In the GovCon Unscripted Podcast's another special episode of 'Success After Service', Chelsea sits down with David Schiff, a Navy veteran and VP of Navy Strategic Growth at Govini, for a deep dive into what it takes for companies to adapt, stay competitive, and succeed in the evolving landscape of DoD innovation.

David shares hard lessons from working across the Navy, Space Force, and broader defense ecosystem, including the realities of risk, collaboration, uncertainty, and what separates the companies that cross the “valley of death” from those that never make it.

On this episode, we discuss:

• Why understanding your customer’s mission matters more than ever
• How newer DoD organizations innovate (and why they learn faster)
• Why companies should stop “pivoting with the wind.”
• Traits of founders and teams who survive the valley of death
• The role of data in shaping battlefield advantage
• Collaboration, timing, and how companies can stay relevant

Timestamps:

[00:00 ] – Introducing David Schiff

[03:15 ] – What’s changing in DoD innovation

[05:00 ] – Why newer organizations innovate differently

[09:40 ] – Adapting to changing requirements

[15:22 ] – How companies lose momentum

[23:10 ] – The role of data in decision-making

[29:45 ] – What founders misunderstand about DoD customers

[35:00 ] – Why companies should “stay the course” instead of pivoting

[42:55 ] – Lessons from working across Navy and Space Force

[48:10 ] – What success looks like for companies in defense

Links & Resources:

• Chelsea’s LinkedIn Profile

• David Schiff LinkedIn

• Govini's Website

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🔹 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/govcon-unscripted/id1766384482

🔹 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1NL0kFAvmgECLTJpUZYNHy

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