5 Reflections from the UCLA ETA Roundtable

This Wednesday, my alma mater UCLA brought together an incredible mix of investors, searchers, and operators to explore what it really means to lead through ETA. Here are five takeaways I’m still thinking about: 1. “Regret for something you’ve done can be tempered by time. Regret for what you haven’t done is inconsolable.” (Irv Grousbeck) Kent Weaver referenced this quote from Irv grousbeck. It didn’t just set the tone—it was the tone. ETA rewards action, not perfection. 2. No two paths are the same—and that’s the point. Tim Bovard shared the accelerator model. Martin Lopez carved a solo path. The takeaway? Choose the model that matches your wiring. 3. Leadership isn’t about the title. It’s about the reps. From “Different Approaches” to “Life as a Searcher,” the message was clear: success in ETA is built on habits, not heroics. 4. Narrow focus, wide impact. Jorge Naruse, Jim Edmunds, and others reminded us that owning a niche—and knowing it cold—is often where the magic happens. 5. ETA is lonely… unless you choose otherwise. The energy from Rick Gustafson and Dustin Sellers’ fireside chat was a reminder: the best CEOs build community before they need it. Grateful to everyone who made the event happen. The UCLA ETA community is just getting started. #ETA #SearchFunds #EntrepreneurshipThroughAcquisition #Leadership #UCLAAnderson #SmallBusiness