About US

---

Long & Winding Road Consulting was founded in 2026 with a simple, powerful purpose: to help organizations grow stronger by investing in both performance and people. The inspiration came during a reflective trip to Liverpool, England—home of the iconic band, The Beatles, and song that reminds us that the most meaningful journeys are rarely straight lines. Business growth, like life, is a long and winding road. It requires clarity, resilience and the ability to adapt along the way. That perspective became the foundation of this firm.

At Long & Winding Road Consulting, we believe lasting success is built at the intersection of strategy and human potential. Companies don’t thrive on plans alone—they thrive when the people executing those plans are engaged, challenged and aligned.

Our approach is rooted in collaborative leadership. We partner closely with leaders and teams, working alongside them—not above them—to uncover opportunities, strengthen performance and create momentum that lasts. We challenge assumptions, push for accountability and focus on measurable outcomes while fostering an environment where individuals can do their best work.

We understand that every organization’s path is unique. That’s why we tailor our work to meet clients where they are, helping them navigate complexity, unlock growth and build cultures that support both high performance and long-term success. Whether you’re looking to elevate leadership, improve team effectiveness or drive meaningful organizational change, Long & Winding Road Consulting is here to help you move forward—confidently and intentionally—on your journey.

Eric is a native of Rothschild, Wisconsin, grounded in blue-collar values and driven by a bold vision. His father spent 30 years as a sales representative with Kraft Foods, while his mother dedicated more than three decades to elementary education. From an early age, they instilled in him the conviction that character, work ethic and heart matter most. Today, Eric and his wife, Julie, are committed to passing those same values on to their three children.

Across his career, he has built a reputation defined by character, integrity and collaboration—consistently pairing bold strategic vision with disciplined execution. At his core, Eric is deeply competitive, driven by a belief that exceptional performance is not optional—it is expected. Reflecting a Vince Lombardi-inspired mindset, he leads with the conviction that winning is not just a goal, but the standard—instilling a culture of accountability, resilience and relentless pursuit of excellence across the organizations and teams he serves.

Over the past decade, Eric Christianson has operated at the intersection of strategic leadership, operational execution and financial discipline—serving as a catalyst for growth and transformation in middle-market businesses across global food ingredient manufacturing and distribution, real estate, construction services and consumer packaged goods. His leadership approach is grounded in aligning strategy with execution, enabling organizations to scale effectively while maintaining strong financial performance. He has consistently focused on building durable, scalable platforms, driving enterprise-wide alignment and delivering sustained value creation under full P&L accountability, particularly during periods of growth, complexity and change.

Over the past decade, Eric has served in multiple C‑suite leadership capacities—including President & CEO, CFO/SVP, CFO and COO—across organizations with annual revenues ranging from $25M to over $400M. He is widely regarded as a strategic, financial and operational architect.

Eric brings an extensive track record of executive leadership shaped by early to mid-career experiences within Fortune 100 organizations, including Coca-Cola and Target. He developed a broad and integrated foundation across sales, marketing, finance, operations and investment strategy—building a well-rounded perspective on how large, complex organizations drive growth, manage risk and allocate capital. This foundation positioned him to transition into senior executive roles within core middle-market companies, where he has applied that experience in more direct, hands-on leadership environments.

This experience established a disciplined, data-driven leadership style defined by strategic perspective, analytical depth and a strong bias for execution—enabling Eric to lead middle-market organizations through growth and transformation while consistently delivering measurable results through operational discipline, financial rigor and a highly collaborative leadership approach.

Eric pairs his executive experience with a deep commitment to lifelong learning—a value instilled by his mother. He is a 2022 graduate of Harvard Business School’s Advanced Management Program (AMP 201) and holds an MBA from the University of St. Thomas.

Beyond his own development, Eric is passionate about investing in others. As an Adjunct Professor of Corporate Finance at his alma mater, Concordia College, he helped develop future business leaders by bringing real-world executive insight into the classroom. His commitment to continuous growth keeps his perspective current, rigorous and grounded in best practices.

This blend of elite education, practical leadership and a dedication to guiding and teaching others sets Eric apart. He not only applies what he has learned at the highest levels but also refines and shares that knowledge—bringing a thoughtful, disciplined and forward-looking approach to every organization he serves.