Midway Business Podcast

Hosted by Midway Business Podcast

Business Health Fitness

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Episodes

256

Latest episode

Aug 2026

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About the show

Inspired by the turning point of the Battle of Midway in World War II, this podcast is on a mission to help small and midsize businesses win their own battles—against a shifting marketplace, an uncertain world, and the everyday hurdles of running and growing a business. Hosted by Butch Zemar, CEO of Elite Benefits of America, who dives into candid conversations with real business leaders about what truly drives success. Each Midway Business Podcast episode delivers tactical insights, practical strategies, and fresh perspectives to help you adapt, manage changes, and keep your business moving forward. . . stronger and smarter.

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60 recent

August 11, 202624 min

The Cost of Staying Comfortable

Businesses rarely stop growing because opportunity disappears. More often, leaders reach the edge of what feels comfortable and discover that the square peg simply will not fit into the round hole. In this episode, Butch Zemar examines how leaders respond when old methods, rising costs, and changing markets collide. From business growth to employee benefits, the discussion challenges executives to consider whether their organization is EVOLVING with purpose or simply becoming very efficient at staying exactly where it is. Midway Business Podcast is powered by Elite Benefits of America, helping employers protect resources, empower people, and drive results through smarter employee benefits strategies. Learn more at elitebenefits.net.

August 5, 202628 min

Are Your KPIs Creating Clarity or Noise?

Business leaders are surrounded by data, meetings, and enough KPIs to make almost any dashboard look important. Jon Morris, Founder and CEO of Fiscal Advocate, explains why greater clarity often begins by narrowing the focus to the financial measures that reveal whether a company is truly moving forward. The conversation explores disciplined execution, trustworthy leadership, difficult decisions, and the value of building a team that does not need the CEO involved in every play. C -Suite leaders will gain a sharper perspective on where their time, money, and attention are going and whether those investments are producing meaningful business results. Midway Business Podcast is powered by Elite Benefits of America, helping employers protect resources, empower people, and drive results through smarter employee benefits strategies. Learn more at elitebenefits.net. To learn more about Jon Morris, visit fiscaladvocate.com or connect with him on LinkedIn.

July 30, 202651 min

What Makes a Leader Worth Following?

Leadership gets complicated when pressure rises, answers are unclear, and everyone is watching the person in charge. Jim Carlough, leadership coach, healthcare technology sales leader, and author of "The Six Pillars of Effective Leadership," explores what separates a trusted leader from someone who simply holds the title. This conversation challenges C-Suite leaders to examine how they develop people, guide teams through uncertainty, and prepare for a workplace being reshaped by technology and rising costs. Promoting your top performer without preparing them to lead can create more problems than it solves. Midway Business Podcast is powered by Elite Benefits of America, helping employers protect resources, empower people, and drive results through smarter employee benefits strategies. Learn more at elitebenefits.net.

July 23, 202629 min

Shortcuts Build Problems. Standards Build Companies.

This episode explores a question every executive eventually faces. Do you build a business on shortcuts or on standards? Drawing from military leadership, business ownership, and real client experiences, Butch Zemar reveals why the decisions nobody sees often shape a company's future. Every company wants better results, but few leaders are willing to change the habits that created today's results. Whether you lead a growing company or a large organization, this conversation shows why integrity is more than a personal value. It is a business strategy. Renewal planning, leadership, accountability, and decision making all come together in ways that separate companies that grow from those constantly putting out fires. The difference between good companies and great ones often comes down to the standards leaders refuse to compromise. Midway Business Podcast is powered by Elite Benefits of America, helping employers protect resources, empower people, and drive results through smarter employee benefits strategies. Learn more at elitebenefits.net.

July 16, 202632 min

Rethinking a Major Business Expense

Employee benefits continue to rank among the largest business expenses, yet many employers still find themselves asking the same questions every renewal season. In this episode, Butch Zemar, Founder of Elite Benefits of America, shares how more than two decades in the industry have shaped his perspective on rising healthcare costs, employer challenges, and the evolving landscape of employee benefits. Drawing from his experience as a business owner, Butch shares the leadership mindset that has guided his company, from adapting to change and building effective systems to staying focused on long term results. It is a practical conversation about one of the biggest expenses businesses face and why the way leaders approach it can have a lasting impact on their organization. Midway Business Podcast is powered by Elite Benefits of America, helping employers protect resources, empower people, and drive results through smarter employee benefits strategies. Learn more at elitebenefits.net.

