What convinced Matt Dailey to leave private equity and buy a chemical company on a handshake deal—would you take that leap?
In this episode of What’s Up at Work?, host Sam Clyde Schroeder sits down with Matt Dailey, President and CEO of Royal Chemical, to talk about his bold transition from investment banker to manufacturing executive.
You’ll hear how Matt targeted acquisition opportunities with disciplined daily outreach, won over a team through humility and trust, and then introduced a data-driven mindset into a 85-year-old chemical business—complete with digital scheduling, real-time dashboards, and an engagement reboot.
Episode Highlights and Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction & Matt’s winding path from PE advisor to CEO
01:00 Why stepping into manufacturing “transcends industry” fundamentals
02:00 The six-month “dating process”: 10 outreaches a day until Royal Chemical
04:00 Winning employee trust on day one (and why that matters)
12:00 Resetting engagement post-COVID with engagement surveys
14:00 Moving from paper-based to digital workflows on the plant floor
19:00 Tangible wins: shortening setup times and reducing rework
22:00 Advice for owners eyeing automation—expect friction, recruit the right champion
29:00 HR Hot Seat rapid-fire: caffeine, curveballs, and “I trust you” moments
Explore Royal Chemical’s custom manufacturing solutions at https://www.royalchemical.com.
