Business Wingmen Podcast

Business Wingmen Podcast

Tired of boring business discussions fit for your out of touch boss? The Business Wingmen Show, brought to you by father and son duo Steve and Travis Smith, trade tales of corporate absurdity and career brilliance with an electric candor, one which isn’t scared to not be politically correct. Our show dives deep into the thinking, behaviors and actions professional people at the top of their game embody. From leadership and management challenges to climbing the corporate ladder or being a successful entrepreneur, Steve and Travis’ insights help their listeners put to practice REAL ideas and tactics that actually work in the business world. Gain some new, thought-provoking perspective on how to lead your team and run a profitable, growing business- all in about 20 minutes.

Episodes

December 9, 2025 38 mins
Welcome to Your Business Wingmen! Today, we're unlocking one of the most powerful, yet least-discussed executive skills in professional development: Managing Up.

If you're a manager, executive, business owner, or entrepreneur who reports to a board or a superior, you know that career growth requires more than just managing your team—it means proactively shaping the relationship with your boss. Stop being blindsided by mandates from ...
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Are your best employees turning down management roles? You're not alone. An emerging trend is showing that up to 70% of high-potential individual contributors are actively avoiding the climb to a leadership position. This isn't just a challenge; it's a Management CRISIS that threatens your company's growth, profitability, and sustainability.

In this critical episode, your hosts Steve and Travis Smith dive deep into the first princip...
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Are your most valuable assets walking out the door?

Every business faces the risk of a "Brain Drain" – the catastrophic loss of institutional knowledge (or legacy/tribal knowledge) when key employees retire or move on. The cost of this loss can run into the millions through lost productivity, constant rework, and a breakdown in business continuity.

In this essential episode, Steve and Travis Smith of The Business Wingman dive deep in...
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October 30, 2025 35 mins
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 c...
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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 scr...
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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 ...
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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 w...
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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 ...
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September 2, 2025 38 mins
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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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 ...
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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.
→ T...
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The episode discusses the challenges of transitioning individual contributors into management roles, highlighting a significant 60% failure rate within the first 24 months. The hosts, Steve and Travis Smith of "The Business Wingman Show," share personal anecdotes and expert insights, emphasizing that successful managers must shift from a "me" to a "we" mindset, prioritize the success of others, and embrace delegation despite initia...
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The "Business Wingman Show" podcast episode focuses on the challenges new graduates face when entering the workforce and offers practical advice for success. Hosted by Steve and Travis Smith, a father-son duo, the discussion centers on a LinkedIn article Travis wrote outlining ten common struggles experienced by young professionals. Key areas explored include the importance of strong communication skills, emphasizing the need for p...
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June 3, 2025 48 mins
Are you unknowingly exposing your business to crippling lawsuits and financial disaster? Many business owners, executives, and entrepreneurs are walking into hidden legal traps that can have devastating consequences. In this essential interview, corporate attorney John Newell of Shell New LLP joins The Business Wingman Show to shed light on the most common and costly legal mistakes businesses make – and, more importantly, how YOU c...
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This discussion emphasizes that expanding a business by adding new products or services should be approached cautiously. The hosts advise considering factors like timing, potential impact on the core business, necessary resources (like labor and insurance), and whether the new offering logically fits within the existing brand. They stress the importance of due diligence, including researching market demand and the competitive lands...
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This discussion highlights that while partnerships can be a strong way to build a business by combining skills and resources, they are statistically the most common reason for small business failure, often due to partners being unable to work together effectively. The key to successful partnerships, as emphasized in the source, lies in choosing the right partner, establishing clear expectations through written agreements (including...
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April 25, 2025 39 mins
Is Your Business Ready to Scale? Critical Mistakes & How to Avoid Them

Thinking about scaling your business? HOLD ON. Expanding sounds exciting, but jumping in unprepared is one of the FASTEST ways to sink your ship. Many leaders hit hidden icebergs – financial drains, operational chaos, team burnout – that they never saw coming.

Before you make a move, learn the CRITICAL pitfalls and the *real* questions you need to ask. Steve &...
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April 15, 2025 46 mins
Tired of hiring headaches that turn into legal nightmares? In this crucial episode of The Business Wingman Show, Steve and Travis Smith sit down with employment law expert Jim McDonald from Fisher Phillips to reveal the secrets to smart hiring and how to avoid bringing a "walking lawsuit" into your organization.
Discover the critical steps you MUST take during your hiring process to identify and screen out potential problem employee...
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Business slowdowns are inevitable.  When these light periods show up, what do you do to keep your team motivated?  What do you do to capture this time and get things done that would get put aside when business is heavy?

In today's episode of the Business Wingmen, your hosts Steve and Travis Smith discuss a variety of things that will improve your staff, your operation and your ability to confidently get through the next downturn.
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We're headed into a period of potentially great economic uncertainty.  To prevent your business from a severe setback, focus on these 4 areas that will enable you to avoid financial damage and achieve economic resilience.
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