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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
  • Learning, Unlearning, and Building Something That Matters

    Learning, Unlearning, and Building Something That Matters
    Jun 4 2026
    In this episode of Business Owners Tell All: What It Takes, Jaya Iyer shares her journey from growing up in India to building a purpose-driven fashion brand in the United States. With a Ph.D. in Fashion Merchandising and experience in both academia and the apparel industry, Jaya combined her knowledge, personal experiences, and motherhood to create Svaha USA—a brand designed to challenge gender norms and inspire learning through clothing.What began as a simple frustration—being unable to find a space-themed shirt for her daughter—turned into a powerful business idea. Through smart business planning, including launching with a Kickstarter campaign, Jaya validated her concept with minimal risk and built a brand rooted in education, empowerment, and curiosity.Throughout the conversation, Jaya emphasizes the importance of continuous learning, adaptability, and staying connected to customers. She highlights how failures, operational challenges, and unexpected events like COVID forced her to pivot, reinforcing that flexibility is one of the most critical skills a business owner can develop.Her approach to business goes beyond profit—Svaha is designed to spark curiosity, build confidence, and create meaningful conversations through everyday products. Ultimately, Jaya’s story is a testament to the power of learning, resilience, and building something that truly matters.🧠 Key Takeaways & Notes🚀 Origin Story & Business PlanningThe idea for Svaha came from a real-life problem: lack of STEM-themed clothing for girlsStarted with just 5 t-shirts and ~$500 investmentUsed Kickstarter to validate demand before scalingIdentified a clear market gap + emotional connection📌 Lesson: Start small, validate early, and let the market guide you🎓 Learning as a Competitive AdvantageAcademic background helped with:Consumer behavior understandingProduct development knowledgePricing and inventory strategyStrong emphasis on listening to customers📌 Lesson: Knowledge reduces risk and increases decision quality🔁 Learning Through Failure & AdaptabilityFaced unexpected challenges (e.g., COVID, production issues)Learned the importance of:Pivoting quicklyDouble-checking executionAccepting and correcting mistakes📌 Lesson: Experience doesn’t eliminate mistakes—adaptability does🧩 Building a Learning-Driven BrandClothing designed to:Spark curiosityEncourage conversationsReinforce identity and confidenceProducts act as “learning tools” in everyday life📌 Lesson: Businesses can educate, not just sell🧠 Mindset & Personal DevelopmentContinuous learning through:ReadingPodcastsFollowing thought leadersStrong focus on time management and boundaries📌 Lesson: If you stop learning, your business starts declining🤝 Leadership & Growth ChallengesDifficulty implementing change within teamsImportance of:Communicating vision clearlyShowing benefits of changeGrowth came from embracing new opportunities (e.g., adult clothing line)📌 Lesson: Leaders must guide change—even when it’s uncomfortable🌍 Entrepreneur RealityEntrepreneurship can be lonelyImportance of:Peer networksLearning from other foundersStaying updated with trends (e.g., tech, platforms, AI)📌 Lesson: Surround yourself with people who challenge and teach you💬 Memorable QuotesHere are standout, highly quotable moments from the episode:“I couldn’t find anything for her in the girls’ department… and that’s what sparked this idea.”“All my life experiences had prepared me to do this.”“You have to always listen to your customer… if your customer is not happy, nothing else matters.”“There is no dearth of things you can spend money on—you have to prioritize.”“You have to learn to pivot, you have to learn to be flexible.”“Clothing impacts how a child thinks.”“One of the reasons a business is successful is when you are offering something nobody else is.”“Nobody likes change—we’re all creatures of habit.”“I don’t think there is ever an end to learning.”“Being a business owner is a very lonely life.”“Patience, determination, and perseverance—that’s what it takes.”
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    32 mins
  • The Hidden Skill Every Founder Must Learn: Decision-Making Under Uncertainty

