Midway Business Podcast

Break the Routine Before It Breaks You

This episode of the Midway Business Podcast takes leaders on a fast moving tour through creativity, innovation, and the surprising ways progress actually happens. From military history to real life business moments, Butch reminds us that playing it safe rarely wins the day. His message encourages you to question the routines you defend, the habits you never challenge, and the decisions that feel comfortable simply because they are familiar.
This is a subtle but powerful invitation to sharpen your thinking before the next big meeting lands on your desk. The episode delivers insight with a relatable style that keeps you engaged without giving away the playbook. If you want to lead with more clarity, avoid expensive blind spots, and stay a few steps ahead of the competition, this episode is worth your time.
For more information, please contact us at EliteBenefits.net or call 708-535-3006.

Mistakes Happen, Excuses Shouldn’t

In business, mistakes are not the enemy. Failing to learn from them is. The best companies treat every setback like data, not drama. Winning organizations review their missteps, refine their process, and keep moving forward while everyone else is still arguing about what went wrong. It is less about perfection and more about persistence. Success comes from repeating what works, improving what does not, and sticking to the plan even when it feels easy.
Growth and scale come from systems, not streaks. The marketplace rewards structure, adaptability, and discipline, not wishful thinking or luck. Leaders who evaluate, adjust, and execute consistently are the ones who build lasting momentum. Their strategy earns results and often sets the tone for an entire culture.
For more information, please contact us at EliteBenefits.net or call 708-535-3006.

How Not to Run Out of Air in Business

The episode is a tour through panic, plateaus, and progress, told with scuba tanks, Top Gun flybys, and a pile of Q4 paperwork. Butch shows how leaders get into trouble when they rely on youth, luck, or last minute heroics instead of systems. The lesson lands fast. change is not a motivational poster, it is the operating model. Companies that refuse to adapt end up waiting at the train station with a map from the horse and buggy era.
The takeaway is clear. Progress demands persistence, not panic. The best leaders know when to push through the discomfort, when to pivot, and when to stop digging six feet short of gold. Stay curious, stay disciplined, and keep evolving because comfort zones are where good companies quietly lose their edge. Growth only happens when you lean into the unknown and KEEP MOVING forward.
For more information, please contact us at EliteBenefits.net or call 708-535-3006.

Garbage In, Garbage Out: Why Your Results Keep Stinking

This episode of the Midway Business Podcast explores how pressure, input, and output affect everything in business, from sales and cash flow to leadership and decision making. Butch Zemar breaks down how small adjustments in what you put in can drastically change what comes out. Think of it as a friendly reminder that what you feed your business matters—garbage in, garbage out, and sometimes the garbage even sends you an invoice.
The conversation reminds SMB owners that success is not about working harder, it is about working smarter and measuring what matters. When you understand the forces creating pressure in your business and learn how to control them, you can turn chaos into clarity, waste into growth, and stress into progress. Listen in and start mastering your inputs before your outputs start mastering you.
For more information, please contact us at EliteBenefits.net or call 708-535-3006.

Rinse, Repeat, Regret: The Cost of Doing Nothing Different

This episode takes a hilarious look at the strange things we tolerate — from stale popcorn at the hockey rink to outdated business habits that drain profits. Butch uses stories from parenting, the Navy, and the workplace to expose how easily we fall into “that’s just how it’s always been” thinking. Whether it’s a broken system, a sluggish renewal process, or a comfortable excuse, repeating the same moves only guarantees the same results.
For small and midsize business leaders, this episode is a reality check disguised as comedy. It’s about calling out mediocrity, shaking up routines, and learning to think like an outlier. Expect sharp business insights, a few laughs, and a reminder that progress doesn’t come from playing it safe — it comes from finally refusing to settle for stale results.
For more information, please contact us at EliteBenefits.net or call 708-535-3006.

Stop Wearing 15 Hats: The Smarter Way SMBs Are Scaling

SMBs don’t start companies to moonlight as HR, payroll, and compliance departments — but growth loves to hand you that extra hat. In this Midway Business Podcast, Butch sits down with Dave Wills (BBSI) to unpack how modern Professional Employer Organizations help businesses scale without losing their sanity. Think “Costco of payroll” meets back-office SWAT team — handling taxes, benefits, and compliance so you can focus on growing revenue.
From managing multi-state employees to planning for inflection points with their Blueprint Night model, Butch and Dave share real-world lessons on when outsourcing saves time, money, and sleep. If Q4 renewals and compliance chaos have you feeling like it’s a corporate horror story, this episode might just be your survival guide.
For more information, please contact us at EliteBenefits.net or call 708-535-3006.
To contact Dave: Dave Wills or at BBSI

Stop Chasing Whales Before You Own a Boat

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 stories that’ll make you laugh, cringe, and nod in painful agreement.
If you’ve ever wondered why your sales meetings feel productive but the numbers don’t move, this conversation will hit close to home. Howard and Butch talk about what separates companies that scale profitably from those that spin their wheels — and how to avoid chasing “the big whale” that sinks the boat. Grab your coffee (or something stronger) and listen in before your next sales huddle.
For more information, please contact us at EliteBenefits.net or call 708-535-3006.
To contact Howard Fisher: 312-560-0336 or Howard Fisher

Still Waiting to Try AI? Your Competitors Thank You.

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), Jordan breaks down how simple tools can create massive results — without needing a Silicon Valley budget.
We dive into why “waiting it out” isn’t a strategy — it’s a slow fade into irrelevance. Jordan reminds SMBs that while they’re debating if AI is worth the effort, their competitors are already using it to win business before lunch. It’s time to stop watching the future happen and start building it.
For more information, please contact us at EliteBenefits.net or call 708-535-3006.
To contact Jordan Green: 360-904-5270

Your Logo Isn’t a Brand (and Other Truth Marketing Bombs)

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 teams stop fighting uphill battles.
Brooke also dishes out truth bombs about why “brand drift” silently kills growth and how even SMBs can use her Clarity University to fix it without blowing the budget. If you’ve ever wondered why your marketing efforts don’t match what you actually deliver — this one’s your wake-up call.
For more information, please contact us at EliteBenefits.net or call 708-535-3006.
To contact Brook Foley: 312-464-8100 or Jayne Agency

Keeping Your Business in Alignment (Without the Back Pain)

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 body. His story blends hockey discipline, small-business hustle, and a reminder that success is built one good adjustment (and one loyal client) at a time.
Dr. Gilbert explains how today’s chiropractic care isn’t your grandfather’s “rack and crack.” From athletes chasing peak performance to parents chasing toddlers, he shows how strength, mobility, and hands-on care can keep anyone moving pain-free. Real results, no snake oil — just a business-minded doc who knows when to make the right moves on and off the ice. 
For more information, please contact us at EliteBenefits.net or call 708-535-3006.
To contact Dr. Tim Gilbert: 708-403-9450‬ or Full Strength Spine & Health