Leading with Integrity, Building Process, and Finding Grit in GovCon

In this episode of GovCon Unscripted, Chelsea sits down with Katie Bigelow, Founder & CEO of Mettle Ops, to talk about ethics, resilience, and the hard truths of competing in federal contracting.Katie shares her journey from Army aviation to GovCon CEO, breaking down what it really takes to lead a mission-driven company, build customer trust, and stay resilient in a market where you lose far more than you win.On this episode, we discuss:Why integrity, not shortcuts, drives long-term successHow process protects culture, employees, and customersArmy aviation, competition, and grit carried into entrepreneurshipLosing ten times for every win and pushing forward anywayWhat it means to build a mission-driven small business in GovConTimestamps:[00:00] – Introducing Katie Bigelow & Mettle Ops[06:12] – Ethics, mission, and doing business the right way[10:45] – Process, transparency, and fixing mistakes as a team[17:00] – Grit, competition, and lessons from Army aviation[19:20] – Losing ten times for every win in GovCon[24:30] – Building resilience as an entrepreneur[30:15] – What success really looks like inside a mission-driven companyLinks and Resources:• Chelsea’s LinkedIn Profile• Katie Bigelow’s LinkedIn Profile• Mettle Ops Website🎧 Listen now on:🔹 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/govcon-unscripted/id1766384482🔹 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1NL0kFAvmgECLTJpUZYNHyLike and follow us:🔹 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GovConUnscriptedUS🔹 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/govconunscriptedpodcast/🔹 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/govcon-unscripted/posts/🔹 join our #govcon #community: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/14618490/  New to govcon? Here's a guide for you:https://share.hsforms.com/288nO18bsRCCmdJZL66pClwbzmvx 21 AI Prompts to Supercharge your GovCon BD Engine: https://collaborativecompositions.com/21-ai-prompts-to-supercharge-your-govcon-bd-engine/