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Business Owners Tell All

Business Owners Tell All

By: Jamie Seeker
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 On The Seeker Solution Podcast, your host, Jamie Seeker encourages business owners to tell all! They'll share not only their expertise, but their stories and their purpose and what it takes to run a successful business. We cover a wide range of topics – the good and exciting, the challenges and sometimes the ugly. Experiences and lessons learned that our guests have faced along the way. We believe that every person has a unique message which can make a positive impact . We let our guests share on the subjects they’re well-known for. No matter the topic, you’ll be hearing real stories from real people. *This podcast is not affiliated with any other show of the same or similar name. Business Owners Tell All: What It Takes is a project of Seeker Solution, featuring conversations with real business owners.Copyright 2026 Jamie Seeker Economics Leadership Management Management & Leadership
Episodes
  • Making AI Work (Without the Buzzwords): People, Process & Building a Team That Grows with You

    Making AI Work (Without the Buzzwords): People, Process & Building a Team That Grows with You
    Mar 2 2026
    In this episode, Jamie Seeker sits down with Greg Gillespie, the Co-Founder of Collectiv — a fast-growing data and AI consulting firm that’s made the Inc. 5000 list three times. Greg shares his journey from being laid off in 2016 to building a 30-person firm helping mid-sized and enterprise businesses operationalize AI, Power BI, and data strategies across their organizations.But this isn’t a tech-heavy episode — it’s all about what really makes businesses grow sustainably: process, people, and leadership.Greg opens up about the hard lessons he’s learned from micromanaging, hiring too fast, and what it took to build a values-driven team that could scale smartly. From moving from all-1099 contractors to a W-2 team, to implementing EOS and culture-based hiring practices, he shares a masterclass in business growth through intentional people strategy.📌 Key Takeaways:AI success starts with process — not just tools. You need systems in place before layering in automation.Micromanaging is a trap for founders. Greg shares how "Delegate & Elevate" helped him shift his leadership style.Hiring for values > hiring for skills. Skills can be taught, but shared values and cultural fit are foundational.Invest in employee growth. Greg shares how their internal training paths are built to elevate team members from day one.Rapid hiring = real risks. Scaling without systems can cost more in the long run — both financially and culturally.💬 Memorable Quotes:🗣️ “I didn’t know how to build a team at first. I did everything myself. I was a micromanager because I felt like I had to be.” – Greg Gillespie🗣️ “We started with all contractors. It sounded great in theory — but when no one’s bought into the culture, things start slipping.” – Greg Gillespie🗣️ “If these core values don’t mean something to me, how can I expect anyone else in the company to live them out?” – Greg Gillespie🗣️ “You don’t realize how much it costs to hire the wrong person — until you do it a few times.” – Greg Gillespie🗣️ “If you’re gonna do this — build a business — you do it all the way or don’t do it at all. You’ve gotta commit.” – Greg Gillespie🗣️ “Eventually you plow through that wall and go, ‘Why was that so hard?’ But you only get there if you’re committed.” – Greg Gillespie🧠 Topics Covered:Greg’s entrepreneurial origin story — from layoff to leadershipBuilding a business around Microsoft’s Power BI & FabricHow EOS and “Delegate & Elevate” transformed his leadershipCulture-first hiring: mistakes, pivots, and the impactHR strategy for scaling smart (especially with AI adoption)How to build an AI-literate, change-ready teamThe importance of clarity around values in building a sustainable company👥 Team Size:~30 employees + offshore team in South Africa🛠️ Tools & Frameworks Mentioned:EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System)Delegate & ElevateCore Values AlignmentCulture IndexMicrosoft Power BI, Microsoft Fabric, AzurePredictive Index🧭 Where to Find Greg & Collectiv:🌐 Website: https://gocollectiv.com 🔗 LinkedIn (Greg): linkedin.com/in/greg-gillespie-9ba76973 📺 YouTube: @gocollectiv🎤 Signature Question – What It Takes:Jamie: “In your own words — what does it take to be a successful business owner?” Greg: “Grit is the obvious answer. But more than that — it’s commitment. If you’re going to do this, you go all in. Half-assing it isn’t going to cut it. There’s always going to be someone out there who’s committing more than you are. That commitment is what gets you through the hard parts.”
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    21 mins
  • Digging Deep: Designing a Business That Builds People and Purpose

    Digging Deep: Designing a Business That Builds People and Purpose
    Feb 26 2026

    In this inspiring conversation, Jamie Seeker sits down with Derek Taussig — Army veteran, ultra-marathoner, and CEO of Taussig Landscape — to unpack what it really means to build a business with heart. Derek shares how mowing lawns as a teen evolved into running a full-service landscaping company with a powerful mission: enriching lives through the outdoors.

    From battlefield lessons in leadership to business systems and employee development, Derek walks us through the gritty and transformative path of entrepreneurship. He opens up about the emotional weight of being a business owner, how he stepped out of the “it only works if I’m in it” mindset, and the three pillars that helped him grow: trust, training, and hiring.

