Susquehanna Labs: A Shot of Life

As Steve and I embark on the journey of Susquehanna Labs, I have dedicated to being the historian and sharing a regular (shooting for monthly) blog post. If for nothing more, it will serve as a good outlet for me for honest reflection. However, hopefully someone will connect with our journey and gain value from transparent, truthful, and timely stories.

A Shot of Life - 13 January 2026

Excited, Nervous, and Focused - is how I would characterize our first week in business. Excited for the limitless possibilities of what our ‘business’ could be. I say this a bit tongue-in-cheek, as at the moment, it would be impossible to argue to anyone that we have a ‘business’. No Profit = No Business. This brings us to nervous - a lot on the line, and not wanting to let down those who count on and support us. Focus has been critical. Getting honest about what skills each person brings to the table can be uncomfortable and humbling - work with someone who you both trust and have unspoken mutual respect for. Complimentary skillsets also help…

Act - a simple concept, but often hard to practice. With so many decisions with varying implications and costs, it is easy to get analysis paralysis. Act quickly and adjust as needed. We have yet to face a decision that we acted on that could not have been undone. Trust your gut and your partners/co-workers. This is why who you choose to work with is so important (partner or co-workers).

Most of our actions in the 1st week have been focused on injecting a ‘shot’ of life into a facility and address with so much history within our Ballistic / Body Armor community. Steve and I looked to re-imagine and refresh the state-of-the-art facility. Sweeping away 5+ years of dust - and thawing out a historic location frozen in time.

We could not be more Excited, Nervous, and Focused to bring Susquehanna Labs to life! We look forward to making the ranges, labs, and our team a part of the testing community, again.

Check out our progress below: Before and After Photos

Only one chance at a first impression.

Mike Hinder, [email protected], 443-347-6025

Before Photos

After Photos