Big defense companies can absorb dozens of military fellows each year, backed by recruiting teams devoted entirely to veterans. Smaller firms face tighter limits. HX5, with about 1,000 employees, has found its own rhythm under CEO Margarita Howard two fellows a year, every year, since 2021. That steady approach was the focus of a recent…

There is a familiar pattern in government contracting startups. New firms lease visible office space, outfit their offices to convey stability, and position themselves as established players before they have the contracts to back that image. The logic is that looking successful attracts the clients that make success real. Margarita Howard saw that playbook clearly…