Dynamic Decisions Podcast

Sean Greenhouse didn't come from manufacturing. He came from debt collections. And that unconventional path is exactly why Lenita Design and Manufacturing is still standing today.

Sean is the Chief Operating Officer at Lenita Design and Manufacturing Corporation in Buffalo, New York — a company that fabricates complex, engineered-to-order water control equipment for hydroelectric infrastructure. He joined as a sales manager in 2012, two weeks before the company nearly collapsed. He stayed, rebuilt, and never left.

In this episode, Teasha Cable and Sean dig into:

- How Sean took a near-bankrupt industrial manufacturer from break-even to a $35 million project backlog — without a traditional manufacturing background

- The decision to slash six product lines at once, and why narrowing focus was the move that made growth possible

- How Lenita went from 13 shop employees to 30+ to execute two massive infrastructure contracts simultaneously

- Why relationship-driven leadership was considered "soft" in heavy steel fabrication — and why Sean did it anyway

- The surprising parallels between being a good COO, a good salesperson, and a good actor

- Sean's decision-making DNA: 60% values-driven, 23% challenger of assumptions, and unafraid to say most of his best calls came from gut instinct backed by 14 years of industry knowledge

Sean also opens up about getting sober in 2009, and how turning around his own life gave him the conviction that he could turn around a company.

If you lead a team, run an operation, or have ever been told your background doesn't fit the role — this one is for you.