Finding One's Way To ETA

In May of 2021, after a self-funded search, Nick Vandam became CEO of MCI, a telecommunications infrastructure company based in St. Paul, Minnesota. In this episode, he shares his distinct journey, including his days at West Point; competing in triathlons on the U.S. National Team; deployment in Afghanistan; work experience at a large financial services company and then at a doomed startup; followed by graduate school and employment at Raytheon, all the while inching closer and closer to entrepreneurship through acquisition. Once headed down the ETA path, a number of challenges and opportunities presented themselves to Nick, leading him to important realizations about buying and then running a small business. Tune in for insights on the accessibility of acquisition entrepreneurship, due diligence challenges, the beauty of cigar butt businesses, leadership, and so much more.

Om Podcasten

Are you looking for an alternative to a career path at a big firm? Does founding your own startup seem too risky? There's another compelling path open to you: acquiring a small business and running it as CEO. Co-hosted by Harvard Business School Professors Richard Ruback and Royce Yudkoff, the show is an extension of their courses on small firms, including Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition, which has been taken by thousands of MBA students, and their highly-regarded book, HBR Guide To Buying A Small Business, which has sold more than 65,000 copies. In this series, Rick and Royce guide listeners through the different milestones of the journey to acquiring an enduringly profitable small business, sharing insights on how to evaluate prospects, raise capital, and ultimately determine if this path is right for you.