In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Ryan Johnson, the CTO and VP of Engineering at Seek.

Growing up on a farm in Central California, Ryan learned early lessons about hard work, authenticity, and service—values that later guided him through the fast-moving world of startups and engineering leadership. From working on the early product team at Livescribe to launching a web development agency by literally walking door-to-door along Newbury Street, Ryan reflects on how genuine relationships—not aggressive sales tactics—were the foundation of landing his very first customers.

Ryan also dives into the evolution of his career, from building agencies and consulting with major financial institutions to co-founding companies in the fintech and analytics space. Now serving as CTO of Seek, he discusses how engineering culture, curiosity, and collaboration shape better products—and why empowering engineers to ask “invasive” questions often leads to stronger outcomes. Ryan shares insights on partnerships, scaling engineering teams responsibly, and why serving customers and colleagues with authenticity remains the most powerful strategy in business.

Learn how Ryan Johnson blends engineering culture, leadership, and real human connection in this episode of The First Customer!


Guest Info:
Seek
https://seekinsights.com/


Ryan Johnson's LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryancharlesjohnson/

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https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayaigner/
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