『Business Owners Tell All』のカバーアート

Business Owners Tell All

Business Owners Tell All

著者： Jamie Seeker
無料で聴く

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 マネジメント マネジメント・リーダーシップ リーダーシップ 経済学
エピソード
  • The Anti Agency Blueprint for Business Growth

    The Anti Agency Blueprint for Business Growth
    2026/08/20
    Jason Yormark shares how more than 30 years in marketing, including work with major organizations such as Microsoft, ultimately led him to entrepreneurship and the creation of Socialistics. For years, Jason felt like a “square peg in a round hole” professionally and wanted to build something of his own, but the perceived security of a traditional paycheck kept him from making the leap.Rather than abruptly leaving his career, Jason intentionally built a runway. He developed momentum while still employed so that entrepreneurship would be a calculated transition rather than a blind leap. When his final traditional job ended, he committed fully to Socialistics. He credits overcoming fear and committing wholeheartedly as important pieces of eventually building a seven figure business and creating greater freedom in his life.Key Takeaways and Discussion NotesBuild a runway before taking the leap. Jason's approach to entrepreneurship centered on mitigating risk. He didn't believe starting a business had to mean immediately abandoning financial security. He built momentum first, creating a stronger foundation before committing full time.Know what kind of business you actually want to build. From the beginning, Jason wasn't interested in simply maximizing revenue. He wanted a business built around relationships, freedom, culture, and meaningful work. That meant accepting that Socialistics might grow more slowly or remain smaller than an agency focused purely on maximizing revenue.Learn to say no. One of Jason's biggest lessons as a business owner has been learning not to accept every opportunity simply because it generates revenue. Early businesses sometimes have to take work they might later decline, but the goal should be reaching a position where the company can deliberately choose the right clients and relationships.Client retention can matter more than client acquisition. Jason deliberately prioritizes long term client relationships instead of operating a “churn and burn” agency model. His philosophy is that choosing the right work and creating mutually beneficial relationships produces deeper partnerships, stronger culture, and a more fulfilling business.Freedom is a business objective, not just a personal benefit. Freedom is Socialistics' number one core value and central to Jason's definition of success. His team is evaluated on the quality of their work and their commitments rather than where, when, or exactly how long they work. Socialistics doesn't even use traditional time tracking, despite the additional challenges that creates when measuring profitability.Build a company that doesn't depend entirely on the owner. Jason was advised early that if he ever wanted the option of selling his company, the business couldn't depend on him. Finding Joanna, his Director of Operations, allowed him to intentionally remove himself from much of Socialistics' day to day operation.Hire for what can't easily be taught. Rather than concentrating primarily on technical skills, Jason looks for what he calls “untrainable traits,” including communication, emotional intelligence, authenticity, and genuine care for other people. Tools and technology can be taught. Those foundational characteristics are much harder to manufacture.Make employees feel like they're building the company with you. Jason wants team members to feel ownership in the business rather than simply seeing themselves as employees. Profit sharing, compensation, autonomy, and culture all support that philosophy.Eliminate friction wherever possible. Jason describes one of his core business philosophies as eliminating the things that interfere with winning and retaining great customers and great employees. That can mean reconsidering long term contracts, workload expectations, traditional agency practices, and anything else that makes it unnecessarily difficult for people to say yes or remain committed.Don't optimize revenue at the expense of the business you wanted to create. Jason acknowledges that Socialistics could potentially make more money with a higher volume, higher churn model. Instead, he deliberately protects capacity so his team has room to think creatively about existing clients. He's comfortable with a potential $3 million to $5 million ceiling if that allows him and his team to maintain the lives and culture they want.Niche down, and sometimes sub niche even further. Jason sees trying to be everything to everybody as one of today's biggest entrepreneurial mistakes. Socialistics eventually focused specifically on nonprofits, and he argues that newer service businesses may benefit from narrowing even further. Becoming highly specialized helps a company cut through competitive noise and establish itself as an authority.Business planning requires commitment after the decision is made. Choosing a niche or strategic direction isn't enough. Jason stresses that business owners need to stay the course rather than continually abandoning ...
    続きを読む 一部表示
    21 分
  • From Vision to Execution: What It Really Takes to Build a Business with Glen Fields

