By: Fabian Rueda
Chris Mendham always expected to build companies. Long before serving in the military, he grew up in a family of entrepreneurs whose businesses ranged from landscaping and construction to real estate, law, and assisted living. Entrepreneurship wasn’t something he discovered. It was part of the environment that shaped him.
His first business started in elementary school. Another student sold candy on the school bus for fifty cents. Mendham bought it, carried it into school, and sold it for a dollar. He doubled his money every day until the teachers eventually shut the operation down. Looking back, he laughs at the memory, but says it taught him something that never left him: he enjoyed solving problems and building organizations.
Military service became the next chapter. Over nearly two decades, Mendham served at the Pentagon on September 11, 2001, deployed to Iraq, held leadership assignments across multiple regions, earned a graduate degree from Johns Hopkins SAIS, and later transitioned into international policy and consulting. While the military became his profession, entrepreneurship never stopped being his ambition.
“I’ve always wanted to build companies, and I’ve always wanted to help people,” Mendham said. “After the military, those two goals finally came together.”
That idea became Stern Bridge LLC and, eventually, Operation Veterans Edge and Stern HealthWorks.
Operation Veterans Edge was built around a simple observation: many veterans struggle not because they lack legitimate claims, but because navigating the evidence, medical documentation, and VA process can become overwhelming. Rather than building another company focused on volume, Mendham built one around experienced professionals, disciplined processes, and technology designed to help veterans better understand and prepare their claims.
Just as importantly, he chose not to compete on price.
“I charge because I hire smart people to help veterans with complex claims,” Mendham said. “Experienced professionals, disciplined processes, technology, and accountability all cost money. We don’t apologize for charging for expertise because expertise is exactly what our clients come to us for.”
Today, Operation Veterans Edge competes with companies offering large upfront fees, companies operating exclusively on success fees, and organizations using variations of both. Rather than forcing veterans into one pricing model, the company offers multiple options while competing on the quality of its service rather than how it gets paid.
That philosophy extends beyond pricing.
“Not every veteran should receive a VA rating, and not every veteran who receives a rating should be 100%,” Mendham said. “Our responsibility isn’t to tell veterans what they want to hear. It’s to tell them what the evidence supports and help them pursue the rating they’ve earned.”
During its first 18 months, Operation Veterans Edge says it has helped more than 550 veterans better understand and prepare their VA claims. Stern HealthWorks was later created to provide independent medical evidence services, allowing each company to focus on its own area of expertise while supporting veterans through a coordinated process.
For Mendham, the lesson extends beyond the veteran community.
“Every business has competitors. Some compete on price. Some compete on marketing. We’ve chosen to compete on execution,” he said. “If you build a great team, create disciplined systems, tell customers the truth, and consistently deliver value, you don’t have to be the cheapest option. You just have to be the one people trust.”
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, medical, or benefits advice. Operation Veterans Edge and Stern HealthWorks are private companies and are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or part of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Company performance figures and statements were provided by the subject and have not been independently verified. Individual outcomes may vary, and no VA disability rating or benefits result is guaranteed.
