エピソード

  • 186- How to Turn New Hires into A-Players

    186- How to Turn New Hires into A-Players
    2025/10/30
    Why do so many promising new hires—the ones who looked great on paper—end up being a disappointment? It often comes down to a gap in professionalism, accountability, and the "soft skills" that no one seems to be teaching.

    As a manager, executive, or business owner, you've felt the frustration. You have to chase people for follow-ups, you see them on their phones in meetings, and they lack the initiative to think one step ahead. It costs you time, money, and energy. In this episode of The Business Wingman Show, Steve and Travis Smith break down the critical behaviors that separate the "A-Players" from the "bad hires."

    This is the perfect resource to share with your new and young professionals. It’s a masterclass in the unspoken rules of a successful career.

    Use this episode to start a conversation with your team about:
    * Taking true ownership and initiative (not just waiting to be told)
    * The power of "active listening" and being present
    * Why you MUST participate in meetings (even if you don't have the title)
    * The correct way to follow up (and why "one email" isn't enough)
    * How to "manage up" to help your boss
    * Why taking constructive criticism is a non-negotiable skill
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    36 分
  • 185- Why 65% of Businesses Fail (And How He Built a 10-Year Success Story)

    185- Why 65% of Businesses Fail (And How He Built a 10-Year Success Story)
    2025/10/30
    Are you on the path to being in the 35% of businesses that survive 10 years, or the 65% that fail? This episode of The Business Wingman Show is a real-world blueprint from an entrepreneur who beat the odds.We go behind the scenes with Travis Smith, who just hit his 10-year milestone as a business owner.

    Travis shares the brutal truths and actionable strategies that allowed him to build a multi-million dollar consulting firm from scratch—starting with his wife 3 months pregnant and zero income for 11 months.

    If you are an entrepreneur, business owner, or leader looking for real-world lessons on how to scale, how to navigate setbacks, and the one mental model that can make or break your success, this is for you. Travis shares his biggest failures (like the "mile wide, inch deep" mistake) and the single decision that allowed his business to quadruple.
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    42 分
  • 184- The Founder’s Dilemma- Staying CEO vs. Hiring One

    184- The Founder’s Dilemma- Staying CEO vs. Hiring One
    2025/09/23
    Every successful business starts with a visionary founder, but not every founder is the right person to lead the company once it begins to scale. Knowing when to step aside — or when to level up your leadership — can make or break your startup’s future. In this episode, Steve Smith and Travis Smith unpack:
    • The critical shift from startup founder to commercial CEO
    • How to recognize if your leadership style fits your company’s next stage
    • The dangers of ego and why self-awareness is key to scaling
    • What investors look for when deciding to back your business
    • Options for founders: CTO, CMO, Chairman, or staying CEO — which role is best?
    • Real-world examples (from Zuckerberg to startups that imploded)
    • How to avoid chaos, retain your best people, and build sustainable growth
    Whether you’re an entrepreneur, executive, or leader navigating change, this discussion will give you a practical framework to evaluate your role — and your company’s future.
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    43 分
  • 183- The Dark Side of Scaling- Real Stories of Growth Gone Wrong

    183- The Dark Side of Scaling- Real Stories of Growth Gone Wrong
    2025/09/22
    In this episode of The Business Wingman Show, Steve and Travis Smith unpack what happens when growth spirals out of control, drawing lessons from major brands you already know: Peloton, Krispy Kreme, Blockbuster, and Redbox.

    ➡️ What went wrong?
    ➡️ How can you avoid the same fate?
    ➡️ And what does scaling for longevity really look like?

    If you’re a business owner, executive, or entrepreneur with big growth ambitions, this conversation will give you clarity on how to scale smarter, not faster. Don’t just grow your business — build it to last. #Scaling #BusinessGrowth #Entrepreneurship #Leadership
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    42 分
  • 182- The Most Difficult Workplace Communication Style to Manage

    182- The Most Difficult Workplace Communication Style to Manage
    2025/09/02
    Leaders face many challenges, but one of the toughest is dealing with passive aggressive behavior in the workplace. From sarcasm and missed deadlines to victim-playing and quiet resistance, passive aggressive employees can quietly drain your team’s performance and culture.

    If you’ve ever wondered, “How do I deal with a passive aggressive employee, teammate, or even boss?” — this conversation is for you. Just tune into this episode of the Business Wingmen and let your hosts, Steve Smith & Travis Smith, guide the way!
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    39 分
  • 181- Are Manager's Really Doing This

    181- Are Manager's Really Doing This
    2025/09/02
    Quiet firing is an emerging workplace trend — but what does it really mean, and why is it a dangerous trap for managers and executives? In this episode of The Business Wingmen Podcast, Steve and Travis Smith unpack the reality behind quiet firing: the subtle ways leaders push employees out without saying a word. Whether intentional or not, quiet firing damages trust, kills culture, and hurts your top performers.
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    39 分
  • 180- The #1 Reason You're Not Taken Seriously at Work

    180- The #1 Reason You're Not Taken Seriously at Work
    2025/08/05
    Ever feel like you're the most knowledgeable person in the room, but your ideas get dismissed? If your communication doesn't reflect your true value, you create a "credibility gap" that can stall your career. This isn't about being the loudest person; it's about communicating with intention and influence.
    In this episode, we dissect the three pillars of communication that will ensure you are never overlooked again. You'll learn the practical mindset shifts and tactics to manage conflict, leverage emotional intelligence, and demonstrate accountability in a way that commands respect and establishes you as a true leader in your organization.
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    49 分
  • 179- Are You Creating Accidental Managers

    179- Are You Creating Accidental Managers
    2025/08/01
    A 60% failure rate is unacceptable in any other part of your business. So why do we accept it for new managers? Companies lose their best technical experts every day by promoting them into leadership roles they aren't equipped for. We call it the "Accidental Manager" trap.

    You give them a new title and more pay, but no training on the single most complex part of the job: leading people.
    The result?
    → Your star performer burns out.
    → Their team disengages.
    → Your best people leave.

    It’s a silent killer of productivity and morale. But it's entirely preventable. In this episode, we break down the proven, step-by-step strategy to turn your high-achievers into high-performing leaders. We cover how to assess for potential, the immediate steps to take post-promotion, and how to find training that actually works.
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    41 分