Why Culture Is the Competitive Edge in Quality Assurance
Culture Isn’t Just the Mood—It’s the Mindset When people think of company culture, their minds often go to surface-level perks—casual Fridays, snacks in the breakroom, maybe a ping-pong table in the corner. But culture isn’t about what’s visible. It’s about what’s felt. It’s a psychological framework—a shared mental model—that influences how people think, behave, and […]
The CEO’s Playbook for Building a QA Powerhouse in a Competitive Market
By Brandon Erickson, CEO of North Valley Precision When I launched North Valley Precision, I didn’t set out to build just another shop. I wanted to build a company people could trust—one where quality wasn’t a phase or a function, but the foundation. That mindset has carried us through every stage of growth, and it’s […]
Scaling Without Breaking: The Art of Culture Preservation as a Company Hits 100 Employees
When I started North Valley Precision, we weren’t talking about org charts, department silos, or culture handbooks. We were just a handful of people grinding together to deliver great work. Everyone knew everything. Everyone wore multiple hats. We worked late, solved problems on the fly, and trusted each other to get the job done. There […]
What Tech Startups Can Learn from the Biotech World About Risk, Rigor, and Exit Strategy
When I started my first company, I came from the tech world. Fast-moving. Lean. Digital-first. You fail fast, pivot, and build on the go. The rules of that world are familiar to a lot of entrepreneurs: move quickly, launch early, raise capital, and hope for scale. But after spending a few years deep in biotech—building […]
Scaling Quality Assurance Teams in High-Stakes Industries
When I founded North Valley Precision, I knew we were entering a space that demanded excellence—not just in product delivery, but in the way we approach quality at every step. In high-stakes industries like defense contracting, quality isn’t just a checkbox. It’s the foundation for trust, longevity, and growth. Over the years, I’ve learned that […]
Mission Readiness Through Quality Control: Navigating Standards in Defense Contracting
In this line of work—defense and aerospace—there’s no room for guesswork. Our operations depend on precision, discipline, and unyielding adherence to quality controls. This isn’t about looking good for auditors. It’s about protecting national interests, delivering battlefield-ready performance, and making damn sure nothing fails when it counts. At North Valley Precision, we run our shop […]