Letting Our Customers Lead the Way with Adam Pattisall

What does it look like when customers are the ones driving your growth — not the other way around? That's exactly the story Adam Pattisall, CEO of IncrediTech and iTechFed, brings to this episode of CEO's Heart for Service.Adam built IncrediTech from literally one person working out of the bed of a pickup truck to a company of 80+ people — without investors, a board, or outside backing. His secret? Stay nimble, only take on what you can afford to lose, and let the customer set the direction. From keeping a Coast Guard station online during Hurricane Sandy to having clients ask him to grow so they wouldn't lose him, Adam's story is a masterclass in customer-first, integrity-driven growth in the telecommunications and IT infrastructure space.HIGHLIGHTSAdam started IncrediTech working alone out of the bed of his pickup truck, with a spool of cable and a clear vision: build something you own, without owing anyoneThe company originally planned to cap at 11 employees — customers are the reason it grew to 80+IncrediTech has been 100% bootstrapped since day one — no investors, no board, no bank reportingFor 15–16 years, nearly 99% of revenue came from a single customer, and that customer kept asking them to grow and diversifyThe Hurricane Sandy story: an IncrediTech team member, Rick Zimmerman, went by boat to a flooded island to keep a Coast Guard station's communications alive — and won a major Verizon award for itExceptional service means anticipating client needs before the crisis hits, not just reacting to itHiring isn't about technical knowledge — it's about finding people who have a passion for solving problemsAdam's business philosophy: "I don't get involved in anything I can't afford to lose"Staying ahead of technology by 18–24 months is what keeps IncrediTech in demand — they go wherever the "bleeding edge" work isThe future of the company? Wherever the customers want it to goCHAPTERS1:03 – Growing Up Dreams2:31 – Early Hustle Mindset3:35 – Sarah's First Job4:05 – What IncrediTech Does5:35 – Why Start IncrediTech6:11 – Heart for Service7:29 – Hurricane Sandy Story8:20 – Scaling with Values9:10 – Bootstrapped Growth Rules11:40 – Customers Drove Expansion13:50 – Passing Culture to Team14:30 – Hiring Problem Solvers16:20 – Customer First Choice18:00 – Truth Telling Sales19:15 – Brand Story Strategy21:30 – Experience Over Marketing24:10 – Staying Ahead of Tech25:45 – Owning the Narrative29:00 – Handling Spilled Milk31:00 – Tech Change Surprise33:15 – Future Led by Clients36:00 – Vision Through Action39:00 – Behind the Brand40:00 – Rapid Fire Questions46:50 – Success and Gratitude49:15 – Where to Find ThemRESOURCES MENTIONEDIncrediTek — Adam Pattisall's IT infrastructure companyThe CEO’s Heart for Service is a production of Brand3. If you’re a B2B service provider who delivers exceptional service but struggles to get your marketing to connect with the right people, find us at brand3.net. And sign up for our Brand3 Newsletter that only sends marketing insights worthy of your inbox - genuinely helpful stuff for the road ahead. The CEO’s Heart for Service is also supported by Forge Podcast Company, a turnkey production solution for using podcasts to reach a wider audience, win new clients, and grow. Find them at forgepodcast.co