    From Vision to Execution: What It Really Takes to Build a Business with Glen Fields
    2026/08/06
    In this episode of Business Owners Tell All: What It Takes, Jamie Seeker sits down with Glen Fields, CEO and Co-Founder of Big Deal Agency in Greenacres, Florida, to discuss how strategic business planning, accountability, and measurable results have fueled the growth of his agency.Glen shares his unconventional path to entrepreneurship, beginning with his work at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow and later transitioning into public relations during the early days of digital advertising. Recognizing that online advertising would become the future of marketing, he made the difficult decision to leave a traditional PR firm and launch Big Deal Agency after his vision for digital marketing wasn't shared.The conversation explores how Glen built a results-driven agency focused on transparency and ROI instead of vague marketing promises. He explains why he abandoned the traditional retainer model in favor of a billable-hours approach, allowing his agency to eliminate scope creep, improve profitability, and better manage both client expectations and employee accountability.Throughout the discussion, Glen emphasizes that business planning isn't just about creating goals, it's about building systems that support sustainable growth, measuring performance, adapting when necessary, and having the courage to make difficult operational changes.The episode concludes with Glen's thoughts on what truly separates successful entrepreneurs: passion, resilience, patience, and the ability to learn from failure without allowing setbacks to define the future.Key TakeawaysSeeing Opportunity Before Everyone ElseGlen recognized the potential of digital advertising long before it became mainstream. His willingness to act on that vision ultimately led to the creation of Big Deal Agency.Results Should Always Be MeasurableOne of Glen's guiding principles is that marketing should never rely on hope or vague promises. Every client should understand exactly what they're paying for and the results they're receiving.Business Planning Evolves with GrowthAs the company expanded, Glen realized that his original retainer model no longer supported sustainable growth. Transitioning to a billable-hours model improved profitability, reduced burnout, and created clearer expectations for clients and employees.Scope Creep Can Destroy ProfitabilityAllowing unlimited client requests under a fixed retainer created operational challenges. Tracking billable hours provided an objective way to manage additional requests while maintaining healthy client relationships.Leaders Need to Understand Their BusinessGlen believes founders should understand every major function of their company, especially during the early growth stages. Learning different aspects of the business allows leaders to better estimate workloads, coach employees, and make informed decisions.Accountability Builds TrustWhether managing employees or clients, Glen believes accountability begins with measurable expectations and complete transparency.Never Be Afraid to Ask QuestionsFor business owners hiring outside experts, Glen encourages asking questions until you fully understand where your money is going.Passion Comes Before PlanningBusiness planning matters, but Glen believes successful entrepreneurs first need genuine passion for solving a real problem in a better way than what's currently available.Failure Is Part of Business OwnershipEntrepreneurs should expect setbacks and develop the resilience to move past them without allowing one failure to affect future opportunities.Memorable Quotes"Marketing and advertising has to come with accountability and results.""People actually pay for results. People understand what they're getting.""Nowadays, I'm running my agency like a law office.""It's your money. If you don't understand what that money's being spent for, then the agency's not doing their job.""Don't be intimidated by the marketing lingo.""Learn how to do it." (Advice to founders about understanding every function of their business.)"Have passion for what you're doing.""If you believe that you can deliver quality work faster, cheaper, or just much better than others, then that's your cue to get started.""That's not a recipe for success." (On starting a business simply because others are doing it.)"Business ownership is so much about failure.""Seven failures out of ten gets you into the Hall of Fame.""Every client is now your boss.""Take the joy of the little successes that you have, and build on them."
    続きを読む 一部表示
    25 分
  • Building Luxury Experiences That Scale

    Building Luxury Experiences That Scale
    2026/07/30

    In this episode of Business Owners Tell All: What It Takes, Jamie Seeker sits down with Nikita Khandheria, Founder and CEO of ERIA, to explore how thoughtful business planning has fueled her entrepreneurial journey from launching her first venture as a teenager to building one of Northern California's fastest-growing hospitality and experiential brands.

    Nikita shares how she discovered entrepreneurship at a young age, the pivots that shaped her career, and why she believes successful founders should focus less on rigid plans and more on having a clear long-term vision with the flexibility to adapt along the way.

    Throughout the conversation, she discusses evaluating opportunities, choosing mentors, budgeting during different stages of growth, and building a business around meaningful experiences rather than simply providing services. She also explains her personal "Compass Method," a planning framework that starts with defining the life she wants decades into the future and then working backward to make today's decisions.

    Whether you're launching your first company or scaling an established business, this episode offers practical insights into strategic planning, decision-making, and building a business that aligns with your long-term vision.

    Episode NotesIn this episode, you'll learn:
    • How Nikita's entrepreneurial journey began with nonprofit clinics before entering hospitality.
    • Why she believes every successful entrepreneur should embrace pivots instead of fearing them.
    • How buying out investors and reinventing her business ultimately led to the creation of ERIA.
    • Why planning should provide direction without becoming restrictive.
    • The importance of evaluating opportunities based on long-term goals instead of short-term excitement.
    • How she determines which mentors and advice are worth following.
    • The role of reinvestment during high-growth phases of a business.
    • Why flexibility is one of the most valuable business planning skills.
    • The "Compass Method" she uses to make major business decisions.
    • Advice for entrepreneurs creating their first business plan.

    Key Takeaways
    • Business plans should evolve as the business evolves.
    • A clear long-term vision makes short-term decisions easier.
    • Great opportunities are measured by alignment, not excitement.
    • Reinvestment priorities change as a company matures.
    • Flexibility allows businesses to adapt without losing momentum.
    • Experience design is ultimately about creating lasting emotional connections.

    Memorable Quotes"I'm in the business of making life a little bit more fun.""You only live once. I want to experience everything.""It's about taking the next step forward and taking the step that gets you closer to where you want to be.""When you're good at what you do, the next steps will automatically come in front of you.""Why take learnings from someone who isn't where you want to be?""I know exactly where I want to end up. I just need to figure out how to get there.""Business planning isn't about having every answer. It's about knowing your direction.""When you're growing, you're reinvesting a lot more than when you're in a steady state.""I try not to set too many hard rules because sometimes the best opportunities require you to pivot.""The experiences people remember are the ones that make them feel something."
    続きを読む 一部表示
    30 分
adbl_web_anon_alc_button_suppression_t1
まだレビューはありません