Katie Bigelow is a proud army veteran, CEO and Founder of Mettle Ops, but she is perhaps an even prouder mother of eight. Well, nine, actually. Katie and her husband Mark also were blessed with Bret, a special needs child who lived six years with unwavering tenacity and “greater mettle than any other person we have known,” said Katie. It is in honor of him that Mettle Ops got its name.

When Katie realized that her service gave her a special understanding of Department of Defense procurement wants and needs, she set out to build her own business. Through connections like Automation Alley’s Industry 4.0 initiative, she became acquainted with the Michigan SBDC and met Business Growth Consultant Julie Oldham, who helped with her business plan and set up her accounting systems. Mark was her first hire.

“At first I didn’t take myself seriously as a business owner – I didn’t believe I had the potential, even with million-dollar contracts in hand. I wasn’t getting the resources I needed. Julie convinced me that this was real,” said Katie. “Now I’m comfortable using C-suite titles for myself and for Mark, and we’ve built an organizational chart that maps out three years’ growth in human capital.”

Today, with a staff of 45, Mettle Ops specializes in developing and designing advanced warfighter platforms, upgrading and fortifying legacy systems with cutting-edge technology for the Department of Defense and beyond. Its stated mission is “to safeguard our troops and our country,” and Mark has brought in over $200 million in work to the business. It’s safe to say that they are well on their way of making their dream a reality.