Ki Ho Kang, a retired Air Force Veteran, built his career on solving the Air Force\u2019s most complex engineering acquisition and sustainment challenges for aircraft systems. He carried that experience with him to the Small Business Administration and applied it as he transitioned into entrepreneurship.<\/p>\n
Start with a mission<\/p>\n
Kang\u2019s 11-year active duty and 10-year reserve Air Force career, including earning his master\u2019s degree, laid the foundation for skills he would need in his future entrepreneurial venture. His service included roles as an A-10 avionics systems engineer and flight test director, advanced studies in electrical engineering, and leadership positions in acquisition and technology development, ultimately serving at the Pentagon as the acquisition policy chief for fighter, bomber and weapons systems. These experiences gave him deep expertise in engineering and defense acquisition\u2014skills he would later channel into building a small business.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Upon returning from activation during Operation Iraqi Freedom, Kang decided to leave his prior employment at a research institute and start \u201cKIHOMAC\u201d to provide more flexibility to accommodate his Air Force Reserve commitments. He launched the company as a\u00a0one-person startup, focused on engineering sustainment and advanced manufacturing solutions, gradually taking on more complex projects and expanding capabilities year after year. Kang\u2019s business mission applied this technical depth to real-world aerospace challenges.\u00a0KIHOMAC delivers engineering, sustainment (long-term system support), prototyping and manufacturing solutions that keep defense platforms mission ready.<\/p>\n
Expand operations with access to capital through the SBA<\/p>\n
Like many new entrepreneurs, Kang initially faced the challenge of understanding how to operate and scale a business. \u201cWhen we started 22 years ago, we had to figure out everything. The SBA <\/a>has always been in \u2018our corner\u2019 in how they supported us during various stages of our growth,\u201d said Kang.<\/p>\n Things began to change when KIHOMAC received SBA guidance on navigating federal procurement. At the time, the company had just\u00a0$140,000 in revenue. With support from an experienced SBA business specialist, Kang learned how to navigate the government procurement process. The mentorship provided the insight he needed to move into federal contracting and build the capacity to pursue larger opportunities. <\/p>\n \u201cMost of our early growth was due to SBA,\u201d he said. \u201cOur continued growth after 2014 was also based on the foundation built under the SBA program.\u201d<\/p>\n Tip:\u00a0Whether you\u2019re just exploring an idea or scaling an established business, connecting with experienced mentors and structured programs can accelerate your success and help you avoid common pitfalls. Veterans Business Outreach Centers (VBOC) offer mentorship and training resources to Veteran and military spouse entrepreneurs. Learn and connect with your local VBOC<\/a>.<\/p>\n Loans to help with business expansion<\/p>\n To continue expanding, Kang utilized the\u00a0SBA 504 loan program<\/a>\u00a0to finance the construction of a major manufacturing facility in Georgia. This long-term, fixed-rate financing enabled KIHOMAC to acquire the space, equipment and infrastructure needed to support advanced aerospace work. <\/p>\n \u201cSBA enables access to capital that would be much more difficult to get otherwise. The 504 loan enables banks to lend a larger project as they can rely on the SBA loan guarantee,\u201d Kang shared. <\/p>\n After securing the funding, Kang opened a 130,000 square foot manufacturing facility in Warner Robins, Ga., adjacent to Robins Air Force Base.<\/p>\n With this added capacity, KIHOMAC strengthened its production capabilities, improved efficiency and positioned itself to deliver larger and more technically complex projects for its defense customers. Access to affordable capital played a key role in helping the company scale at the right time and remain competitive in a demanding industry.<\/p>\n Tip:\u00a0Explore SBA-guaranteed loan programs<\/a>\u2014from 7(a) to 504 and microloans\u2014to find flexible financing options that support business growth and expansion. Use Lender Match<\/a> to get connected to potential lenders with competitive rates and fees.<\/p>\n Use Entrepreneur Support Networks to sharpen business skills<\/p>\n Kang also sought Veteran-focused programs to sharpen his business skills. He completed the\u00a0Veterans Institute for Procurement (VIP) GROW<\/a> training, which he credits with providing \u201cvery tangible knowledge needed to operate in the military acquisition programs.\u00a0SBA programs can help Veteran entrepreneurs build strong foundations for long-term, sustainable growth.\u201d<\/p>\n Through these support networks, Kang deepened his understanding of the federal marketplace and strengthened his ability to compete for advanced engineering and manufacturing contracts. Over time, KIHOMAC expanded. Its main office is in Virginia with additional locations in Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah.<\/p>\n Tip:\u00a0Continued learning through Veteran-focused training programs helps entrepreneurs confidently compete in highly technical or federal sectors. Find out more about VIP<\/a> training.<\/p>\n Results and Future Growth<\/p>\n Today, KIHOMAC employs approximately 350 people and generates around $70 million in annual revenue, with new contract awards positioning the company for 20% growth in 2026. Looking ahead, Kang anticipates reaching $200 million in revenue within the next five to 10 years as the company expands further into advanced aerospace system design, manufacturing and sustainment\u2014continuing the mission that began with a one-person engineering operation two decades ago.<\/p>\n KIHOMAC\u2019s trajectory demonstrates what is possible when military expertise meets entrepreneurial vision and how commitment to precision, innovation and disciplined execution can propel a business to national recognition.<\/p>\n For Veterans, transitioning service members or military spouses preparing to launch or scale a business, SBA resources and Veteran-focused programs offer the support needed to take the next step toward entrepreneurial success. Connect with your local SBA District Office<\/a> or a SCORE mentor<\/a> to find answers to your questions.<\/p>\n Ready to take the next step? Visit sba.gov\/veterans\u00a0and follow SBA\u2019s Office of Veterans Business Development on\u00a0LinkedIn<\/a>,\u00a0X<\/a>, and\u00a0Facebook<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Ki Ho Kang, a retired Air Force Veteran, built his career on solving the Air Force\u2019s most complex…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":506106,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[40],"tags":[28,158,12191],"class_list":{"0":"post-506105","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-entrepreneurship","8":"tag-business","9":"tag-entrepreneurship","10":"tag-small-business"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/506105","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=506105"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/506105\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/506106"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=506105"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=506105"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=506105"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}