A defense tech CEO shared a memorable insight with me over coffee last year: “Selling to government is like fighting a toddler.” Just as a toddler needs food and sleep to survive and thrive, the Defense Department has clear requirements for what it needs to deter and win wars, and thereby allow the country to survive and thrive. Yet, navigating that process is exasperating and maddening — like negotiating with a toddler in the middle of a tantrum. Ultimately, this comes down to people and their