Business Owners Tell All

In this episode of Business Owners Tell All: What It Takes , Brett Swarts, founder of Capital Gains Tax Solutions , shares how financial loss, faith, and family values shaped his mission to help others exit wisely. After watching a client (and his own family) lose everything due to poor financial planning, Brett made it his life’s work to educate high-net-worth individuals on the power of the Defe...

In this candid and deeply relatable conversation, Gregory Vetter, co-founder of Tessemae’s and current CEO of Alta Fresh Foods , joins What It Takes to talk about the real cost of entrepreneurship —with a focus on financials. Drawing from his honest and hilarious book Undressed , Greg shares his multi-phase “Money Quest” journey, including investor pitfalls, oil spills, media hype, board takeovers...

In this episode, Jamie Seeker talks with Matthew Neill Davis, founder of Davis Business Law—a firm that has scaled to nine locations across the Midwest and South, making the rare leap onto the Inc. 5000 list. Matthew shares how he built a multi-office law firm from Enid, Oklahoma, his philosophy behind the "Strong Protected Business System," and real-world lessons in preventing disaster before it...

In this mind-expanding episode, Jamie Seeker sits down with Ajay Malik—CEO of StudioX-AI, futurist, inventor, and former tech exec at Google, Cisco, HP, and Motorola. Now based in San Jose, California , Ajay shares how his obsession with innovation led to 100+ patents and the founding of StudioX, an AI platform built to democratize predictive insights for businesses. Ajay discusses the ethics of A...

In this episode, she unpacks how authenticity, strategic financial planning, leadership evolution, and bold branding helped her business not just survive—but scale. From creating “Stoplight Reports” to empowering global teams, Arielle offers practical advice with raw honesty and high energy. 📝 Key Interview Notes 🔥 Startup Story Arielle didn’t start with Marketing 411—she had several businesses...

In this episode, Laura dives into her growth strategy, from starting her firm in her living room to making intentional hiring decisions and scaling while staying mission-driven. She also breaks down how she approached financial planning, cash flow, and the importance of knowing when to ask for help. Her perspective on balancing business with empathy, motherhood, and personal leadership makes this...

In this insightful episode, Randy Lorensen shares his unexpected journey from poker pro to national franchise founder. He talks candidly about starting Premium Cabinets with no background in design or construction, and how his drive for continual growth led him to systematize the business for national scalability. Randy also dives deep into financial mindset, offering practical tips for business o...

In this episode of Business Owners Tell All: What It Takes , host Jamie Seeker sits down with Jonathan Raymond , the founder and CEO of Ren AI , a coaching technology company based in San Diego, California . With a background that spans law, tech entrepreneurship, and nonprofit leadership, Jonathan shares how he discovered the missing link in leadership: authentic, emotionally intelligent conversa...

In this candid and energizing episode, Julie Cole shares the story of how she left a career in law to co-found Mabel’s Labels , all while raising six kids and navigating the challenges of early entrepreneurship. From launching in a basement with her sister and two friends to growing into a business with a 20,000 sq. ft. facility and 50+ employees, Julie walks us through the grit, risk, and reality...

In this episode, Jamie Seeker sits down with self-made entrepreneur Yousef Benhamida , who turned a one-bedroom apartment and a few hundred dollars into Humboldts Secret Supplies —now one of the top-selling plant nutrient brands in the U.S. Yousef opens up about how success came not just through hustle, but from rock bottom moments, personal loss, and radical discipline. From taking stimulants to...

In this powerful and heartfelt episode of Business Owners Tell All: What It Takes , Jamie Seeker sits down with Kyle Bachus , co-founder of Bachus & Schanker, LLC in Denver, Colorado. From his early inspiration as a 17-year old arguing in a mock Supreme Court, to founding one of the most respected personal injury law firms in the region, Kyle shares what it really takes to build a values-drive...

In this episode of Business Owners Tell All: What It Takes , Jamie Seeker sits down with Juan Cruz , founder and managing attorney of JCA Law, PLLC , a Texas-based education law firm with offices in Laredo, San Antonio, and Corpus Christi . With nearly 30 years of legal experience and a track record that includes a win before the Texas Supreme Court , Juan shares the grit, strategy, and heart it t...

