Staying in Your Lane: Lessons From Turnarounds and ETA

After exploring ETA opportunities, I came across businesses outside my core industry that looked appealing on paper. But I quickly realized, risk multiplies when you step into industries you don’t understand. Having led manufacturing turnarounds across the U.S., Mexico, Germany, and China, I’ve learned that staying close to what you know dramatically improves the odds of success. Turnarounds have taught me two critical lessons: 1. Cash and clarity drive survival. You need visibility into the numbers, the levers of the business, and the discipline to cut waste without killing momentum. 2. You can’t do it alone. The best outcomes come when you acknowledge your gaps and surround yourself with talent who bring the skills you don’t have. Vulnerability isn’t weakness, it’s what allows you to see clearly and build the right team. That starts with working on yourself first. Personal development, mindset, and the willingness to be coached are the foundations of growing a company. Without them, no system, no strategy, and no playbook will stick. For me, ETA reinforced that it’s not just about finding a business, it’s about finding the right business, in an industry where you can leverage your strengths, minimize blind spots, and create transformational impact.