My Life Lessons - The BurgeCast

Why Trusting Your Team Is the Best Decision You’ll Ever Make as a Leader

Most leaders say they trust their team. Very few actually do. In this episode, Jeff Burgess breaks down why real trust—not micromanagement, not slogans, not open-door theater—is the single best decision a leader can make. From college dropout to founder and CEO, Jeff shares how giving people ownership, autonomy, and room to make decisions created loyalty, resilience, and a culture that thrived even in chaos. Trust wasn’t a perk—it was the operating system. And when things got messy (because they always do), that trust is what kept the wheels on. This is a straight-talk episode about empowerment, accountability, and why the strongest leaders don’t try to control everything—they build teams they can step back from and still sleep at night. To learn more about Jeff’s journey, pick up a copy of 𝙄𝙩 𝙒𝙤𝙧𝙠𝙚𝙙 𝙁𝙤𝙧 𝙈𝙚: 𝙈𝙮 𝙇𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙎𝙚𝙞𝙯𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙊𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝘽𝙪𝙞𝙡𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙎𝙪𝙘𝙘𝙚𝙨𝙨 Now also available in audiobook format. 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)

Creating Value: Success Happens When You Build a Team That Loves Their Work

You can have the best product in the world and still fail. The reason? Your team. In this episode, Jeff Burgess explains why trust, alignment, and pride in the work matter more than any feature list or pitch deck ever will. Drawing from decades of building and leading teams at scale, Jeff shares how strong culture, purposeful training, and shared accountability turn individuals into a unified force. From coaching kids’ sports to managing major enterprise accounts, he shows why teams that believe in each other — and in the mission — consistently outperform those that don’t. A grounded, experience-driven episode about leadership, execution, and why real success starts behind the scenes, long before the customer ever says yes. To learn more about Jeff’s journey, pick up a copy of 𝙄𝙩 𝙒𝙤𝙧𝙠𝙚𝙙 𝙁𝙤𝙧 𝙈𝙚: 𝙈𝙮 𝙇𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙎𝙚𝙞𝙯𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙊𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝘽𝙪𝙞𝙡𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙎𝙪𝙘𝙚𝙨𝙨 today! Now also available in audiobook format. 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)

Bonus Episode: What 40 Years of Trust in Business Really Looks Like

This special bonus episode of The BurgeCast breaks from the usual format and goes deeper than the blogs. For the first time, Jeff Burgess sits down with longtime friend and former Ingram Micro executive Kelly Nagel for an unfiltered conversation about the relationships, risks, pressure, and pivotal moments behind a 45-year career in technology. Long before smartphones, Zoom calls, and AI, business was built through trust, hustle, reputation, and human connection. Together, Jeff and Kelly revisit the early days of the computer industry, the chaos of rapid growth, and the lessons learned while helping build companies, teams, and careers from the ground up. The conversation explores: * The relationship-driven mindset behind a $100M company * Why trust and accountability still beat shortcuts * Mentorship, leadership, and learning under pressure * The hidden challenges behind success stories * How great teams and strong culture are really built * Why curiosity and listening remain competitive advantages This is not a traditional interview. It is two longtime industry veterans pulling back the curtain on the people, decisions, and life lessons that shaped their success.

How Technology Innovation Changed Everything: From Walkmans to AI

If you grew up rewinding cassette tapes and now talk to machines for answers, this episode is for you. In this episode, Jeff Burgess traces the arc of technology from the Sony Walkman to smartphones to today’s AI boom — and reflects on how innovation has reshaped not just our tools, but our attention, habits, and expectations. Jeff contrasts an era when technology enhanced life without replacing human effort with a world where convenience is constant and focus is fractured. Drawing from his own career, he explains why the skills that once built reputation and opportunity — curiosity, persistence, and problem-solving — can’t be automated, even as technology accelerates around us. A thoughtful, generational episode about progress, restraint, and why Human Intelligence — passion, judgment, and effort — still matters more than anything artificial ever will. To learn more about Jeff’s journey, pick up a copy of 𝙄𝙩 𝙒𝙤𝙧𝙠𝙚𝙙 𝙁𝙤𝙧 𝙈𝙚: 𝙈𝙮 𝙇𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙎𝙚𝙞𝙯𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙊𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝘽𝙪𝙞𝙡𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙎𝙪𝙘𝙚𝙨𝙨 today! Now also available in audiobook format. 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)

Why Becoming Grandpa Is Like Getting a Complete Life Reboot

Some moments in life don’t just add meaning — they reset everything. In this episode, Jeff Burgess shares how becoming a grandfather unexpectedly gave him a full reboot on joy, purpose, and perspective. Jeff reflects on the quiet magic of watching his grandson grow, the simple rituals that now define his days, and the deep pride that comes from seeing his own children become incredible parents. From first smiles and first foods to FaceTime check-ins and stolen moments of holding Johnny whenever Grandma allows it, he captures how this new chapter has reshaped what matters most. A heartfelt, joyful episode about family, legacy, and why becoming Grandpa isn’t just a new role — it’s a reminder that love, presence, and wonder never age. To learn about Jeff’s journey, pick up a copy of 𝙄𝙩 𝙒𝙤𝙧𝙠𝙚𝙙 𝙁𝙤𝙧 𝙈𝙚: 𝙈𝙮 𝙇𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙎𝙚𝙞𝙯𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙊𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝘽𝙪𝙞𝙡𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙎𝙪𝙘𝙚𝙨𝙨 today! Now also available in audiobook format. 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)