In this insightful and candid episode, Joseph Nagle , Head of Strategy at Pando Electric , shares how his team is disrupting the EV charging space by simplifying the tech, targeting underserved communities, and building a resilient, mission-aligned company culture. From securing a $5.4 million state grant to pioneering smart outlet charging that cuts costs and maintenance, Joseph walks us through...

In this episode, Jamie sits down with Jake Malott, the founder of Whitestone DCI , a Los Angeles-based consulting firm that specializes in preconstruction project management and land use consulting. From giving Segway tours and dressing as a pineapple to breaking through LA’s regulatory red tape, Jake’s journey into business ownership is anything but conventional. He shares how persistence, creati...

In this episode, Dr. Lauren Jones, a veterinarian and Director of Veterinary Medicine at Shepherd Veterinary Solutions , shares her deeply personal and powerful journey from childhood dreams of vet med to burnout, evolution, and bold leadership. Now based in Phoenix, Arizona , Lauren owns and leads the Animal Hospital of Chester County remotely, while serving the broader industry through tech and...

In this insightful episode of Business Owners Tell All: What It Takes, host Jamie Seeker talks with Justin Tollefson , Principal at Pearson Design Group , a boutique architecture firm based in Bozeman, Montana known for designing stunning, story-driven homes. Justin opens up about his 20+ year journey with the firm, how his leadership style has evolved, and what it really takes to run a design-foc...

In this inspiring episode, Jamie Seeker sits down with Dr. Michael Remson, President and CEO of KeyNote , home of the San Diego Youth Symphony , located in San Diego’s historic Balboa Park. Michael shares his powerful journey from growing up in musical theater in New York City to becoming a nationally respected nonprofit arts leader. He dives into how music shaped his life from a young age, how ea...

In this episode of Business Owners Tell All: What It Takes , Jamie Seeker sits down with Shay Wheat, Certified Event Producer™ and CEO of Grace & Ease Productions. Shay shares her powerful journey from managing apartments and doing network marketing to producing multi-million dollar events for powerhouse names like Dr. Oz and Lisa Nichols. We dive into how events became her ultimate business-b...

In this episode of Business Owners Tell All: What It Takes , Jamie Seeker sits down with Miguel Adao, CEO of Voler Systems, to explore what it means to be a truly global leader. With a career that’s taken him across eight countries , five languages , and leadership roles at Pepsi, HP, VMware, and more , Miguel shares how cultural intelligence has shaped his leadership philosophy and career path. N...

In this episode of Business Owners Tell All: What It Takes , Jamie sits down with Bryce North , founder and CEO of Don’t Be A Little Pitch , a bold media and branding company headquartered in Manila , with global reach. Bryce shares how he went from startup founder to media magnet — landing deals on Dragons’ Den , scaling companies across 40+ countries, and raising over $600K through crowdfunding...

In this episode of Business Owners Tell All: What It Takes Jamie sits down with Daniel Woodroffe , the visionary behind dwg. , a landscape architecture firm based in Austin, Texas (and now London) that's on a mission to reshape urban environments through art, ecology, and purpose-driven design. Daniel shares his journey from growing up in England to launching a globally respected firm that transfo...

In this episode of What It Takes: Business Owners Tell All , Jamie sits down with Claude Burns , Founder and CEO of Office Libations , to unpack his journey from serving in the U.S. Navy to building one of the fastest-growing companies in workplace hospitality. Claude shares how the lessons learned aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln and his experience with elite Navy teams shaped his leadership style...

In this episode of What It Takes: Business Owners Tell All , host Jamie Seeker sits down with Ryan Teicher , CEO of REDCOM Design & Construction , to explore the unique path he’s taken across family business, corporate leadership, and now steering a legacy company into a more sustainable and scalable future. With over 25 years of experience in the construction and real estate world, Ryan share...

In this episode of What It Takes: Business Owners Tell All , host Jamie Seeker sits down with Evan Williams , CEO and Co-Founder of Riverview Systems Group, Inc. , a Silicon Valley-based live event production company with a 38-year track record of staging unforgettable experiences for major global brands like Google, Apple, and Cisco. Evan shares the unlikely blend of theater and accounting that l...

In this episode of What It Takes: Business Owners Tell All , host Jamie Seeker talks with award-winning architect and sustainability leader Scott Rodwin . From starting his firm after spontaneously quitting a job in 1999 to building a nationally recognized design/build company, Scott shares how community, collaboration, and bold thinking have shaped his journey. He opens up about: The early days o...