Let Me Speak To A Manager
by Ian Mathews and Frank Cava
We all want to grow our career or business, but yet we feel stuck, stagnant, and unable to push through the glass ceiling. Welcome to Let Me Speak To A Manager with Frank Cava and Ian Mathews, a podcast that is dedicated to teaching what it takes to build wealth and have fun doing it! Frank and Ian share entertaining business triumphs and failures that are both relatable and actionable. At times eloquent and succinct, and at other points blunt and obnoxious, this is their unique riff on the big questions they had early in their careers. Learn golden nuggets as they talk about standing out in a company, leading people, building cultures, persuasion, marketing, management, and building businesses from scratch. Light on theory and heavy on practical e
Episodes
-
Overcoming Objections: How to Counteroffer Without Alienating the Other Side
Negotiation isn't just about getting a better price. It's about knowing when to push back, how to create leverage, and how to get past a “no” without burning bridges. Ian and Frank break down the strategies that separate effective negotiators from people who simply accept the rules as they're...
-
How to Sell When the Market Turns Against You
The Market Changed. Your Sales Strategy Has to Change. When the market slows down, the old playbook stops delivering the same results. So what do you do when working harder, cutting prices, and doing more of the same aren't enough? Ian and Frank explore how salespeople, business owners, and…
more -
Stop Overcomplicating It: A Simple Guide to Breaking a Sales Slump
What happens when the market changes, the old playbook stops working, and your team starts losing confidence? Ian and Frank dig into what it takes to lead through a prolonged downturn and why the instinct to add more pressure, more processes, and more control can actually make things worse. They...
-
Persistence vs. Persuasion: Which Sales Trait Should You Hire For?
How much of sales success comes from skill and how much comes from simply being willing to keep going? Ian and Frank tackle the question of whether great salespeople are born with exceptional talent, built through training, or simply willing to put in more effort and follow up longer than…
more -
People or Process: What Actually Drives Business Success?
It’s the Jimmies and Joes, Not the X’s and O’s What matters more to a successful organization: having the right strategy and systems... or having the right people? Ian and Frank tackle one of their favorite football sayings, “It’s the Jimmies and Joes, not the X’s and O’s,” and apply it to...
-
The Arrival Fallacy: Why You Don’t Feel Satisfied When You Reach a Goal
Stop Chasing the Next Goal Why is it so hard to actually enjoy a win? In this episode, Ian and Frank tackle a listener question from a young sales professional who finds himself struggling to celebrate his accomplishments. The closer he gets to a goal, the more he starts thinking about what's…
more -
200th Episode Special: We Answer Your Burning Questions (Part 2)
The 200th Episode Special continues! In Part 2 of this special two-part episode, Ian and Frank answer listener questions about management, leadership, career decisions, investing in yourself, sales, company culture, and what it really takes to build a successful career. They challenge some of the...
-
200th Episode Special: We Answer Your Burning Questions (Part 1)
200 episodes! To celebrate this milestone, Ian and Frank are doing something a little different: handing the conversation over to the listeners. For this special episode, the guys answer questions submitted by listeners about careers, leadership, business, growth, loyalty, adaptability, and…
more -
Can You Adapt When the Wind Changes? Your Career Might Depend On It
This episode explores one of the most important and often overlooked skills in leadership and career growth: adaptability. Ian and Frank discuss why the people who succeed aren't necessarily the most talented or experienced, but often the ones who can recognize when the environment around them…
more -
Can Your Team Survive Without You? How to Vacation Like a Boss
What does it actually take to step away from your business for nearly a month without everything falling apart? After returning from a 24-day trip through Spain and France, Frank shares what made it possible to truly unplug while his business continued to operate. Together, Ian and Frank explore...
-
Anchorman: Why Will Ferrell's Biggest Hit Almost Never Happened
What can a 20-year-old comedy about a clueless news anchor teach us about success? More than you’d think. Ian and Frank use Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy as a case study to explore why great ideas often begin as terrible first drafts, why working with people you genuinely enjoy matters…
more -
Operational Drift: The Hidden Costs Killing Your Bottom Line
Most businesses don't fail because of one catastrophic mistake… they slowly lose money through operational drift. In this episode, Ian and Frank break down how hidden inefficiencies quietly creep into every business, from unnecessary expenses and delayed projects to bloated processes and outdated...
-
Why Managers Promote People They Like
Everyone says they hate office politics, but what if they’re misunderstanding the game? In this episode, Ian and Frank argue that likability isn’t manipulation or brown-nosing; it’s one of the most valuable career skills you can develop. Through stories from corporate America, professional…
more -
The Career Audit Everyone Should Do
Ian and Frank explore one of the biggest career questions people face: How do you know when it’s time to stay…and when it’s time to move on? Using stories from football, business, parenting, entrepreneurship, and decades of leadership experience, they discuss how to evaluate whether your work…
more -
The Pratfall Effect: Why “Perfect” Managers are the Worst
Why Being Perfect Makes You a Worse Leader | The Prattfall Effect Explained Should leaders always have the answers? In this episode, Ian and Frank dive into one of psychology's most fascinating concepts: The Prattfall Effect. The idea that highly competent people actually become more likable when...
