Eric has had a distinguished 30-year career as a restaurant manager and owner. After attaining an MBA and MA from Missouri State University, he earned a PhD in Organizational Communication from UCSB. His research focuses on the coordination of work, team dynamics, leadership, and relationships in the workplace. Currently, Eric teaches in the Department of Technology Management at UCSB, where he works with both undergraduate and graduate students on subjects such as entrepreneurship, management, leadership, strategy, communication, and persuasion. He also teaches Organizational Behavior and Sustainable Business Practices for the MBA program at California Lutheran University. In addition to his academic roles, Eric runs his consulting company, Effectiveness Consultants, where he collaborates with a wide range of organizations on leadership development, team building, and strategy. He also supports small businesses through two non-profits, WEV and the EDC-SBDC, helping them tackle challenges like market validation and day-to-day operations management. Furthermore, Eric has amassed over 1 million paid views of online courses across various platforms.