Shaping Success With Wes Tankersley | Shaping Success Network

Hosted by Wes

Business Entrepreneurship Education

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Episodes

502

Latest episode

Oct 2026

Language

EN-US

About the show

Success looks different for everyone. The Shaping Success Network is built around real conversations with real people. Hosted by Wes Tankersley, the network brings together multiple shows with one thing in common: honest conversations about life, success, business, relationships, perspective and everything that happens along the way. Shaping Success features conversations with entrepreneurs, athletes, business owners, creators and everyday people with a story worth telling. Shaping Success: Treasure Valley highlights the people, businesses and stories shaping communities across Idaho’s Treasure Valley. Two Nobodies Who Know Nothing brings Wes and Robert together for unscripted conversations about life, current events, success, failure and whatever else comes up. One Drink Wednesday is exactly what it sounds like — Wes and Jhae grab a drink and see where the conversation goes. Different shows. Different conversations. One network built around the belief that everyone has a story and everyone has their own shape of success.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

October 24, 2026Episode 48832 min

Two Nobodies Who Know Nothing | Can We Create Change Without Violence?

Send us Fan Mail Can we create meaningful change without violence, or have we become so divided that we’ve forgotten how to work through our differences? On this episode of Two Nobodies Who Know Nothing , Wes Tankersley and Robert Watson tackle a conversation about political division, war, relationships, and the importance of finding common ground. Robert brings his military and strategic background into the discussion as we examine conflicts around the world, the ongoing tensions involving Iran and Ukraine, and why achieving peace should always be the ultimate goal. But this conversation goes well beyond politics. We discuss how COVID and technology have changed the way younger generations communicate, why learning to handle rejection and failure matters, and how the same problems we see between countries often show up in our marriages, relationships, and everyday lives. The biggest takeaway? We can’t change the past, but we can learn from it. And if we’re constantly focused on the problem instead of finding a solution, we’re never going to move forward. We’re also making some changes to the show! Join us live on Fridays at 5 PM Mountain Time , with new audio episodes released on Saturdays. 🎙️ Support the Shaping Success Network Join our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/westankersley Follow Robert Watson’s Taming Chaos on Substack: https://globalstrategyinstitute.substack.com Subscribe to the Shaping Success Network on YouTube and wherever you listen to podcasts. Join the conversation: Do you believe meaningful change can happen without violence? Let us know in the comments. #TwoNobodiesWhoKnowNothing #ShapingSuccessNetwork #PoliticalDivision #FindingCommonGround #ConflictResolution #PersonalGrowth #Podcast Support the show For merchandise, podcast and youtube: Join The Patreon https://patreon.com/Westankersley Follow Shaping Success https://shapingsuccesspodcast.buzzsprout.com/ Get Ars Victorious https://a.co/d/5f4todG https://a.co/d/5f4todG Email Wes@westankersley.com for guest ideas or to be on the show!

October 23, 2026Episode 48755 min

Shaping Success Treasure Valley | Chris Flexhaug – Success Starts with Relationships

Send us Fan Mail What if success isn’t about how much money you make, what job you have, or how many times you’ve failed, but about the relationships you build and how you approach life? On this episode of Shaping Success Treasure Valley , Wes Tankersley welcomes back his good friend Chris Flexhaug of Relocate 208 for an in-person conversation about life, success, positivity, and the importance of genuinely connecting with people. Chris has lived a pretty interesting life. From commercial fishing in Alaska and working in Hollywood to selling cars and eventually finding his place in Treasure Valley real estate, he’s never been afraid to try something different. After moving from California to Idaho in 2019 without a job or a clear plan, Chris found an opportunity that turned into a career built around helping people and developing lasting relationships. But this conversation goes well beyond real estate. Wes and Chris talk about growing up, learning from their parents, overcoming setbacks, finding confidence, and why failure doesn’t have to be a bad thing. They also discuss how a positive attitude can change your perspective, why communication seems to be a lost art, and how treating people right can lead to opportunities you never expected. Wes also shares his own journey from working at Les Schwab to becoming a teacher, earning his master’s degree, and eventually walking away from a steady paycheck to pursue a career in commission-based sales. That decision helped change the way he viewed competition, personal responsibility, and success. There’s plenty of laughter along the way, including Chris’s unfortunate encounter with a fire hydrant, a little talk about whether we’re living in the Matrix, and why sometimes the most valuable thing you can give someone is your time. In this episode: Why relationships matter more than transactions Moving to Idaho without a job or a plan How failure can become one of life’s greatest teachers The difference between confidence and arrogance Why being positive doesn’t mean life is always easy Learning to compete with yourself instead of everyone else The importance of honesty, communication, and trust Why it’s never too late to change direction At the heart of this conversation is a reminder that success looks different for everyone. You don’t have to have everything figured out, but you do have to be willing to learn, take chances, and keep moving forward. Connect with Chris Flexhaug: Relocate 208 Phone: 208-760-9880 Connect with Shaping Success: Follow, subscribe, and share the episode with someone who could use a different perspective on success. Because sometimes the conversations that matter most aren’t about business at all. They’re about life. Support the show For merchandise, podcast and youtube: Join The Patreon https://patreon.com/Westankersley Follow Shaping Success https://shapingsuccesspodcast.buzzsprout.com/ Get Ars Victorious https://a.co/d/5f4todG https://a.co/d/5f4todG Email Wes@westankersley.com for guest ideas or to be on the show!

