Mike Largent

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗯𝗶𝗴 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁. 𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗹𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗴𝗼 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘁. Take John. Recently promoted after an excellent run as an individual contributor, he was asked to lead his first annual budget process. He knew the process inside out, but he had never been the one coordinating it. Determined to deliver something perfect, he took full control. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁? 𝗔 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿. The team felt sidelined. The outcome missed expectations. And John ended up burned out. This happens to so many new leaders. Because the biggest early-career shift is this: 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝗿… 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗿. Why is that transition so hard? Because top performers truly believe: “I can do it faster myself.” “Delegating will slow things down.” “If I don’t control everything, the outcome won’t be good enough.” But this is the trap. 𝗧𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝘅𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁, 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺. When people feel ownership, results get stronger. When responsibilities are shared, the load gets lighter. When the team shines, you shine. Here are three practical tips for new leaders stepping into this shift: 𝟭. 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 They may solve problems differently, but their ideas are just as valuable. Give them space to contribute and opportunities to shine. 𝟮. 𝗕𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 Vulnerability builds trust. You don’t need to know everything. You just need to create space for finding the answers together. 𝟯. 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 Clarify roles. Hire for complementarity, not similarity. A team of clones doesn’t win. And lastly: 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗮 𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗼𝗿. Someone who can guide you through the complexity of your first steps as a leader. John may not be real, but his story is. And if you’re stepping into leadership for the first time, remember: You don’t need to do everything — you need to enable everyone. 👉 What advice would you give someone moving from individual contributor to new leader?

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The question I get asked most by customers: "Are you a broker, or are you a manufacturer?" Here's what they're really asking - and why it matters. A broker is somebody who has knowledge of many different manufacturers and can get you quotes. That's far different than what we provide. We are a Wholly Foreign-Owned Enterprise (WOFE). We're an American company that can build and source in China, we manage that business from here, and have for over 21 years. The differences? Seamless management and control. We are an extension of your business. Your manufacturing partner. If you go with a broker, you've got to manage the timeline, freight, and communication yourself. Do not forget a broker is going to mark up those goods, and it's going to cost you more. With Hankscraft Inc., you have one source for everything. You communicate with American people in the United States, and we take care of the rest. Going direct means you're hiring people to control multiple suppliers, freight, tariff landscape, pricing changes - all of those things. The difference between a broker and a manufacturer with 21 years of experience managing their own facility? Everything.

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Exciting News! We’re proud to announce our new partnership with AMS Group, Inc., a trusted provider to the U.S. DoD. This collaboration marks a significant step forward in expanding the reach of our marine and energy technologies across critical defense applications. At Cathelco, we’re committed to delivering innovative, reliable solutions that meet the highest standards of performance and safety. Partnering with AMS Group, Inc. allows us to better serve our U.S. customers with local expertise and support. If you're working on defense or marine projects and want to learn how our systems can support your mission, we’d love to hear from you. Let’s explore how we can help. #Partnership #DefenseTechnology #MarineSystems #Cathelco #HEM #InnovationInAction #CustomerFocused

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Seventy years is a long time to build something that lasts. This year at ITAMCO, we celebrated two milestones that feel deeply connected: 70 years of craftsmanship and problem-solving—and one full year as an ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan). Becoming an ESOP wasn’t just a change in structure. It was a statement about who we are and how we want to serve: ownership belongs to the people who show up every day, take pride in the details, and stand behind every part that leaves our facility. What “Ownership” really means at ITAMCO Ownership isn’t a line on a chart. It’s a mindset. It means: Accountability you can feel — When your name and reputation are tied to the work, “good enough” isn’t enough. Craftsmanship with purpose — Every setup, inspection, and final check reflects personal pride, not just process. Teamwork that goes beyond departments — Employee-owners don’t say “that’s not my job.” We ask, “What will it take to get it right?” Long-term thinking — ESOPs are built for durability. We’re investing in people, equipment, and continuous improvement with the next decade in mind—not just the next quarter. What that means for our customers If you’re a customer, here’s the simple truth: employee ownership strengthens the partnership. It means you can expect: Consistency and continuity — The same people who helped earn your trust are here to keep it. Higher standards — Because we don’t just deliver parts; we deliver our word. Relentless care — From first conversation to final shipment, we treat your project like it’s our own—because in a very real way, it is. Made in the USA, made with pride We’ve always believed that Made in the USA is more than a label—it’s a commitment to quality, integrity, and doing things the right way. As an ESOP, that commitment runs even deeper, because the people doing the work are also the people building the future of the company. To our customers, partners, and team: thank you for an unforgettable first year of employee ownership. Here’s to the next chapter—built the same way the last 70 years were built: With pride. With care. With ownership. #ITAMCO #EmployeeOwned #ESOP #MadeInUSA #Manufacturing #PrecisionMachining #Quality #OwnershipMindset #AmericanManufacturing

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I think I just came up with a new way to describe what I do 😂 Instead of saying “sales,” which tends to scare people off, I’m going with “Chief Procurement Officer – Retail Accounts USA.” Same job, just a different perspective… sounds a lot less intimidating, right? 😄

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