Greg Coleman’s career took a turn that almost no one expects. After helping build a venture-backed tech company and appearing on Shark Tank, he shifted into a world most founders overlook: government contracting. In this conversation, Greg explains how startups, consultants, and small businesses can position themselves to work with federal agencies, navigate complex programs like SBIR and OTAs, and understand what it actually takes to break into the government market.Greg spent years inside the Department of Defense innovation ecosystem, where he evaluated early-stage technologies, managed prototype programs, and worked directly with founders trying to sell to the government. Today he advises companies on how to approach the federal market, avoid common mistakes, and build real opportunities inside agencies.If you're exploring government contracting for the first time, wondering how companies get funding, or trying to understand what separates successful federal vendors from everyone else, this interview gives you a clear, realistic starting point.Chapters00:00 – Greg’s background and early Air Force career02:15 – Flying high-level government officials and global missions04:05 – Launching a startup and appearing on Shark Tank07:10 – Entering the government innovation ecosystem (DIU, NSIN)13:45 – How SBIR and STTR really work for small businesses18:20 – OTAs and how companies move from prototype to production25:10 – Examples of emerging tech companies building for the government31:20 – The hardest challenge: crossing the “valley of death”35:00 – Greg’s advisory work helping companies approach the federal market38:30 – Greg’s thoughts on the GovClose Certification ProgramWork With GregGreg advises early-stage and growth-stage companies (Pre-Seed through Series B) on entering the federal market, building repeatable sales strategies, and navigating SBIR, OTA, and prototype pathways.Connect: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregorycoleman/Become a Certified Government Contracting ProfessionalLearn federal sales, pipeline building, and modern acquisition strategies inside the GovClose Certification Program:https://govclose.comHire a GovClose-Trained ConsultantCompanies can get matched with trained federal sales consultants here:https://match.govclose.com

GovClose Certification Overview: https://www.govclose.comThere is a highly effective, results-driven certification that most people have never heard of — yet it consistently helps professionals break into six-figure federal sales careers, build multiple-six-figure consulting practices, and win meaningful government contracts for their businesses.In this video, former Department of Defense (now DOE) procurement officer Lt. Col. (Ret.) Richard C. Howard walks through the complete FY26 GovClose Certification Program syllabus, based entirely on how federal agencies actually buy. You’ll see how GovClose students:- Earn top-tier roles as public sector account executives- Build consulting practices supporting government contractors- Win contracts for their own companies through data-driven strategy- Learn a repeatable process grounded in federal spending analytics- Apply what they learn through the GovClose War Room implementation systemThis is a full breakdown of the core curriculum, the methodology behind it, the real examples of what this certification prepares you to do in the federal marketplace.CHAPTERS00:00 314 Professionals Trained and the Outcomes They’re Seeing00:15 Three Types of Results: AE Careers, Consulting Wins, Federal Contract Success00:30 Rick Howard’s Background Managing $82B in DoD Contracts01:00 What You Will Learn in This Full Syllabus Walkthrough01:15 Why GovClose Is Not a Proposal-First Program01:30 The Three Paths to Applying GovCon Expertise02:00 Path 1: Contractor Path for Existing Business Owners02:45 Case Study: David Ortiz and Federal Logistics Contracts03:00 Path 2: Consultant Path for Those Without a Business03:15 Ivan’s Path: Consulting Clients and Transition Into a Top Role03:45 Path 3: Professional Path and High-Level AE Careers04:15 What These AE Roles Look Like in Practice04:30 Jacob’s Result: Standing Out Against Experienced Applicants05:00 Phase 1: Government Contracting Fundamentals06:00 Understanding Whether the Government Buys What You Sell06:15 Phase 2: Niche Development Through Federal Spending Data07:00 Identifying Low-Competition, High-Demand Niches07:30 Student Feedback: Eliminating Blind Spots Through Strategy07:45 Phase 3: Building the Federal Sales Roadmap08:15 How Agencies Buy: Vehicles, Set-Asides, Patterns08:45 Matching Your Company Profile to the Right Vehicles09:00 Estimating Realistic Potential Using Competitor Behavior10:00 How the Roadmap Helped Jacob Win His Interview11:00 Phase 4: Pipeline Building with Early-Stage Opportunities12:00 Why Waiting for Posted Solicitations Doesn’t Work12:15 Phase 5: The Art of Winning Through Meetings and Influence12:45 Rick’s Account Executive Example: Why Meetings Drive Success13:15 Understanding the Market Research Phase14:00 Case Study: Why Sam’s Bids Were Late in the Process14:30 Phase 6: Mastering Proposals and Compliance Requirements15:00 Avoiding Disqualification Through Proper Compliance16:00 What Happens After 12 Weeks: The War Room17:00 Implementation Support: Pricing, Clients, Post-Award Guidance18:00 Access to Experts Across the GovCon Ecosystem18:30 Choosing Your Specialization After Certification19:00 Advanced Topics: Vehicles, SBIR, OTA, and Acquisition Strategy20:00 Deliverables You Leave With (Roadmap, Pipeline, Strategy, Niche)20:45 Certification Benefits: Badge, Recommendation, CRM, Community21:00 Who This Program Is Not Designed For21:45 Who This Program Is Designed For22:30 The Work Required and What True Expertise Looks Like23:00 How to Learn More or Join GovClose Recommended Videos to Watch NextThe 15 Rules of SAM.govhttps://youtu.be/gdh8dNBT46M27 Steps to Write Winning Proposals for Government Contractshttps://youtu.be/4Db9iCNlhw8The High-Paying Job Military Veterans Have Never Heard Ofhttps://youtu.be/cXGnPUaimAUConnect with Rick on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/govclose/Hire a GovClose Trained Consultant: https://match.govclose.com

