GovCon Executive SliceCEO Perspectives: When the Playbook Changes. MKS2 Technologies CEO Brendan Mullen and STS CEO Adrian Rich on Leading Through Disruption
Change isn't coming to the federal market. It's already here. And for CEOs, the bigger question isn't how to get through the latest round of disruption. It's how to build a company capable of adapting, performing, and growing when constant change becomes the new normal. OrangeSlices recently had the opportunity to explore that challenge with two accomplished founders who have spent years building successful federal technology companies: Brendan Mullen, Founder and CEO of MKS2 Technologies, and Adrian Rich, Founder and CEO of Simple Technology Solutions (STS). Brendan brings a remarkable builder's perspective. A West Point graduate and Army combat veteran, he has spent 18 years growing MKS2 into a global federal technology and services company supporting defense, intelligence, civilian, and commercial customers. Eight Inc. 5000 appearances demonstrate the consistency of that growth, while building MKS2 debt-free from inception speaks to the discipline behind it. Adrian has built an equally compelling story at STS. He founded the company around a belief that complex government technology can, and should, be made simpler. That philosophy has helped turn STS into a nationally recognized federal technology company, earning recognition for rapid growth and as a great place to work while helping government customers navigate cloud, Agile, DevOps, and enterprise transformation. Leading the conversation is Eric Mothershead, Senior Partner at The Baldwin Group, who advises hundreds of scaling federal contractors and brings a valuable perspective on the workforce, cost, benefits, and organizational decisions that inevitably accompany growth and change. And that's where this conversation gets especially interesting. Brendan and Adrian look back at the lessons accumulated over years of building their companies, how those lessons have been tested by the extraordinary pace of change over the past two years, and what they're doing now to prepare MKS2 and STS for what comes next. They get into leadership, people, technology, execution, growth, and how CEOs make decisions when yesterday's playbook may no longer be enough. If you're leading or growing a GovCon business and wondering what experienced CEOs are changing, protecting, investing in, and preparing for as they attack this new normal, make time for this conversation. To connect with Brendan, follow him on LinkedIn here. Learn more about MKS2 Technologies by visiting their webpage here. To connect with Adrian, follow him on LinkedIn here. Learn more about Simple Technology Solutions (STS) by visiting their webpage here.
