Midway Business Podcast

Sales slowdowns, shrinking margins, and that “what’s actually happening with our pipeline?” feeling — if that sounds familiar, this Midway Business Podcast episode’s for you. Butch sits down with Howard Fisher, a fractional sales leader and recovering attorney, to unpack why so many founder-led and family-run businesses hit the brakes on growth. From outdated sales processes to teams selling from different scripts, Howard shares st...

Feeling like your marketing plan is stuck in 2015? In this Midway Business Podcast episode, Jordan Green, founder of Momentum AI, joins to talk about how small and midsize businesses can stop losing leads, start automating smarter, and actually keep up with today’s lightning-fast buyers. From AI-powered voice agents that respond in seconds to automated CRMs that update themselves (because, let’s face it, no one likes data entry), J...

Brand chaos got you feeling like you’re herding cats? In this Midway Business Podcast episode, branding expert Brooke Foley, CEO of Jayne Agency, shares how most companies chase logos, SEO, and quick-fix marketing before realizing they skipped the real foundation — brand clarity. She breaks down how her 10 Brand Assets Methodology helps businesses align their message, culture, and cash flow so marketing finally converts and sales t...

Running a small business is a lot like running a chiropractic practice — a few twists, plenty of adjustments, and the occasional pain in the neck (sometimes literal, sometimes payroll). In this episode, Dr. Tim Gilbert shares how he built Full Strength Spine & Health on grit, empathy, and doing right by people. He reminds SMB owners that real growth comes from showing up, listening, and being flexible — in both business and bod...

Small and mid-sized business owners — grab your coffee (or something stronger) because this one hits close to home. Host Butch Zemar sits down with marketing pro Samuel Thimothy to talk about why your sales pipeline feels more like a mystery novel than a growth strategy. They dive into how too many SMBs spend all their time putting out fires instead of building systems that attract clients on autopilot — and why “hope” isn’t a mark...

Starting a business usually begins with passion… but eventually, reality sends you an invoice labeled Revenue or Bust. Too many SMBs stall because they treat revenue like a broken water pump—prime, sputter, repeat—without realizing growth requires new strategies, not just more elbow grease. Expenses creep, “business gods” test your patience, and suddenly your P&L looks more like a rollercoaster than a roadmap.

In this episode o...

Too many leaders treat business like parenting gone wrong—ignoring problems, making excuses, and hoping things magically work out. The truth? Your company is a mirror. If you’re constantly firefighting, chasing the wrong prospects, or blaming vendors, the reflection is staring back at you.

In this episode of the Midway Business Podcast, Butch Zemar calls out the blame game, explains why ignoring responsi...

Most companies don’t collapse from competitors—they implode from the inside. Leadership either raises the bar or clings to mediocrity like it’s a security blanket. In this episode of the Midway Business Podcast, Butch Zemar dives into why too many executives celebrate shaving 4% off renewals (while torching $400K in waste), and why “normal” has quietly become code for “we’re bleeding cash.”

From Steve Jobs refusing limits, to NHL g...

In this episode of the Midway Business Podcast, Butch Zemar sits down with Alan Stern to talk about how SMBs can stop marketing like it’s 1999 and start using AI and personal branding to actually stand out. AI isn’t here to steal your job—it’s here to be the best employee you’ll never have to put on payroll.

Alan also shares his HEAT Method—Humor, Education, Adding Value, and Trust—a playbook for building real connections instead o...

Sales isn’t about doing more of the same and hoping it magically works. Yet too many SMBs let their sales teams fall into old habits—busy with emails, paperwork, and “pipeline reviews” that never move revenue. In this episode of the Midway Business Podcast, Butch Zemar shares simple but powerful tips SMBs can use: structure your week, focus on revenue-generating activities, and stop letting mediocrity set the bar.

Think of it as a ...

Business evolves when we act on new information—but too often, leaders cling to outdated systems like they’re diving with hand pumps instead of modern scuba gear. In this episode of the Midway Business Podcast, Butch Zemar shares why businesses still treat benefits like it’s 1987—overpaying while their broker brags about saving “4%” (right before heading to the golf course.)

The truth? Renewal paralysis, blind loyalty, and ignored ...

Most businesses get stuck in two traps: Parkinson’s Law (work magically takes as long as the calendar allows) and Stockholm Syndrome (loyalty to broken systems and brokers). Together, they hijack your benefits program and quietly torch your budget.

On this episode of the Midway Business Podcast, Butch Zemar breaks down how hockey kids, CFOs, and even HR teams all fall into the same time-wasting habits—dragging their skates until re...

Running a business is hard enough—you don’t need your videos looking like they were shot on a flip phone. On this episode of the Midway Business Podcast, Butch Zemar sits down with videographer and drone pilot Dancello Bennett to unpack how SMBs can use video to tell stories that connect (instead of putting audiences to sleep).

From construction sites to weddings, Dancello shares practical lessons on preparation, creativity, and ke...

On this episode of the Midway Business Podcast, Butch Zemar sits down with Kate McCauley from Wounded Warrior Family Support to explore how one small nonprofit is filling critical gaps for America’s veterans and their families.

Kate shares powerful stories from her 18 years with the organization—how a “mom-and-pop” idea grew into nationwide programs providing mobility vehicles, respite care for caregivers, welding certifications, a...

On this episode of the Midway Business Podcast, Butch Zemar sits down with Chicago business consultant James DiMambro to unpack the “Rule of Threes”—why boiling things down to three clear benefits, values, or differentiators can set small and midsize businesses apart. (Because let’s be honest—if your pitch deck needs 47 slides to explain your value, you’ve already lost the room.)

With nearly two decades of experience across marketi...

Running a business without a process is like steering a ship with no rudder—you’re just hoping the waves take you somewhere good. In this Midway Business Podcast episode, Butch Zemar dives into why so many owners get paralyzed by bad habits, overthinking, or flat-out fear of change.

From companies passing on nearly a million in savings, to leaders drowning in “analysis paralysis,” the stories highlight a bigger truth: success comes...

Who knew pizza could teach you something about running a business? In this episode of the Midway Business Podcast, Butch Zemar sits down with Alex Yount of Chicago Pizza Guys—a passion project that started with three friends swapping favorite pizza spots and grew into a community followed by thousands of fellow pizza lovers.

Alex takes us inside their journey from casual conversations to creating reviews, videos, and a loyal follow...

In this episode, Dr. Tom Germino of Germino Dental shares 40+ years of business lessons—growing from a one-chair startup (with his wife running the front desk) into a multigenerational family practice serving patients across three generations.

Business Tips:

• Customer loyalty is everything. Patients still stick with him after 40+ years—because trust outlasts flashy marketing.

• Invest in tech (and people). From silver fillings...

In this episode, Butch Zemar sits down with lifetime entrepreneur MZ, who built a 40-year event production company (think Bulls championship parades and Fortune 500 events—not your average company picnic) before shifting his focus to helping business owners gain control of theirs through EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System).

MZ shares what decades in the trenches taught him—like how solving the wrong problems really well still do...