Every day on social media we see the status change of friends and colleagues to #OpenToWork. These banners may indicate a big, happy change in someone’s career, but can also be the dreaded “business folded” “laid-off / made redundant” or “my firm got acquired” situation.
We just could not sit by and do nothing, so we are creating a podcast spin-off segment to showcase talented professionals looking for their next role.
Drawing on our own experiences with career transitions, we know firsthand that a resume does not always reveal a person’s full potential. But it also isn’t always possible for every candidate to be interviewed, so we thought a mini podcast session might be the ice breaker.
By connecting these professionals and their conversations with our network of recruiters and executives, we aim to bridge the gap between great people and great opportunities.
Sometimes the best way to help is simply to share someone’s story. Please continue to share. Or, if you would like to book a segment for yourself, please contact us ConnectToWork@mtmg.eu
The ConnectToWork podcast
We know firsthand that a resume can’t capture a person’s full potential. Drawing from our own experiences with career transitions, we’re creating a free platform where talented professionals can share their authentic stories through our podcast infrastructure. By connecting these conversations with our network of recruiters and executives, we’re helping bridge the gap between great people and great opportunities.
It’s our way of strengthening our community, one story at a time.
In this episode of MTMG’s ConnectToWork, Eli Shuster sharesinsights from more than two decades designing and leading complex federal solutions. He explains why technical excellence alone is never enough—and how understanding the human dimension is critical to winning and delivering atscale. Eli discusses leadership under pressure, trust-driven collaboration, and how emerging technologies like AI must be paired with governance and empathy.
This conversation highlights what it truly takes to build solutions that perform, endure, and earn stakeholder confidence.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
💡 Why the “human solution” matters as much as the technical architecture in federal programs
🎯How trust, calm leadership, and collaboration drive winning outcomes at scale
✅How AI and automation can enhance—notreplace—human expertise when applied responsibly
Key Quotes:
🎤 “Being technically right isn’t often enough—there’s always a human factor that has to be addressed.”
🎤“It takes a team to win, and sometimes the best solution is a combination of everyone’s ideas.”
🎤“AI isn’t here to replace your job—it’s here to make you more efficient if we use it correctly.”
Meet The Interviewee:
Eli Shuster is a federal solutions architecture leader withover 22 years of experience translating complex mission requirements into executable, compliant, and cost-realistic technical approaches. He has led multi-billion-dollar federal simulation bids, enterprise modernization strategies, and high-stakes delivery efforts across commercial, federal, andinternational environments. Known for his calm presence, collaborative leadership style, and ability to bridge technical and human needs, Eli consistently builds trust with teams and stakeholders alike.
Preferred Next Role:
Eli is interested in senior federal solutions architecture or chief architect leadership roles where he can guide complex, mission-critical programs, mentor teams, and shape platform-centric, experience-first solutions.
Books, Music, or Podcasts Referenced:
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team and leadership lessons inspired by Theodore Roosevelt.
How to Connect
🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eli-shuster
📧Email: etshuster@gmail.com
MTMG’s Pay-It-Forward Mission
With ConnectToWork, we amplify real career stories toinspire and connect professionals. If you or someone you know is navigating a career transition, we’d love to hear your story.
✔️Want to be featured? Contact us at ConnectToWork@mtmg.eu
✔️Know someone who could benefit from this episode? Share it with them!
Let’s build a stronger professional community together.
Subscribe & Share
✔️ Follow & Subscribe on your favorite podcast platform.
✔️Leave a Review to help others find the show.
✔️Share This Episode with colleagues & friends.