    📝 Show Notes
    • Early Roots: Derek talks about how his entrepreneurial drive started with a desire for a new bike and turned into a lawn-mowing business — with help and encouragement from his parents.
    • Military Mindset: His service as a U.S. Army combat medic shaped not just his discipline, but his deep understanding of team dynamics and leadership — including what not to do.
    • Business Evolution: Derek describes how he scaled from a solo operator to leading multiple teams by responding to demand and building a culture that values excellence.
    • Stepping Out (Sort of): He shares the moment he thought he was out of the business — only to realize he was just in a different role. A local executive development course became a turning point.
    • Building Systems: Derek emphasizes solving problems permanently through systems, handbooks, and clear expectations so the business doesn’t rely solely on him.
    • Project Flow: We get a peek into the logistics of running a landscape design-build company, and how Derek’s team manages the entire process using specific software and defined job roles.
    • Key Growth Lessons: The move from “everyone does everything” to hiring for specific skill sets was critical to sustainable growth.
    • Leadership Philosophy: Derek breaks down his core principles: hire the right person, train them well, and build trust by giving them ownership — even when mistakes happen.
    • Real Talk: Derek gets honest about burnout, doubt, and the emotional toll of business ownership — and why grit kept him going when things got tough.

    💬 Memorable Quotes“If you want nice things, you gotta work hard to go get them.” — Derek Taussig“I thought I was working on my business… but really, I just had a low-paying job for the hours I worked.” — Derek Taussig“If you have a problem, figure out how to make sure you never have that problem again. That’s how you scale.” — Derek Taussig“Some days, you’ll want to quit. You’ll want to sell. But grit will carry you through.” — Derek Taussig“We’re not doing brain surgery here — it’s landscaping. If it’s not perfect, we go back and fix it.” — Derek Taussig“It’s not about growing a business. It’s about growing people.” — Jamie Seeker
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    23 mins
  • We Do Care: Building Trust in Proptech & Mobility

    We Do Care: Building Trust in Proptech & Mobility
    Feb 23 2026

    In this episode of Business Owners Tell All: What It Takes, host Jamie Seeker sits down with Óscar Rubio, Founder and CEO of Lodgerin, a Madrid- and Miami-based proptech company redefining international mobility.

    What started as Óscar’s personal struggle to find housing in the UK evolved into a global digital ecosystem that now manages over 90,000 rental units worldwide — connecting universities, companies, and property owners with tenants seeking mid-term housing across continents.

    Óscar shares how early mistakes and manual work paved the way for Lodgerin’s smart automation and process excellence. From digitalizing relocation management to centralizing complex systems across multiple countries, he reveals how building strong processes — and a caring culture — became the backbone of his company’s success.

    This conversation dives into the process behind the growth, the balance between tech and human touch, and what it really takes to be an all-in founder in a global business.

    🧭 Key Takeaways
    • 💡 Start with the problem you’ve lived: Óscar’s journey began from personal frustration — he experienced the housing challenge first-hand, which gave him deep empathy for his customers.
    • ⚙️ Process is power: Lodgerin’s success came from systemizing every manual process — from PDF proposals to a fully digital, automated ecosystem.
    • 🧠 Automation + Empathy: True innovation lies in combining digital tools with proactive human support.
    • 🌍 Global doesn’t mean generic: Despite operating across Spain, Dubai, and the U.S., Óscar says relocation needs are universal — the key challenge is building the right supply and partnerships.
    • ❤️ “We Do Care” as a business model: Caring isn’t just for customers — it’s how Lodgerin treats its employees, partners, and shareholders too.
    • 🚀 Trust and delegation: Scaling requires building a team you trust — people who combine skill with commitment to the vision.
    • 🕰️ All-in commitment: Entrepreneurship demands complete alignment between your business, family, and life — or it simply doesn’t work.

    🗣️ Memorable Quotes“If a company for a small amount of money could help with relocation, I would totally hire them. That was the idea that started everything.” — Óscar Rubio“We’re not building space rockets — we’re solving a problem people are willing to pay for.” — Óscar Rubio“We do care isn’t just about the customer — it’s how we execute everything in the company.” — Óscar Rubio“You can have thousands of tools online, but if you don’t have clear operational processes, you’ll fail anyway.” — Óscar Rubio“Caring and process don’t have to be opposites. You can scale globally and still keep the human touch.” — Jamie Seeker“You have to put everything of yourself into the project — your time, your family, your energy. It all has to move in the same direction.” — Óscar Rubio🌐 Connect with Lodgerin
    • Website: www.lodgerin.com
    • LinkedIn: Óscar Rubio
    • Locations: Madrid, Spain 🇪🇸 | Miami, USA 🇺🇸 | Dubai, UAE 🇦🇪

    💬 Jamie’s Closing...
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    23 mins
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