Building a government contracting business takes more than technical expertise or the ability to win new work. It requires a company that can move quickly, respond to changing conditions, and still maintain the financial discipline needed to support complex contracts.
That is the kind of company John Eubank set out to create when he founded 10x National Security. After seeing the effects of poor leadership and limited accountability in previous organizations, John envisioned a different model—one built around innovation, ownership, and meaningful results.
Today, 10x National Security develops mission-focused software, artificial intelligence, data systems, and integration solutions for complex national security environments. Its growth story is also a lesson in what it takes to build a resilient GovCon business: invest in the right infrastructure early, stay close to the numbers, and keep moving when the path changes.
A Different Vision for a National Security Company
From the beginning, John wanted 10x National Security to challenge the traditional defense contracting model. The company would move faster, give people greater ownership, and focus on turning complex national security challenges into operational capabilities.
John discusses that vision—and the personal discipline behind entrepreneurship—in the Code of Entry podcast episode “Navigating the Tech Frontier.” The company’s work has also expanded through industry collaboration, including its role in the REDHOUND Cyber Hunt Kit partnership, which brings together mission-ready technologies for real-time cyber threat response.
Building the Financial Foundation Before Growth Demanded It
John understood that a government contractor cannot wait until rapid growth—or an audit—to put the right financial infrastructure in place. Having previously worked in accounting, he knew that reliable books and a scalable government contractor accounting system would be essential.
“I knew that in order to build my business, I had to have really clean books. I had to be on a major accounting system.”
Early in the company’s growth, 10x implemented Unanet and partnered with Badger CPA to establish the accounting processes around it. That timing mattered. Instead of waiting until the business had accumulated years of disconnected records and improvised workflows, 10x could build financial discipline alongside the company itself.
A purpose-built GovCon ERP such as Unanet brings project accounting, timekeeping, expenses, billing, indirect-cost allocation, and reporting into a connected system. For 10x, that created a centralized source of financial and project information that could grow more sophisticated as its contracts, workforce, and reporting requirements evolved.
The platform was only one part of the decision. Unanet also had to be configured around 10x’s contract structure, indirect rates, billing requirements, and day-to-day workflows. Badger helped connect the technology to consistent accounting operations, giving John better information for managing the business while taking administrative work off his plate.
No software makes a contractor compliant on its own. But when a GovCon ERP is properly configured and supported by sound policies, trained users, and disciplined processes, it can provide the visibility and audit trail a growing contractor needs.
Growth, Setbacks, and the Decision to Keep Building
10x National Security grew quickly, expanding from a small founding team as new opportunities emerged. Then a major contract ended, forcing the company to adjust. John made difficult leadership decisions, including reducing the team and personally investing in the business to help meet payroll.
The setback did not become the end of the story. John focused on rebuilding a stronger, more efficient organization. As new contracts followed, 10x emerged with a leaner operating model, renewed momentum, and financial infrastructure that could support the next stage of growth.
For John, sustainable growth is not measured only by headcount. It is measured by whether a company can adapt, protect its mission, and continue delivering when conditions change. That resilience is now one of the clearest markers of 10x National Security’s success.
Investing in People for the Long Term
The company’s systems are important, but John believes long-term success ultimately depends on people. At 10x, employees are encouraged to think beyond annual performance goals and develop personal, professional, and financial plans for the future.
That approach reinforces the culture John intended to build from the start: one centered on ownership, accountability, and continuous growth. It also helps employees connect their daily work to a larger mission and a longer horizon.
The Lesson for Other Business Owners: Start, Learn, and Adapt
Looking back on the company’s entrepreneurial journey, John’s advice is direct: “Don’t give up.” He also encourages founders to stop waiting for perfect conditions.
“Just do it. Don’t talk about it. Don’t plan it. Don’t write it down. Just go do it. The best way to learn how to do it right is to first do it wrong.”
10x National Security’s story shows what that mindset looks like in practice. The company invested early, grew rapidly, encountered disruption, learned from it, and kept building. Strong systems did not eliminate uncertainty, but they gave John a clearer view of the business and a stronger foundation from which to respond.
The Infrastructure Behind the Next Stage of Growth
10x National Security continues to build on its foundation—developing new capabilities, investing in its people, and pursuing its mission to improve national security for future generations.
Its journey reflects a powerful principle for growing government contractors: resilience is built through the combination of a clear vision, decisive leadership, dependable financial information, and systems that can evolve with the business. By implementing Unanet early and establishing disciplined accounting operations with Badger CPA, 10x created infrastructure capable of supporting both opportunity and change.
Is your GovCon business growing faster than its accounting systems? Badger CPA helps government contractors build scalable financial operations and get more value from platforms such as Unanet.