When it comes to building wealth, I’ve learned that starting early is one of the most powerful advantages. That’s a lesson I want to pass on to my boys. Money management, investing, and the principles behind building wealth aren’t just things you figure out later in life—they’re habits that can be nurtured from a young age.

I often bring my sons into conversations about the properties we own, whether multi-family units or commercial buildings. I explain why location matters, how cash flow works, and why a property’s long-term value is just as important as the rent it produces. It’s not about overwhelming them with numbers—it’s about showing them the mindset behind smart investing.

Understanding Cash Flow

One of the first concepts I try to teach my boys is cash flow. It’s simple in theory: money coming in minus money going out. But understanding it at an early age builds a foundation for all future investing. I explain how our multi-family properties generate steady income, how expenses like maintenance and taxes factor in, and why positive cash flow is essential for growth.

I often use real-life examples from our properties to illustrate this point. Walking through a building, pointing out units, and explaining how rent rolls up to cover costs and generate surplus teaches them more than a classroom ever could. The goal isn’t just to teach them numbers—it’s to show them how disciplined planning and smart choices create financial stability.

The Power of Appreciation

Cash flow is important, but so is understanding appreciation. I want my boys to know that real estate isn’t just about what it produces today; it’s about what it will be worth years from now. Explaining appreciation in simple terms—how neighborhoods develop, how demand grows, and how properties gain value—helps them see the long-term picture.

We often discuss why we invest in certain markets over others. I show them maps, trends, and examples of areas that have grown over time. It’s a way to teach patience and foresight, two qualities that are critical when building generational wealth. Real estate isn’t a get-rich-quick strategy—it’s a marathon, and I want my boys to appreciate the value of holding strong assets over the long haul.

Making Smart Decisions

Another lesson I emphasize is the importance of making informed, thoughtful decisions. I encourage my boys to ask questions, analyze risks, and consider both short-term and long-term outcomes. Real estate teaches discipline in a very tangible way. Every purchase, every renovation, every tenant decision has consequences.

We discuss hypothetical scenarios together—what happens if a tenant moves out, how a property’s expenses can fluctuate, or why location is critical for both cash flow and appreciation. By breaking these concepts down in ways they can understand, I hope to instill decision-making skills that extend far beyond real estate.

Leveraging Teamwork and Partnerships

I also want my sons to understand that building wealth isn’t a solo endeavor. Real estate investing relies heavily on teamwork—working with brokers, property managers, contractors, and sometimes lenders. I involve my boys in these conversations whenever appropriate to show them how collaboration multiplies success.

Teaching them to respect the people you work with, to communicate clearly, and to seek expert advice when necessary is just as important as teaching them about income statements and rent rolls. Wealth is built not only through assets but also through relationships, and that’s a lesson I emphasize frequently.

Thinking About Legacy

At the heart of these lessons is the concept of legacy. I want my boys to understand that the goal of real estate isn’t just personal wealth—it’s generational wealth. Every property we acquire, every decision we make, is about more than today’s profit; it’s about creating something that can support them, their children, and possibly even their grandchildren.

We talk about how long-term ownership, thoughtful management, and strategic acquisitions can pass wealth down across generations. It’s about teaching them that wealth is a tool—a way to create security, opportunities, and freedom—not just a number in a bank account.

Lessons Beyond Numbers

Finally, I try to make sure my boys understand that real estate teaches lessons that go beyond numbers. It teaches patience, responsibility, strategic thinking, and resilience. They see firsthand that setbacks happen—tenants move out, repairs come unexpectedly, markets fluctuate—but long-term planning and consistency pay off.

Walking through a property together, discussing the challenges and successes, helps them internalize these principles. They see the connection between effort, planning, and reward in a very concrete way. My hope is that these lessons stick with them, not just for real estate, but for life in general.

Conclusion: Building a Mindset for the Future

Teaching my boys about real estate isn’t just about creating investors—it’s about creating a mindset. Understanding cash flow, appreciation, strategic decision-making, teamwork, and legacy lays the groundwork for financial literacy and discipline that will serve them for life.

For me, Brandon Erickson, Wisconsin, this isn’t just about money—it’s about passing on principles that can help my children thrive and create opportunities for future generations. By involving them in our real estate journey, I’m teaching more than investing; I’m teaching how to think long-term, act responsibly, and build a foundation that lasts.

