market. Blake has been with Red Team since 2018, rising through the ranks and helping shape how contractors approach business development, capture, and long-term growth.
Red Team Consulting has been a steady, respected voice in the federal sector for more than two decades and was recently named a 2026 Elevate GovCon honoree. In his new role, Blake is leading day-to-day execution while helping guide the firm’s strategic direction at a moment when the federal market is changing fast.
This episode dives into Red Team’s leadership transition, what Blake is seeing across the GovCon landscape right now, and how contractors should be thinking about growth, resilience, and positioning as we head deeper into 2026. If you want perspective grounded in experience and real market exposure, this is a conversation worth your time.
To connect with Blake, follow him on LinkedIn here.Learn more about Red Team Consulting by visiting their webpage here.

Selling Smart. Tom Springer of SD Capital on Preparing for the Right Exit

In this episode, David Blackburn sits down with Tom Springer, Managing Partner at SD Capital, for a grounded, experience-driven conversation on what truly drives successful middle-market transactions.
 
Drawing on decades of experience as a business owner, operator, advisor, and former portfolio company CEO, Tom offers a clear-eyed look at how buyers evaluate companies and where sellers often leave value on the table. The discussion goes beyond theory and focuses on the practical realities of preparing for liquidity events, navigating buyer expectations, and aligning transaction strategy with long-term personal and business goals.
 
The conversation explores what buyers prioritize today, how sellers can strengthen their position before entering the market, and why preparation is as much about clarity and timing as it is about financial performance. Tom also shares perspective on working effectively with buyers, managing complexity during a sale process, and avoiding common missteps that can derail outcomes or erode value.
 
This episode is especially relevant for founders and executives considering recapitalization, management buyouts, family transitions, or other monetization paths. It offers thoughtful guidance rooted in real transactions and lived experience, making it a valuable listen for anyone navigating growth, transition, or exit decisions in the middle market.
 
To connect with Tom, follow him on LinkedIn here.Learn more about SD Capital by visiting their webpage here.

Bryon Kroger. Rise8. Rethinking How Defense Software Gets Delivered

David Blackburn, CEO of OrangeSlices AI, recently sat down with Bryon Kroger, CEO of Rise8. The conversation traces Bryon’s journey from his Air Force career to co-founding Kessel Run to now leading Rise8, a company focused on helping large enterprises deliver better software at the speed mission demands.
 
Bryon has been at the center of several major shifts in defense software development, including building the DOD’s first software factory and advancing modern approaches such as continuous Authority to Operate. Today, as CEO of Rise8, he leads an SDVOSB with a fully remote workforce and a growing track record of pairing strong engineering with a product mindset and human-centered design to support critical government and defense missions.
 
In the episode, David and Bryon dig into the gap Bryon saw in the industry, how culture influences mission outcomes, and what it really takes to push digital transformation inside complex bureaucracies. It is a clear, grounded look at the challenges and opportunities ahead for those working to modernize government software, and a conversation worth catching.
 
To connect with Bryon, follow him on LinkedIn here.Learn more about Rise8 by visiting their webpage here.

Christian Ferreira on How Procurement Sciences AI Built Awarded AI to Transform GovCon

In this podcast, David Blackburn connects with ⁠Christian Ferreira⁠, CEO of Procurement Sciences AI. The company is reshaping how government contractors operate in a market that grows more competitive every day. Procurement Sciences AI is the team behind Awarded AI. The first AI native operating system built specifically for GovCon. A platform that unifies opportunity discovery, bid decisions, proposal automation, compliance reviews, and post award delivery inside one secure environment. It is already trusted across the industry, including by nearly a quarter of the Top 100 contractors, and it recently secured a thirty million dollar Series B to accelerate what comes next. Christian’s background in engineering, strategy, and mission focused leadership, shaped in part by his service as a Marine Corps Sergeant, informs the way the company approaches this work. Built by people who have lived the GovCon pain points, Procurement Sciences AI is targeting the core inefficiencies that slow teams down and limit their ability to compete. In this episode, Christian joins to explore the questions every GovCon leader is asking. What is the biggest friction point in the lifecycle and why is AI positioned to change it. Why generic tools like ChatGPT or Copilot cannot carry the depth and compliance needs of federal contracting. What it means to build an AI platform for GovCon rather than retrofit one. And where AI is headed across the lifecycle in the next twelve to twenty four months. If you want a clear, grounded look at how AI will reshape the future of federal contracting, this conversation is one worth your time.
To connect with Christian, follow him on LinkedIn ⁠here⁠.Learn more about Procurement Sciences AI by visiting their webpage ⁠here⁠.

GovCon Exec Forum: Adam McNair and Bryon Kroger

On November 7, 2025, OrangeSlices AI held a GovCon Exec forum. This clip is from the fireside chat between Adam McNair and Bryon Kroger.
Click here to view the entire event.

Corey Solivan Explores the Power of Connected GovCon Data with Data Room AI

In this episode, David Blackburn catches up with Corey Solivan, founder of Data Room AI. The company is building tools that take the flood of open federal data and turn it into something growth and strategy teams can actually use. Clear insight, faster planning, and a more connected view of the GovCon landscape.
We dig into three main areas.
First. The core problem that led to the creation of Data Room AI and the gaps in today’s GovCon research and planning process that many teams still struggle with.
Second. The growing conversation around AI and why it matters to distinguish between tools built for chatting and tools built for real decision support.
Third. A look at several new Data Room AI capabilities rolling out now and how they reflect the larger shift toward more intelligent, automated workspaces.
If you want a sharper sense of where GovCon data and decision-making are heading, this is a conversation worth hearing.
To connect with Corey, follow him on LinkedIn here.Learn more about Data Room AI by visiting their webpage here.

GovCon Exec Forum: Ted Rose with Rose Financial

On November 7, 2025, OrangeSlices AI held a GovCon Exec forum. This clip is from the information shared by Ted Rose of Rose Financial.
Click here to view the entire event.

Gov Con Exec Forum: Matt Vean of JP MorganChase

On November 7, 2025, OrangeSlices AI held a GovCon Exec forum. This clip is from the information shared by Matt Vean of JP MorganChase.
Click here to view the entire event.

GovCon Exec Forum: Marty Brennan with Deep Water Point

On November 7, 2025, OrangeSlices AI held a GovCon Exec forum. This clip is from the information shared by Marty Brennan of The Baldwin Group.
Click here to view the entire event.