In this episode of Voices of Leadership, Chris Atwell sits down with Nate Wolfe to explore the experiences that have shaped his leadership journey. Nate reflects on a defining early moment in his rise into leadership when he made a significant mistake and brought it forward to his company’s CEO, expecting a harsh response. Instead, the focus shifted to everything he had done right that day. That moment changed Nate’s perspective on leadership, reinforcing the importance of not letting mistakes derail progress and of recognizing the wins alongside the setbacks.

Nate and Chris also discuss one of the most difficult challenges Nate has faced: recently losing the agency’s number one line after choosing not to join a larger multi-state organization. Faced with the decision between financial security and staying aligned with their values, Nate and his team chose to protect their integrity, culture, and long-term vision, even at the cost of short-term revenue. He shares how that decision, while difficult, allows them to stay true to who they are and maintain control of their direction.

Throughout the conversation, Nate emphasizes daily habits that support his leadership, including starting each morning in the gym, separating work from family time in the evenings, and maintaining a mindset of assuming positive intent in others. He also shares advice he would give his younger self: “slow down to speed up,” stay focused on the vision, and avoid getting distracted by shiny opportunities that pull attention away from long-term goals.

Looking ahead, Nate expresses excitement about what he sees as a growing trend in the industry, a return to personal relationships and smaller, more relationship-driven partnerships. He believes staying close to people, maintaining a “legendary service” mindset, and protecting company values will continue to guide his leadership.

Chris and Nate explore:

• Learning from mistakes without losing momentum
• Choosing values and integrity over short-term revenue
• Maintaining discipline through daily routines
• Slowing down to stay focused and accelerate growth
• The importance of personal relationships in the industry
• The power of saying no to opportunities that don’t align

This episode offers an honest look at leadership, decision-making, and staying aligned with values in the face of pressure within the manufacturers’ rep community.

Chris Atwell is the Founder of Mindset-Conquest, a leadership and mindset coach working with manufacturers’ rep agencies across North America. He helps leaders strengthen their mindset, elevate their leadership, and create the clarity and structure needed to grow their business and their people.

In this episode of Voices of Leadership, Chris Atwell sits down with Joe Herkowski to discuss the experiences that have shaped his leadership journey as his family business grew and evolved. Joe reflects on a defining period early in his leadership when the company rapidly expanded from a small team of just a few people to a multi-location organization in a short period of time. That growth created both opportunity and pressure, requiring quick decisions, adaptability, and a willingness to step fully into leadership.

Joe and Chris dive into what Joe describes as the toughest leadership challenge he has faced: navigating COVID. With no playbook to follow, Joe explains how he relied on common sense, transparency, and doing the right thing for people. He shares how consistent communication, good or bad, became critical during uncertainty, along with staying positive, supporting customers, and giving associates the opportunity to continue growing through change.

Throughout the conversation, Joe emphasizes transparency, empathy, and consistency as the habits that guide how he leads every day. He discusses the importance of communication across associates, manufacturers, and customers, stressing that even difficult messages are better than silence. Joe also highlights the responsibility leaders have to listen, take action, and put themselves out there, even when it’s uncomfortable.

Looking ahead, Joe talks about his excitement around the next chapter of the business as ownership transitions and he prepares to step into a more vision-focused role. He shares his focus on empowering team leaders, giving people opportunities to grow, maintaining the entrepreneurial spirit of the rep business, and building a succession plan that supports the long-term future of the organization.

Chris and Joe explore:

• Rapid growth and expansion within a family business
• Leading through COVID without a playbook
• Transparency, empathy, and consistency in communication
• Supporting people through change and uncertainty
• Empowering team leaders and creating growth opportunities
• Shifting toward vision, leadership development, and succession planning

This episode offers an honest look at leadership through growth, uncertainty, and change, grounded in real experiences from within the manufacturers’ rep industry.

Chris Atwell is the Founder of Mindset-Conquest, a leadership and mindset coach working with manufacturers’ rep agencies across North America. He helps leaders strengthen their mindset, elevate their leadership, and create the clarity and structure needed to grow their business and their people.

In this episode of Voices of Leadership, Chris Atwell sits down with Bo Beard of Smith & Stevenson for a candid conversation about what leadership really looks like when you grow from peer to leader inside a long-standing manufacturers’ rep agency. Bo shares an honest and relatable perspective on stepping into leadership without feeling fully ready, and how confidence is built gradually through listening, learning, and experience.

Bo reflects on his early days in leadership, when he went from being “one of the guys” on the sales team to leading the very people he once worked alongside. He opens up about the discomfort, self-doubt, and patience required during that transition and how trust from peers, manufacturers, and partners ultimately helped solidify his confidence and role as a leader.

One of the most powerful moments in the conversation centers on making hard decisions. Bo shares the emotional weight of letting go of a long-tenured salesperson and navigating the pain of losing a valued team member to a competitor. These experiences shaped his understanding that leadership often requires doing the right thing, even when it’s deeply uncomfortable, and learning from every outcome.

Chris and Bo also explore:

• The challenge of leading former peers and redefining relationships
• Why patience and perspective are essential leadership skills
• How taking care of your mental and physical health impacts decision-making
• The importance of daily connection, presence, and an open-door policy
• Navigating change while leading a 60-year-old agency
• Why relationships remain the foundation of success in the rep industry
  
  

Throughout the episode, Bo emphasizes the importance of slowing down, listening to all sides, and staying grounded when unexpected challenges arise. He also shares his excitement for the future of Smith & Stevenson, driven by new energy, strong relationships, and a continued commitment to nurturing people, customers, and manufacturer partnerships.

This conversation offers a real, behind-the-scenes look at leadership inside a legacy agency, highlighting the patience, humility, and intentional habits required to lead people well while continuing to grow and evolve.

Chris Atwell is the Founder of Mindset-Conquest, a leadership and mindset coach working with manufacturers’ rep agencies across North America. He helps leaders strengthen their mindset, elevate their leadership, and create the clarity and structure needed to grow their business and their people.