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When I think about the growth and success of North Valley Precision, the thing that stands out most isn’t the technology we use or the clients we serve—it’s the people. From the beginning, I’ve believed that a company’s culture and long-term success are defined by its team. That’s why promoting from within has been a core part of our strategy.

At NVP, we don’t just hire people to fill roles. We look for individuals with potential, a willingness to learn, and a commitment to excellence. We invest in them, mentor them, and create opportunities for them to take on more responsibility. The goal isn’t just to fill leadership positions—it’s to build leaders who understand our culture, share our values, and can carry the company forward.

Seeing Potential Early

One of the most rewarding parts of promoting from within is spotting potential early. Often, employees show promise long before they have the title or experience to take on formal leadership roles. It’s our job to recognize that potential and give them the tools and support they need to grow.

This might mean providing mentorship, leadership training, or simply giving them opportunities to lead smaller projects. Over time, these experiences build confidence, skill, and a deep understanding of how NVP operates. By the time they’re ready for a larger role, they’re not just prepared—they’re aligned with our vision and culture.

Building Trust Through Experience

Promoting from within also builds trust throughout the organization. When employees see that their hard work, creativity, and dedication can lead to real career advancement, it motivates them to contribute at a higher level. They know that success is recognized and rewarded.

For me, it’s more than just a motivational tool. It’s about creating a company where people feel valued and empowered. Leaders who have grown within NVP know the ins and outs of the company, have built relationships with their teams, and understand our standards for quality and client service. This makes them more effective leaders because they are invested in the success of the company and the people around them.

Real Examples of Growth

I’ve seen firsthand how promoting from within can transform careers and strengthen the company. Several of our current leaders started in entry-level or mid-level roles and worked their way up through dedication, problem-solving, and leadership potential. Watching these individuals take on bigger responsibilities and succeed is one of the most satisfying parts of my job.

It’s not just about titles—it’s about empowering people to make decisions, take ownership, and innovate. When our team members are trusted to lead, they step up in ways that benefit everyone—from the employees they manage to the clients we serve.

Creating a Culture of Leadership

To successfully promote from within, it’s important to foster a culture where leadership isn’t confined to a title. At NVP, we encourage employees at every level to think like leaders, take initiative, and contribute ideas. Whether it’s improving a process, solving a client problem, or mentoring a peer, leadership is something we cultivate continuously.

This culture ensures that when a leadership role opens up, we have multiple candidates ready to step in. It also creates an environment where people feel empowered, accountable, and motivated to do their best work every day.

Lessons Learned as a CEO

Promoting from within hasn’t always been easy. It requires patience, training, and sometimes a leap of faith. But I’ve learned that the benefits far outweigh the challenges. Leaders who grow within the company carry institutional knowledge, understand our values, and have a personal investment in our success.

For me, as Brandon Erickson from Wisconsin, it’s also deeply personal. I believe that helping people reach their potential isn’t just good business—it’s the right thing to do. I’ve seen employees transform into confident leaders who mentor others, contribute innovative ideas, and strengthen our company in ways that are difficult to measure but impossible to ignore.

Looking Ahead

As North Valley Precision continues to grow, promoting from within will remain a cornerstone of our strategy. We’ll continue to invest in our people, create pathways for advancement, and foster a culture of leadership at all levels. By doing so, we’re not just filling positions—we’re building a company that can sustain success for years to come.

The leaders we develop today will shape the future of NVP, ensuring that our clients receive consistent, high-quality service and that our employees continue to thrive in a culture that values growth, innovation, and excellence.

Promoting from within is about more than career advancement—it’s about creating a culture where people feel empowered, trusted, and valued. Watching employees step into leadership roles and succeed has been one of the most fulfilling aspects of my journey as CEO. It’s proof that when you invest in people, the company grows stronger, smarter, and more resilient.

At NVP, we’re building more than a team—we’re building a legacy of leadership, and the best part is that it starts from within. Every day, I’m proud to see our people rise to the challenge, step into new roles, and shape the future of North Valley Precision.

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When I first launched North Valley Precision, we were a small team with a big vision. There were only about 10 of us back then—tight-knit, scrappy, and wearing multiple hats. We worked long hours, made fast decisions, and leaned on each other to get the job done. Everyone knew what everyone else was doing. If something broke, we fixed it together. If a deadline loomed, we all stayed late.

