In this six‑question, seven‑minute interview on the Winning at Business and Life podcast, host Professor Pete Alexander speaks with Jesse Alexander, President of Innovative Technology Solutions (ITS), an end‑to‑end managed IT services firm based in Schaumburg, Illinois. Jesse explains how ITS helped clients transition to remote work during the COVID‑19 pandemic, emphasizing the value of passion and problem‑solving in managed services. He stresses that business success starts with mastering the basics—"Chapter 1" of any business book—before moving to advanced strategies. Jesse shares his leadership mantra, "mission first, people always," a principle rooted in his military background that guides team motivation and execution. He recommends his Vice President of Operations, John Rouse, as a future podcast guest. Jesse also recounts his first job as a French‑speaking waiter at Shoney's, highlighting early customer‑service lessons. The episode concludes with contact information: InnovativeTech.com and Jesse’s LinkedIn profile.
Chapters
This is Professor Pete Alexander with the Winning at Business and Life podcast, where business leaders share their insights. It is 6 questions in 7 minutes because successful business leaders are busy and rarely have more time to spare. So let's get to it. Question number 1: In a few sentences, please tell me who you are and what you do.
Well, thanks, Professor Pete. My name is Jesse Alexander. I currently serve as president of Innovative Technology Solutions. I ITS, and ITS is a Schaumburg, Illinois headquartered end-to-end IT services provider. We provide solutions for across multiple different verticals and having a great time doing it, especially in this COVID environment. We're helping a lot of our clients figure out how to remote work remotely and effectively.
Jesse, it's so great to have you on the show. Question number 2: What's the best thing about working in your industry?
So, that's a great question, Pete. One of the things that I really enjoy about what I do is I'm in managed services, I'm in IT services, and you know, I've had a number of folks say, you know, you have to be passionate about what you're doing. You can't just— if you're going to sell something, if you're going to do something, you have to be able to be excited about what you're doing there. You can't just be pushing a widget or a set of steak knives or whatever the deal du jour is. I have been on both sides of the table when it comes to IT services, selling and buying and that sort of thing. And what I appreciate is the fact that what we do makes it different. It makes, uh, it adds value to the organization, it solves problems. And so when I sit down and I do that, what I do each day, I'm helping solve people's problems and helping them run efficiently and effectively. And that just jazzes me. And I've got a great team that's supporting me in delivering those things.
Oh, I love the passion in your voice about that too. It's so great. Question number 3. I have a fictitious book with all the answers. For business, what chapter would you think most companies should read?
Oh, what chapter? All answers for all business. Well, they should read the first chapter. I mean, look, you may go read a book, go see a movie, you want to skip to the end and find out how it ends, that's great. But business builds on basic blocking, you know, blocking and tackling. So if you can't do business 101, if you can't set the table, if you can't deliver the basic stuff, forget the next chapter. So I don't know what's in your book, but I'm assuming you got to start off with the basics. So we'll go with chapter 1.
Absolutely. And yeah, if you don't, if you can't do the basics, everything else is just going to go crazy and never work and create all this stress, I would imagine. So that's a good, good answer for that one. Anyway, question number 4, other than the generic work harder, have a great attitude and care for customers. What advice or insight would you give to other business leaders?
Oh, great question. You know what, you've gotta have something that is driving you. You know, it's the question of what's your why, that kind of thing. That is certainly a great way to go about answering that one. For me, you know, what I've just really enjoyed is I love working with people, and I love being able to see making a difference. I love being able to see the light bulb go in somebody's eyes when they finally get it. So, so developing people and making that work, and then being able to balance getting it done. And so I have brought into my work environment a phrase that I have used to motivate the business and myself for years, which is mission first, people always. It's from my military days. So yes, we got to get this done, but you never get it done by yourself. You got a team with you and you got to take care of them so they can take care of the mission. So mission first, people always.
I love that. So powerful. Thank you for sharing that. Number 5, what other business leader like yourself would you like to acknowledge and invite to be on my podcast?
Oh, you know what? There's a, there's a whole slew of folks that I could invite or recommend. I'm going to, I'm going to recommend somebody I work very closely with right now, a guy named John Rouse, who's my Vice President of Operations.
Perfect. Well, thank you for that. I will reach out to John. And our final question, question number 6, please tell me about your first job.
So I, I've got some great, great stories there, but I'm going to talk about a time when I was waitering. So I don't know if you remember the buffet place called Shoney's, but, you know, people don't go there for quality, they go there for quantity. And I was working there as a waiter, and one of my friends was working there also, and she and I were taking French together. And so we would practice our French as we're waiting on all these people who care about getting the second and third helping at the buffet, and we talk to each other in French. And because of that, we became known as the high-class Shoney's restaurant with the French-speaking waiters., and we had a great time. And, but the other cool thing about it, it was just an awesome experience in customer service, you know, bringing a smile to the face of these people who just want to get that plate clear and go for the next one. And, I distinctly remember offering many a time the dessert with the calories removed, and it just, people loved it.
Sorry, I love it. And then the, and the classiest Shoney's.
The classiest, of course, you know, may we, but of course. Sorry, I missed that. That's right.
So Jesse, thank you so much for being on the show. How can people find you?
You know what, if you go to InnovativeTech.com, you'll be able to see me and my organization there. And I'm also on LinkedIn. So look forward to catching up with folks and hope this has been helpful. It's been fun for me.
Perfect. This is Professor Pete Alexander with the Winning at Business and Life podcast. For more insights and ideas, go to LinkedIn, YouTube, Facebook, or iTunes and search for the Winning at Business and Life podcast. Thanks for listening.