    The Hidden Skill Every Founder Must Learn: Decision-Making Under Uncertainty
    May 28 2026
    In this episode, Santosh Kaveti, Founder & CEO of ProArch, shares his journey of building a global technology company and the evolving mindset required to lead in times of rapid disruption.From embracing uncertainty as a first-time entrepreneur to navigating today’s unprecedented AI-driven transformation, Santosh highlights that success in business isn’t just about strategy—it’s about learning how to think, decide, and adapt under pressure.The conversation dives deep into decision-making as a learned skill, the importance of building aligned teams, and how leaders must continuously unlearn, relearn, and evolve to stay relevant.Santosh also reveals how ProArch is shifting from a traditional IT services model into an AI-driven organization—demonstrating how businesses must act quickly or risk becoming obsolete.🧠 Key Takeaways1. Decision-Making Is a Learnable SkillFounders aren’t born with great decision-making abilitiesIt develops through experience, failure, and reflectionLeaders must train themselves to handle ambiguity2. Clarity Drives ResultsTeams cannot perform without clear directionA leader’s job is to synthesize complexity and articulate it simplyMisalignment often comes from lack of clarity—not lack of effort3. Your Team Is EverythingYou cannot scale aloneSuccess comes from aligning:Individual passionsCompany purposeTrue growth happens when teams are emotionally connected to the mission4. Unlearning Is Just as Important as LearningGrowth requires letting go of old ways of workingBreaking down silos is essential for innovationCollaboration across functions creates stronger outcomes5. Disruption = OpportunityAI is changing business faster than any previous technology waveCompanies must adapt quickly or risk becoming obsoleteLeaders must embrace change instead of waiting to react6. Mentorship Accelerates GrowthGreat mentors help sharpen thinking and communicationLearning from others shortens the trial-and-error cycleExposure to different perspectives strengthens decision-making7. Business Planning Must EvolveEarly-stage: vision-driven and experimentalGrowth stage: structured, strategic, and team-drivenToday: requires constant iteration due to rapid change💬 Memorable Quotes (Polished for Impact)Here are some strong pull quotes you can use for social, promos, or show notes:🔥 On Leadership & Clarity“Clarity is what drives results. If your team doesn’t have clarity, they can’t execute.”🔥 On Decision-Making“Decision-making isn’t something you’re born with—it’s something you learn through failure, reflection, and experience.”🔥 On Building Teams“You need people, purpose, and progress—and a team that’s truly connected to all three.”🔥 On Growth & Letting Go“At some point, you realize you can’t do it all—and that’s when real growth begins.”🔥 On Learning & Mentorship“The ability to synthesize and articulate is a skill—and you can train yourself to get there.”🔥 On Change & Adaptation“You either embrace and adapt, or you don’t just fall behind—you become obsolete.”🔥 On Innovation“Anytime there’s disruption, there’s also massive opportunity.”🔥 On Collaboration“We had to unlearn working in silos and start thinking as one unified team.”🔥 Signature Closing Insight“It takes clarity of purpose, incredible patience, and the ability to influence people and connect them to that purpose.”📝 Suggested Show Notes (Ready to Publish)In this episode of Business Owner Tell All: What It Takes, we sit down with Santosh Kaveti, Founder & CEO of ProArch, to explore what it really takes to lead and grow a business in today’s rapidly changing world.Santosh shares how he built a global technology company without a traditional business background, and how learning, adaptability, and decision-making became his greatest tools along the way.We dive into:The reality of scaling from startup to growth stageWhy decision-making is a skill every founder must developHow to build and align high-performing teamsThe importance of clarity in leadershipNavigating disruption in the age of AIWhy companies must evolve—or risk becoming obsoleteIf you're a business owner navigating uncertainty, this episode is packed with real insights on how to think, lead, and grow in today’s environment.
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    24 mins
  • Planning for Exit Before You’re Ready to Exit

    Planning for Exit Before You’re Ready to Exit
    May 21 2026
    This episode dives into how Jesse Jackson built a fast-growing automotive repair business from zero to eight figures in just four years — without prior industry experience.Her journey highlights a core truth: business growth is a direct reflection of personal growth.Jesse shares how she leveraged:Continuous learningStrategic mentorshipAcquisition-driven scalingLetting go of control…to evolve from operator to enterprise-level leader.She also gives a raw, unfiltered look at balancing seven kids + eight businesses, emphasizing that success isn’t about balance — it’s about embracing constant pressure and growth.🧠 Key Takeaways & Notes1. Entering an Industry Without Experience Can Be an AdvantageJesse didn’t come from automotive — and that helped her question outdated normsShe saw opportunity where insiders saw “the way things have always been done”Identified a massive market shift: 60% of shop owners retiring → wealth transfer opportunity👉 Insight:Outsiders often innovate faster because they’re not conditioned by industry habits2. Growth Forces Personal Evolution“You’re not ready for the goal — but you grow into it”Jesse describes herself evolving from “Jesse 6.0 to Jesse 8.3”Rapid scaling forces leadership development whether you’re ready or not👉 Insight:You don’t wait to become capable — you become capable by pursuing bigger goals3. Mentorship Accelerates EverythingKey turning point: learning from Roland Frasier (acquisition strategy)Mentors helped her compress years of learning into monthsEventually turned mentor into investor👉 Insight:Proximity to the right people shortcuts trial-and-error4. Letting Go of Control is Required to ScaleEarly stage: doing everything (HR, finance, marketing, payroll)Breaking point at 5 locations → forced to hireBiggest growth unlock = hiring people better than her👉 Insight:You are the bottleneck until you replace yourself5. Decision-Making: Speed vs. StrategyJesse shares a powerful metaphor:Entrepreneurs either:❌ Stand in the airport (paralyzed, miss opportunities)❌ Jump on every plane (bad decisions, misalignment)Her evolution:From fast decisions → to intentional, strategic decisions with consequences in mind👉 Insight:Scaling requires upgrading your decision-making, not just making more decisions6. Learning Comes From Pressure, Not Just BooksYes: books, mentors, programsBut most growth came from:Rapid scalingReal-world pressureBeing forced to adapt👉 Insight:Execution is the fastest teacher7. There Is No Balance — Only Capacity ExpansionJesse is brutally honest about life:“No balance”“Constant struggle”“Sometimes collapse under pressure”But she reframes it:Struggle = growthChaos = chosen lifestyle👉 Insight:High performance isn’t balanced — it’s intentional chaos8. Core Traits of a Business OwnerJesse distills it into two essentials:Be willing to “eat glass” (handle constant problems)Set big, audacious goals👉 Insight:Endurance + vision = long-term success💬 Memorable Quotes (🔥 These are GOLD for clips)On Entrepreneurship“Being a business owner is like eating glass — all the worst problems come to you.”On Growth“You’re not everything you need to be yet — but you’ll become that person on the way.”On Mentorship“I don’t know how to get from 20 million to 100 million — so I find people who do.”On Hiring“You think no one can do it better than you — and then you find them.”On Scaling“You are the limiting factor in your business.”On Decision-Making“Some people stand in the airport and never get on a plane… I was getting on every plane.”On Maturity as a Leader“Now I have to think about the consequences to 100 people — not just me.”On Life + Business“My life is held together by a hair tie and two broken bobby pins.”On Balance“There’s no balance. You just do it anyway.”On What It Takes (Signature Moment)“Be willing to eat glass… and set big, hairy, audacious goals.”
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    23 mins
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