Founder2Founder with Aaron Spivak
Entrepreneurship isn’t just a career—it’s a relentless, all-consuming way of life.
Welcome to Founder2Founder a raw and unfiltered podcast where host Aaron Spivak pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to build something from the ground up. No sugarcoating, no overnight success stories—just deep, honest conversations with some of the most driven, underrated, and game-changing founders of our time. From brutal setbacks to game-changing mindset shifts, Aaron goes beyond the polished success stories to uncover the unglamorous, deeply personal side of building a business.
As a seasoned entrepreneur himself, Aaron goes beneath the surface and gets into the nitty-gritty of what it truly takes to succeed. He’ll dive into the habits, behaviors, and routines that set elite founders apart, the tactics and strategies that are working today, and the mindset shifts required to push through the hardest moments. Through raw personal stories, late-night struggles, and breakthrough moments, guests open up about what it really means to grow, not just as a founder, but as a person.
Each week, Aaron sits down with visionary entrepreneurs from high-growth startup founders to seasoned CEOs, for real, unfiltered conversations about the highs, lows, and everything in between. Whether you're scaling a company, launching your first venture, or just looking for inspiration, this podcast will give you the insights, motivation, and real-world advice you won’t get just anywhere. If you're ready to strip away the illusion and get real about what it means to build, sacrifice, and thrive, this is the podcast for you. Join us every Wednesday!
Founder2Founder with Aaron Spivak
How Jamie Crozier is Modernizing a 90-Year-Old Industry With Risk, R&D and Vision
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In this episode of Founder2Founder, Aaron Spivak sits down with Jamie Crozier, owner of Thunder Bay Hydraulics and founder of Atlas Elite Autolifts. Jamie leads multiple industrial businesses based in Northern Ontario, including Custom Hydraulics, and has built a reputation for blending hands-on manufacturing with modern innovation. From hydraulic cylinder repair, to designing luxury car lift systems for high-end residential homes across North America, Jamie is reshaping what legacy manufacturing can look like today.
Jamie shares how he entered entrepreneurship later in life, stepping into a blue-collar industry with no formal business background and learning everything from the ground up. He breaks down how customer feedback led to the creation of Atlas Elite, why he’s taking bold R&D risks in a 90-year-old industry, and how family, partnership, and long-term thinking continue to shape the way he builds companies that last.
Chapters:
02:26 – Jamie’s Unexpected Path Into Entrepreneurship
03:36 – From Political Science to Sales and Industrial Supply
05:32 – The First Signals of Business Ownership
06:51 – The Role of His Wife and Business Partner
08:40 – Founding Atlas Elite Autolifts
10:07 – Identifying a Gap in the Luxury Car Lift Market
12:31 – Using Customer Feedback to Drive Design
13:24 – Early Mistakes With Construction Integration
15:36 – The Most Unique Projects They’ve Built
16:26 – Bringing a Car Lift Into a Living Room
18:24 – Engineering for High-Value Vehicles
19:17 – Growing Up in a Blue-Collar Household
21:06 – Why His Father Pushed Him Toward University
23:21 – Family, Motivation, and Staying Grounded
26:21 – Building a Business His Kids Can See
29:32 – Why Physical Businesses Still Matter
30:49 – Risk Tolerance as a Competitive Advantage
32:08 – Innovating Inside a 90-Year-Old Industry
34:10 – Designing for the Harshest Environments
37:02 – Where Hydraulics Is Headed Next
41:02 – Finding Purpose Later in the Journey
42:52 – The Power of an Outside Perspective
45:38 – Partnership, Belief, and Thinking Bigger
48:07 – Breaking Generational Limiting Beliefs
50:42 – Giving Back to the Northern Ontario Business Community
54:09 – Values, Integrity, and Choosing the Right People
56:17 – Commit Fully and Build With Intention
Guest Links:
Website: https://www.atlaselitelifts.com
LinkedIn: Jamie Crozier
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