The First Customer - Why You Should Bet Big on Starting Over with CEO Bill Douglas

In this episode , I was lucky enough to interview Bill Douglas, CEO of Optic Wise, also known as “The Resilience Guy”.

From buying his first car at 15 with money he made running a newspaper hustle, to surviving a coral snake bite and a paralyzing ski accident 30 years to the day later, Bill’s journey is a lesson in grit and perspective. He shares how these life-altering experiences pushed him to leave corporate life behind and embrace entrepreneurship, prioritizing fulfillment over financial comfort. He has literally faced death more than once and came out swinging, bringing both wisdom and humor. 

Bill also delves into how he reshaped Optic Wise from the ground up, taking the bold step of zeroing out revenue to rebuild the business with long-term recurring clients in mind. He explains how their digital infrastructure transforms commercial real estate by unifying all building systems onto one resilient and secure platform, which unlocks powerful data insights that increase tenant value and property performance. He even fronted a six-figure check to land their first anchor client.

Hear Bill Douglas share how calculated risks and resilience helped reshape an industry in this episode of The First Customer!

Guest Info:
Optic Wise
https://www.opticwise.com/


Link to order "Peak Property Performance"
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1639081283


Bill Douglas' LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/billdouglas

Connect with Jay on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayaigner/
The First Customer Youtube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/@thefirstcustomerpodcast
The First Customer podcast website
https://www.firstcustomerpodcast.com
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