How My Dad’s Simple Rules Built a Lifetime of Character and Respect

Why Old-School Business Values Beat Modern Corporate Culture Every Time

Before Google. Before Zoom. Before Dropbox. Business ran on something no algorithm has ever replicated: the human handshake. In this episode, Jeff Burgess takes a hard look at what the digital age quietly stole from the art of selling. From studying packing lists in a warehouse to flying cross-country for a single meeting, Jeff traces how genuine preparation, face-to-face presence, and earned trust built a career that no search engine could have shortcut. This isn't nostalgia for nostalgia's sake. It's a sharp reminder that the habits that made great salespeople great — knowing your customer cold before you walked in the door, respecting their time, shutting up and listening — are rarer than ever and more valuable than ever. Technology was supposed to enhance the human element. Instead, it replaced it. Jeff argues that the ones who win today are the ones who never let it. 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)

How My Dad’s Simple Rules Built a Lifetime of Character and Respect

The most important lessons in life rarely come from textbooks. They come from watching a man live by simple rules and never break them. In this episode, Jeff Burgess reflects on the steady example set by his father. Tell the truth. Take responsibility. Respect others. Do not cut corners. These values were not preached. They were demonstrated consistently and without compromise. From sobriety and accountability to tough love and second chances, this story shows how one pivotal conversation changed a young man’s direction and how those same principles later shaped a company built on trust and respect. Character lasts longer than success. Integrity outlives money. The greatest gift a father can give is not comfort, but clarity. 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)

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.