Katie Bigelow, a former Black Hawk pilot, launched Mettle Ops in the summer of 2013 — the same season she was diagnosed with melanoma while facing significant personal challenges.

By early fall, life had intensified in ways that required her to step away from the business for about a year.

But she started again.

Today, Mettle Ops builds reactive armor tiles for Army combat vehicles, manufactures U.S.-made drone motors, and employs 65 people across Michigan and Huntsville, Alabama.

Katie talks about:

the moment a million-dollar invoice made it feel real

why paying vendors on time accidentally saved her company during COVID

how checklists and after-action reviews became the backbone of a culture that refuses to cut corners on the people carrying their equipment into combat.

Thank you, Katie, for coming into the studio and sharing your heart behind all you do!

~~~

This episode is brought to you by Auxiom

Find out more: https://auxiom.com/

From an early age, Mark Panciera's dream was to become a funeral director just like his dad.

He became exactly that. Also...

￫ He 5x'd the family business.

￫ He was covered in the Wall Street Journal.

￫ He had private equity firms calling.

But it all it nearly destroyed his relationship with his father.

Mark spent years on the wrong side of ego, choosing to be right instead of staying in the relationship. That tension led him to The Pacific Institute, a global performance organization built on a simple but research-backed premise: you can physically change your brain.

Now as CEO Emeritus of The Pacific Institute and a TEDx speaker with over 1.5 million views, Mark teaches leaders how to uncover blind spots, recast limiting beliefs, and drive real behavior change at the belief level.

In our episode, we get into family business tension, grief and transcendence, the formula I × V^E = R, coping mechanisms that mask deeper pain, and why the best leaders debrief even after a win.

Thanks Mark for your time and energy in coming to the studio and chatting!

~~~

This episode is brought to you by Auxiom

Find out more: https://auxiom.com/

Christine spent eight years at Northern Trust managing billion-dollar philanthropic portfolios. Adam helped steward 400-year-old legacy brands in the music industry.

But when COVID hit, something shifted. They needed a change. T

hey both cashed out their 401ks, sold their house, and bought a 50-year-old ski shop in Northern Michigan.

My conversation with Christine Donovan and Adam Weems covers their leap from corporate comfort to business ownership and what it means to steward a legacy brand.

Key takeaways:

→ The power of having a partner who says "I got you"

→ Why worst-case-scenario thinking actually reduces fear

→ The question "how much is enough" is a powerful question

0:00 Intro 2:00 The 50-Year Legacy of Bahnhof Ski Shop

3:45 Christine's Journey: From Flutist to Finance

8:17 Adam's Path: Grocery Stores to Zildjian Drums

16:08 Purpose-Driven Work and the Question of "Enough"

25:10 The Leap: Why Fine Careers Weren't Enough

29:04 "You're Not Fun Anymore"

36:35 Finding the Listing on New Year's Day

44:04 Cashing Out Everything for Retirement

46:42 What "I Got You" Really Means

55:02 Building Kindness Into a Specialty Shop

1:00:03 Keeping a Legacy Brand Alive

1:06:56 What Surprised Them Most About Running a Ski Shop

1:12:32 The Moment the Switch Flipped

1:21:02 You Belong Here

~~~ This episode is brought to you by Auxiom Find out more: https://auxiom.com/

From ICU rooms to the boardroom, Lori Lancaster’s story is one of reinvention, resilience, and fearless leadership.

Lori Lancaster Vice Chair at Dakkota Integrated Systems joins Matt Loria, CEO of Auxiom, to share how she went from critical care nursing to leading multi-million dollar manufacturing and mobility companies, including her latest bold move with Emotiv Mobility, set to debut at CES 2026.

In this episode, you’ll hear about: - Her unconventional career path through healthcare and tech - Scaling operations and pivoting through supply chain crises - Launching new tech in mobility — from smart transformers to flying vehicles - Building culture through compassion and high performance - And why she believes change is always worth the risk

This one is packed with lessons for entrepreneurs, operators, and future-focused leaders.

Let’s dig in!!

#Leadership #MobilityTech #WomenInBusiness #Manufacturing #AutomotiveIndustry #SmartTech #FemaleFounders #Innovation #BusinessPodcast #CareerReinvention #BLTnTPodcast

In this episode of the BLTnT Podcast, Matt Loria, CEO of Auxiom, sits down with Jay Hawreluk, founder of AcuMax, a cutting-edge assessment platform that helps organizations hire better, lead smarter, and build teams that functions.

With decades of experience helping private companies — from startups to multi-million-dollar enterprises — Jay shares how understanding a person’s natural wiring can completely shift how leaders build trust, reduce friction, and drive performance.

Matt and Jay dig into:

· Why most assessments fall short — and how AcuMax is changing the game

· What “natural wiring” really means, and how it affects leadership, hiring, and culture

· Real stories from the field: marriages saved, bad hires avoided, and trust rebuilt

· How to scale a company without losing your people in the process

Whether you’re a founder, a team leader, or just someone who wants to lead with more clarity — this conversation will change the way you think about trust and performance.

Let’s dig in!!

Bite-sized insights across BLTnT—built for leaders, learners, & curious minds who want faster takeaways that stick & ignite something explosive 🧨

Bite-sized insights across BLTnT—built for leaders, learners, & curious minds who want faster takeaways that stick & ignite something explosive 🧨

On this episode of the BLTnT Podcast, Matt Loria, CEO of Auxiom, sits down with Guy Gordon — a legendary Detroit broadcaster, journalist, and radio host who’s spent four decades helping people make sense of the world around them.

Guy’s voice is iconic — but his perspective is even more powerful.

Now stepping into the next chapter of life and leadership, Guy reflects on the state of the media, the evolution of trust, and the responsibility that comes with having a microphone.

Episode Highlights:

Media in Crisis – Why shrinking newsrooms, political echo chambers, and economic pressures are eroding public trust—and what we can do about it.

The Power of Principled Voices – Guy opens up about the importance of listening across divides and why he believes centrist thinking is a dying but vital skill.

A Life in Service, Not Spotlight – From breaking news to political interviews, Guy shares what he’s proud of—and what he wishes he did differently.

If you care about journalism, leadership, or simply what it means to leave things better than you found them — this conversation is for you.

Let’s dig in.

#BLTnTPodcast #GuyGordon #MediaMatters #LeadershipLegacy #DetroitVoices #Journalism #BusinessPodcast

Bite-sized insights across BLTnT—built for leaders, learners, & curious minds who want faster takeaways that stick & ignite something explosive 🧨

Bite-sized insights across BLTnT—built for leaders, learners, & curious minds who want faster takeaways that stick & ignite something explosive 🧨

Use a Reverse Bucket List: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGBVf1wwAj0&t=2s