Amtower Off-Center

Amtower Off-Center

By Federal News Network | Hubbard RadioBusinessGovernment
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Amtower Off-Center episodes

  • Like: The button that changed the world

    Martin Reeves of the BCG Henderson Institute returns to Amtower Off Center to discuss his latest book. "Like: The Button That Changed the World".

    Topics include: 

    • The evolution of the Like button
    • What the creation and adoption of the button reveals about technical innovation
    • Why the button is addictive
    • The rise of the "Like" economy
    • How Like transformed advertising and marketing
    • Like-facilitated influencer marketing

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    44 min
  • The Strategic Enemy

    Laura Ries, chairwoman of Reis Consulting and author of multiple business strategy books, joins host Mark Amtower on this week's Amtower Off Center to discuss her latest book: The Strategic Enemy.

    Topics include:

    • Building your brand with an "enemy" in mind
    • Branding mistakes entrepreneurs make
    • The power of saying NO to maintain focus
    • Why brand extension does not work
    • Creating a category where you can be first



    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    39 min
  • Branding & thought leadership

    This week on Amtower Off Center, host Mark Amtower is joined by Evan Weisel, principal and co-founder of W2 Communications for a discussion on thought leadership in GovCon.

    Topics discussed include:

    • What constitutes thought leadership for our market
    • Thought leadership examples including white papers, case studies, data-based research and more
    • How to consistently leverage thought leadership
    • Developing a thought leadership playbook for company SMEs and execs

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    44 min
  • Navigating the current GovCon environment

    This week on Amtower Off Center, host Mark Amtower is joined by Kaamil Khan, president of Makpar Corporation, a small IT services firm.

    Topics discussed include:

    • Khan's journey to become president of the family owned business, leveraging his law degree and a natural talent for BD
    • Makpar's experience with my LinkedIn training and the benefits thereof
    • Kahn's experience in the ACT-IAC Voyager program and the benefits of the program
    • How Makpar is navigating the current GovCon environment
    • -Kahn's use of AI in his role as president

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    44 min
  • A deep dive into government contracting

    This week on Amtower Off Center, Kevin Plexico, SVP of Deltek, joins host Mark Amtower for a deep discussion on the current state of government contracting.

    Topics include:

    • YTD contract activity vs FY 24, and how it has impacted spending
    • The impact on SIs, VARs, small contractors and others
    • Regulatory changes and the future of GWACs
    • The new Deltek Clarity study (available free) which deals with many aspects on BD, capture and bidding
    • What the "big beautiful budget bill" could mean to contracting

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    45 min
  • State of the GovCon market

    This week on Amtower Off Center, Nick Wakeman, editor in chief of Washington Technology, joins host Mark Amtower for a wide-ranging discussion on the state of the GovCon market as reflected by the WashTech 2025 Top 100 contractors.

    Topics discussed include:

    • First year-over-year decline in prime contracts since 2016 sequestration
    • A recap of CGI's Stephanie Mango's interview with Nick on the state of GovCon
    • How SERCO has used strategic acquisitions to move up
    • The growing gap between DOD and civilian contracting
    • Candid comments of where the market may be heading


    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    42 min
  • The state of the SmartPay program

    Shauna Weatherly, former govie and now founder and president of FebSubK,joins host MarkAmtower for an in-depth discussion on the current state of the SmartPay (government charge card) program.

    Topics include:

    • The charge card program background from inception in the late 1980s
    • How it works and why it is so successful at what it does
    • What is happening now with the program, including consolidated buying at GSA
    • The "pilot" program RFI that went out the Thursday evening before Good Friday with responses due in seven days
    • A candid discussion of why the pilot the pilot may be happening and why it is totally unnecessary
    • See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

      44 min
    • The Trump administation's executive orders and their impact on GovCon

      This week on Amtower Off Center, host Mark Amtower is joined by Nick Wakeman, editor in chief of Washington Technology for a wide-ranging, candid discussion of the new

      administration's executive orders impacting the GovCon industry.

      Topics include:

      • The order from GSA to investigate the"consulting" contracts of the top 10 OASIS contractors
      • Tthe temporary suspension of the government charge card program
      • The downsizing of federal agencies across the board and the impact on government programs
      • The impact of the Executive Order on DEI initiatives
      • See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

        41 min
      • Managing the presidential transition

        This week on Amtower Off Center, host Mark Amtower is joined by GovNavigators co-founder Robert Shea for a very lively discussion on the upcoming administration.

        Topics include:

        • Managing the transition
        • Major policy shifts
        • What are some of the priorities for DOD
        • DOGE and the impending efficiencies
        • OPM and Schedule F
        • Lots of great policy-nerd minutae
        • Potential impact of the set-aside program
        • See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

          42 min
        • Breaking the standard

          This week on Amtower Off Center, host Mark Amtower is joined by Aubrey Gainfort, by day a federal contracting officer, and after work host of the Breaking the Standard podcast, which is nearing its 5th anniversary.

          Topics discussed include:

          • Five things contractors need to do
          • Five things contractors should NOT do
          • How and why to start your own podcast
          • Ways to expand your knowledge of the federal market
          • See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

            44 min

          About Amtower Off-Center

          From the publisher's feed

          Hosted by nationally-known speaker and consultant Mark Amtower, Amtower Off-Center highlights the good, the bad, the ugly and the just plain silly of doing business in the government market. Every…

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