Tyto Athene’s Chief Growth Officer (CGO), Michael Polmar, recently joined WashingtonExec’s Rookies to Rockstars podcast to share lessons learned from his career journey in government contracting (GovCon) and offer advice for the next generation of leaders.
On the podcast, Michael emphasized the importance of taking risks early in your career. “While you’re in the early stages, that is the time to take risks,” he explained, noting that lessons learned from stepping into the unknown often become just as valuable as the rewards themselves. He also shared insights on navigating GovCon’s competitive growth landscape, which he calls “the hardest job in the company.” He adds, “You have to have the right mentality. You have to want to connect with people. You have to want to spend most of your day talking or actively listening, getting creative, being both strategic and tactical, understanding the market, understanding your clients, understanding where the money’s going and what contracts and efforts are a priority for your client, and then how to position your business, whether it’s as prime or a sub. It’s a very complex aspect of the business, but for those who enjoy it, there’s nowhere else they’d rather be.”
Reflecting on his career, Michael underscored that true success goes beyond hitting financial targets. “For us at Tyto, success is about growing the business, providing opportunities for employees, and delivering new technologies and capabilities that help our customers modernize.”
You can listen to the full conversation with Michael Polmar on WashingtonExec’s Rookies to Rockstars podcast here: Beyond the Beakers: Michael Polmar Merges Science with Strategic Success | WashingtonExec