In this episode of The Builders, Matt sits down with James Elliman — a cybersecurity-focused IT expert who’s built a thriving managed services company by eliminating complexity and frustration for small businesses.

James shares how his journey began with tearing apart computers at age six, progressed through corporate IT burnout, and ultimately led to creating all-in-one tech solutions that puts the customer experience first.

💡 Key Takeaways:

• Corporate inefficiencies sparked innovation. James left the world of meetings and semicolon debates to build something faster, leaner, and more personal.
• He built a business by eliminating vendor finger-pointing. Clients don’t get bounced around — James and his team handle everything, from licensing and routers to security and support.
• Simplicity is the innovation. James transformed tech chaos into clarity with a standardized flat-fee model and clean, easy-to-understand service packages.
• Life experience matters. Bartending helped James develop top-tier communication and sales skills — key to his growth and client trust.
• Networking over ads. His business scaled through genuine relationships, referrals, and word of mouth, not just pay-per-click.
• AI is powerful — but not a silver bullet. In cybersecurity, pattern recognition is valuable, but human intuition and service still lead.
• Ongoing innovation with a human touch. James is doubling down on scalable systems while hiring sales help, staying true to his vision of service-led tech.

Whether you’re scaling an IT business, building customer-first systems, or wondering how to balance AI and service, this episode offers grounded, story-driven insights for builders.