GovCon M&A Talk

Latest Episodes:

GovCon M&A Talk with Mike Derrios Oct 08, 2026

Show notes

Mike Derrios, Executive Director of George Mason University's Baroni Center for Government Contracting. Topics covered: ● Where will the next generation of GovCon leaders come from? ● Bridging the gap between government, industry and the classroom ● What happens when a $15 million company competes against a $400 million “small business”? ● Why GovCon companies may need to throw out the old growth playbook ● Could the proposed SBA size standards discourage the next generation of small businesses?

To connect with Mike, visit his LinkedIn page ⁠here⁠.

To connect with Sharon Heaton, visit her LinkedIn page here.
To follow and learn more about sbLiftOff, check them out here.

GovCon M&A Talk with Steve Koprince Sep 17, 2026

Show notes

Sharon Heaton⁠, the founder of sbLiftOff and a leading small business, growth strategies, and M&A SME, talks with Steve Koprince, National GovCon Small Business Expert.

Topics covered: ● What happens when “almost everybody’s small”? ● When your competitors suddenly get a whole lot bigger ● Are you big enough to compete as a “small” business? ● Why the SBA’s proposed changes could put M&A on the table for more GovCon owners To connect with Steve, visit his LinkedIn page ⁠here⁠.
To connect with Sharon Heaton, visit her LinkedIn page here.
To follow and learn more about sbLiftOff, check them out here.

GovCon M&A Talk with Mark Amtower Sep 10, 2026

Show notes

Sharon Heaton⁠, the founder of sbLiftOff and a leading small business, growth strategies, and M&A SME, talks with Mark Amtower of Amtower & Company.

Topics covered:

● Why trying to be everything to everyone can hurt your GovCon company ● Do you own a company — or do you have a job? ● Why relationships ARE marketing in GovCon ● Why “the riches are in the niches” ● What being “findable” has to do with building a more valuable company

To connect with Mark, visit him LinkedIn page ⁠here⁠.
To learn more about Amtower & Company, visit them on LinkedIn ⁠here⁠.

To connect with Sharon Heaton, visit her LinkedIn page here.
To follow and learn more about sbLiftOff, check them out here.

GovCon M&A Talk with Jon Williams Aug 27, 2026

Show notes

Sharon Heaton⁠, the founder of sbLiftOff and a leading small business, growth strategies, and M&A SME, talks with Jon Williams of PilieroMazza about bombshell SBA size standard proposed changes.

Topics covered:

● Proposed rule, not yet adopted

● If adopted, this would be a massive change

● Benefits include increased number of buyers for small businesses

● Challenges include smaller businesses having to compete with companies 10X their size

● Potential impact on mentor-protégé relationships

To connect with Jon, visit his LinkedIn page ⁠here⁠.
To learn more about PilieroMazza, visit their webpage ⁠here⁠.

To connect with Sharon Heaton, visit her LinkedIn page here.
To follow and learn more about sbLiftOff, check them out here.

GovCon M&A Talk with Paula Smithers Aug 20, 2026

Show notes

Sharon Heaton⁠, the founder of sbLiftOff and a leading small business, growth strategies, and M&A SME, talks with Paula Smithers of sbLiftOff.

Topics covered:

● Running a small business like a big business

● Numbers can surprise you

● The big life impact of M&A

● Why a good M&A advisor positively impacts employees, customers AND owners

To connect with Paula, visit her LinkedIn page ⁠here⁠.
To learn more about sbLiftOff, visit their webpage ⁠here⁠.

To connect with Sharon Heaton, visit her LinkedIn page here.
To follow and learn more about sbLiftOff, check them out here.

GovCon M&A Talk with Elizabeth Shea Aug 06, 2026

Show notes

Sharon Heaton⁠, the founder of sbLiftOff and a leading small business, growth strategies, and M&A SME, talks with Elizabeth Shea of TreeFork Strategies.

Topics covered:

● De-risking your business

● Reducing owner dependency in stages

● Communication plans for M&A inflection points

● Why hiring an investment banker for your deal puts more money in your pocket

To connect with Elizabeth, visit her LinkedIn page ⁠here⁠.
To learn more about TreeFork Strategies, visit their webpage ⁠here⁠.

To connect with Sharon Heaton, visit her LinkedIn page here.
To follow and learn more about sbLiftOff, check them out here.

GovCon M&A Talk with Christine Williamson Jul 23, 2026

Show notes

Sharon Heaton⁠, the founder of sbLiftOff and a leading small business, growth strategies, and M&A SME, talks with Christine Williamson of Cohn Reznick about the 2026 GAUGE REPORT.

Topics covered:

● Only 3% of GovCon companies surveyed automate their capture
● How a consistent capture process adds value to a transaction
● Average net profit margins were materially below 10%
● 42% of pipeline opportunities come from teaming partners

Download a copy of the GAUGE Report by clicking here.

To connect with Christine, visit her LinkedIn page ⁠here⁠.
To learn more about Cohn Reznick, visit their webpage ⁠here⁠.

To connect with Sharon Heaton, visit her LinkedIn page here.
To follow and learn more about sbLiftOff, check them out here.

GovCon M&A Talk with Meghan Gifford Jul 09, 2026

Show notes

Sharon Heaton⁠, the founder of sbLiftOff and a leading small business, growth strategies, and M&A SME, talks with Meghan Gifford about lessons from Octo.

Topics covered:
● Integration tips gleaned after four Octo acquisitions
● Never underestimate the impact of uncertainty – avoid mystery
● How IBM integrated Octo into its federal business
● Why owners experience “the crisis after the sale”

To connect with Meghan, visit her LinkedIn page ⁠here⁠.

To connect with Sharon Heaton, visit her LinkedIn page here.
To follow and learn more about sbLiftOff, check them out here.

GovCon M&A Talk with Venu Ayala Jun 25, 2026

Show notes

Sharon Heaton⁠, the founder of sbLiftOff and a leading small business, growth strategies, and M&A SME, talks with Venu Ayala about his Zen transaction:

Topics covered:

● Bootstrapping with zero capital

● Recovering from contract losses

● Closing a deal before the SBA’s Jan 17, 2026 deadline

● Selling, becoming a wholly owned subsidiary and freedom

To connect with Venu, visit her LinkedIn page ⁠here⁠.
To learn more about ZEN STRATEGICS, visit their webpage ⁠here⁠.

To connect with Sharon Heaton, visit her LinkedIn page here.
To follow and learn more about sbLiftOff, check them out here.

GovCon M&A Talk with Kate Troendle Jun 11, 2026

Show notes

Sharon Heaton⁠, the founder of sbLiftOff and a leading small business, growth strategies, and M&A SME, talks with Kate Troendle, Managing Director of KippsDeSanto & Co..

Topics covered:

● What’s next for aerospace, technology and defense

● Impacts of DOGE, tariffs and Administration procurement priorities on buyer certainty

● Defense tech “comes roaring back”

● Not using AI? You’re “behind the 8 ball”

To connect with Kate, visit her LinkedIn page ⁠here⁠.
To learn more about KippsDeSanto & Co., visit their webpage ⁠here⁠.

To connect with Sharon Heaton, visit her LinkedIn page here.
To follow and learn more about sbLiftOff, check them out here.