October 16, 2026Episode 48636 min

Shaping Success | The Craftsman Pat Kellner: Bringing Baseball Gloves Back to Life

Send us Fan Mail What if an old baseball glove could bring back a lifetime of memories—and even inspire a successful business? On this episode of Shaping Success , Wes Tankersley sits down with Pat Kellner, better known as The Craftsman , to talk baseball, entrepreneurship, and turning a lifelong passion into a full-time career. Pat has built a following on social media by bringing old, worn-out baseball gloves back to life. From replacing leather and relacing gloves to restoring faded lettering and preserving baseball history, his work is about much more than fixing equipment. It’s about preserving the memories attached to every glove. Wes shares his own experience sending Pat his high school baseball glove for restoration and the incredible transformation that followed. But Pat’s story goes well beyond baseball. A former high school teacher and coach, he walked away from coaching to spend more time with his family. What started as a hobby eventually grew into a thriving business, complete with his own glove care products and educational courses teaching others the craft. In this episode, we talk about: Why old baseball gloves hold so much sentimental value. How Pat turned a hobby into a full-time business. The process behind restoring and relacing baseball gloves. Growing a business through TikTok and social media. Creating his own line of glove care products. Why patience, attention to detail, and doing things right matter. Leaving a career in coaching to prioritize family. Why you shouldn’t wait for the perfect moment to start something. Whether you’re a baseball fan, an entrepreneur, or someone looking to turn a passion into something bigger, Pat’s story is a reminder that success doesn’t always start with a business plan. Sometimes it starts with something you love doing. ⚾ CONNECT WITH THE CRAFTSMAN — PAT KELLNER Website: https://thecraftsmansworks.com TikTok: @thecraftsman84 Instagram: @thecraftsman Facebook: The Craftsman’s Works 🎙️ SUPPORT SHAPING SUCCESS Help keep the conversations going and support the show on Patreon for as little as $3 a month. https://www.patreon.com/westankersley If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to like, subscribe, share, and leave a comment. What’s one piece of sports equipment from your childhood that you wish you still had? Until next time, I challenge you to find the shape of your success! #ShapingSuccess #TheCraftsman #PatKellner #BaseballGloves #GloveRestoration #BaseballHistory #Entrepreneurship #SmallBusiness #Podcast #WesTankersley Support the show For merchandise, podcast and youtube: Join The Patreon https://patreon.com/Westankersley Follow Shaping Success https://shapingsuccesspodcast.buzzsprout.com/ Get Ars Victorious https://a.co/d/5f4todG https://a.co/d/5f4todG Email Wes@westankersley.com for guest ideas or to be on the show!

October 5, 2026Episode 48531 min

Two Nobodies who Know Nothing | Facts, Feelings & Rage Bait: Why We Can’t Disagree Anymore

Send us Fan Mail What happened to being able to disagree without losing your mind? This week on Two Nobodies Who Know Nothing , Wes and Robert dig into rage bait, social media comments, facts vs. feelings, and why a 60-second clip can convince someone they know everything about you. We get into how personal experiences shape our opinions, the difference between correlation and causation, why research and polls aren’t always as definitive as they appear, and how history itself can change as new information comes to light. Then we head into politics: gas prices, Trump, Obama, Republicans, Democrats, Congress, executive orders, and why blaming—or crediting—one president for everything happening in the country misses how government actually works. The point isn’t that we have all the answers. Hell, the show is called Two Nobodies Who Know Nothing . The point is that we should still be able to think out loud, question our own opinions, look at evidence, and have a conversation with someone who sees things differently. Facts can change your perspective. Anger and personal attacks won’t. 🎙️ Two Nobodies Who Know Nothing — new episodes every Monday. #TwoNobodiesWhoKnowNothing #Podcast #RageBait #FactsVsFeelings #Politics #SocialMedia #CriticalThinking #Trump #Obama #PodcastDiscussion Support the show For merchandise, podcast and youtube: Join The Patreon https://patreon.com/Westankersley Follow Shaping Success https://shapingsuccesspodcast.buzzsprout.com/ Get Ars Victorious https://a.co/d/5f4todG https://a.co/d/5f4todG Email Wes@westankersley.com for guest ideas or to be on the show!

