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What happens when the business gets hard and there’s nowhere to hide?

In this episode of Business Origin Stories,  I sit down with executive coach Steve Smith for a grounded, honest conversation about leadership when comfort zones collapse, money gets emotional, and identity is forced to change.

Steve has spent over 16 years coaching leaders across industries, from startups to Fortune 500 companies, and what he brings to this conversation is refreshingly real. We talk about what’s actually at stake when leaders avoid discomfort, why financial clarity is a leadership skill, and how business owners can move forward after a year marked by layoffs, pivots, or loss of momentum.

This is not a conversation about manifesting your way out of reality. It’s about discipline, responsibility, emotional maturity, and choosing to lead even when the numbers hurt and the path forward isn’t obvious.

In this episode, we cover:

- Why comfort zones quietly erode leadership over time
- How money avoidance damages both businesses and families
- What leaders owe their teams during uncertain seasons
- How to rebuild after a hard year without pretending it didn’t happen
- Why identity shifts, not tactics, determine long-term success

If you’re a founder, executive, or business owner entering a new year carrying the weight of the last one, this conversation will meet you where you are and challenge you to step forward anyway.

Connect with Steve: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachstevejsmith/

Instagram:

@amyschutte_

Work with us: www.hudsonandco.co