The Challenge
When a key aerospace customer urged them to pursue ISO 9001, Mackubin Group faced a high-stakes opportunity. Certification was the gateway to production purchase orders and government contracts, but their resources were limited.
Small Team: With only four employees in the entire company, they had no quality manager and no prior experience to build a formal QMS from the ground up.
Zero-Disruption Mandate: They needed to implement the entire ISO 9001 system without diverting focus from their daily business and customer commitments.
Tight Budget: They could not afford to hire consultants and needed a cost-effective solution that empowered their team to succeed on their own.
To bid on production purchase orders, our aerospace client strongly encouraged ISO certification.
Deb Martinson
President
Mackubin Group, Inc.
The Solution
After evaluating their options, Mackubin Group chose a cost-effective DIY approach, selecting the 9001Simplified ISO 9001 Certification Toolkit.
“We did our research,” Deb Martinson recalls. “The 9001Simplified Toolkit had an impressive success rate, and it looked structured enough for a small business like ours to handle.”
The toolkit, pre-configured for service providers, directly addressed their core constraints by providing a clear, self-contained path to success:
Guided Framework: A proven DIY system with integrated training and expert support gave them a ready-made structure, eliminating the complexity of in-house implementation.
Comprehensive Solution: Ready-to-configure QMS documentation and step-by-step instructions significantly reduced the implementation effort, allowing them to manage the project alongside their daily responsibilities.
Affordable Support: Direct access to a senior consultant was part of the one-time toolkit cost, ensuring they had guidance without unexpected consulting fees.
We reviewed a few “do it yourself” companies but 9001Simplified's success rate sold me.
Deb Martinson
President
Mackubin Group, Inc.
The Implementation
In November 2024, Mackubin Group’s team of four embarked on their ISO 9001 journey with no prior QMS to lean on. They didn't need to plan the project – they simply followed the toolkit's step-by-step guide, which started by having them use the integrated training. They used the course management dashboard to enroll all employees in an introductory course, while Deb Martinson took the comprehensive implementer course. “The team was all in,” Deb recalled, “and the training got us excited about what we could achieve.”
By December, they shifted to hands-on work following the predefined sequence. The toolkit’s gap analysis tool helped them check their processes against ISO requirements, revealing areas that needed refinement, including customer communication protocols. They held weekly meetings to discuss improvements and customize the toolkit’s ready-to-configure QMS documents, a process that turned out to be straightforward and manageable. In Deb's words: “The templates were a lifesaver, keeping ISO from taking over my entire life.”
The toolkit was incredibly easy to use.
Deb Martinson
President
Mackubin Group, Inc.
When questions arose, senior consultant Carl Fallon provided targeted guidance. "Carl understood we didn't need hand-holding," Deb notes. "Just timely answers to keep us moving forward."
The project's resilience was tested in January 2025 when their assigned internal auditor resigned. Undeterred, the remaining three members used the toolkit’s audit resources, structure and training to redistribute tasks and maintain momentum. By March, after four months of dedicated work, their QMS was fully implemented and ready for its audit.
The Certification Audit
In April 2025, Mackubin Group completed its two-day audit with Perry Johnson Registrars with zero nonconformities. Deb reported that the auditors were impressed by the team's thorough preparation and documentation. The company officially received its ISO 9001:2015 certificate in June 2025.
The auditors were impressed by how thorough our documentation was. The toolkit made us look like pros.
Deb Martinson
President
Mackubin Group, Inc.
Keys to Success
Reflecting on the time since they first started looking into ISO 9001, Deb Martinson and her team had a few tips to share.
"Do your due diligence"
"Initially, they all looked the same to me. Only when digging a bit deeper I realized the differences in 'do it yourself' toolkits," recalled Deb. They selected 9001Simplified based on its proven success rate and structured approach, which gave them confidence they were investing in a solution that would actually work for a small business.
"A single point of contact is important"
The included, dedicated consultant support turned out to be a key efficiency factor for Mackubin's agile team. "Having one assigned expert meant we never had to re-explain our situation," Deb noted. This made every support interaction short and productive, saving their small team significant time.
"Follow the step-by-step process"
For a team with no prior ISO experience, the predefined project guide was essential. "Don't try to skip a step just because it seems more difficult at the moment," Deb stressed, speaking from a mistake she made once. Sticking to the plan in the given order was the key to a quick and stress-free implementation.
The Results
For Mackubin Group, the certificate was a key that unlocked immediate opportunity. Achieving ISO 9001:2015 certification positioned them to bid on production-level government RFQs and contracts that were previously off-limits, opening new opportunities for growth.
Operationally, the new system streamlined critical processes like customer communication, embedding quality into their daily workflow. The implementation also forged a more resilient team. When challenged by an internal auditor's departure, they used the toolkit's resources to adapt without halting progress, proving their ownership of the system.
Ultimately, they achieved more than a certificate. The project strengthened their position as a quality-driven partner in the Aerospace and Defense sector and prepared the company to pursue new opportunities.
Beyond Certification: Supporting Customers and Growth
More than a year after receiving its certificate, Mackubin Group reports that its ISO 9001 system continues to improve process consistency, strengthen customer confidence and support business growth.
In a September 2026 update, President Deb Martinson described the QMS as an effective part of the company's operations and strategic planning. Its value extends beyond meeting an initial customer requirement: Mackubin now credits the system with supporting customer acquisition and retention, alongside its growth objectives in manufacturing and defense markets.
The ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System is justified and supports the organization's goals of sustainable growth, customer satisfaction, and expansion into manufacturing markets.
Deb Martinson
President
Mackubin Group, Inc.
Mackubin's next priorities are to maintain certification, improve process performance and develop its quality culture as a competitive advantage. For businesses considering a DIY approach, the experience illustrates the longer-term objective: building a system your team can continue using and improving after certification.
Ready to Replicate This Success?
Mackubin Group proved that a tight budget and small team size are no barriers to ISO 9001 success.
Mackubin Group
2491 15th Street NW, New Brighton, MN 55112, USA
https://www.mackubin.com
