Charlie Eitel is a seasoned CEO and transformation leader with over 40 years of experience revitalizing and growing organizations across diverse industries. His expertise lies in building resilient teams, driving financial turnarounds, and achieving sustainable growth. Charlie specializes in blending strategic vision with operational excellence, fostering cultures of innovation and cooperation that maximize shareholder value. His extensive leadership journey includes roles as CEO, COO, interim CEO, and board member for over 20 companies. Charlie is passionate about empowering teams and creating thriving cultures that deliver strong financial results. Charlie’s exemplary achievements include successfully leading a Chapter 11 restructuring at Serta Simmons Bedding, doubling revenue and income at Simmons Bedding, achieving significant revenue and profit growth at Interface, and orchestrating a dramatic turnaround at Carriage Industries that culminated in a successful IPO.
Alongside his professional endeavors, Charlie and his wife Cindy reside in Naples, Florida, and Stillwater, Oklahoma. Charlie takes great pride in his family and believes that his greatest legacy in his resume is raising three grown children. Furthermore, he is a dedicated philanthropist, providing support to his alma mater, Oklahoma State University, and offering assistance to the Sigma Nu Fraternity. Charlie’s commitment to philanthropy and his passion for giving back highlight his deep-rooted values of community and education. In addition to his professional achievements, Charlie’s dedication to his family and his philanthropic efforts showcases his multifaceted commitment to making a positive impact both in the corporate world and within his community.
What is your typical day, and how do you make it productive?
Start the day with exercise and work on a list of priorities that create the most productive day. Typing a “To-Do” list on your computer is not the same as your own hand writing which helps burn the goals into your brain.
How do you bring ideas to life?
Surround yourself with highly diverse people, ask questions and actively listen to their answers. Brainstorming is the key to arriving at the right answers to grow an organization and solve problems.
What’s one trend that excites you?
Artificial Intelligence (AI) will have a significant impact on accelerating communication in our society. On the flip side, I believe it will hamper individual creativity and independent thinking.
What is one habit that helps you be productive?
Have a “To-Do” list and recopy it at the of day with uncompleted tasks. Every time you have to rewrite your list, it reminds you that it is still important and is a task you must accomplish.
What advice would you give your younger self?
I have always believed in the velocity of rapid decision making. I also understand rapid decisions increase the chance of failure; however, more right decisions get made. I still accept the fact that I should have been more patient.
Tell us something you believe almost nobody agrees with you on?
Associating with the right people will yield over 90% of your success. You are who you hang around particularly in your formative years.
What is the one thing you repeatedly do and recommend everyone else do?
Focus most of your energy on helping others. Great leaders don’t worry about their own careers but rather the development of the people they influence.
When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, what do you do?
Breathe deep through your abdomen and think positive thoughts and lay off the caffeine.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business or advance in your career?
Don’t be afraid to tackle difficult challenges with high risk. Many people think that entrepreneurs are money motivated and risk takers. My mentor Larry Wilson used to say, “Entrepreneurs are risk managers and are trying to create something that does not exist.“
What is one failure in your career, how did you overcome it, and what lessons did you take away from it?
Having high expectations can be detrimental to one’s career. Learn to set reasonable boundaries to overcome defeat. We are all fallible human beings but the key here is don’t give up and keep moving forward.
What is one business idea you’re willing to give away to our readers?
Select the right people and set the right priorities. When building a team, it is important to involve associates from all disciplines of the organization to be sure you agree on what needs to get done with an agreed timeline.
What is one piece of software that helps you be productive? How do you use it?
Never try manage anyone through email or voice mail. Avoid putting anything negative in writing.
Do you have a favorite book or podcast you’ve gotten a ton of value from and why?
Play to Win by Larry Wilson: Larry was a game-changer and probably knew as much about organizational development of anyone that ever lived. All the Best by George HW Bush: The Bush family are great examples of servant leadership.
What’s a movie or series you recently enjoyed and why?
Ted Lasso, because it represents a compelling story of leadership in a non-traditional way.
Key learnings
a. The heart of a company beats inside the chest of its people.
b. In life, play to win verses not play to lose.
c. Always keep your promises—even the silent ones.
d. Internal politics is the enemy of success in any organization.
e. Figure out what you are good at and become great at it.