Looking back, those early days taught me a lot. We learned how to operate with limited resources and how to build trust with our clients one project at a time. But as the company grew and the team expanded, I had to learn something new: how to scale.

Scaling from 10 to nearly 100 employees—especially in the high-stakes world of quality assurance—doesn’t just mean hiring more people. It means rethinking how the entire company operates. It means building systems, strengthening culture, and leading in a different way.

Letting Go to Grow

One of the hardest lessons I learned during our growth was letting go of control. When you’re small, you’re in every decision. You touch every project. You’re the final say on just about everything. But that kind of hands-on leadership doesn’t scale.

As we grew, I had to step back and trust the people I hired to make the right calls. That doesn’t mean I walked away or checked out—it means I had to become more intentional. I had to focus on hiring leaders, not just doers. I had to give them the tools and the autonomy to lead their own teams. And I had to be okay with the fact that they might not do things exactly the way I would.

That shift was tough at first, but it’s what allowed us to move faster and smarter. Today, our team runs more efficiently because leadership is spread throughout the company, not bottled up at the top.

Culture Can’t Be an Afterthought

When you’re growing quickly, it’s easy to focus on output—more clients, more revenue, more projects. But if you ignore culture, you’ll feel it. You’ll see it in turnover, in miscommunication, and in a breakdown of quality.

From the beginning, I knew we had to be intentional about our values. What does quality mean at North Valley Precision? What kind of people do we want to attract and keep? What do we expect from each other? These aren’t just mission statement buzzwords—they’re the foundation of how we work.

As our team grew, we built rituals to keep that culture strong. We hold regular all-hands meetings. We invest in training and mentorship. And we talk openly about what’s working and what’s not. That transparency keeps us aligned, even as new faces join the team.

It also builds pride. I’ve always said, we don’t just test—we build trust. That mindset has to be in every employee’s DNA. Culture isn’t what you say on a poster. It’s what people do when no one’s watching.

Process Drives Consistency

When we were 10 people, we could run things informally. A quick Slack message here, a hallway conversation there. But at 100 people, that kind of casual coordination doesn’t work. You need systems. You need structure. You need repeatable processes that make quality consistent, no matter who’s on the project.

That doesn’t mean building a rigid bureaucracy. It means documenting what works, training people well, and making it easy to do things the right way. We invested heavily in playbooks, onboarding programs, and QA automation frameworks to keep up with demand.

I’ve learned that a good process doesn’t slow you down—it speeds you up. It allows new hires to ramp quickly. It reduces errors. It gives our clients confidence that no matter who they work with at North Valley Precision, they’ll get the same high standard of service.

People Are Still the Core

No matter how big we get, it always comes back to people. Tools help. Systems help. But great people are the reason we’ve been able to grow without losing quality. Every person we hire needs to buy into the mission and bring something unique to the table.

When I think about what makes someone successful here, it’s not just technical skill—it’s mindset. We look for people who take ownership, who speak up, and who genuinely care about the work they’re doing. That matters even more in QA, where the details can make or break a launch.

Brandon Erickson from Wisconsin didn’t get here alone. This journey has been built by dozens of talented professionals who’ve trusted me, challenged me, and grown with me. As a leader, my job is to support them—to make sure they have what they need to succeed and feel like they’re part of something bigger.

Growth Isn’t the Goal—Excellence Is

Scaling to 100 employees is a milestone, but it’s not the finish line. What I’ve learned is that growth, for growth’s sake, doesn’t matter if you’re not getting better along the way. Every hire, every system, every decision should bring us closer to excellence—not just expansion.

At North Valley Precision, we’re not chasing size. We’re chasing impact. We want to be the most trusted QA partner in the industries we serve. We want our clients to feel like we’re an extension of their team. And we want our people to feel like they’re doing the best work of their careers.

Getting from 10 to 100 employees taught me how to build a company—not just a team. It taught me how to scale without losing sight of what matters. And most of all, it taught me that great companies aren’t built in sprints—they’re built with patience, intention, and people who care.

The post What I Learned Scaling From 10 to 100 Employees in QA appeared first on Brandon Erickson.

