Business Owners Tell All

Business Owners Tell All

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.

Episodes

November 13, 2025 33 mins

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, creativity, and valuing his own work were k...

Mark as Played

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 advocacy work. She opens up about the...

Mark as Played

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-focused business with heart. From buildi...

Mark as Played

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 early access to arts education builds f...

Mark as Played

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-building tool, how she pivoted to virt...

Mark as Played

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.

Now based in Sunnyvale, California, Migue...

Mark as Played

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 — all by mastering the power of storytel...

Mark as Played

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 transforms overlooked and often toxic urban s...

Mark as Played

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 and business values. From launching cr...

Mark as Played

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 shares candid insights into what it takes t...

Mark as Played

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 led to his success, how he kept his team...

Mark as Played

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 of hustling for projects
  • How he built...
Mark as Played

In this emotional and eye-opening episode of What It Takes: Business Owners Tell All, host Jamie Seeker sits down with Derek Du Chesne, co-founder and CEO of Better U, a telehealth company offering at-home psychedelic therapy. Derek shares his deeply personal journey—from achieving outward success to hitting rock bottom after a mental health crisis. He opens up about how a single ketamine therapy session saved his life, shifted his...

Mark as Played

In this episode of What It Takes: Business Owners Tell All, Jamie Seeker sits down with Jill Gustavson, Co-Founder and Executive Vice President of Topaz Services, LLC — a hospitality contact center that’s grown from a bootstrapped startup into a nationwide operation serving over 80 hotels.

Jill shares her remarkable 40+ year journey, beginning in the early days of tech publishing, where she started her career at Byte Magazine in the...

Mark as Played

In this high-energy episode of What It Takes: Business Owners Tell All, Jamie Seeker sits down with Cody Romness, co-founder of Allegiate, a strength training gym bringing college-level athletic structure and performance to everyday people. From the football field at USC to the startup world at Patreon, Cody’s path has been anything but ordinary.

He shares how the athlete’s mindset of grit, discipline, and team dynamics has shaped e...

Mark as Played

In this heart-centered and thought-provoking episode, host Jamie Seeker speaks with Ari Drosman, founder and Chief Visionary Officer of Resurface Group, a mental health and addiction treatment organization designed specifically for people who don’t fit into traditional systems—what Ari calls “the outliers.”

Ari shares how his path into psychology began unexpectedly, sparked by a powerful moment of connection with a client during his...

  • Mark as Played

    In this episode, Levi King shares his entrepreneurial journey, the mindset shifts that helped him succeed, and the sacrifices he made along the way. From cold-calling businesses in his 20s to raising $200M in venture capital, Levi opens up about the grit, resilience, and personal growth required to build multiple successful businesses.

    🔹 Key Themes & Takeaways:

    1️⃣ The Mindset of an Entrepreneur

    • Grew up in r...
    Mark as Played

    In this episode of What It Takes: Business Owners Tell All, host Jamie Seeker sits down with Jeff Wenninger, a retired LAPD lieutenant with over 33 years of experience. Jeff shares his journey from overcoming dyslexia and a speech impediment to becoming a leader in one of the most demanding police forces in the country.

    Jeff’s path to law enforcement was unexpected—after a negative encounter with police as a college student, he shif...

    Mark as Played

    In this episode, Jamie Seeker sits down with Paul Ladensack, a seasoned architect with over 30 years of experience designing spaces that go beyond function—they tell stories, honor history, and serve communities. As a principal at CCBG Architects, Paul has led a variety of award-winning projects, including cultural, religious, commercial, and residential buildings.

    Paul shares insights on balancing creativity with functionality, how...

  • Mark as Played

    In this episode of What It Takes: Business Owners Tell All, host Jamie Seeker interviews award-winning architect Tessa Bradley about her journey in sustainable architecture, Passive House design, and the challenges of being a female business owner in the industry. Tessa shares her philosophy on solving complex problems with simple, efficient design, why Passive House is the future of sustainable living, and how she built her firm i...

    Mark as Played

    Popular Podcasts

      If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.

      Ruthie's Table 4

      For more than 30 years The River Cafe in London, has been the home-from-home of artists, architects, designers, actors, collectors, writers, activists, and politicians. Michael Caine, Glenn Close, JJ Abrams, Steve McQueen, Victoria and David Beckham, and Lily Allen, are just some of the people who love to call The River Cafe home. On River Cafe Table 4, Rogers sits down with her customers—who have become friends—to talk about food memories. Table 4 explores how food impacts every aspect of our lives. “Foods is politics, food is cultural, food is how you express love, food is about your heritage, it defines who you and who you want to be,” says Rogers. Each week, Rogers invites her guest to reminisce about family suppers and first dates, what they cook, how they eat when performing, the restaurants they choose, and what food they seek when they need comfort. And to punctuate each episode of Table 4, guests such as Ralph Fiennes, Emily Blunt, and Alfonso Cuarón, read their favourite recipe from one of the best-selling River Cafe cookbooks. Table 4 itself, is situated near The River Cafe’s open kitchen, close to the bright pink wood-fired oven and next to the glossy yellow pass, where Ruthie oversees the restaurant. You are invited to take a seat at this intimate table and join the conversation. For more information, recipes, and ingredients, go to https://shoptherivercafe.co.uk/ Web: https://rivercafe.co.uk/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/therivercafelondon/ Facebook: https://en-gb.facebook.com/therivercafelondon/ For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iheartradio app, apple podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

      Dateline NBC

      Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com

      The Bobby Bones Show

      Listen to 'The Bobby Bones Show' by downloading the daily full replay.

      The Breakfast Club

      The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!

    Advertise With Us
    Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

    Connect

    © 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.