Search for a list of soft skills, and you’ll come across essentials like reliability, resilience, and creativity. But there’s one character trait that list-makers should put at or near the top: curiosity. Jason Mattinson, president of Riverside Steel, Inc., credits his inquisitive streak for repeatedly placing him in the right place at the right time.
Jason met the Ohio-based engineer-turned-steel-fabricator at an industry event and knew that his story––and attitude––would resonate across verticals. The Jasons discuss the benefits of early-career training within a large multinational corporation, taking calculated career risks, and fostering a relentlessly curious mind.
“I’ve had very good success with getting to know people, trying to understand their perspective” says Jason, reflecting on his trajectory from a kid with a Master’s Degree in mechanical engineering to the Edison Engineering Training program at GE. “Looking back on it, it was a tremendous experience because you got to sit with these people who had been in the business 10, 20, 30 years. They had worked in different capacities and were very willing to share stories. I was 22 years old, sitting in these meetings with people who had so obviously succeeded,” he marvels.
The high-level access that Jason received at GE may have informed his leadership style, but it was a series of serendipitous encounters that ultimately landed him at Riverside Steel. “There are opportunities out there,” he explains, and right. So many privately held companies don’t have viable succession plans in place. Owners who are ready to bow out could do worse than sell to an outsider who’s interested in preserving their legacy.
Leaving jokes about egghead engineers aside, the interpersonal skills that Jason acquired working cross-functionally at GE are on full display at Riverside. “I’m engineering. I’m quality control. I am customer relations. I’m sales. I’m doing everything,” he says. “It’s an interesting challenge to keep everything going, keep pushing forward, and still be a leader to this whole team, and making sure we’re working together, trying to do the best we can to serve the customers.”
We’re all born curious; the trick is to keep nurturing that spirit of inquiry into adulthood.
MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
PEI Young Executives Conference
The Ohio State University College Of Engineering
QUOTES
Jason Mattinson
“Being able to work cross-functionally and see what some of the other groups were doing, engineering can become a good way of transitioning or providing opportunity in other areas that you may not have thought were possible or weren’t looking at.”
“Everyone’s path is a little bit different, but the hard work and the time spent are all good in developing skills over time and learning as much as you can.”
“Don’t be afraid to ask those questions; it’s very important in your own development.”
“You make the best decision that you can with the information that you have at the time. It’s a somewhat stereotypical or classic engineering approach, but that’s what you have to do.”
“This is an unconventional way to get into owning a business, but it doesn’t mean it doesn’t work.”
“Even as I’m kind of halfway through my career now, starting as an engineer at GE and becoming a business owner, it’s been a crazy adventure so far. And, you know, it just kind of helps you to be grateful for the situation.”
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Distribution Talk is produced by The Distribution Team, a consulting services firm dedicated to helping wholesale distribution clients remove barriers to profitability, generate wealth, and achieve personal goals.
This episode was edited by The Creative Impostor Studios.
Special thanks to our sponsor for this episode: INxSQL Distribution Software, an integrated distribution ERP software designed for the wholesale and distribution industry.
