The Worst Advice I Ever Got

In this conversation, Kirk explains why he believes entrepreneurial success comes from adaptability, salesmanship, coachability, and frontline experience, not spreadsheets and analysis paralysis. He shares stories about growing businesses from the loading docks up, surviving major legal battles, pivoting his company during COVID in less than a day, and why he’d take a gritty former athlete over a polished Ivy League MBA in a hiring interview almost every time.

Whether you agree with him or not, this episode will absolutely make you think differently about leadership, education, and what actually prepares people for success.

The Worst Advice I Ever Got is brought to you by Smith + Howard.

Actor and musician Johnny Sneed (Fever Pitch, Love & Mercy, Outer Range, Painkiller, Parks and Recreation) is joining us on The Worst Advice I Ever Got to talk about the worst advice he’s ever received and why he wishes he never listened to it in the first place. From sharing the screen with Bryan Cranston and Josh Brolin to portraying legendary drummer Hal Blaine in Love & Mercy, Johnny’s career has blended music, comedy, drama, and character work across film and television. Now he’s sitting down with us to unpack the advice that quietly shaped years of his life and the regret that can come from realizing too late that the wrong voice got in your head.

She was told to lead from the back.

It sounded thoughtful. Humble. Empowering.

It didn’t work.

In this episode of The Worst Advice I Ever Got, Manya Whitaker shares how that advice led to confusion, stalled teams, and zero direction… and why real leadership can’t come from hiding in the background.

As a college president and CEO, Manya breaks down what actually works:
clear direction, visible leadership, and creating space for others to succeed without leaving them guessing.

This one gets into the real tension of leadership:
how to lead from the front without micromanaging, how to empower without disappearing, and why “humility” can sometimes backfire.

If you’ve ever been told to step back… this might change how you show up.

Listen now and subscribe for more episodes of The Worst Advice I Ever Got.

Early in her career, Hala Moddelmog was told something that stopped a lot of people before they even start.

Women can’t have it all.

She heard it at the exact moment she had the chance to step into a top leadership role. And instead of backing off, she decided to go for it anyway.

She went on to lead major organizations, build an incredible career, and raise a family along the way.

This episode is about what it actually means to “have it all,” what it really costs, and why letting someone else define your limits might be the worst advice of all.

Early in his career, Jamie Mantzouridis was told something that actually made sense.

If you want to be taken seriously as a trainer, you need to look the part.

So he went all in.

He transformed his body, built credibility fast, and started getting results. But the deeper he went, the harder it became to see where the line was between discipline and damage.

This episode is about what happens when the thing that makes you credible starts to cost you more than it’s worth.

Early in her career, one comment from a CEO changed how Kacie Lett Gordon showed up at work. And like a lot of bad advice, it worked. She climbed fast, became a senior leader, and checked all the boxes.

But over time, that version of success started to cost her.

This episode is about what happens when you realize the advice that helped you succeed isn’t something you want to keep.