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.

• (00:00:00) - The Worst Advice I Ever Got
• (00:00:51) - Dr. Whitaker on The Worst Advice She Ever Got
• (00:05:56) - What Made You a Leader?
• (00:07:15) - Leading From the Back
• (00:08:44) - President of Colorado College on Leading From the Front
• (00:14:48) - "Lead From the Back"
• (00:15:52) - What's the Hardest Part of Leading From the Front?
• (00:18:24) - Tom Clancy on Leading From the Back
• (00:21:08) - What Do We Do for People Who Want to Lead From the Front
• (00:25:42) - Dr. Whitaker on The Worst Advice Ever
• (00:27:36) - Dr. Whitaker on 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.

• (00:00:00) - The Worst Advice I Ever Got
• (00:00:56) - Wonders of the World:
• (00:05:43) - Have You Got It All?
• (00:11:20) - Had It All: Marian Woodruff
• (00:15:11) - Helena Smith on Trying to Have It All
• (00:18:15) - The Worst Advice I Ever Got

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.

• (00:00:00) - Best Advice I Ever Got
• (00:00:44) - The Worst Advice You Ever Got
• (00:02:49) - Back to college: The partying and the work
• (00:03:49) - What did your life look like after you left university?
• (00:05:19) - Becoming a Personal Trainer Was An Instant Decision
• (00:10:20) - Diabetes Survivor on Taking Steroids
• (00:14:52) - The Biggest Bodybuilder Coach's Transformation
• (00:17:34) - The Secret to Becoming a Personal Trainer
• (00:20:42) - The Worst Advice I Ever Got

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.

• (00:00:00) - The Worst Advice I Ever Got
• (00:00:44) - The Worst Advice You Ever Got
• (00:05:37) - Working Mother's Experiences
• (00:08:18) - How I Made a Different Kind of Pivot
• (00:12:31) - The Worst Advice You Ever Got
• (00:19:22) - What are the things that every single person on the planet can embody
• (00:24:10) - The Worst Advice I Ever Got

What happens when a single test score starts shaping your entire life?
This week’s guest, Tyler Zachem, grew up hearing that he should avoid anything involving numbers. Bad math grades. Low SAT scores. All of it pointed him away from finance and toward a career he did not actually want.

Tyler shares how that early message boxed him in and how he slowly learned to trust something deeper than a score. He takes us inside his curiosity for investing, private equity, and entrepreneurship, and explains how following that instinct opened the doors that ended up defining his life.

In this conversation, we talk about the danger of letting labels decide your future, the difference between being good at math and being good with numbers, and why your career should expand instead of narrow when you are young.

If you have ever felt limited by a grade or a comparison, this episode will feel like a breath of fresh air.

Listen to Tyler’s story on The Worst Advice I Ever Got.

Sean and JB reflect on the past year and talk about New Years resolutions, and specfically why they are chock full of the worst advice you ever got.

It’s the first ever holiday panel on The Worst Advice I Ever Got. Sean and JB sit down with four members of the Smith + Howard family of companies to talk through the bad holiday advice that shaped their most memorable seasons. From the pressure to keep the magic of Santa alive, to gift giving lessons that go sideways, to the chaos of Elf on the Shelf, each guest brings a story that starts with good intentions and ends with a hard earned lesson.

This special episode is funny, honest, and full of moments every parent and holiday host will recognize. A perfect way to wrap up the year with real stories from real people who learned the hard way that holiday advice is rarely as simple as it sounds.

Happy Holidays from The Worst Advice I Ever Got.

Actor, comedian, filmmaker, and college-football-internet legend Josh Mancuso joins us to unpack the classic piece of bad advice: “A jack of all trades is a master of none.”

Josh breaks down why that mindset almost boxed him in, how trying lots of things actually moved his career forward, and why it’s never too late to start the project you’ve been sitting on. He talks family, creativity, burnout, mascots, viral videos, and chasing a dream on your own terms.

If you’re feeling stretched thin, pulled in twelve directions, or just trying to remember what month it is, this episode is the perfect reset.

A great listen for creatives, multi-hyphenates, sports fans, and anyone figuring out their next move.

Tune in and enjoy this special re-release as we get ready for the big holiday episode of The Worst Advice I Ever Got.