July 15, 202631 min

What Eight Years Behind Home Plate Taught a CEO

Every business owner wants better results, but few stop long enough to ask whether the real advantage comes from smarter decisions instead of working harder. In this conversation, Jack Oujo, Financial Advisor, Author of “Too Smart to Be an Umpire”, and Founder of Oujo Wealth Strategies, shares how lessons learned under pressure on the baseball field shaped a career leading nearly a billion dollars in assets under management. Sometimes the biggest challenge in business is realizing your calendar has been making executive decisions without your permission. From leadership and culture to client experience, hiring, planning, and preparing for uncertainty, this episode explores what separates businesses that continue to grow from those constantly reacting. If you lead a company and believe better judgment creates better outcomes, this conversation delivers practical perspectives that every executive can appreciate without pretending business success comes from luck. Midway Business Podcast is powered by Elite Benefits of America, helping employers protect resources, empower people, and drive results through smarter employee benefits strategies. Learn more at elitebenefits.net. To learn more about Jack Oujo, visit oujowealth.com or connect with him on LinkedIn.

July 9, 202621 min

The Hard Truth About Scaling a Business Faster

This episode challenges one of the biggest myths in business that there is a faster, easier path to success. Through stories from running a 50 mile ultramarathon and building a growing company, the conversation explores why so many leaders spend years chasing shortcuts that quietly cost them more time, money, and opportunity. Sometimes the biggest obstacle to growth is not the market. It is the person signing the checks. Whether you lead 5 employees or 5,000, this discussion uncovers why companies repeat the same patterns, why consultants often see problems owners cannot, and why doing the right work beats doing more work. Your business may not need another quick fix. . . it may just need a leader willing to stop arguing with the mirror. Midway Business Podcast is powered by Elite Benefits of America, helping employers protect resources, empower people, and drive results through smarter employee benefits strategies. Learn more at elitebenefits.net.

July 7, 202638 min

Lead Better, Think Smarter, Grow Faster

Tori DaCosta, Founder of Journey Stone LLC and author of “No Name Bastard: How Our Lives Teach Us What We Can Control, Manage, and Influence”, joins Midway Business Podcast for a conversation that every business leader eventually needs to have. Growth is not always limited by strategy or market conditions. Sometimes the biggest obstacle is sitting in the corner office. The good news is your toughest employee might also be your easiest one to coach. This episode explores why leadership starts long before the boardroom, how today's business environment is reshaping the way leaders connect with their teams, and why the businesses that continue to grow are often led by people willing to grow first. If you are looking to strengthen culture, improve decision making, and prepare your organization for what comes next, this conversation offers a fresh perspective that belongs on every executive's playlist. Midway Business Podcast is powered by Elite Benefits of America, helping employers protect resources, empower people, and drive results through smarter employee benefits strategies. Learn more at elitebenefits.net. To learn more about Tori DaCosta, visit journeystone.com or connect with her on LinkedIn.

July 2, 202642 min

Growing Your Business Starts With Letting Go

Every leader says they need more time, yet somehow the calendar keeps winning. This episode explores why growth often stalls long before revenue does, and why the real bottleneck may not be your workload at all. If your desk has become the company headquarters for every decision, this conversation might feel surprisingly familiar. Guest Rachel Davila, Founder of Extra Hands Virtual Assistance, shares why successful delegation is about far more than handing off tasks. She explains how the right support system can help leaders think bigger, build smarter operations, and create room for the work that actually moves the business forward. Sometimes the biggest promotion a CEO can give themselves is removing their name from their own to do list. To contact Rachael Davila with Extra Hands! Virtual Assistance: rachael@extrahandsva.com or extrahandsva.com Midway Business Podcast is powered by Elite Benefits of America, helping employers protect resources, empower people, and drive results through smarter employee benefits strategies. Learn more at elitebenefits.net.

June 30, 202619 min

Success Begins Where Most People Give Up

Every business runs into obstacles. The difference is that some leaders see resistance as a stop sign while others treat it like another item on Monday's agenda. From sales and entrepreneurship to leadership and even dealing with insurance claims, this conversation explores why so many people settle for just enough while others keep pushing until they find a way through. If your company has ever lowered the bar because the challenge felt too BIG, this episode will make you think twice. Sometimes the biggest competitor is not another company. It is the voice in your head saying, "Good enough." Because businesses rarely lose overnight. They lose one small excuse at a time. Midway Business Podcast is powered by Elite Benefits of America, helping employers protect resources, empower people, and drive results through smarter employee benefits strategies. Learn more at elitebenefits.net.