Sharon Heaton, the founder of sbLiftOff and a leading small business, growth strategies, and M&A SME, talks with veteran Kevin Harkins of Harkcon about his “hairy” management buyout. Topics covered: Founding and running a company with many owners Treating multiple owners fairly in a management buyout Choosing the right M&A advisor Ownership control brings responsibility and freedom To connect with Kevin, visit his LinkedIn page here.To learn more about Harkcon, 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.

Sharon Heaton, the founder of sbLiftOff and a leading small business, growth strategies, and M&A SME, talks with Morgan Higgins of Blue Delta Capital Partners about what investors see as they survey today's GovCon M&A landscape. Topics covered: ● Backing leadership teams who feel their best days are ahead ● The genius of founders ● Turbo charging inorganic growth ● Partnering as a minority investor   To connect with Morgan, visit her LinkedIn page here.To learn more about Blue Delta Capital Partners, 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.

Sharon Heaton, the founder of sbLiftOff and a leading small business, growth strategies, and M&A SME, talks with Aaron Moak of PingWind about growing an SDVOSB company with the help of several acquisitions. Topics covered: How organic growth can power inorganic growth How to look for the right strategic acquisition Integration and people as key assets Acquisitions as “growth vehicles” To connect with Aaron, visit his LinkedIn page here.To learn more about PingWind, 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. Do you know sbLiftOff yet? You should. This GovCon lower middle-market M&A advisory firm has quickly become a trusted advisor to founder-led businesses and government contracting companies throughout the U.S.

Sharon Heaton, the founder of sbLiftOff and a leading small business, growth strategies, and M&A SME, talks with lawyer Richard Arnholt of Bass Berry & Sims about the future of the set-aside market and the impact the new Administration has had on M&A. Topics covered: ● Changes to 8A and what's likely ahead ● The future of small business contracting goals ● Keeping designation talk out of your company's elevator pitch ● Small business, SDVOSB, WOSB - how to adjust to today's government customer and today's buyers To connect with Richard, visit his LinkedIn page here.To learn more about Bass, Berry & Sims, 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.

Sharon Heaton, the founder of sbLiftOff and a leading small business, growth strategies, and M&A SME, talks with Dave Barber about what it takes to scale a GovCon business, find your unique niche, and plan that important sale. Topics covered: ● Strategy on inorganic growth  ● Learning from your customers' pain points  ● Putting yourself in the shoes of the warfighter ● Preparing for sale and qualifying buyers To connect with Dave, 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.

Sharon Heaton, the founder of sbLiftOff and a leading small business, growth strategies and M&A SME, talks with Brandon Muniz about what it takes for a young veteran to buy a small government contracting business in today's unsteady climate. Topics covered: ● Developing requirements for the business you will buy ● How to handle buyers' risk and stay married ● How to cobble together financing for a business purchase ● Building on a legacy and creating your own To connect with Brandon, visit his LinkedIn page here.To learn more about HeiTech Services, 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. If you liked listening to this episode, view our GovCon M&A page here. To view all of our podcast series, visit our podcast page.

Sharon Heaton, the founder of sbLiftOff and a leading small business, growth strategies and M&A SME, talks with Heidi Gerding, one of the first women to graduate from the Naval Academy, about selling a service disabled veteran owned small business. Topics covered: ● Planning your sale ● Putting senior management in place ● Coping with DOGE risks ● Choosing your M&A team To connect with Heidi, 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. If you liked listening to this episode, view our GovCon M&A page here. To view all of our podcast series, visit our podcast page.  

Sharon Heaton, the founder of sbLiftOff and a leading small business, growth strategies and M&A SME, talks with Kelly Kunkle about the software industry. Kelly is a new M&A advisor at sbLiftOff focused on technology, from software to SaaS, robotics and more. Topics covered: ● Strategic buyers and software roll-ups●Direction of the Software Industry in the future● How software companies are valued: key metrics and factors● Breaking down a techstack● Impact of AI in the Saas Industry To connect with Kelly, 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. If you liked listening to this episode, view our GovCon M&A page here. To view all of our podcast series, visit our podcast page.

Sharon Heaton talks with Christine Williamson about the GAUGE Report (Government compliance, Accounting, Utilization, Growth, Efficiency), the annual review of government contracting put out each year by Cohn Reznick and Unanet. This year’s GAUGE Report,  titled “Mastering Resource Planning and Project Execution,” emphasized improving “utilization.”  This year’s report also includes a survey from February and March in which GovCon business owners and executives relay their thoughts on the significant changes to government contracting in 2025. Topics covered:  How DOGE was felt across sectors M&A activity varied according to “tiers,” from sb set aside to full and open What the authors meant by “Big Utilization” Going forward tips on how to grow and sell View the GAUGE report here. To connect with Christine, visit her LinkedIn page here. Learn more about CohnReznick by visiting their website here. To connect with Sharon Heaton, visit her LinkedIn page here. To follow and learn more about sbLiftOff, check them out here.

Sharon Heaton talks with Brad Palmer about growing a GovCon company and selling it. A successful entrepreneur, Brad built B3 and planned the sale of his company in advance. Topics covered:  Why Brad decided to bring in a partner Knowing the right time to sell your business Moving from veteran, set-aside contracts to full and open contracts Surprising components of the sales process Brad’s advice to current government contract business owners To connect with Brad, visit his LinkedIn page here. Learn more about Sequence Equity by visiting their website here. To connect with Sharon Heaton, visit her LinkedIn page here. To follow and learn more about sbLiftOff, check them out here. If you liked listening to this episode, view our GovCon M&A page here. To view all of our podcast series, visit our podcast page.