September 28, 2026Episode 48428 min

Two Nobodies Who Know Nothing | Everybody’s an Expert… Until They’re Not

Send us Fan Mail Everybody’s an expert on the internet — politics, gas prices, presidents, quarterbacks, GOAT debates… you name it. This week on Two Nobodies Who Know Nothing , Wes Tankersley and Robert Watson start with the insanity of social media comments and how people will argue with complete strangers — while unknowingly helping push their content further through the algorithm. Then somehow, as usual, the conversation takes a turn. 🏈 Why young NFL quarterbacks get crowned way too early 🏈 Why Year 5 might tell you more than Year 1 🏈 Joe Montana vs. Tom Brady 🏈 Michael Jordan vs. LeBron James 🏈 How much different eras and rule changes actually matter 🏈 Why longevity may be one of the hardest accomplishments in sports 🏈 And why middle-aged men should probably stop thinking they can still play full-contact football Plus, Wes explains why he briefly considered playing football again — until reality, a knee replacement, and his brother’s post-season surgeries provided a pretty convincing answer. And underneath all of it is one question: Why are we so obsessed with proving that we’re right? We’re Two Nobodies Who Know Nothing . We don’t claim to have all the answers — we’re just willing to talk about the questions. 🎙️ Watch, listen, subscribe, and tell us what you think in the comments. Who’s your greatest quarterback of all time — Montana, Brady, or somebody else? New episodes every week. #TwoNobodiesWhoKnowNothing #Podcast #JoeMontana #TomBrady #NFL #Football #MichaelJordan #LeBronJames #SocialMedia #GOATDebate #PodcastClips Support the show For merchandise, podcast and youtube: Join The Patreon https://patreon.com/Westankersley Follow Shaping Success https://shapingsuccesspodcast.buzzsprout.com/ Get Ars Victorious https://a.co/d/5f4todG https://a.co/d/5f4todG Email Wes@westankersley.com for guest ideas or to be on the show!

September 21, 2026Episode 48321 min

Shaping Success | Cooler, Closer, or Cleaner? The Relentless Mindset

Send us Fan Mail What separates someone who is good from someone who is great—or even unstoppable? After listening to Relentless by Tim Grover, I started thinking about his three categories: Coolers, Closers, and Cleaners—and, more importantly, where I fit. In this solo episode of Shaping Success, I get into what it means to compete against yourself instead of constantly comparing yourself to everyone around you. I talk about how that mindset has shaped my career in sales, why a $10,000 sale and a $0 appointment can both be part of a successful day, and why learning to move on quickly from failure has become one of the most important lessons of my career. I also look back at high school football, basketball, and the opportunities I might have approached differently if I’d understood this mindset when I was younger. And then there’s this podcast. Nearly 500 episodes. Six years. 50,000+ downloads. 2,300+ YouTube subscribers. 25K+ on TikTok. Has it paid the bills? No. Am I stopping? Absolutely not. Because you never know when you’re one episode, one post, one opportunity, or one step away from something changing. I also talk about the evolution of the Shaping Success Network, including: • Shaping Success • Shaping Success Treasure Valley • Two Nobodies Who Know Nothing with Robert Watson • One Drink Wednesday with Jhae Pfenning Plus, I reflect on the influence of the Adam Carolla Show, remember Bald Bryan Bishop, talk about finding inspiration from other creators, and share why I’m still trying to improve everything I do—even after six years behind the microphone. The goal isn’t to be better than everyone else. The goal is to be better than the person you were yesterday. So ask yourself: Are you a Cooler, a Closer, or a Cleaner? Thanks for listening, watching, subscribing, and being part of this journey. Until next time, I challenge you to find the shape of your success. 🎧 Listen to the Shaping Success Network wherever you get your podcasts. 📺 Subscribe on YouTube: @wes.tankersley 📱 Follow on TikTok & Instagram: @wes.tankersley Support the show For merchandise, podcast and youtube: Join The Patreon https://patreon.com/Westankersley Follow Shaping Success https://shapingsuccesspodcast.buzzsprout.com/ Get Ars Victorious https://a.co/d/5f4todG https://a.co/d/5f4todG Email Wes@westankersley.com for guest ideas or to be on the show!

