Freedom, Failure, and the Fight to Build: Callie Groth on Leading in Defense Tech and Beyond

In this episode of The Voice of Growth, Manny Teran sits down with Callie Groth — defense-tech founder, CEO of BlackBar, ranch owner, and Mentor-in-Residence at the University of Arizona’s McGuire Center for Entrepreneurship.  From building warfighter-focused technologies to running a cattle company in Cochise County, Callie’s story is one of relentless resilience, freedom, and reinvention. She opens up about what it means to thrive in a male-dominated industry, why she believes freedom is the ultimate currency, and how every mistake she’s made has shaped her leadership philosophy.  Together, they explore the future of defense tech, the role of education and AI in entrepreneurship, and the powerful balance between ambition and authenticity.