I took the opportunity to chat with one of ETM’s owners, Betsy Scheffel, to talk through some of her thoughts about being in business. I’ve been with ETM for almost a year and a half and working with Betsy has been one of my daily delights. I saw that it was Women in Business month and jumped at the opportunity to ask some of the non-standard workday type questions. Betsy has continued to bring a unique and incredibly important viewpoint to our daily work and the overall mission of ETM. Her presence and voice bring a rational steadiness that is truly the backbone of ETM.
What made you (and Doug) want to try out owning/running your own business?
Doug and I both worked for large companies and after 20+ years we had ideas about the kind of business we’d like to run and the kind of culture we wanted to foster. We looked for a business that provided an opportunity to fill a need, that was manufacturing-focused, didn’t require the travel that we were both tired of, and a chance to experiment with a different way of thinking about a small manufacturing company.
What was it about manufacturing that drew you?
To be honest, I didn’t personally have any ties to manufacturing! It is a space where Doug’s experience was really relevant and where my experience in consulting/HR/process management could be useful. Doug used to tease me that I made powerpoints and he made aircraft engines. Now, what I love about it is the tangible outcomes from every day. We get to work with really exciting and innovative companies doing really cool things that might change the world one day. To get to be even a small part of that is humbling and exhilarating.
Was it what you hoped for?
It has been more than and less than we hoped for. No matter how much research, consultation with small business owners, analysis you do – nothing can really prepare you for the transition from a large company to running your own small business. We love the relationships we have built with our team here at ETM. We love that we get to learn almost every day and that the problems are both constantly recurring and constantly new.
We love being back on the East Coast. Getting our kids involved in various ways has let us build stronger relationships with each of them and let them into our professional world (very few kids get to see that side of their parents). The flip side is that it hasn’t slowed down or gotten more manageable. As we grow, ETM requires more not less of our time and energy. I think we expected that 8 years in, we would have our arms around it and it would be managing itself. (Ridiculous in hind sight.) On balance – I think it is so different than we hoped but mostly better.
What were some surprises and/or challenges that you weren’t expecting?
I said a bit of that above. For me, coming from HR Consulting, it has been so interesting to practice some of the things I talked theoretically with clients about. In real life, it’s more like managing a sports team – where each person brings their own unique skills and needs and you need to understand that to help them bring their best to the job each day.
It’s more personal than I expected. The black and white of performance assessments and metrics doesn’t allow for the gray that is everyday life for each unique person who comes to work with us every day. It’s also really important to recognize the challenges that couldn’t have seen coming – COVID, supply chain disruptions that followed it, tariffs, canal closures – all of these have made planning feel like a pipe dream some days.
What were some of the surprising delights?
I love coming to work every day to this great group of people from so many walks of life who have come to feel like family. I am so amazed by the skill and wisdom people employ to unexpected challenges. I love learning what are customers are doing – it’s like a front row seat to the incredible minds shaping the technology that will shape all of us in the years to come.
What do you hope for ETM’s future? What are some of the things you’re excited about for ETM’s future?
I want ETM to continue to grow AND to keep the same commitment to our employees, customers, and community. I never want either an employee or a customer to think they are less important (or more important!) just as a function of the size of their role or the size of their orders. I hope that we can create a bit more stability in the day to day so that there is more room to breathe, learn and experiment. Most – I hope that this business and the culture of respect we have built is stronger than just the presence of Doug and me.