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.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Adam 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 anyone
• The 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 reporting
• For 15–16 years, nearly 99% of revenue came from a single customer, and that customer kept asking them to grow and diversify
• The 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 it
• Exceptional service means anticipating client needs before the crisis hits, not just reacting to it
• Hiring isn't about technical knowledge — it's about finding people who have a passion for solving problems
• Adam'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 is
• The future of the company? Wherever the customers want it to go

CHAPTERS

1:03 – Growing Up Dreams

2:31 – Early Hustle Mindset

3:35 – Sarah's First Job

4:05 – What IncrediTech Does

5:35 – Why Start IncrediTech

6:11 – Heart for Service

7:29 – Hurricane Sandy Story

8:20 – Scaling with Values

9:10 – Bootstrapped Growth Rules

11:40 – Customers Drove Expansion

13:50 – Passing Culture to Team

14:30 – Hiring Problem Solvers

16:20 – Customer First Choice

18:00 – Truth Telling Sales

19:15 – Brand Story Strategy

21:30 – Experience Over Marketing

24:10 – Staying Ahead of Tech

25:45 – Owning the Narrative

29:00 – Handling Spilled Milk

31:00 – Tech Change Surprise

33:15 – Future Led by Clients

36:00 – Vision Through Action

39:00 – Behind the Brand

40:00 – Rapid Fire Questions

46:50 – Success and Gratitude

49:15 – Where to Find Them

RESOURCES MENTIONED

• IncrediTek — Adam Pattisall's IT infrastructure company

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