September 14, 2026Episode 48228 min

Two Nobodies Who Know Nothing | Does Your Stuff Own You?

Send us Fan Mail How much stuff do we actually need—and how much are we paying just to hang onto things we never use? This week on Two Nobodies Who Know Nothing, Wes Tankersley and Robert Watson start with storage units and end up going much deeper into wants vs. needs, money, happiness, sentimental value, and why we have such a hard time letting things go. From paying hundreds of dollars a month to store stuff we haven’t touched in years, to closets full of clothes, old technology, seasonal decorations, college diplomas and even the apps cluttering our phones, we ask a simple question: Do you own your stuff, or does your stuff own you? Sometimes the things we keep because they once had value are actually costing us money, space and mental energy today. Maybe it’s time to clean out the storage unit, purge the closet and let some stuff go. Two Nobodies Who Know Nothing with Wes Tankersley and Robert Watson. Real conversations from two guys who definitely don’t have all the answers. THE SHAPING SUCCESS NETWORK Shaping Success — Real conversations with people about success, failure, life and what it took to get where they are. Shaping Success Treasure Valley — Highlighting the people, businesses and stories that make Idaho’s Treasure Valley what it is. Two Nobodies Who Know Nothing — Wes Tankersley and Robert Watson talking life, business, society and whatever else gets the conversation going. One Drink Wednesday — Wes Tankersley and Jhae Pfenning live every Wednesday at 7:00 PM PST on Instagram. One drink. No script. Who knows where the conversation goes. SUPPORT THE SHAPING SUCCESS NETWORK Patreon: Patreon.com/WesTankersley FOLLOW WES & SHAPING SUCCESS Instagram: @wes.tankersley TikTok: @wes.tankersley YouTube: @wes.tankersley Facebook: @wes.tankersley Subscribe, follow and share the shows. It costs nothing and helps us keep these conversations going and continue bringing you new episodes across the Shaping Success Network. #TwoNobodiesWhoKnowNothing #ShapingSuccess #TreasureValley #OneDrinkWednesday #Podcast Support the show For merchandise, podcast and youtube: Join The Patreon https://patreon.com/Westankersley Follow Shaping Success https://shapingsuccesspodcast.buzzsprout.com/ Get Ars Victorious https://a.co/d/5f4todG https://a.co/d/5f4todG Email Wes@westankersley.com for guest ideas or to be on the show!

August 31, 2026Episode 48132 min

Two Nobodies | Stop Focusing on What You Can’t Control

Send us Fan Mail What if changing your life starts with changing the way you look at it? This week on Two Nobodies Who Know Nothing , Wes and Robert talk about perspective, gratitude, adversity, failure, and focusing your energy on the things you can actually control . Is it “I only have $10” or “I still have $10” ? Is a setback simply something bad that happened—or is there something you can learn from it? The conversation gets into why negative comments can outweigh 20 positive ones in our minds, why perfection can keep us from taking action, and why sometimes the most important thing you can do is simply execute and keep moving forward . Wes also talks about the slow growth of his podcasts, nearly quitting, upgrading the studio with a second camera, and why continuing to show up matters even when things aren’t moving as quickly as you’d hoped. Later, they use examples from business and the NFL—including Tom Brady, Joe Montana, Steve Young, Patrick Mahomes, Sam Darnold and Drew Bledsoe —to explore opportunity, preparation, luck and what happens when your moment finally arrives. The takeaway: You don’t control every circumstance. You do control how you respond, what you learn from it, and what you do next. If you enjoy conversations about personal growth, mindset, success, motivation, business, sports and everyday life , subscribe and join us each week. 🎙️ Two Nobodies Who Know Nothing Part of the Shaping Success Network Support the shows on Patreon for as little as $3/month: Patreon.com/WesTankersley Chapters 00:00 – Welcome & the new two-camera setup 01:01 – How perspective changes everything 02:14 – Gratitude + execution 03:52 – Why Wes keeps podcasting 07:25 – What can adversity teach you? 09:43 – Everyone dies, but not everyone lives 10:52 – Finding the positive side 13:04 – You have more control than you think 14:23 – Stop obsessing over what you can’t control 17:47 – Inflation, prices & finding opportunity 20:08 – Failure vs. figuring out a way forward 22:38 – Learning how to play the game 23:51 – Becoming the best individual on the team 25:40 – NFL success, injuries & luck 27:31 – Joe Montana vs. Steve Young 29:54 – Opportunity can change everything 30:16 – Drew Bledsoe & Tom Brady 31:01 – What’s coming next Hashtags: #Perspective #Mindset #PersonalGrowth #Motivation #TwoNobodiesWhoKnowNothing Support the show For merchandise, podcast and youtube: Join The Patreon https://patreon.com/Westankersley Follow Shaping Success https://shapingsuccesspodcast.buzzsprout.com/ Get Ars Victorious https://a.co/d/5f4todG https://a.co/d/5f4todG Email Wes@westankersley.com for guest ideas or to be on the show!

