This feature is a question-and-answer session with a Blount County Chamber member. So, here we go with our 255th installment visiting with Seth Evans, founder of ESJ Advisory which exists to help entrepreneurs and small business owners grow without carrying all of the operational weight alone. A lot of business owners are strong at sales, relationships, product, or vision, but eventually the business needs more structure, clearer priorities, better systems, and stronger execution.
Describe more about what you do. ESJ Advisory helps entrepreneurs and small businesses improve operations, strategy, leadership cadence, and execution. I work with owners to clarify priorities, build scorecards, improve processes, solve operational issues, and create the structure needed for sustainable growth. In addition to ESJ Advisory, my wife and I own Heaven’s Harvest Vending, a local vending business serving workplaces and teams in East Tennessee. I am also interested in acquiring and operating additional local businesses over time.
How did you get started? I started ESJ Advisory after spending my career leading operations in complex, fast-moving businesses. I have led teams at Amazon, Carolina Handling (Toyota Material Handling), and RoomOne Solutions, including multi-site and multi-state operations. Over time, I realized that the same operating principles that help larger companies scale can make a major difference for small businesses too, especially when they are applied in a practical and human way. I started the business because I enjoy helping owners turn scattered problems into clear priorities and helping teams execute with more confidence.
What is your background? Most of my background was built by leading teams in real operating environments. I have been a business leader for 16 years and an executive for 11 years. My experience includes leading large Amazon operations, improving distribution and service operations at Carolina Handling, and serving as EVP of Operations at RoomOne Solutions. I have led teams through growth, ambiguity, turnaround situations, process redesign, safety and quality improvement, inventory and distribution challenges, and cross-functional execution. Those experiences taught me how to simplify complex problems, build strong operating rhythms, and help people perform at a higher level.
Describe your clients. My clients are entrepreneurs and small business owners who are trying to grow but need more operational structure around them. They are usually capable, driven owners who care deeply about their business, but they may be carrying too much themselves or trying to scale through informal processes that no longer fit the size of the company. For Heaven’s Harvest Vending, our customers are local businesses, workplaces, and teams that want convenient food and drink options for their employees, customers, or visitors.
What factors affect your business? Small businesses are affected by almost everything happening around them. Economic pressure changes customer behavior, labor availability, borrowing costs, and the amount of risk owners are willing to take. Technology is also changing quickly, which creates opportunities for better systems and automation, but it can overwhelm owners who are already busy running the day-to-day business.
Legal and political environments matter because small businesses have to navigate taxes, labor laws, compliance, insurance, and local regulations, often without large corporate support teams. Socially, customers and employees expect businesses to be responsive, professional, and values-driven.
Environmental and community factors matter too. Local businesses are part of the community. The best ones create jobs, serve real needs, and operate in a way that people can trust.
What do you enjoy most about your business? I enjoy helping owners get clarity and momentum. I like stepping into a messy or ambiguous situation, finding the real issues, and helping create a practical path forward. There is something very rewarding about watching a business owner feel the weight start to lift because the team has clearer priorities, better systems, and a stronger operating rhythm.
I also enjoy being part of the local business community. I want to build and invest here for the long term, not just create short-term projects.
My long-term goal is to continue building ESJ Advisory while also acquiring and operating additional local businesses in East Tennessee. I am interested in businesses with strong teams, steady demand, and owners who care about what happens to the company, employees, and customers after a transition.
I am excited to be part of the Blount County Chamber because I want to build real relationships, learn from other local business leaders, and invest more deeply in the community where my family lives.