Andy Main is a former UFC fighter, the youngest person to appear on The Ultimate Fighter -at the time, an MMA champion, a serial entrepreneur, and the CEO of ROE Defense. Rick talks to Andy about why he started a defense tech company, his amazing career in mixed martial arts, and his philosophy on business and life. Andy's a member of the GovClose certification program. If you'd like to check that out, you can do so at the following link: https://www.govclose.comWatch Next:The 15 Rules of Government Contracting. https://youtu.be/gdh8dNBT46MConnect with Rick on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/govclose/Connect With Andy on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andymain1/#ufc #mma #veteran #defensetechnology

These are the 15 rules we teach in the GovClose certification program on how to consistently win contracts with the U.S. federal government.

If you have rules or formulas that you use for government contracting that are not in this video, please share them in the comments.

Start Your GovCon Career: https://www.govclose.comGovClose Certification Overview: https://www.govclose.com/govclose-certification-programConnect with Rick on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/govclose/

From 8(a) reviews and HUBZone audits to new verification standards for woman-owned and veteran-owned businesses, there’s a clear message coming from Washington: these programs are being watched more closely than ever.

That’s not necessarily a bad thing.

It’s a reminder that certifications were never meant to replace value — they were designed to highlight it.

In government contracting, the sequence matters:

1. Start with value. Build a business that solves a real problem for an agency.

2. Learn the mission. Work with the government during market research and pre-solicitation to shape requirements.

3. Position early. Once you’ve established credibility, then a certification can help move the needle — slightly.

Used the right way, certifications can still be a force multiplier.
Used too early, they can become a crutch that hides a weak value proposition.

As I mention in this week’s video, contracting officers don’t award contracts because you’re certified — they award them because you deliver results.
The businesses that focus on solving mission problems first will be the ones that benefit most from these programs in the long run.

Interested in selling to the US government? Watch our free training to understand how to build a government contracting business profitably: https://www.govclose.com/watch-sales-certification

Start Your GovCon Career: https://www.govclose.com

In this special podcast episode, I go over the step-by-step process we teach in the GovClose certification program for winning government contracts. GovClose Certification Overview: https://www.govclose.com/govclose-certification-programConnect with Rick on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/govclose/FREE Federal Sales Training: https://www.govclose.com

If you are a veteran or federal worker and have a security clearance, you may qualify for very high-paying job.

Companies pay a premium for people that have been through the security clearance process.

It saves time, and you're already vetted. But there's one job most people don't think about when leveraging a clearance.

This is unfortunate because it's one of the highest paying jobs that you can get.

This episode, we break down how to leverage your security clearance and look at actual job postings to compare and contrast different pathways.

Start Your GovCon Career: https://www.govclose.comGovClose Certification Overview: https://www.govclose.com/govclose-certification-programConnect with Rick on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/govclose/FREE Federal Sales Training: https://www.govclose.com

GovClose Certification Overview: https://www.govclose.com/govclose-certification-programWhy are college-age kids choosing government contracting as a career path and succeeding at it? There is a big debate going on in this country about the price of a college education vs. what you actually get for it. Choosing a career can be difficult for young people, never mind paying off a huge amount of debt for an education that may not actually help you get a job! In this video, I interview a college sophomore who went through the GovClose certification program, learned government contracting, and was immediately offered a paid internship with an aerospace defense company.Next I interview Jack, a young man in his early 20s, no bachelor's degree, but went through the GovClose certification program and now has multiple high-paying clients. Government contracting is not for everybody. It's hard. Some would say it's boring (not me, of course). But there is enormous amounts of funding that the federal government spends in almost all industries each year. There are very few people that actually understand how the government buys. Because of this, salaries and consulting fees tend to be very high, and there's not a lot of competition because so few people even know about government contracting as a profession, and even less actually understand the process. I also want to make a disclaimer. I am not advising people to skip college. But, I do want to make people aware that there is an alternative. Also in Lindsey's case, you'll see combining college with government contracting can actually be a really great option as well. I hope this video helps. And if you liked it, and/or if you would like to see a program dedicated to helping college-age kids get into government contracting, let me know in the comments. Government Contracting 101: https://www.govclose.comConnect with Rick on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/govclose/#careeradvice #collegestudent #certification