Across startups, mid-sized tech firms, and global enterprises, one truth is consistent: when companies seek a QA partner, they’re not just outsourcing—they’re integrating. The stakes are high. Enterprise clients expect reliability, speed, technical precision, and embedded accountability. Meeting these expectations demands more than just manual testing or good intentions. It requires mature systems, disciplined execution, and a deep operational understanding of software delivery at scale.

At North Valley Precision, our evolution as a quality assurance partner has been shaped directly by client feedback and the operational realities of complex technology ecosystems. Enterprise clients don’t want vendors—they want aligned partners who operate as an extension of their internal teams. That alignment only happens through rigor and intentional design.

Operational Reliability Is the Standard

Enterprise-grade QA cannot tolerate inconsistency. Missed defects, flaky test coverage, and reactive processes cost more than time—they introduce risk across integrated environments, vendor pipelines, and customer-facing systems.

To mitigate that risk, we start every engagement with a structured onboarding process. Our teams document infrastructure dependencies, deployment cycles, release gates, and test environment conditions. We build test plans not in isolation, but in the context of DevOps pipelines, CI/CD constraints, and production uptime requirements. We validate every assumption through direct dialogue with engineering, product, and release management. From test case design to environment parity, nothing is left to chance.

This process-driven approach allows us to consistently hit SLAs and ensure traceable, auditable quality control across even the most complex environments.

Velocity Without Compromising Coverage

Development timelines are compressing—sprint cycles are shorter, release windows are tighter, and the feedback loop is shrinking. QA must accelerate without degrading coverage or increasing risk.

To meet that challenge, we’ve invested in scalable test automation frameworks that reduce human error and increase repeatability. Our engineers leverage structured test suites, modular scripting, and version-controlled test libraries to optimize both speed and maintainability. From regression packs to smoke tests, every layer of automation is aligned with system architecture and deployment cadence.

We also maintain dedicated environments for performance benchmarking, load testing, and fault injection—ensuring that quality isn’t just functional but robust under load and edge conditions.

Engineering-Led Communication

Misalignment kills velocity. In enterprise settings with distributed teams and multiple stakeholders, proactive communication isn’t a luxury—it’s a requirement.

We’ve established internal communication protocols to maintain alignment throughout the QA lifecycle. Every project includes a designated technical lead, routine syncs, escalation matrices, and live dashboard access to QA metrics. Clients always know the status of their testing pipeline, the health of the release candidate, and the resolution state of high-priority bugs.

When blockers arise, we don’t just raise tickets—we provide context, impact assessments, and resolution paths. It’s not about status updates; it’s about enabling informed decision-making.

Industry Context Informs Better Testing

Testing in healthcare isn’t the same as testing in fintech or defense. Enterprise QA demands contextual intelligence—an understanding of the regulatory, security, and functional priorities of each domain.

That’s why we field cross-functional QA teams that combine technical testing expertise with sector-specific knowledge. This enables us to test not only for defects, but for business-critical failure conditions. Our team doesn’t just ask if the system works—they assess whether it works the right way, for the right user, under real-world scenarios.

Whether it’s testing financial transaction workflows, validating HIPAA-compliant data handling, or confirming defense-grade system hardening, our domain awareness helps us deliver coverage that matters.

Commitment to Continuous Improvement

We believe in operational excellence—and that means never staying static. Every project cycle includes retrospectives, metrics reviews, and process audits. We track KPIs across defect detection rates, automation ROI, release readiness, and rework frequency.

We regularly calibrate our toolchains, test suites, and reporting frameworks based on client feedback and observed inefficiencies. Clients are invited into this improvement loop. Many of our most impactful process refinements have originated in cross-functional reviews with our partners.

Improvement isn’t a side task—it’s embedded in how we work.

Built for Enterprise, Driven by Engineering Discipline

Enterprise clients don’t just want test execution—they want a QA partner with engineering depth, structured processes, and the ability to operate seamlessly at scale. They want transparency, domain alignment, and a consistent track record of delivery under pressure.

At North Valley Precision, we’ve engineered our QA practice to deliver on those demands. Every test plan, tool, process, and interaction is designed to ensure one thing: predictable, measurable quality at enterprise velocity.

That’s not just our model—it’s our commitment.

The post What Enterprise Clients Want Most from a QA Partner—And How We Deliver appeared first on Brandon Erickson.

