Mike DeFede is the founder of Periscope Federal, which focuses on business and executive consulting for DoD and IC companies. Mike brings a unique perspective, having led significant growth at large, medium, and start-up companies alike. Trained as a BD and Business Operations Executive at Lockheed Martin’s Corporate HQ and IC businesses, Mike’s $150M+ portfolio included 20+ programs across multiple agencies. At a Mid-Tier contractor, Mike completed a full turnaround of a red portfolio increasing Award fees by 30+ points and growing the business 25%. In 2017, Mike founded start-up Intelligent Shift (IS) and ran it full-time. After rapid growth, IS sold in 2020 to gain investment and continued to grow 35% year over year.
Mike’s experience has driven business growth, whether proposal-based, organic, or M&A. As a Business Development Professional across the IC, Mike has supported over 100 Full and Open competitions in every role, from writer to Capture Manager to Account Executive. As an experienced founder, small business executive, and leader of a successful exit, Mike is now a Scare the Bear Advisor and focuses on supporting organic growth for small businesses to expand value or prepare for a sale. Specific areas of support include:
- Working with leadership to create a business development pipeline that supports scaling the business and is attractive to future investors/buyers
- Supporting the long-term growth strategy to present to a buyer that helps them understand the potential to scale
- Executive coaching
- Using his network to create additional business opportunities
- Taking advantage of experience starting and growing a small business that sold at a premium to advise on leadership and operational changes or improvement
