In this episode of The ConTech Crew, hosts Jeff Sample and Nathan Wood sit down with James Hatfield, CRO at LiveSwitch, to unpack his incredible journey from painting houses to disrupting the tech space with real-time video communication tools. James shares how a financial blind spot in his early service business led him to co-found a fintech startup that soared to a billion-dollar valuation. From humble beginnings to leading-edge innovation, his story is one of hustle, grit, and bold pivots.
But the episode goes far beyond the origin story. James reveals how LiveSwitch is revolutionizing emergency response, home services, and construction tech by eliminating friction in video communication: no apps, no hardware, just a tap. With real-world use cases spanning NASA, WWE, and the Super Bowl, he explains why “seeing what I see” is becoming a game-changing layer of accountability, transparency, and efficiency in the built world. Whether you're a techie, contractor, or startup founder, this conversation is packed with takeaways.
Key Learnings
- James started as a house painter and built his first tech business.
- Transitioning into tech meant leaving behind safety nets and going all in.
- James co-founded a nonprofit turning inmates into entrepreneurs, later featured on ABC.
- LiveSwitch prioritizes ease of use, no apps, no downloads, no hardware.
- Engineers need to understand the real jobsite for tech adoption to succeed.
- Situational awareness via instant video is reshaping operations across industries.
- LiveSwitch is the engine powering major platforms construction tech can plug right in.
Timestamps
[00:00] - Show introduction
[02:45] - James’ background in painting, home services, and his entrepreneurial roots
[08:04] - “Burn the boats” mindset and fully committing to tech
[15:20] - What is LiveSwitch? Use cases from WWE to NASA to 911
[22:20] - Pushback from the field and shifting mindsets with “instant replay”
[29:23] - Tradeoffs between apps vs. browser-based video tools
[31:45] - How small businesses can start using LiveSwitch instantly
[37:20] - Strategic value for contractors and service companies
[39:53] - Where to find James and final wrap-up
Follow the Guest:
- James Hatfield (LinkedIn): https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-hatfield/
- Website: https://www.liveswitch.com/
- LinkedIn (Company): https://www.linkedin.com/company/liveswitch-inc/
- Facebook (Company): https://www.facebook.com/liveswitchinc/
- Twitter (Company): https://twitter.com/liveswitchinc
Follow the Host:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ironmanofit/
Follow the Co-Host:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanaec/
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