Heather Bulk on Balancing CEO Life, Bootstrapping Success, and the Founder-to-Operator Shift

Buckle up for an inspiring episode with Heather Bulk, the powerhouse CEO and co-founder of Special Aerospace Services. Over the past 17 years, Heather has propelled the company to impressive heights, growing it to over 250 employees and delivering cutting-edge tech and services to Space Force, NASA, and industry giants like Blue Origin and Northrop. But Heather’s talents extend beyond the boardroom — she’s also a skilled pilot. Recently named one of Forbes 50 Over 50 and Inc. Top 250 Founders, Heather is truly unstoppable.

Join Heather as she delves into the complexities of government contracts, the crucial role of compliance, and how she strategically grew SAS, including partnering with private equity to meet rising demands. Balancing the high demands of being a CEO with motherhood in a male-dominated field, Heather shares personal stories of resilience, authenticity, and the essential role of male allies. She also discusses the tough lessons learned from hiring challenges and the importance of a disciplined recruitment process. Further key points throughout include:

• Making a drastic career pivot from finance, tax, and law
• Scaling SAS and the benefits of Bootstrapping
• Partnering with Godspeed and overcoming integration challenges
• The power of forward planning: Building a team for today and tomorrow
• Change is hard: Navigating the Founder-to-Operator transition
• Balancing motherhood and CEO responsibilities
• Challenges as a female leader and the importance of male allies and authentic leadership
• Overcoming hiring challenges: Building a disciplined recruitment process
• Celebrating the future: What do the next five years hold?

"That element of being able to be graceful in the heat. We could be sitting around a table, and people will be talking and conversing, and when I step in with a voice, everyone stops and turns and looks at me. That notion of grace under fire is important." –  Heather Bulk.

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