MILCOM Founders Podcast – Episode 35: Hillary Boyce, Army Veteran and Military Spouse Building a Government Contracting Powerhouse

Join host Rod Loges and guest Hillary Boyce as she shares her journey from small-town North Carolina to leading BAFO Services, a firm helping over 150 clients win government contracts.

In this episode:

• Hillary's path from Taylorsville, North Carolina (population: tiny) to joining Navy ROTC in high school and enlisting in the Army National Guard before her senior year
• How she went to basic training at Fort Leonard Wood before 12th grade and bought her first car with her military paycheck
• Her transition from National Guard engineer to active duty with the 3rd Infantry Division, where she worked directly with senior officers as an E-4
• The story of starting her first company after a few glasses of wine, with no business plan and no investors
• How she grew to 85 employees in two years while Ubering on nights and weekends because she couldn't pay herself
• Selling her first company and launching BAFO Services, which now employs 50+ staff serving 150+ clients
• Why she takes her Army gear to every Army-Navy game (where her Navy husband has to sit on the Army side)

Key takeaways:

• Write your plan in pencil, not permanent marker. You never know who you'll meet in an elevator tomorrow.
• The cost of money is real. Before you're two years into business with tax returns to show, SBA won't talk to you. Plan for that.
• Take care of your staff first. A leader isn't a leader if they're not mentoring and giving back.
• No hero behavior. Nobody should be a single point of failure on your team.
• Stay flexible. Don't pigeonhole yourself or your company when you don't know what revenue stream might walk through the door.

Guest: Hillary Boyce, Founder and CEO of BAFO Services, U.S. Army Veteran, Military Spouse

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hillary-boyce-14537814/
• Business Website: https://bafoservices.com/

Mrs. Hillary Boyce is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of BAFO Services, LLC, bringing more than 20 years of proven expertise in the procurement, execution, and management of U.S. government contracts. Her career includes owning and acquiring her own successful small government contracting business, through which she earned numerous federal service-related awards. She also holds a Master in Business Development certification from MBDi.

A proud U.S. Army veteran, Mrs. Boyce served as an Engineer in the Army National Guard before transitioning to active duty with the 3rd Infantry Division. She is also a dedicated military spouse, supporting her husband, an active-duty Naval Officer. Her academic background includes Business Administration studies at the University of Maryland (Europe and Asia Divisions), a Certification in Acquisition and Procurement from Tidewater Community College (TCC), and legal studies at Regent University.

Mrs. Boyce spent many years providing essential services and support to wounded soldiers, survivors, and military families through her roles within the U.S. Army Casualty and Mortuary Affairs Operations and the U.S. Army Physical Disability Agency. Her work focused on operational management and oversight of mission-critical tasks directly impacting service members and their families.

In addition to her work supporting the military community, Mrs. Boyce is deeply committed to global humanitarian service. She engages in yearly mission work in Kenya, contributing her time and leadership to support underserved communities, expand educational and economic opportunities, and help strengthen local support networks. Her experiences abroad continue to inspire her passion for service and community empowerment.

Deeply committed to community and professional service, she volunteers locally and serves on several boards, including the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA) Hampton Roads chapter and Women in Defense (WID). She is also a business coach for The Honor Foundation (THF), supporting transitioning Navy SEALs and U.S. Special Operations personnel, and serves on the AFCEA International Small Business Committee.

Mrs. Boyce has been widely recognized for her leadership, business acumen, and service. Her awards include:

• Virginia Small Business Veteran of the Year, Virginia SBDC (2025)
• 100 Successful Women in Business Award, Global Trade Chamber (2025)
• Veteran & Military Spouse Owned Small Business of the Year, Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce (2025)
• AFCEA International Leadership Award (2025)
• Military Spouse Awards – Heroes at Home Finalist, militarynews.com (2025)
• AFCEA International Medal of Merit (2023)
• AFCEA International Small Business Person of the Year (2021)
• AFCEA Women's Appreciation Award (2021)
• Distinguished Service Awards Finalist, Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce (2019)
• AFCEA Top 40 Under 40 – National (2019)
• Top 40 Under 40 of Hampton Roads, Inside Business (2017)

Additionally, she received the Emerging Star Award (2016) and Stellar Award (2017) from the U.S. Women's Chamber of Commerce, recognizing her as an exceptional federal supplier demonstrating outstanding growth and leadership in the contracting community.

Mrs. Boyce is deeply passionate about empowering small businesses and is committed to helping them achieve sustainable growth and success within the U.S. government contracting industry.

The MILCOM Founders Podcast champions and celebrates military community business owners. Each episode brings practical insights and lessons learned from successful veteran entrepreneurs.

Sponsored by One Degree Financial www.onedegreefinancial.com

Want to support veteran entrepreneurs? Learn about the Dick Loges Veteran Entrepreneur Scholarship Fund at https://www.milcomfounders.com/