Most people don’t expect to hear “songwriting” and “quality assurance” in the same sentence. But for me, they’ve always been connected. Before I was leading a precision-focused company with clients in high-stakes industries, I was writing songs in small-town Wisconsin, playing guitar, and dreaming about Nashville. Music taught me how to listen closely, stay flexible, and connect with people. That same creative mindset has quietly shaped the way I lead North Valley Precision today.

In business—especially in fields like quality assurance—people often assume everything has to be technical, rigid, and by-the-book. And yes, processes matter. But behind every process is a person. Behind every metric is a moment where someone made a choice to care more, to dig deeper, to do better. That drive comes from culture, and culture is built by creativity. The same creativity I learned chasing melodies is what I bring into the shop floor every day.

Listening Is a Leadership Superpower

Songwriting taught me one of the most underrated skills in leadership: listening. To write a good song, you have to really hear what’s happening around you—conversations, emotions, little details others miss. That skill translates directly to leading a team. At North Valley Precision, we have some of the most talented engineers, testers, and operators in the business. But their ideas only matter if I’m paying attention.

I make it a point to ask questions, not just give answers. I spend time on the floor, talking with team members, learning what’s working and what’s getting in their way. I listen to our clients too—really listen. Not just to what they’re asking for, but what they actually need. Creativity isn’t always about invention. Sometimes it’s about noticing a need before it’s spoken and responding with something unexpected but valuable.

That mindset has helped us improve processes, streamline communication, and even shift our strategic direction at times. It’s amazing what opens up when you treat leadership like listening, not commanding.

Problem-Solving Is a Creative Act

Every business hits roadblocks. We’ve had them, especially as we’ve scaled North Valley Precision. A client suddenly needs more volume with tighter timelines. A new hire isn’t fitting the way we hoped. A supplier drops the ball. These things happen. What defines us is how we respond.

Some people think creativity is reserved for “the creatives.” But to me, problem-solving is one of the most important creative acts in any business. Whether it’s designing a new workflow, adapting to a client’s custom request, or building out our training program—every one of those challenges required us to think differently.

I often tell my team that creativity is about being resourceful under pressure. When I was younger and broke, trying to make music with whatever gear I had lying around, I learned how to do more with less. That same scrappy mentality is what helps us stay lean and effective today. We don’t throw money at problems—we think through them, together, and find new ways to get results without losing quality.

Leading with Heart (Not Just Data)

Running a QA business means living in a world full of metrics. Error rates, cycle times, defect detection efficiency—these numbers matter, and we track them closely. But they’re only part of the story. What I’ve learned—especially from my background in music—is that heart matters just as much.

You can have all the data in the world, but if your team doesn’t feel connected to the mission, they won’t give you their best. That’s why I lead with vulnerability. I share stories about where I came from. I talk about the times I’ve failed. I try to create space where people feel like they can show up as their full selves.

In music, the most powerful songs are the honest ones. In business, I think it’s the same. When your team believes in what you’re building—and feels safe to bring their full creativity to the table—you get better results. You get innovation. You get loyalty. That’s the culture we’re building here.

Creativity Is a Strategic Weapon

At North Valley Precision, we’re competing in a space where accuracy, dependability, and speed are the baseline. To really stand out, you need more. I believe creativity gives us that edge. It helps us build relationships, not just contracts. It allows us to innovate in ways that other companies might overlook. It keeps our work human, even in a highly technical world.

This doesn’t mean we abandon structure—far from it. Our systems are tight, our standards are high, and our expectations are clear. But within that structure, we leave room for ideas. For rethinking how things are done. For giving our team the freedom to ask, “What if we tried it this way instead?” That spirit—that spark—is what sets us apart.

From Chords to Culture

When I think back to those early years writing songs, I had no idea they’d help shape the way I’d run a company. But the parallels are everywhere. Listening deeply. Telling stories. Building something from nothing. Inspiring people to move together in rhythm toward a shared goal. That’s what songwriting taught me. That’s what leadership looks like.

So whether I’m in a client meeting, reviewing a QA strategy, or walking the production floor, that creative foundation is always with me. It reminds me to stay curious. To stay connected. And to never forget that sometimes, the best ideas don’t come from a spreadsheet—they come from a conversation, a late-night thought, or a fresh look at an old problem.

Creativity isn’t a side project. It’s the core of how I lead. And I believe it’s the reason we’re not just growing—we’re thriving.

