Office Hours #921 | Turning Problems Into Profitable Opportunities

In this episode, David explores leadership, innovation, and entrepreneurship with three experienced business leaders who have built, adapted, and executed across different industries. David J. Long, President of David J. Long Coaching and Vice President of Schumacher Automotive, brings more than 40 years of automotive experience. A nationally recognized executive, coach, speaker, and author, David shares lessons from his upcoming book, Step Zero, on leadership, accountability, attitude, and the real-world experience behind sustainable success. He is also an expert in vehicle acquisition and Buy Center operations, having helped launch more than 100 Buy Centers across the U.S. Chris Gabrelcik, Founder of LSI and CEO of Gilead Dynamics, shares how he turned entrepreneurial experience into innovative solutions for overlooked problems. After building Hot Shot’s Secret into the No. 1 brand in dollar sales for diesel fuel conditioners and engine treatments, Chris turned his focus to tire recycling. Through Gilead Dynamics, he is developing mobile, compact, and profitable technology that can recycle more than 500,000 end-of-life tires annually and turn waste into reusable materials. Samim Safaei, Founder and CEO of Siift, is a five-time founder with more than a decade of experience building technology startups across hardware and software. From fire safety and smart buildings to music technology, construction, and B2B AI SaaS, Samim has built across industries while learning from the challenges of entrepreneurship. He shares how leaving a stable engineering career at 25 shaped his journey and how Siift is helping founders navigate systemic challenges with better tools and support.