Transforming Business Challenges into Triumphs
In Obstacles to Opportunity, Pat Alacqua offers a clear-eyed look at what it takes to lead through uncertainty. It’s a book shaped by decades of hands-on business experience—building teams, scaling operations, and guiding organizations through periods of growth and change. Drawing from lessons learned across multiple industries, including his time in the tradeshow world, Alacqua delivers a practical guide for professionals facing real challenges. This isn’t a motivational business book. It’s a working manual for people navigating complexity in real time.
Alacqua brings structure to the often-messy work of leadership. The book focuses on how to move from stuck to steady, not by charging ahead blindly, but by getting honest about what’s in your way and deciding on actions that can be executed. The stories and strategies shared aren’t hypothetical; they’re drawn from professionals who’ve made difficult decisions, learned from failure, and figured out what works in high-pressure environments.
Much of the book is delivered through interviews with business leaders who reflect on their own challenges. These conversations become the real strength of the book. Rather than presenting a single leadership philosophy, Alacqua shows how a range of people tackle obstacles differently, each with intention, self-awareness, and a willingness to listen.
One example comes from Jeff Hannah, founder of Global Exhibitor, who underscores the importance of team alignment, especially when managing across cultures. “If you don’t have alignment, people will be trying all sorts of ways to get to the finish line. Some may be okay, but many are not,” he explains. He also notes that confusion—not a lack of talent—is often what slows teams down. “In any challenge or crisis, what’s often missing is a clear strategy that everyone understands and can follow.” Like other contributors, he doesn’t offer theory but shares tested insights shaped by experience.
A recurring message throughout the book is that movement creates clarity. As one leader puts it, driving in the dark still gets you where you need to go, even if you can only see as far as the headlights. You figure things out by moving forward, not by waiting for the full picture to appear.
The book also includes access to downloadable tools at PatAlacqua.com/bonus-resources, offering additional guidance for readers who want to dig deeper or apply the ideas in their own teams.
“Leadership is a continuous journey, and this book is just the beginning,” Alacqua writes. And that’s how this book reads: as the beginning of something useful, steady, and real. Whether you’re rebuilding a team, relaunching a show, or facing your next internal pivot, this book gives you the tools to keep moving forward—even if you’re still figuring out the next turn.
While Obstacles to Opportunity isn’t solely focused on the tradeshow industry, it offers valuable perspective on how leaders may need to approach the future. In a time when hiring is a challenge and retaining strong employees is more important than ever, ‘my way or the highway’ thinking may no longer work. Valuing your team, understanding their strengths and weaknesses, and adjusting your leadership approach accordingly is a lesson worth repeating—and one that’s reinforced throughout this book.
Follow Pat Alacqua on LinkedIn or his website www.PatAlacqua.com. Also be sure to check out his collaboration with Jane Gentry: www.OptimumValueBlueprint.com.
