In this episode of What It Takes: Business Owners Tell All, host Jamie Seeker sits down with Evan Williams, CEO and Co-Founder of Riverview Systems Group, Inc., a Silicon Valley-based live event production company with a 38-year track record of staging unforgettable experiences for major global brands like Google, Apple, and Cisco.

Evan shares the unlikely blend of theater and accounting that led to his success, how he kept his team intact during the pandemic by pivoting to virtual production, and why empowering people is the secret to creating extraordinary events—and lasting culture. He also talks about co-founding the Rhythm Academy of San Jose, mentoring the next generation of industry talent, and what he’s learned across four decades in business.

This one’s packed with heart, hustle, and hard-won wisdom.

• Adapting to change in the live event industry
• The power of culture in business longevity
• The transition from analog to digital production
• Leading through crisis with empathy and creativity
• Mentorship, education, and community impact
• Entrepreneurship across industries

1. “There was never an idea in 1987 that we’d become a $20 million company. We just wanted to provide a service nobody else was offering.”
2. “Patience is one of the most important things. Being willing to listen, and not being stuck on your own ideas—that’s how you grow.”
3. “Our best work is done under NDA.” 😄 (A lighthearted but telling nod to high-stakes production work)
4. “The team chose to take a cut in salary rather than see any coworkers laid off. That speaks to the culture here.”
5. “I’ve always tried to empower people to do what they’re passionate about. That’s how careers grow—and how teams stick together.”
6. “We didn’t have a plan during the pandemic, but we had the right mindset: be flexible, pivot fast, and do the next right thing.”
7. “If you want to be successful as a business owner, you're in it 24/7. It's a commitment, not a shortcut.”
8. “There’s such a joy in watching someone you’ve mentored succeed—even if they don’t work for you anymore. That’s impact.”

🌐 Website: www.riverview.com

📘 Facebook: facebook.com/RiverviewSystemsGroup

📺 YouTube: @riverviewsystemsgroupinc4339

In this episode of What It Takes: Business Owners Tell All, host Jamie Seeker talks with award-winning architect and sustainability leader Scott Rodwin. From starting his firm after spontaneously quitting a job in 1999 to building a nationally recognized design/build company, Scott shares how community, collaboration, and bold thinking have shaped his journey.

He opens up about:

• The early days of hustling for projects
• How he built two thriving businesses in tandem
• The philosophy behind taking full responsibility for the client experience
• Lessons from surviving economic downturns
• Why teaching, service, and advocacy are part of his business DNA

Scott’s insights are a blueprint for what it means to build with both purpose and precision.

Scott left a job without a plan but found his first client through a neighbor — and his next through a friend in the community. These early, small projects became award-winning and launched his firm.

“I didn’t have a plan. It was totally spontaneous and accidental… but I had a community, and that’s what saved me.”

Scott explains why his firm embraces the architect-led design/build model — to ensure quality, reduce risk, and give clients a single point of responsibility.

“We take full responsibility for everything. Our clients love the idea of single-point responsibility — and in our industry, that’s unusual.”

“In 25 years of doing business, we’ve never been sued. That’s practically unheard of in this industry.”

Scott has been a sustainability advocate since before “green building” was a common term. His first project used straw bale construction and earned national awards.

“We didn’t call it green building then. We just did it because it felt right.”

From hiring a seasoned construction expert to partnering with a younger team member with drive, Scott shares how complementary skills build strong businesses.

“The most important thing when looking for a partner is not finding someone like you. It’s finding someone who complements your weak areas — and who you trust.”

“We call it peanut butter and jelly. Very different, but it works.”

Scott’s service as AIA Colorado President and as a teacher and speaker stems from his belief in lifting others up.

“We all do better when we share knowledge. Scarcity and fear have no place in our industry.”

“One of our competitors said, ‘We’ve learned so much from you over the years. I’m just giving back.’”

Scott reveals how his firm survived the 2008 crash by cutting hours, not people — and why collective sacrifice built long-term loyalty.

“We rise together, we sink together. No one got laid off. Everyone took a hit — together.”

Scott’s signature advice is practical, generous, and powerful:

“Find your passion. Build your community. And create true partnerships inside your business.”

“Our culture is one for all, all for one — and we haven’t had a single internal political issue in over 20 years.”

• “Your first jobs come from your social network — not your website.”
• “If we’re going to be sued for it anyway, we might as well be in control of...

In this emotional and eye-opening episode of What It Takes: Business Owners Tell All, host Jamie Seeker sits down with Derek Du Chesne, co-founder and CEO of Better U, a telehealth company offering at-home psychedelic therapy. Derek shares his deeply personal journey—from achieving outward success to hitting rock bottom after a mental health crisis. He opens up about how a single ketamine therapy session saved his life, shifted his inner dialogue, and inspired him to start a mission-driven company focused on making mental health treatment more accessible, affordable, and holistic.

Listeners will hear firsthand about Derek’s transformation, how Better U was born, and why he's committed to disrupting the current mental health care model. The conversation offers hope, insight, and a candid look at what it really takes to create something that matters.

• At the height of career success in cannabis and wellness industries, Derek faced a personal collapse: career severance, heartbreak, and deep depression.
• Despite financial security, he felt empty and experienced suicidal ideation.
• Traditional therapies (psychiatric meds, talk therapy, even seeing a shaman) weren’t helping.

• A friend intervened during Derek’s lowest point and introduced him to ketamine therapy.
• After one session, he experienced a profound mental “reset.”
• He describes the experience as the first time in months he could breathe and feel connected again.

• Inspired by his transformation and time spent with psychedelic researchers at Stanford, Derek felt a responsibility to help others.
• Noted barriers to ketamine therapy: stigma, cost ($1,500/session), and lack of aftercare.
• Launched Better U in 2021 with Dr. Sam Zand to offer more affordable, supported, at-home treatments.

• Better U has now delivered 200,000+ sessions across 35 states.
• Leveraged telehealth innovations post-pandemic to offer oral ketamine therapy safely at home.
• Reduced cost to ~$100 per session—making it 10x more accessible.

• Better U now offers a broader platform including:
• Ketamine-assisted therapy
• Functional medicine
• Weight loss programs
• Sexual health
• Holistic psychiatry & soon, talk therapy
• Focused on helping patients find multiple tools for healing—not just a single pill.

“Relentless commitment to the mission… and to your own self-love and mental health. You need to be able to live with yourself through the highs and the lows.”

“Nobody takes their own life because they’re thinking clearly. It goes against everything in our nature—we’re wired to survive.”

“Ketamine therapy created space between me and my thoughts. It quieted that inner critic.”

“We started Better U to help prevent suicide. Now, we’re building a platform for full-spectrum mental wellness.”

“If it’s not your why, you’re not going to survive the lows that come with building something that matters.”