How Jamie Crozier is Modernizing a 90-Year-Old Industry With Risk, R&D and Vision

In this episode of Founder2Founder, Aaron Spivak sits down with Jamie Crozier, owner of Thunder Bay Hydraulics and founder of Atlas Elite Autolifts. Jamie leads multiple industrial businesses based in Northern Ontario, including Custom Hydraulics, and has built a reputation for blending hands-on manufacturing with modern innovation. From hydraulic cylinder repair, to designing luxury car lift systems for high-end residential homes across North America, Jamie is reshaping what legacy manufacturing can look like today.Jamie shares how he entered entrepreneurship later in life, stepping into a blue-collar industry with no formal business background and learning everything from the ground up. He breaks down how customer feedback led to the creation of Atlas Elite, why he’s taking bold R&D risks in a 90-year-old industry, and how family, partnership, and long-term thinking continue to shape the way he builds companies that last.Chapters: 02:26 – Jamie’s Unexpected Path Into Entrepreneurship 03:36 – From Political Science to Sales and Industrial Supply 05:32 – The First Signals of Business Ownership 06:51 – The Role of His Wife and Business Partner 08:40 – Founding Atlas Elite Autolifts 10:07 – Identifying a Gap in the Luxury Car Lift Market 12:31 – Using Customer Feedback to Drive Design 13:24 – Early Mistakes With Construction Integration 15:36 – The Most Unique Projects They’ve Built 16:26 – Bringing a Car Lift Into a Living Room 18:24 – Engineering for High-Value Vehicles 19:17 – Growing Up in a Blue-Collar Household 21:06 – Why His Father Pushed Him Toward University 23:21 – Family, Motivation, and Staying Grounded 26:21 – Building a Business His Kids Can See 29:32 – Why Physical Businesses Still Matter 30:49 – Risk Tolerance as a Competitive Advantage 32:08 – Innovating Inside a 90-Year-Old Industry 34:10 – Designing for the Harshest Environments 37:02 – Where Hydraulics Is Headed Next 41:02 – Finding Purpose Later in the Journey 42:52 – The Power of an Outside Perspective 45:38 – Partnership, Belief, and Thinking Bigger 48:07 – Breaking Generational Limiting Beliefs 50:42 – Giving Back to the Northern Ontario Business Community 54:09 – Values, Integrity, and Choosing the Right People 56:17 – Commit Fully and Build With IntentionGuest Links:Website: https://www.atlaselitelifts.comLinkedIn: Jamie CrozierIf you're a founder doing $1MM+ in annual revenue, apply for the Founders Club today: https://go.foundersclubofficial.com/intro-fc-aaronStay Connected!Aaron Spivak:IG: @‌SpivakLinkedinThe Founders ClubIG: @‌TheFoundersClubWebsite www.foundersclubofficial.com Founder2Founder:TikTok @‌Founder2FounderPodcastYoutube @‌Founder2Founder.Podcast