09-01-2026
I have always tried to think and act like an owner. Throughout my career, I managed operations, led teams, completed acquisitions and worked through major organizational changes in publicly traded, private equity-backed and family-owned companies.
Even when I did not own the business, I believed a leader should treat the company’s money carefully, consider the long-term effect of decisions and accept responsibility for the results. That mindset guided many of the decisions I made.
Then I became a business owner.
When I acquired DeHart Recycling Equipment in early 2025, the work was familiar. We had to set priorities, manage cash, serve customers, invest in the business and build a strong team. What changed was that I now experienced the financial and long-term consequences more directly.
Actual ownership did not completely change how I approached decisions. It made me consider more factors because I would ultimately live with the outcomes. As a result, three lessons have become especially clear.
Business students are taught to evaluate return on investment, cash flow, growth and risk. Those tools are important, but a decision that makes financial sense can still fail if the organization is not ready to execute it.
A company may need a new system, a different process or another employee. The investment may have a clear payback, but the owner also has to ask who will be responsible, what other work will be affected and whether the company has the capacity to implement the change.
I have learned that a decision can make sense by itself and still be introduced at the wrong time. The idea may be good, but the sequence may be wrong. A complete business case must consider both the expected return and the company’s ability to carry it out.
When you enter a new business, it is easy to see opportunities for improvement. Systems could be updated, processes documented, responsibilities clarified and new markets pursued. The natural reaction is to start working on all of them.
The problem is that an organization can only manage so much change at one time. When too many initiatives are introduced, managers divide their attention, employees become unsure which priorities matter and implementation becomes incomplete.
This does not mean change should always be slow. Some issues require immediate action. The challenge is separating what must happen now, what should begin soon and what can wait.
Students often enter companies with current knowledge and new ideas. Those are valuable. But having the right idea is only part of leading change. You also have to understand the people who will carry it out and the other demands already placed on them.
DeHart Recycling Equipment was established in 1947. When you acquire a company with that history, you are connecting yourself to its experienced employees, its long-term customers and the practices that have developed over many years.
Some practices may need to change. Others may contain knowledge and value that are not immediately obvious to a new owner. Before changing something, I try to understand why it exists, what problem it solves and who relies on it.
This is especially important in a family enterprise or founder-led company. Much of the organization’s knowledge may not be written down. It may exist in employees’ experience, customer trust and relationships developed over decades.
Respecting the history of a company does not mean avoiding progress. It means understanding what created the company’s value before deciding what should change.
The most difficult business decisions are rarely a clear choice between right and wrong. They are usually choices between competing priorities, different risks, short-term needs and long-term goals. They require judgment about people, timing and the company’s ability to execute.
I still believe leaders should act like owners, even when they do not own the company. They should protect its resources, consider long-term consequences and accept responsibility for the results.
Actual ownership did not change that belief. It made the consequences more direct. The owner has to make the decision, explain it clearly and live with the results. That is what changes when the decision is yours.
Brent Becker is a Family Enterprise Business Fellow at the Daniels School. He has more than 25 years of experience leading businesses through transformative growth, organizational alignment, and strategic acquisitions. Becker's career spans leadership roles in public, private, and private equity-owned companies, with deep expertise in integrating acquisitions to deliver long-term value.
