Defense Speak Interpreted: The Autonomous Plane Battle—Skyborg Vs. Loyal Wingman
American Made Advocacy: Congress Back from Break With Work To Do
Beyond the Board: What Companies Need to Know Before Entering the MilAero PCB Market
Staying—and Excelling—in Their Lane
July 16, 2025 | Nolan Johnson, SMT007 MagazineEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
Michael Seltzer, chief commercial officer at Zentech Manufacturing, helps define his company’s niche and why it has mattered to them over nearly three decades. Should a company shift with the markets or stay true to its mission? Find out how Michael has helped the company truly understand its vision.
Nolan Johnson: Michael, you've done good work in identifying, maintaining, or developing your service niche at Zentech. How would you define it?
Michael Seltzer: High reliability. One of my colleagues says, “Listen, if anybody can do it, then the job is not for us.” If the work we do doesn't add a lot of value, if you can get it from anybody else, then you don't need us.
Zentech was established 27 years ago, and this has been the core of who we are. We haven't changed; we've stayed focused on our niche. It’s exciting because it’s the core of who we are. When we stay true to it, everything else seems to fall into place. Your business plan is clear, your pursuits are clear. Business becomes a bit simpler. We don't change with the economy or the wind. It puts everything else in perspective.
When you understand who you are and what you want to be, you're not arguing over the business plan, or revisiting or changing that plan. You’re not trying to figure out why you’re pursuing specific opportunities; everyone is aligned.
The culture that you set becomes as clear as your business pursuits. The training and education that you need to support your niche are clear. You can focus on the business instead of fixating on those existential questions, like what you want to be when you grow up.
Johnson: How do you define your niche? What are some of the traits and attributes that you include in defining your niche?
Seltzer: There are several things. First, it’s the people. At the core of our pursuit is understanding what training we need to offer. What competencies do we need to deliver the highest quality product to customers who support our segments?
After we get the attributes of the people in the training, we consider the attributes of the customers that support the market segments that we're interested in. Then, what business metrics support those? Within each segment or business pursuit, the measurements of success will be different.
To read the entire interview, which originally appeared in the July 2025 SMT007 Magazine, click here.
Share on:
Testimonial
"The I-Connect007 team is outstanding—kind, responsive, and a true marketing partner. Their design team created fresh, eye-catching ads, and their editorial support polished our content to let our brand shine. Thank you all! "
Sweeney Ng - CEE PCBSuggested Items
It’s Only Common Sense: Stop Whining About the Market—Outwork It
10/06/2025 | Dan Beaulieu -- Column: It's Only Common SenseWhenever the market hiccups or the industry cycle dips, I hear the same tired chorus: “The market is down. Customers aren’t buying. What can we do? We just have to wait it out.” Nonsense. If you think that by showing up, opening your doors, and waiting for the economy to smile kindly upon you, that success will follow, you are in the wrong business. Worse yet, you’re living in the wrong mindset. Most people don’t want to hear the truth that winners find business in down cycles. Losers blame the economy.
Dan’s Biz Bookshelf: 'A View from the Top: Moving from Success to Significance'
10/02/2025 | Dan Beaulieu -- Column: Dan's Biz BookshelfOnce in a while, a book comes along that reminds you why you started down this road of business and leadership. Zig Ziglar’s "A View from the Top" is that book. It’s not just about business and motivation. It’s about living a life that counts—for your family, your company, your community, and yourself. Ziglar delivers this book in his typical fashion, with the punch of hard-earned wisdom, a bit of humor, and a lot of common sense.
Punching Out: Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition Buyers for PCB/EMS Shops
09/24/2025 | Tom Kastner -- Column: Punching Out!A growing trend in the U.S. is the rise of Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA) buyers for every business under the sun. Just as private equity firms have been active in a wide range of industries, ETA buyers have picked up their interest in both PCB and EMS companies.
I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
09/12/2025 | Marcy LaRont, I-Connect007We may be post-Labor Day, but it is still hot-hot-hot here in the great state of Arizona—much like our news cycles, which have continued to snap, crackle, and pop with eye-raising headlines over this past week. In broader global tech news this week, AI and tariff-type restrictions continues to dominate with NVIDIA raising its voice against U.S. lawmakers pushing chip restrictions, ASML investing in a Dutch AI start-up company to the tune of $1.5 billion, and the UAE joining the ranks of the U.S. and China in embracing “open source” with their technology in hopes of accelerating their AI position.
Dan’s Biz Bookshelf: ‘Still Broke: Walmart’s Remarkable Transformation'
09/11/2025 | Dan Beaulieu -- Column: Dan's Biz BookshelfRick Wartzman’s Still Broke: Walmart’s Remarkable Transformation and the Limits of Socially Conscious Capitalism is both a wake-up call and a mirror—showing us things we might not want to admit. He doesn’t come out swinging with anti-corporate rage or idealistic fluff. No, he does something more powerful. He tells the plain, honest, uncomfortable truth, and those with a stake in business, leadership, or the American economy should read this book.