The post From Nashville to the Shop Floor: How Creativity Fuels My Leadership Style appeared first on Brandon Erickson.

At North Valley Precision, we manufacture parts for defense, aerospace, and other high-spec industries. These aren’t simple widgets. They’re mission-critical components that have to meet tight tolerances, pass rigorous inspections, and often serve in environments where failure isn’t an option. And I can tell you with full confidence: this kind of work is exactly where American manufacturing shines.

Quality Over Quantity

The truth is, you can’t mass-produce precision. You can’t race to the bottom on cost and expect to produce parts that meet the standards of our defense and aerospace clients. That’s where U.S.-based shops like ours come in. We don’t compete on being the cheapest—we compete on being the best.

When you manufacture in America, especially in regulated sectors, there’s an ingrained culture of accountability. You don’t just hit a spec—you understand why that spec exists. Our team knows the difference between “good enough” and “right,” and that’s something you can’t always replicate in offshore environments. It’s built into the way we train, the way we lead, and the way we inspect everything we ship.

Real-Time Problem Solving

One of the most underrated advantages of domestic manufacturing is the speed and clarity of communication. When something goes wrong in our shop, we don’t wait days or weeks for answers. We’re on it that minute. We gather the team, figure out what happened, adjust the process, and keep things moving. That level of responsiveness saves time, saves money, and—most importantly—protects quality.

When you’re building parts for systems that could be on a fighter jet or a submarine, there’s no room for ambiguity. Being close to your customers, being able to collaborate in real time, and being able to adapt fast—that’s a huge edge. And it’s one of the reasons more companies are looking back toward American manufacturers after years of outsourcing.

Pride in the Work

There’s something powerful about walking through a shop and seeing the pride on people’s faces. Our machinists, quality techs, and team leads know that what they’re making isn’t just another part. They know it’s going somewhere important, and they take that seriously.

That mindset isn’t just about patriotism—it’s about professionalism. It’s about a workforce that’s been trained not just to follow instructions, but to think critically, solve problems, and push for better. You don’t find that everywhere, but in U.S. shops with strong culture and leadership, it’s built in. And it makes all the difference.

Investing in Talent, Not Just Tech

We hear a lot about automation and robotics—and yes, those tools are part of the future. But machines don’t run themselves. At North Valley Precision, our best investment hasn’t been in equipment. It’s been in people.

We focus on training, leadership development, and creating opportunities for growth. Whether someone starts as a material handler or a junior inspector, we want them to see a path forward. Because when people feel ownership, they care more. They catch mistakes, they come up with solutions, and they make the whole operation better.

The old narrative says American labor is too expensive. I say that’s the wrong conversation. What matters is value. And when you invest in people who understand the work, take pride in it, and have the tools to lead, you create value that no offshore operation can touch.

Compliance Isn’t a Barrier—It’s a Competitive Edge

Some see strict compliance standards in the U.S. as a disadvantage. I see them as a secret weapon. In high-stakes industries, compliance isn’t red tape—it’s a guarantee. It tells your customer, your partners, and your own team that you don’t cut corners.

We’ve built our systems at North Valley Precision to meet and exceed the standards of defense contracting. That includes everything from documentation and traceability to supplier audits and internal training. It’s not easy. But when you get it right, it becomes a differentiator. It’s what makes customers come back—and what gives them confidence in our ability to deliver every time.

The Future Is Local and Lean

I believe the next chapter of American manufacturing won’t be about scale for scale’s sake. It’ll be about smart growth. It’ll be about building lean, responsive, tech-enabled companies that care as much about quality and trust as they do about revenue. It’ll be about doing more with less—faster, better, and closer to home.

At North Valley Precision, we’re leaning into that future. We’re hiring people who want to grow, investing in tools that make us more accurate and efficient, and forging partnerships that last. We’re proving every day that American manufacturing doesn’t just compete—it leads.

Closing Thoughts

The story of U.S. manufacturing isn’t over—it’s evolving. And for those of us in the trenches, it’s clear that the future is bright. The combination of skilled labor, advanced technology, and a culture of accountability gives us an edge that’s hard to replicate anywhere else.

So, the next time someone says American manufacturing is dead, invite them to walk the floor of a company like ours. Let them see the precision, the teamwork, the pride. Because from where I stand, it’s never been more alive.