August 17, 2026Episode 48032 min

AI Is Stealing Your Work

Send us Fan Mail Support the show For merchandise, podcast and youtube: Join The Patreon https://patreon.com/Westankersley Follow Shaping Success https://shapingsuccesspodcast.buzzsprout.com/ Get Ars Victorious https://a.co/d/5f4todG https://a.co/d/5f4todG Email Wes@westankersley.com for guest ideas or to be on the show!

August 14, 2026Episode 48051 min

Shaping Success Treasure Valley | Andy Koenig - Building Koenig Distillery

Send us Fan Mail Andy Koenig has been building Koenig Distillery since 1999, but the story started years earlier with his family’s roots in Austria and the tradition of making fruit brandy at home. In this episode of Shaping Success Treasure Valley , Andy and I talk about how Koenig Distillery grew from European-style fruit brandies into one of Idaho’s best-known local distilleries. We get into the history behind the distillery, Idaho-grown fruit and potatoes, hand-built German copper stills, Seven Devils bourbon, the Koenig Whiskey Club, Caldwell Night Rodeo whiskey, and the launch of Bone Orchard Tequila. Andy also explains what actually goes into aging and blending bourbon, why two barrels from the same batch can taste completely different, how Idaho’s changing liquor laws opened new opportunities for the tasting room, and why some products take years of planning before customers ever see them. This is a conversation about building something local, sticking with it for decades and continuing to evolve without losing what made it special in the first place. In this episode: Growing up between Idaho and Austria How Andy got interested in distilling The story behind Koenig Distillery Using locally grown Idaho fruit and potatoes Hand-hammered copper stills from Germany How Seven Devils bourbon is aged and blended The Koenig Whiskey Club Caldwell Night Rodeo whiskey Idaho’s new distillery cocktail laws Silo Saturdays and the Koenig tasting room The launch of Bone Orchard Tequila What Andy actually drinks when he gets home Find Koenig Distillery and support local Treasure Valley businesses. Shaping Success Treasure Valley shares the people, businesses and stories helping shape the Treasure Valley. Chapters 00:00 — Andy Koenig joins Shaping Success Treasure Valley 01:44 — How European fruit brandy started the story 03:51 — Growing fruit locally in Idaho 05:41 — Starting the distillery right out of college 06:21 — Growing up in Austria and learning the language 09:39 — Making brandy the old-school Austrian way 11:42 — Hand-built German copper stills 15:09 — 27 years of distilling equipment 17:04 — Koenig’s most popular spirits 18:17 — The beginning of Seven Devils bourbon 21:49 — How Koenig sources and ages bourbon 24:18 — Inside the Koenig Whiskey Club 28:37 — Why every bourbon barrel tastes different 31:33 — How Andy blends barrels for consistency 35:17 — Caldwell Night Rodeo whiskey 37:22 — Whiskey Club finishes and special releases 39:41 — New Idaho laws change the tasting room 42:46 — Silo Saturdays at Koenig Distillery 43:28 — Why Koenig launched Bone Orchard Tequila 48:52 — What Andy Koenig drinks at home 50:40 — Closing thoughts #ShapingSuccessTreasureValley #KoenigDistillery #TreasureValley #IdahoBusiness #IdahoBourbon #SevenDevils #CaldwellIdaho Support the show For merchandise, podcast and youtube: Join The Patreon https://patreon.com/Westankersley Follow Shaping Success https://shapingsuccesspodcast.buzzsprout.com/ Get Ars Victorious https://a.co/d/5f4todG https://a.co/d/5f4todG Email Wes@westankersley.com for guest ideas or to be on the show!

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