Who’s usually the smartest person in the room? According to Jeff Burgess, it’s often the one doing the least talking. In this episode, Jeff reflects on an early career lesson learned the hard way: talking more doesn’t make you smarter — listening does.

From his early days battling “motormouth” in customer meetings to discovering the power of silence, Jeff breaks down why effective listening builds trust, uncovers real needs, and creates stronger relationships. He shares practical insights on asking better questions, doing just enough homework, and why patience and thoughtful follow-up often matter more than having all the answers on the spot.

A grounded, no-nonsense episode about why listening with intent isn’t passive — it’s one of the most powerful tools in business and life.

To learn more about Jeff’s journey, pick up a copy of 𝙄𝙩 𝙒𝙤𝙧𝙠𝙚𝙙 𝙁𝙤𝙧 𝙈𝙚: 𝙈𝙮 𝙇𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙎𝙚𝙞𝙯𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙊𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝘽𝙪𝙞𝙡𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙎𝙪𝙘𝙘𝙚𝙨𝙨 today!

100% of all royalties go directly to the Wounded Warrior Project!

Wondrous Stories.... Words and music by Jon Anderson.

Copyright held by Atlantic Recording Corporation (℗ 1977, 2003, 2008)

What do broken bones, childhood rooftop stunts, and multimillion-dollar business decisions have in common? In this episode, Jeff Burgess reflects on how a lifelong habit of taking flying leaps — sometimes reckless, sometimes calculated — shaped his growth as an entrepreneur and leader.

From a childhood spent learning cause and effect the hard way to bold, high-stakes decisions in the early days of building BCD, Jeff shares why risk-taking doesn’t mean ignoring consequences — it means having the courage to act anyway. He walks through a pivotal moment when trusting instinct, transparency, and relationships led to a $14 million breakthrough that changed the trajectory of his company.

A candid, story-driven episode about courage, calculated risk, and why playing the game will always beat watching from the sidelines.

To learn more about Jeff’s journey, pick up a copy of 𝙄𝙩 𝙒𝙤𝙧𝙠𝙚𝙙 𝙁𝙤𝙧 𝙈𝙚: 𝙈𝙮 𝙇𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙎𝙚𝙞𝙯𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙊𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝘽𝙪𝙞𝙡𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙎𝙪𝙘𝙘𝙚𝙨𝙨 today!

100% of all royalties go directly to the Wounded Warrior Project!

Wondrous Stories.... Words and music by Jon Anderson.

Copyright held by Atlantic Recording Corporation (℗ 1977, 2003, 2008)

What did it feel like to build the future when no one knew what the future would look like? In this episode, Jeff Burgess looks back at Halt and Catch Fire and explains why the series captures the raw risk, ambition, and excitement of 1980s computing better than almost anything else on screen.

Jeff connects scenes from the show to real moments from his own early career — from COMDEX and the debut of the IBM PC, to the rise of MS-DOS, portable computers with actual carrying handles, and the race to define industry standards. He reflects on a time when innovation meant betting everything on an idea, curiosity drove progress, and technology felt like pure “what-if” magic.

A nostalgic and insightful conversation about the era that shaped modern tech — and why that fearless spirit of experimentation still matters today.

To learn more about Jeff’s journey, pick up a copy of 𝙄𝙩 𝙒𝙤𝙧𝙠𝙚𝙙 𝙁𝙤𝙧 𝙈𝙚: 𝙈𝙮 𝙇𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙎𝙚𝙞𝙯𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙊𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝘽𝙪𝙞𝙡𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙎𝙪𝙘𝙘𝙚𝙨𝙨 today!

100% of all royalties go directly to the Wounded Warrior Project!

Wondrous Stories.... Words and music by Jon Anderson.

Copyright held by Atlantic Recording Corporation (℗ 1977, 2003, 2008)

In this episode, Jeff Burgess shares how an unexpected referral from GE led to the creation of a hundred-million-dollar business. What started as building custom computer servers quickly turned into trusted partnerships with GE and HP — driven by speed, accuracy, and the ability to move faster than large corporations. Jeff walks through how those early relationships led to over $51 million in sales and ultimately sparked the creation of BCDVideo, now a leader in video surveillance solutions. A powerful story about reputation, trust, and recognizing opportunity when it shows up.

To learn about this entire journey, pick up a copy of 𝙄𝙩 𝙒𝙤𝙧𝙠𝙚𝙙 𝙁𝙤𝙧 𝙈𝙚: 𝙈𝙮 𝙇𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙎𝙚𝙞𝙯𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙊𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝘽𝙪𝙞𝙡𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙎𝙪𝙘𝙘𝙚𝙨𝙨 today!

100% of all royalties go directly to the Wounded Warrior Project!

Wondrous Stories.... Words and music by Jon Anderson.

Copyright held by Atlantic Recording Corporation (℗ 1977, 2003, 2008)

In this episode, Jeff Burgess shares how going beyond “Know Thy Customer” and “Know Thy Competitor” — and truly understanding your customer’s competitor — can create a powerful competitive advantage. He explains why in-person conversations reveal insights no Google search ever could, and how careful observation, listening, and ethical research uncover opportunities others miss.

Jeff walks through practical strategies for analyzing competitor products, positioning your solution effectively, and guiding customers to discover value for themselves. By doing so, you elevate your role from vendor to trusted advisor — building stronger relationships, long-term loyalty, and sustainable growth.

To learn more about Jeff’s journey, pick up a copy of 𝙄𝙩 𝙒𝙤𝙧𝙠𝙚𝙙 𝙁𝙤𝙧 𝙈𝙚: 𝙈𝙮 𝙇𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙎𝙚𝙞𝙯𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙊𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝘽𝙪𝙞𝙡𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙎𝙪𝙘𝙘𝙚𝙨𝙨 today!

100% of all royalties go directly to the Wounded Warrior Project!

Wondrous Stories.... Words and music by Jon Anderson.

Copyright held by Atlantic Recording Corporation (℗ 1977, 2003, 2008)