Episodes

Can AI help you bid on more government contracts? In this week’s episode, Ryan Connell sits down with Alex Cohen, an AI expert and founder of GovPro AI. Alex is on a mission to help small and medium-sized contractors streamli...

This week, Ryan Connell is joined by Keith Scheffler from Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) to discuss the role that blockchain plays in their manufacturing division. Keith dives into the evolution and broader applications...

This week, Ryan Connell sits down with Therman Trotman, a.k.a. "Mr. SharePoint," to talk about the powerful ways SharePoint can transform workflows and enhance team efficiency. Therman shares his journey from the Bronx to bec...

This week, Ryan Connell sits down with Scott Sanders, Chief Growth Officer of Forterra, to talk about the advancements and challenges of integrating autonomous systems in defense and industrial sectors. Scott shares his insig...

This week, Ryan Connell sits down with Lori Wade, Chief Data Officer for the Intelligence Community, to talk about the pivotal role of quality data in driving AI and emerging technologies in the IC. Lori shares her insights o...

This week, Ryan Connell sits down with cybersecurity expert Chris Hughes, CEO of Aquia, a veteran-owned cloud and cybersecurity digital services firm. Chris brings two decades of experience from the federal IT space, sharing ...

This week, Ryan Connell sits down with Maj. Gen. Alice Treviño, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Contracting in the Department of the Air Force, as she shares insights from her 32-year career. They explore the challenges of con...

This week, Ryan Connell experiments with Google’s cutting-edge AI tool, NotebookLM. Ryan challenges the AI to generate a podcast episode based on the Tradewinds Solution Marketplace Customer Handbook, which dives into the DoD...

This week, Ryan Connell sits down with the legendary Steve Blank, adjunct professor at Stanford and co-founder of the Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation, to discuss the need for disruptive innovation and exe...

This week, Ryan Connell sits down with Alex Martin, the CEO and co-founder of Clearspeed, to discuss how they are using AI-enabled voice analytics to revolutionize risk assessment in defense. Alex shares his personal journey ...

This week, Ryan Connell chats with Jonathan Mostowski, author, public speaker, and president of Agile Acquisitions LLC, about the truth behind “hacking” bureaucracy in government contracting, the development and impact of agi...

This week, Ryan Connell sits down with Dr. Tom Rondeau, Principal Director of FutureG, to discuss the complexities and innovations behind wireless communications, from the defense applications of 5G to the groundbreaking pote...

This week, Ryan Connell discusses entrepreneurial approaches to problem-solving in defense with Pete Newell, 32-year Army veteran turned entrepreneur, educator, investor, and co-founder and CEO of BMNT. Pete dives into the in...

This week, Ryan Connell is joined by John Janek, Chief Technologist at Dev Technology Group, to talk about the critical elements of rapid acquisitions and agile budgeting in government. John shares his insights on the evolvin...

This week, Ryan Connell sits down with Steve Barva, federal acquisition consultant, to discuss the importance of breaking rules and cutting through red tape in the DoD. Steve shares his insights on competition in contracting,...

This week, Ryan Connell is joined by Russ Long, founder and CEO of Long Capture, to talk about the different pathways to success a defense startup can take in the DoD. Russ shares his journey from his former Air Force …

This week, Ryan Connell is joined by Dr. W. Ethan Eagle and Lieutenant Colonel Julie “Pistol” Janson to discuss the transformative impact of Project Mercury on military innovation. Together, they dive into Project Mercury’s g...

This week, Ryan is joined by Mike McGinley, director of GigEagle, mobilization assistant to the commander of the Air Force Lifecycle Management Center, and federal account executive at Google, to talk all things talent in the...

This week, Ryan is joined by Hannah Hunt, Distinguished Technical Director at MetroStar, to talk about the challenges of navigating defense bureaucracy and how she’s overcome the inevitable burnout of government work. Hannah ...

This week, Ryan is joined by Larsen Jensen, two-time Olympian, former Navy SEAL, and founder of Harpoon Ventures, to explore the rapidly-changing landscape of defense tech investing. Larsen dives into the necessity of reframi...

This week, Ryan is joined by Mike Clark, Branch Chief at Kill Chain Integration Branch of the Air Force Special Programs Division, to discuss the nuanced world of contracting and artificial intelligence within the DoD. He sha...

We have a special announcement this week! Meet our new Defense Mavericks host, Ryan Connell. Bonnie and Ryan chat about Bonnie’s departure from the show and what you can expect going forward. Tune in for a short, fun listen i...

This week, we’re sharing a panel discussion from SchoolHouse where Bonnie joined Gene Ebersole from BVVC, Mike McGuire from SpaceX, and Lisa Sanders from Special Operations Command to talk about defense innovation. Together, ...

This week, Bonnie joins the GovExec’s AI Spotlight Series hosted by George Jackson for a roundtable discussion on the DoD’s role in AI with Tyler Sweatt from Second Front Systems, Jason Preisser from DARPA, and Alexis Bonnell...