From Engineer to CEO: The Calculated Risks That Built a Business - Episode 62

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In this week’s episode of Outside Insights, I sit down with longtime friend, entrepreneur, and mechanical engineer turned CEO, Tom Embley—and he tells the kind of founder story we rarely get to hear in full.

From his earliest days as employee #1 at a small industrial startup to founding a direct competitor, merging businesses, buying out partners, and ultimately selling to a global player, Tom’s path is one of grit, strategy, and deep self-awareness.

But what really stuck with me?

His honesty about the moments in between.

• Leaving a secure job (and paycheck) with nothing but a plan and a belief in himself.
• Navigating difficult partnerships and learning the hard way what equity really means.
• Borrowing against his home to chase opportunity—and doing the math to make it work.
• Being called out by his wife for missing their child’s christening—and choosing from that point forward to be a great father and founder.

This conversation is about more than building a successful business—it’s about building a life. One with values, mentorship, resilience, and (yes) a few sleepless nights.

We also dig into:

• How Tom learned to love leadership and tolerate sales
• Why peer groups saved his business (twice)
• His favorite practices from Rockefeller Habits
• What advice he’d give his 21-year-old self (spoiler: “Stop being so damn arrogant”)
• And how a strong culture—not just great products—became his company’s greatest asset

If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re cut out for entrepreneurship, or if you’re simply trying to build something that lasts, this one’s for you.

🎧 Listen to the full episode HERE

📩 Forward it to someone who needs a nudge to bet on themselves.

Until next time, friends,
Chris