The post Why American Manufacturing Still Wins: A CEO’s Perspective from the Factory Floor appeared first on Brandon Erickson.

That journey—from scraping by with a bootstrapped online startup to leading a company like North Valley Precision—has taught me more than any classroom ever could. Not just about business, but about what really fuels long-term success. And spoiler: it’s not about having the latest tech or getting lucky with timing. It’s about discipline, perseverance, and learning how to get up and keep going when everything seems to be falling apart. Especially in industries like defense and manufacturing, where the stakes couldn’t be higher.

Starting With Nothing but Belief

When I dropped out of college to launch 7 Innovations, I had no roadmap. I just had a big idea, a ridiculous work ethic, and the kind of blind optimism you only get in your early 20s. I worked crazy hours, made every mistake in the book, and learned everything the hard way. But eventually, through trial, error, and sheer stubbornness, things started to click. We figured out how to market, how to build real systems, and how to scale. We ended up generating close to $50 million in online revenue—and I hit my first million by age 25.

But honestly? The money was never the real win for me. What mattered more was learning how to build something from scratch. How to turn ideas into execution. How to keep going when it feels like nothing’s working. Those lessons became the foundation for every venture I touched afterward—whether it was in biotech, or what I’m doing now at North Valley Precision.

The Shift to Real-World Impact

Over time, I found myself being drawn to industries where the outcomes mattered in a tangible, real-world way. Biotech was one of those fields. Precision manufacturing was another. There’s something incredibly grounding about knowing the things you help create actually impact lives—whether that’s a breakthrough treatment or a critical component on a military aircraft.

That’s one of the things I love most about running North Valley Precision. We’re not just making parts—we’re supporting missions. The pieces we inspect and ship end up in systems with zero margin for error. There’s real accountability in that. Real purpose. And for me, that’s a powerful motivator.

Getting Into Government Contracts

Landing our first government contract was a huge moment for us—but it didn’t happen overnight. It took years of preparation. We spent that time building out robust quality systems, documenting every process, training our people, and cultivating a culture where “good enough” just isn’t good enough.

There’s a lot of red tape in the government world. A lot of waiting. A lot of rules and audits and unexpected changes. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that the same grit it takes to launch a garage startup is the exact same grit you need to succeed in government contracting. You’ve got to be ready for setbacks. You have to communicate clearly, deliver on your promises, and always look for ways to improve.

That kind of mindset doesn’t appear overnight—it’s built through years of just showing up and doing the hard stuff.

Growth Isn’t Glamorous

There’s a myth that growth is this exciting, fast-paced ride. In reality, it’s a lot messier than that. Growth is hiring your first employees and realizing you now have to be a manager. It’s watching your systems break as your headcount doubles. It’s learning how to let go of control, trust other people, and scale without losing the soul of what you built.

I’ve come to see those moments—the stress, the growing pains—as signals. They’re not signs that you’re failing. They’re signs that it’s time to level up. Whether it’s upgrading your equipment, reworking your org chart, or developing new leaders internally, growth always asks more of you. And that’s a good thing.

The Common Thread: Grit

When I look back across all the chapters of my journey—ecommerce, biotech, precision machining—one thing connects them all: grit. That drive to keep moving, even when the path isn’t clear. That ability to outlast the problem when most people would throw in the towel.

And now, at North Valley Precision, I see that same grit in our team. We’ve built a group of people who take pride in doing things the right way—even when it’s harder. We don’t just hire based on resumes. We hire based on heart. Because you can teach someone how to run a CMM or inspect a part, but you can’t teach them to care. And caring is what sets apart good work from great work.

From the Garage to the Big Leagues

Success isn’t magic. It’s not about having a perfect plan, or landing funding at the right time. It’s about doing the work—over and over again. Showing up. Pushing through. Getting a little better every day. I’ve seen firsthand what that kind of mindset can build. It took me from a laptop in a garage to a facility shipping mission-critical components to the government.

So if you’re an entrepreneur just starting out, or a small operation wondering whether you can ever break into the big leagues like defense contracting—know this: you absolutely can. But you have to be in it for the long haul. You have to be willing to do the unsexy work, the hard work, the consistent work. If you do, you’ll look back one day and realize: you built something that matters. And that’s worth every second.

The post From Garage Startups to Government Contracts: Lessons in Grit and Growth appeared first on Brandon Erickson.