My Life Lessons - The BurgeCast

The most important product any salesperson sells isn't on the price sheet. It's their word.

In this episode, Jeff Burgess breaks down where real confidence comes from (homework, not winging it) and why becoming a customer's "Trusted Advisor" matters more than closing any single deal. Jeff walks through the small moves that build outsized trust: letting the customer talk while you listen, reiterating what you heard to show you were paying attention, and never badmouthing a competitor even when you're handed the perfect opening.

He also shares the counterintuitive move that turns a salesperson into a permanent fixture in an account: pointing a customer toward a product you don't even carry, just because it's the right call for them. That's not generosity. That's strategy.

This is a practical, experience-tested episode on the two rules that anchor everything else: Know Thy Customer and Know Thy Competition. Skip these, and nothing after matters.

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)

Most companies compete on price. BCD Video competed on trust. And when the stakes are high enough, trust is the only thing that matters.

In this episode, Jeff Burgess pulls back the curtain on his years leading BCD Video, a company that put security surveillance storage servers into some of the most consequential places on earth. Wimbledon. Westminster Abbey. Apple. Oracle. Machu Picchu. The Pentagon. Disney theme parks worldwide.

Jeff shares the moments that stayed with him long after retirement: footage from a Lord and Taylor camera that helped identify one of the Boston Marathon bombers, Secret Service video capturing Mike Pence being evacuated on January 6th, and a Sunday night on the couch watching 60 Minutes when he recognized the crystal-clear drone attack footage from Saudi Aramco oil fields and broke down in tears.

This is a rare look at what it means to build something that quietly shows up at the most important moments in modern history, for better and for worse. Reputation over price. Uptime over everything. One server at a time.

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)

Most salespeople sell what the company gives them and call it a day. Jeff Burgess built an empire inside someone else's infrastructure.

In this episode, Jeff shares how he turned third-party manufacturer relationships into a self-sustaining sales force, using his employer's accounting, warehousing, and marketing as the engine while doing what he did best: selling. From managing the State of Texas contract to moving over $4 million in Unisys PCs in a single year, this is a masterclass in seeing opportunity where others saw a fad.

The secret? Two rules he learned early and never abandoned: Know Thy Customer and Know Thy Competition. While others raced to the bottom on price, Jeff was selling value, longevity, and trust. Any schmuck can win on price. Jeff was never that schmuck.

This is the story of how thinking sideways, building relationships before you need them, and refusing to take no for a final answer can turn a single idea into millions.

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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.

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)

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)