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PODCAST

Midway Business Podcast

The Zemar Podcast

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, each episode features candid conversations, tactical insights, and practical strategies from real business leaders. From adapting to change to tackling rising costs (including

business entrepreneurship

All Episodes

13:55

When Your Moral Compass Has Better GPS Than Your...

Midway Business Podcast ·

2025/04/17

This episode takes a bold stand for a concept often left behind after the annual ethics training: integrity. From a 19th-century shipwreck survivor refusing to sell out his story to Rosa Parks refusing to give up her seat, we explore how standing up for what’s right has always been uncomfortable, unpopular—and often unprofitable. Naturally, that brings us to today’s healthcare industry, where "ethical pricing" is apparently a mythical creature and major players keep pharmaceutical rebates as secret

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23:06

Breaking Up with the Status Quo - It’s Not You, It’s...

Midway Business Podcast ·

2025/04/15

In this episode, we tackle everyone’s favorite workplace fantasy: achieving long-term goals without sacrificing lunch breaks, sanity, or the sacred Slack meme thread. From health insurance horror stories to motivational gym metaphors, it’s a brutally honest look at why your benefits plan (and your personal growth strategy) tend to fall apart around Q2. The solution? Stop treating progress like a New Year’s resolution and start building actual systems—because spoiler: “We’ll circle back on that” is

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24:00

The Premium Is Too Damn High: A Strategic Deep Dive...

Midway Business Podcast ·

2025/04/10

Ah, health insurance: the annual corporate Hunger Games where employers try to look generous, employees pretend to understand their benefits, and everyone ends up Googling “What is coinsurance?” at 2 a.m. This episode dives into the heart of every HR manager's favorite nightmare—managing costs while offering benefits that don’t cause immediate mutiny in the break room. From the post-WWII days of “Hey, free coverage!” to today’s 14% premium hikes and $7,000 deductibles, we've strayed just slightly

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35:07

Staying in Your Lane! Unless You’re in a Penalty Kill...

Midway Business Podcast ·

2025/04/08

This episode hits the sweet spot between locker room grit and boardroom buzzwords. From high school guard rotations to youth hockey chaos, it’s a deep dive into how sports build skills that every executive LinkedIn post pretends they were born with: mindset, grit, team synergy, and an unshakable ability to take a hit and spin it into a Q3 growth opportunity. The lesson? Whether you're breaking into the zone or the market, you’d better keep your feet moving—and your metaphors mixed.You’ll also get a

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18:11

Saved $120K and Nobody Cried (Except Maybe the...

Midway Business Podcast ·

2025/04/04

Welcome to the wild intersection of strategic parenting and small-business leadership, where bedtime negotiations require more finesse than a boardroom merger, and every family meal feels like an offsite with zero catering budget. In this episode, we explore what happens when you attempt to scale a family of four high-energy hockey-playing boys while maintaining operational efficiency, emotional bandwidth, and a hockey tournament travel itinerary. Spoiler: no one's hitting their Q1 goals, but

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22:33

The Process-Driven Approach to Business Success

Midway Business Podcast ·

2025/03/18

In this episode, Butch Zemar dives into why process matters more than results when it comes to business growth and sustainability. CFOs and HR leaders often focus on revenue and cost-cutting, but Zemar argues that these are just byproducts of a well-structured strategy. Businesses that rely solely on sales tactics without refining their internal processes ultimately face inefficiencies, stagnation, and increased risk. Drawing comparisons to professional athletes, daily discipline and incremental

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21:16

Eye In The Sky Never Lies: Sports, Scuba, and...

Midway Business Podcast ·

2025/03/13

This episode explores the transformative power of video analysis across various fields, from sports and military operations to business and risk management. The discussion begins with the evolution of video technology in athletics, highlighting how recorded game footage has become an essential tool for skill development and strategic improvement. The conversation then transitions to the use of cameras aboard aircraft carriers, detailing the unique vantage point of “Vultures’ Roll,” where crew

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23:08

Cutting Costs with Discipline: Smarter Benefits...

Midway Business Podcast ·

2025/03/10

This episode explores the crucial role of discipline in both personal and professional success, framing it as a muscle that requires constant exercise. Even highly disciplined individuals, like military personnel, can struggle with maintaining it. The discussion highlights Parkinson’s Law, which states that tasks expand to fill the time allotted, emphasizing the power of setting shorter deadlines to increase efficiency. Applying these principles to business, the discussion underscores the

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20:34

The 10,000-Hour Rule in Business, Sports, and Life

Midway Business Podcast ·

2025/03/06

This episode explores the power of consistency and repetition in mastering skills, drawing parallels between personal growth, business, and healthcare. A real-life scuba diving challenge serves as a compelling example, illustrating how lack of preparation and conditioning can lead to setbacks, while consistent practice and perseverance pave the way for success. The discussion delves into concepts like Malcolm Gladwell’s 10,000-hour rule and Brian Tracy’s 1% daily improvement, demonstrating how

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27:56

The Business Blind Spot | Perception Versus Reality

Midway Business Podcast ·

2025/03/05

In this episode, the discussion centers around the contrast between perception and reality in business, illustrating how intuition has driven both innovation and survival. Examples from history, such as the Apollo 13 mission and World War II battles, highlight how strategic decision-making and adaptation are key to overcoming challenges. The conversation also examines how perception influences business success, with examples like Walt Disney and Tesla demonstrating how visionary thinking can lead to

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29:37

Fire, Failure, and the Fight to Adapt: Business...

