Jill Gustavson of Topaz Services: Leading With Heart and Hustle
In this episode of What It Takes: Business Owners Tell All, host Jamie Seeker talks with Jill Gustavson, the co-founder and Executive VP of Topaz Services, LLC — a hospitality contact center that began as a grassroots 800-number and now supports over 80 hotels nationwide.
Whether you’re a business leader, entrepreneur, or someone building a team, this episode is packed with lessons on resilience, culture, and people-first innovation.
🎧 Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app.
How Jill Gustavson Built Topaz Services From the Ground Up
The story of Jill Gustavson Topaz Services began in the 1970s when Jill entered the tech publishing world at Byte Magazine. After gaining valuable experience in advertising, operations, and launching new products under McGraw-Hill, Jill moved to San Francisco and met her husband and business partner, Eric.
Together, they launched San Francisco Reservations in 1986 — creating the first central hotel booking service for the city. With the motto “fast, effective, and efficient,” they set the tone for what would later become Topaz Services.
Scaling Topaz Services With Tech and People in Mind
Today, Topaz Services is an omnichannel contact center, offering live agents, AI-powered chat, and their proprietary C5 reservation platform. Jill explains how technology — including integrations with tools like Mews PMS and StayNTouch — enhances operations, but never replaces the human touch.
“Technology is just a tool — it should serve your people, not run your business.”
This balance of innovation and intention helped Topaz adapt over decades of change, including virtual staffing long before remote work was the norm.
Jill Gustavson on Women in Hospitality and Tech Leadership
In this candid conversation, Jill Gustavson shares what it was like being one of the only women in leadership during her early career. Whether in boardrooms or startup environments, she stayed focused on results and leaned into a project-based, solutions-first mindset.
“I didn’t feel like the lone woman in the room — I focused on delivering results.”
Her story is a must-listen for women navigating leadership roles in male-dominated industries like tech, travel, and hospitality.
Creating a Lasting Culture at Topaz Services
At Topaz Services, hiring for empathy and communication skills was more important than direct hotel experience. Jill prioritized building a culture rooted in connection, courtesy, and care.
This culture — paired with deep training and empowering tools — helped Topaz build long-term success and weather storms like 9/11, economic downturns, and the COVID-19 pandemic.
🌐 Learn more about creating strong internal company culture from Harvard Business Review.
What It Takes: Jill Gustavson’s Advice to Business Owners
When asked our signature question — “What does it take?” — Jill’s response is simple, but powerful:
“Keep your eye on the ball. Know your purpose. Stick to your values. Adapt when needed, but don’t lose who you are.”
From managing whiteboards and fax machines to launching proprietary software and leading a national contact center, Jill has shown that sustainable growth comes from clarity, courage, and compassion.
🎧 Listen to the Full Episode
📌 Episode Title: The Woman Behind the Voice: Jill Gustavson on Leading with Heart and Hustle
🎙️ Host: Jamie Seeker
🔗 Website: seekersolution
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