Ethan Daubenspeck Embodies the Resilience and Drive Needed to Compete in Today’s Markets

The current state of the United States economy has unfortunate knock-on effects for a wide variety of people, with the impact of ongoing tariffs, a stagnant labor market, and the development of generative AI technology all negatively impacting jobs across industries. There are myriad challenges put in front of anyone seeking to begin, resume, or simply continue their careers, and pushing through the muck to find opportunities for success requires resilience and drive. Only the candidates who embody a growth mindset and approach hardships as learning opportunities are likely to succeed in today’s markets. 

Ethan Daubenspeck is striving to be one such candidate and is setting himself up to be a solid example of the kind of professional who can find success in the modern day. Daubenspeck is currently pursuing his MBA with a specialization in IT Management at Western Governors University, the natural next step for his education after earning his Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology in only two years, while working full-time as a security guard. His dedication to his education in parallel with his self-sufficiency in employment is emblematic of his determination, work ethic, and ability to thrive under pressure. 

“I’ve learned that if I show up every day, even when it’s inconvenient or unglamorous, I’ll keep making progress,” Daubenspeck says. “Cutting distractions, setting mini-goals, and keeping sight of the bigger picture has allowed me to level up without burning out.”

Planning For A Long Career

Ethan Daubenspeck’s rapid advancement in both his education and his technical certifications is proof-positive of his intention to start his professional career off from a position of strength and knowledgeability, but that doesn’t mean he’s cocky. Indeed, the decision to pursue an MBA was a calculated decision that pushed him outside of his technical comfort zone in order to better prepare him for the tech leadership roles he’s aiming for. The MBA is meant to prepare him for his career by teaching him how his IT expertise fits into strategy, leadership, and decision-making processes at whatever company ends up benefiting from his labor. 

“I’ll break down the problem into smaller milestones and figure out what’s realistic with the resources I have,” Daubenspeck explains. “I act when I know enough to move forward with confidence, but I don’t force action just to feel busy. Sometimes waiting—gathering more context or testing assumptions—sets you up for better results.”

These kinds of analytical decisions are how he prefers to operate; by reverse-engineering the outcome, he can map out precisely what he needs to do to achieve his goals. Ethan Daubenspeck keeps his plans simple and structured: goals are broken down into achievable pieces and tracked weekly, letting him visualize his progress without feeling overwhelmed by the totality. In his experience, this structure is freeing; it gives him the bandwidth to juggle school, work, and his personal life without any single one of them taking over completely.

Building Relationships And Fostering Leadership

Ethan Daubenspeck is preparing himself for a professional life that demands both technical expertise and leadership skills, and he’s already keeping a keen eye on some key role models and peers to learn as much as he can, however he can. Part of that process is learning how to balance the independence that’s served him so well with the necessary cooperation and relationships he’ll need to develop to grow further. Fortunately, these two things need not be in conflict, at least in Daubenspeck’s eyes. It’s all about mutual respect.

“I make a point to be reliable and follow through, which earns trust,” he says. “At the same time, I look for people who challenge my thinking. I’ll reach out to mentors or peers not just when I need something, but also to share what I’m learning. That back-and-forth builds respect.”

For a business-minded student and professional like Ethan Daubenspeck, there are plenty of role models and leaders to learn from. Traits like consistency and accountability stand out particularly well to Daubenspeck, who holds in high regard leaders who lead by example and earn trust through reliability and consistency. He emulates and embodies those traits by showing up to his various responsibilities prepared, being honest about challenges, and staying steady and committed when challenges arise. In his words, “Reliability builds trust, and trust is what gets teams through the hard parts.”

Whether it’s with teammates, clients, coworkers, or peers, interpersonal friction is nearly inevitable to one degree or another, but Daubenspeck already has strategies in place to make sure conflicts are addressed quickly and cleanly. As is his style, he chooses to keep focused on the goal and task at hand, rather than be driven by the emotions of the moment. Friction is simply part of the process, and it’s something that can be overcome. 

“Listening first, setting boundaries, and being clear about expectations usually defuses tension,” he explains. “And if something’s not working, I don’t take it personally—I just adjust and keep moving.”

Burgeoning Leadership

Through his own work, and through team projects and tasks in his education, Ethan Daubenspeck has already had real experience working as both a member and a leader of a team, and those experiences have proven instructive. Interpersonal friction is always a concern in any team environment, and as a leader, it’s important to know when to delegate tasks and when to own them personally. Daubenspeck’s secret is understanding that delegation isn’t about shunting work off to someone else; it’s trusting them to add value where he otherwise wouldn’t. 

“If it’s something I can knock out efficiently and I already have the skills, I’ll take full ownership,” he says. “But if collaboration means the outcome will be stronger or the learning opportunity is bigger, I’ll bring others in.”

Working with and leading teams requires unique skills that, largely, can only be truly gained through hands-on experience. Whether that’s learning how to set the tone for the team by showing up focused and reliable, or simply sharing learning and being open to feedback, working with others is about creating and feeding a working culture. It’s also important to recognize when a teammate needs additional support, and how best to provide it, which was something Daubenspeck learned firsthand. 

“I remember working with someone who was overwhelmed by deadlines,” Daubenspeck recalls. “Instead of just telling them to push through, I helped break the project into smaller steps and shared how I approach time management. It reminded me that sometimes support isn’t about having the answer—it’s about helping someone see the problem in a manageable way.”

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