What does it really take to build profitable technology companies without outside funding, and why does that mindset matter even more as AI reshapes every industry?

In this episode of Business Tech Perspectives, I sat down with James Benham, a lifelong technologist, serial founder, and unapologetic bootstrapper who has spent more than two decades building enterprise software businesses on his own terms. Broadcasting from Texas, with stories that stretch from Louisiana to Argentina to the UK, James brings a rare mix of candor, humor, and hard-earned perspective on what it means to survive and grow in technology when there is no safety net.

James shares his journey from writing code as a teenager to running an early dial-up internet service provider, before going on to co-found JBKnowledge and later launching Terra, a modern core system transforming workers’ compensation and insurance operations. We talk openly about why he chose bootstrapping over venture capital, how that decision shaped his leadership style, and why cash discipline still separates companies that endure from those that quietly disappear.

The conversation also explores why insurance, often dismissed as dull from the outside, becomes endlessly fascinating once you understand how deeply it touches everyday life. James explains how risk, data, and claims connect everything from football matches to flight safety, and how working inside the industry fundamentally changes how you see the world around you. It is a reminder that some of the most meaningful innovation happens in places that do not shout for attention.

We spend time unpacking lessons from his book, Be Your Own VC, including why survival matters more than growth headlines and how many founders underestimate the emotional toll of building companies over decades. James does not shy away from discussing the hard days, the moments of doubt, or the reality that technology leaders are always one misstep away from trouble.

As expected, AI enters the discussion, not as a buzzword but as a genuine shift in how fast software can be built and how quickly businesses can fall behind. James offers a clear-eyed view on why speed to market, trust, and execution now matter more than ever, especially in regulated industries like insurance where legacy processes still dominate.

We close on a deeply human note, talking about creativity, music, flying, and the role of art in staying grounded while leading global teams. It is a reminder that the best business leaders rarely draw their energy from work alone.

So as automation accelerates and building software becomes easier than ever, how do you design a career and a company that can still last for decades, and what would you do differently if you truly had to bet on yourself?

Useful links

• James Benham’s personal site
• JBKnowledge:
• Terra Workers’ Compensation Platform:
• Be Your Own VC book:
• InsureTech Geek Podcast:
• James Benham on LinkedIn:

Thanks to our sponsors, Alcor, for supporting the show.

What if the biggest barrier holding entrepreneurs back was never a lack of ideas, but the friction created by tools, platforms, and infrastructure that were never designed for speed?

In this episode of Business Technology Perspectives, I sit down with Sachin Puri, CEO of Bluehost, to explore how AI-native platforms are reshaping what is possible for entrepreneurs and small businesses. Sachin brings a long-term view from the heart of the web, sharing how the shift toward AI-assisted creation is lowering barriers, accelerating experimentation, and enabling a new wave of solo-scale founders to build brands, storefronts, and full customer journeys in days rather than months.

Our conversation looks beyond AI hype and focuses on where real value is showing up. Sachin explains how customer expectations are evolving in an AI-driven marketplace, where instant performance, personalization, and seamless experiences are no longer differentiators but baseline expectations. We also discuss why infrastructure alone is no longer the advantage it once was, and why speed of innovation, adaptability, and integrated experiences now determine which businesses scale and which struggle to keep up.

We also dig into an important milestone for an open, AI-ready web, with Sachin sharing why collaboration across the ecosystem matters. From Bluehost’s work with Yoast on brand insights and generative engine optimization to broader partnerships with companies like Microsoft, this episode highlights how the next phase of the web will be shaped by platforms that help entrepreneurs get discovered not just by search engines, but by AI systems as well.

Sachin offers practical insight into what happens when success arrives faster than expected, why virality can become a crisis without the right foundations, and why hosting has quietly evolved into a strategic performance layer rather than a background utility. As we look toward 2026, we explore the rise of intelligent, living websites, the return of owned web real estate, and why the future belongs to builders who move quickly while staying grounded in reliability, security, and trust.

If AI is giving entrepreneurs access to capabilities once reserved for the biggest players, how will you use that advantage to build something that lasts?

Useful Links

Connect with Sachin Puri

Learn more about Bluehost AI features

Tech Talks Network is sponsored by Denodo

How do you transform an industry that most people still assume runs on clipboards, manual checks, and fragmented updates? And what happens when reality capture and AI finally combine to give construction teams a clear and measurable picture of progress on every site? In this episode of Business Tech Perspectives, I sit down with Chaitanya NK, the co-founder and CEO of Track3D, to explore how reality intelligence is reshaping the way major projects are built and managed.

NK shares how three founders with no construction background stepped into one of the most complex environments in the world and uncovered a problem that had been hiding in plain sight. Field data was inconsistent, incomplete, and nearly impossible to verify at scale. The result was delays, rework, and avoidable cost overruns. Track3D tackles this head-on by unifying drones, 360 cameras, scanners, mobile devices, and even robots into one clear view of what has been installed, when it happened, and whether it meets the plan. Through practical examples, NK explains how automated measurement brings immediate clarity, how deviations are caught early before they snowball, and how objective data changes coordination across trades, schedules, and budgets.

This is a conversation for anyone interested in the real business value of AI in physical environments. NK talks openly about trust, data governance, security, and the balance between automated insight and human judgment. He also shares his vision for 2026, where AI agents act as partners to schedulers, coordinators, and field teams. If you want to understand how technology is reshaping one of the world’s largest and most demanding industries, you will find real insight here.

Listeners who want to learn more about Track3D or connect with the team can visit track3d.ai or reach out on LinkedIn at Track3D. Where would you like to explore this conversation further in your own work?

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