Extractors vs. Contributors: Why the Energy You Bring Shapes the Enterprise Value You Create

Contributed by Mari Lister

Every Entrepreneur Owner-Manager (EOM) intuitively knows this: some people add energy to the room, and some quietly (or not so quietly) siphon it away.

At Bigelow, we’ve seen this dynamic play out across hundreds of growth journeys. It’s more than attitude. It’s more than culture fit. It shows up in decision-making, communication, team building, and ultimately—in the increased Enterprise Value that the EOM is able to grow in their enterprises over decades.

The framing that keeps returning to me is this one:

There are two types of people in an entrepreneurial ecosystem: Extractors and Contributors.

Understanding the difference—and surrounding yourself with more of the latter—is one of the biggest determinants of long-term success.

What is a Contributor? (The lifeforce of Enterprise Value)

A Contributor is someone who:

• Brings energy, curiosity, and momentum into a room
• Operates with a positive-sum mindset (win-win)
• Asks “How can I help?” instead of “What can I get?”
• Thinks long-term rather than transactionally
• Leaves situations better than they found them
• Shares credit, ideas, and information freely
• Believes there is enough success to go around
• Helps build capability, not just complete tasks

Contributors enable multipliers in an organization. They reduce friction. They increase trust. They make teams feel psychologically safe. They’re the employees who stay late—not because they're told to, but because they care. They are the advisors who create confidence, not confusion. You’ll hear lots of “we” and “us”.

Contributors are the people EOMs remember long after the deal is done.

What is an Extractor? (The silent destroyer of Enterprise Value)

An Extractor is someone who:

• Drains energy or creates emotional taxation
• Operates with a zero-sum scarcity mindset (“If you win, I lose.”)
• Makes withdrawals from the relationship bank without making deposits
• Sees others as a means to an end
• Hoards information
• Leaves chaos or resentment in their wake
• Thinks in transactions, not relationships

Extractors can look successful in the short term. They may hit quarterly numbers. They close deals. They can even sit in senior seats.

But over time, Extractors erode trust—inside the company and out in the market. They cause turnover. They create reputational drag. They lower Enterprise Value by making the business feel less resilient, less collegial, and less sustainable. You’ll hear more “I’s” and “me”.

One Investor once told us privately, “I don’t invest in Extractor cultures because you can feel the rot within 10 minutes of walking the floor.”

Why This Matters Specifically for EOMs

Unlike large corporate structures with interchangeable parts, private enterprises are deeply human systems. The identity, behavior, and energy of a small number of individuals defines the velocity of the entire organization.

For EOMs, the presence of Extractors is especially damaging because:

• They distract the EOM from strategy and opportunity
• They force emotional labor that steals time from growth
• They create noise and friction that suppress innovation
• They erode team retention
• They diminish buyer confidence during a potential capital gain transaction

Conversely, when an EOM surrounds themselves with Contributors, several things happen:

• Leaders think more creatively
• Risk taking feels safer
• Communication becomes richer
• Execution speeds up
• Value grows exponentially

This is the essence of positive energy compounding—something we see in our most successful, fulfilled clients.

How Enterprise Value is Directly Affected

When Bigelow represents an EOM in a capital gain transaction, the potential investors are not just underwriting financials—they are underwriting people.

Investors ask, “Do I want to be in a room with these people for the next 10 years?”

A company with a Contributor-heavy culture gets:

• Higher valuations
• Better terms
• Better partner alignment
• Less post-closing risk

A company with Extractor dynamics often experiences:

• Value discounts
• Harder negotiations
• Buyer skepticism
• Post-closing culture failure

Buyers intuitively recognize that Contributor-led cultures are more durable, more innovative, and more capable of thriving through future uncertainty.

How to Tell the Difference in Your Own Organization

Here are a few diagnostic questions:

Energy Test

• After meeting with this person, do I feel more or less energized?

Trust Test

• Do I feel safer making decisions when this person is involved? Or more guarded?

Time Test

• Does this person give me time back, or do they consume it?

Reputation Test

• Would I proudly put this person in front of our most important customers, advisers, or prospective buyers?

If someone consistently registers as a drain, they are likely an Extractor—even if they are high-performing on paper.

The EOM Imperative: Build a Personal and Professional Life Surrounded by Contributors

The most successful EOMs we know intentionally curate:

• Teams of Contributors
• Advisers who operate with abundance
• Investors who respect the EOM journey
• Personal ecosystems that support their lifeforce

They understand something fundamental: You cannot build a Contributor company with Extractor energy.

And you cannot live an elevated entrepreneurial life if your daily interactions siphon your potential.

Increased Enterprise Value is not just built on strategy, innovation, and execution.
It is built on the energy you allow into your world.

A Closing Thought

Pete Worrell has often remarked to me that EOMs build two enterprises: the financial one and the emotional one.

Extractors diminish both.
Contributors expand both.

If you want to create enduring positive Enterprise Value—value that outlives you—then begin with this question:

Who in my ecosystem is a Contributor to my energy, my legacy, and my enterprise?
And who is extracting more than they give?

Creating clarity around this question may be one of the most important strategic decisions an EOM makes in their entire career