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- By Chez Oxendine
- Real Estate
When the pandemic forced companies into remote work chaos, Cherokee citizen Steven Hollabaugh saw opportunity. As legacy companies grappled with new technology and new workflows, he built a business with remote work at the center of his model.
The gambit paid off: Last week, the Broken Arrow, Okla.-based company ranked 279th on Inc. magazine’s annual list of the 5,000 fastest-growing companies in America — and tops among Oklahoma small businesses on the list. Native Strategies posted 1,346% revenue growth over three years, according to Inc.
The company designs roads, water systems, sewers, environmental assessments and parks for tribal governments and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Hollabaugh said the work focuses on sustainability, particularly water infrastructure.
“I think it testifies to the value of what's needed within Indian Country. Native America is growing,” Hollabaugh said. “There’s a lot of tribes that are invested in seeing growth and getting good infrastructure in place, and we’re situated to support them.”
The remote-work model lets the company deploy people to localize support for its clients, especially tribes, or forge new partnerships quickly, Hollabaugh said. The company recently formed Grey Snow Native Strategies, a joint venture with Grey Snow Professional Services, a tribally owned SBA 8(a) firm owned by the Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska.
That approach reflects Hollabaugh's philosophy of building around teams and talent, not offices. Without a central location, Native Strategies can hire talent anywhere and work directly with tribes across the country.
“It’s allowed us to maximize our reach,” Hollabaugh said. “It’s really gratifying to see it work this well.”
Hollabaugh operates from northeast Oklahoma, where Native Strategies has completed much of its work for Oklahoma tribes.
“We're increasing the quality of life for the tribes we work for,” Hollabaugh said. “It's great to drive to Pawhuska and see a sidewalk being built for the Osage Nation, or to see impacted bridges allowing access from some of the work we did for Muscogee Creek Nation.”
Being Oklahoma's fastest-growing small business on the Inc. list carries extra meaning for Hollabaugh.
“It’s a testament to the impact we’re having locally, to see a Native-owned company grow so quickly in Oklahoma,” he said. “So we’re not slowing down. Our goal is to be integral in helping tribes grow while growing ourselves — here and across the country.”