Midway Business Podcast ·

2025/02/06

Butch Zemar takes listeners back to one of the most devastating naval disasters—the USS Forrestal fire. Caused by a hot start on a jet engine, the fire claimed 100 lives and nearly sank the ship. Zemar not only recounts the tragedy and the heroic efforts of the crew but also explores how the Navy’s response—mandatory firefighting training and structural changes—offers a critical lesson in business adaptability.Drawing from his personal experience in shipboard firefighting training, he underscores

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27:18

Turning Chaos into Opportunity: Lessons in Adaptation...

Midway Business Podcast ·

2024/11/26

A scuba diving anecdote illustrates how firsthand experiences can dramatically shift perceptions, as a couple had contrasting reactions to their diving class. The discussion emphasizes the importance of embracing challenges and chaos, whether in parenting, business, or personal growth and highlights how adapting to adversity leads to success. The conversation underscores the risks of offering advice without relevant experience and advocates for focusing on positive contributions and supporting

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27:08

Optimizing Revenue and Costs with Jason Treadwell

Midway Business Podcast ·

2024/11/21

In this episode, Jason Treadwell, founder of Treadwell Consulting Group, emphasizes the importance of conducting regular financial checkups for small businesses. He advocates quarterly reviews to analyze revenue, costs, and trends. He stresses that financial management should be proactive, not just a compliance task. Treadwell warns against reactive financial decision-making and highlights how leveraging financial data can play a key role in strategic planning, especially for businesses facing

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15:56

More Than the Miles: Lessons in Business from...

Midway Business Podcast ·

2024/11/19

In this episode, Butch Zemar explores the parallels between training for ultra-marathons and achieving business success. He emphasizes the importance of gradual progress, consistent effort, and discipline, sharing personal experiences from his journey as a runner. Butch discusses how the real challenge lies in the training, not the race itself, and relates this to the need for adaptability and perseverance in business. He highlights how focusing on long-term goals, learning from setbacks, and making

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26:30

Why Businesses Fail: The Cost of Poor Planning and...

Midway Business Podcast ·

2024/11/14

A recent discussion explored the common reasons businesses fail, focusing on the lack of strategic planning and the failure to adapt to new technologies. Many companies struggle due to ineffective sales and marketing strategies, resistance to change, and a failure to address legal and compliance issues. The importance of having a solid benefits program strategy was also highlighted, as neglecting compliance can lead to penalties and other financial consequences.Additionally, the discussion

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25:14

How to Challenge the Status Quo and Thrive With Your...

Midway Business Podcast ·

2024/11/12

The emphasis was on how the real challenge lies in the preparation, not the event itself. In business, this translates to proper planning, consistent effort, and focusing on the right activities to achieve long-term success. Sales teams, for instance, are encouraged to increase their meeting volumes and prioritize quality actions that drive results.Additionally, leveraging data in business decisions, particularly during benefits renewals, was highlighted. The discussion emphasized the need for

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23:54

Rising Premiums and Reluctant Changes

Midway Business Podcast ·

2024/11/07

Despite increasing premiums, many employers are hesitant to change their plans, with a survey showing that 87% of employers remain satisfied with their current coverage. Smaller companies are particularly vulnerable to significant cost increases, often needing more resources to manage healthcare benefits or adjust to these rising expenses proactively. The issue of broker retention was also highlighted, revealing that 95% of employers keep their brokers even when their performance is subpar, mainly

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19:52

Balancing Cost and Safety: Lessons from Scuba Diving...

Midway Business Podcast ·

2024/11/05

A recent discussion highlighted the risks of cutting corners in both business and health insurance, drawing a parallel to a tragic scuba diving story from The Last Dive by Bernie Chowdhury. The story emphasized how cost-saving measures, such as using compressed air instead of mixed gas with helium, led to fatal consequences. This served as a cautionary tale for businesses that seek quick fixes or overly aggressive cost reductions without considering long-term planning and safety. The conversation

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24:36

Cutting Costs with Smarter Healthcare Choices and...

Midway Business Podcast ·

2024/10/31

Small and mid-sized companies often complicate their health insurance programs, leading to inefficiencies and frustration. Sometimes, companies need to change their approach to achieve their goals. The conversation emphasized the importance of evaluating renewals early, exploring cost-saving opportunities like switching carriers that provide claims data and implementing technology to streamline enrollment processes. Companies were also encouraged to retrain employees to use their health insurance

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18:45

From Sports Rules to Health Plans: Evolving for Success

Midway Business Podcast ·

2024/10/29

Taking examples from the NHL and MLB, where rule changes improved efficiency and game outcomes, the conversation drew parallels to the evolution of health insurance. Historical shifts like tax breaks after World War II led to the rise of PPOs and HMOs, and more recently, strategies such as Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs) and Individual Coverage HRAs (ICRAs) have emerged as methods to control rising healthcare costs.The conversation highlights the need for employers to proactively evolve

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225 results

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