Sharon Heaton talks with Joseph Dalton of Arsenal Enterprise Capital about what’s new with aerospace and defense. A successful veteran who grew a company and sold it he says GovCon isn’t going away. Today Arsenal invests in public and private lower middle market companies that offer the government new capacities to defend against evolving threats.  Topics covered:  Bidding for and winning full and open work Really listening to the customer and solving actual problems Why getting on the right vehicles matters Selling an SDVOSB company while maintaining confidentiality C5ISR systems and sensors, AI, cyber warfare, and augmented and virtual reality -- the high value, critical competencies strategic buyers like To connect with Joseph, visit his LinkedIn page here. Learn more about Arsenal Enterprise Capital by visiting their website here. To connect with Sharon Heaton, visit her LinkedIn page here. To follow and learn more about sbLiftOff, check them out here. If you liked listening to this episode, view our GovCon M&A page here. To view all of our podcast series, visit our podcast page.

Sharon Heaton talks with investor Matt Dean, the founder of Scare the Bear (STB) Capital, who is focused on non-controlling investments in lower middle market GovCon businesses. Hear what Matt thinks buyers are thinking about today’s churning GovCon M&A market. Topics covered:  What private equity knows and doesn’t know Smart capital on steroids – the PE mindset The “founder mentality” and reality What minority investments offer owners DOGE risks and structuring deals To connect with Matt, visit his LinkedIn page here. Learn more about Scare the Bear by visiting their website here. To connect with Sharon Heaton, visit her LinkedIn page here. To follow and learn more about sbLiftOff, check them out here. If you liked listening to this episode, view our GovCon M&A page here. To view all of our podcast series, visit our podcast page.

Sharon Heaton talks with legendary banker Joe Humphries of Atlantic Union, who brings decades of experience in GovCon M&A. Joe gives advice to sellers about planning and provides perspective on how today’s changes, from DOGE cuts to agency configurations, fit into a history of ever evolving federal procurement appetites. Hear what Joe has to say about what banks see as good M&A opportunities today, including “the benefit of chaos.”  Topics covered: How procurement is changing at DOD Why there will be more sub contracting opportunities What drives today’s bankers when they consider a GovCon M&A deal Advice to GovCon sellers about smart planning How chaos can create a buying opportunity

Sharon Heaton talks with M&A advisor and software expert Shaunna Balady – a woman who has completed over 100 transactions totaling over $20 billion in enterprise value across 5 continents. Shaunna also helped grow and recently sell a GovCon software services firm. She donates most of her earnings to favorite charities, doing good by doing well. Hear what this amazing software and SaaS expert has to say about the future of GovCon M&A. Topics covered: DOGE how government acquisition of software is changing; SecDevOp vs COTS Why is the government making this pivot? What makes a software company sellable? What are large strategic buyers seeking when they look for smaller software companies as targets?

Sharon Heaton talks with GovCon leader Bob Eisminger who founded Knight Point Systems and sold it for an impressive sum. A graduate of West Point, Bob used his knowledge of the military to grow his GovCon company. Realizing that as a VAR, Knight Point systems wouldn’t be worth more than a low multiple of profits, Bob pivoted. As a managed services provider with a $1.2 billion backlog on its books, the company looked very different. Hear what this successful veteran entrepreneur says about the journey from business idea to growth through sale: Topics covered: Ingredients to growth – why people matter Business pivots and strategic decisions  Focusing on customers you know and can serve well When it’s time for a sale Getting through the sale process

A serial entrepreneur since his boyhood in India, Gautam Ijoor founded AlphaOmega in 2016. An agile supplier of DevSecOps, cloud engineering and cybersecurity solutions, the company has grown 40% year after year. In 2020 Gautam decided to bolt on a robotics firm, Confiance Group.  This January, 2025, he closed two new acquisitions on the same day. Hear what a successful tech entrepreneur says about smart buys in the GovCon sector. Topics covered: Inorganic growth - your company plan Looking for the right match in M&A What the government needs now from technology Buying for strategy not revenue Happy integrations post close Learn more about OrangeSlices AI here.

Winning at GovCon M&A requires providing unique value to government agencies. Cos DiMaggio, a successful serial entrepreneur, shares his tips on science, technology and disruption. Cos founded The Tauri Group with two colleagues and focused on critical areas of homeland security, national defense, resilience, and rapid capability development. Cos’s growth strategy? Compressing the distance between developers and users. Tauri was acquired by LMI. Hear what a successful tech entrepreneur says about his M&A journey: Topics covered: Unicorns—finding visionary scientists, engineers, acquisition specialists, and former operators How solving threat challenges advances your GovCon What strategic buyers look for Deciding when and whether to sell GovCon today – what’s still true Learn more about OrangeSlices AI here.

SBA regs dropped last December are still roiling the set-aside GovCon market. Some experts disagree on the regulation’s impact with most already in effect and certain M&A provisions set to take effect on January 17, 2026. Hear the experts decode the debate. Topics covered: Overview of new rules – defining a disqualifying recertification and discussion of impact Differences in treatment for single-award and multiple-award contracts Discussion of GSA schedule as a multiple award vehicle and immediate implementation How M&A for set-aside companies will be affected Small buying small opportunities Whether task orders will be transferable Benefits of selling a set-aside company prior to Jan. 17, 2026

Deal value is in the eye of the beholder. What are large companies looking for when they eye small GovCon for acquisition? David Troung of PSI shares his experience on what he as a larger entity looks for when he shops for acquisitions of set-aside companies.

In Episode 3 Sharon interviews Merry Korn, a GovCon owner who started her Ohio company after she was fired from a job. After years of growth it was time to hand off the baton. Merry shares the ups and downs of her recent sale process and the secrets to a successful GovCon M&A transaction.