-
Do Your Salespeople Negotiate with Ghosts?
Are you negotiating against real objections or imaginary ones? In this episode, Ian and Frank break down one of the biggest mistakes salespeople make during uncertain markets: negotiating with ghosts. Drawing on experiences from GE engineering sales, real estate investing, homebuilding, and sales...
-
Advice that Changed Our Careeers
Advice can change your life, but only if you're listening to the right people. In this episode, Ian and Frank explore the best advice they've ever received, the worst advice they ignored, and the lessons that completely changed their careers. They share personal stories about turning down...
-
Nice vs. Kind: The Truth About Candor at Work
In this episode, Ian and Frank tackle one of the most uncomfortable challenges in leadership, business, and relationships: telling people what they need to hear instead of what they want to hear. Using the famous confrontation scene from Jerry Maguire as a launching point, they explore the...
-
911 vs. 411: How to stop running your business like it is on fire.
In this episode, Frank and Ian unpack one of the biggest productivity killers in business and life: confusing 911s (true emergencies) with 411s (information only). Using stories from parenting, business leadership, sales management, real estate, and even Greek mythology, they explore why so many...
-
How To Change Anyone's Mind
How do you change someone's mind when you don't have authority over them? Ian and Frank break down the psychology of persuasion, influence, and leadership by examining stories from Steve Jobs, Apple, corporate leadership, sales, entrepreneurship, and their own careers. They explore why smart…
more -
Do You Maximize or Satisfice?
People tend to fall into two categories as decision-makers. The first group is maximizers, those who strive to make choices that will return the maximum benefit. Then there are the satisficers (made-up word blending satisfy and suffice), those whose choices are determined by more modest criteria...
-
How Smart People Get Fooled by Randomness
Why do smart people make terrible decisions? Because humans are wired to mistake randomness for patterns. In this episode, Ian and Frank break down: • Why one bad month doesn’t mean someone is failing • How managers overreact to short-term results • The psychology behind “hot streaks” and panic...
-
Backward Induction: How to Reverse Engineer Any Goal
In this episode, Ian and Frank break down the real difference between goals and resolutions, and why most people never achieve the things they say they want. Using stories from sports, business, leadership, sales, fitness, and personal growth, they unpack how elite performers reverse engineer...
-
Can You Work 40 Hours a Week and Still Be Considered Ambitious?
Ian and Frank tackle one of the most uncomfortable truths in business and life: success still requires hard work, and most people simply aren’t willing to do it. Through personal stories, brutal feedback from real-world marketing, and examples from figures like Dana White and Seth Rogen, they…
more -
The "Rubicon" Fallacy, Ego Traps, and Why Changing Course is Easier Than You Think
This episode breaks down one of the most misunderstood ideas in business and personal growth: commitment. Using stories from the NFL, entrepreneurship, and history, Ian and Frank explore the difference between reversible and irreversible decisions and why most people get it completely wrong. From...
-
How To Stay Focused On What’s In Your Control (And Stop Ruminating On The Things You Cannot Change)
Why do people fixate on one mistake when failure is almost always the result of many small breakdowns? In this episode, Ian and Frank break down how recency bias and blame culture sabotage performance in business, leadership, and life. Using legendary sports moments like the Bill Buckner error…
more -
Stop Giving Discounts: The Art of Saying NO (Without Losing the Deal)
This episode breaks down the lost art of saying no in sales and leadership, especially in tough markets. Ian and Frank explore how easy markets create bad habits, where teams rely on discounts, exceptions, and weak communication instead of skill. As conditions tighten, those habits get exposed....
-
How to Respond to Criticism Without Losing Control
In this episode of Let Me Speak to a Manager, Ian Mathews and Frank Cava break down a powerful leadership moment featuring Steve Jobs responding to a blunt and public criticism during a 1997 developer conference. At the time, Apple was struggling, far from the powerhouse it is today. What…
more -
The Reason Salespeople Lose On Price (Vendors vs. Advisors)
In this episode of Let Me Speak to a Manager, Ian Mathews and Frank Cava break down the critical difference between being a vendor vs. being an advisor in sales, and why it determines your income, influence, and long-term success. They explore how most salespeople fall into the trap of...
-
Your Team Thinks You're the Problem ( and you don't know it!)
In this episode of Let Me Speak to a Manager, Ian Mathews and Frank Cava break down a real leadership moment that went sideways and what it reveals about personal brand, feedback, and self-awareness in the workplace. After a maintenance manager publicly criticizes a young employee over a minor...
-
How Great Leaders Create Urgency Without Micromanaging
In this episode, we dive into one of the most common frustrations leaders face: why employees don’t operate with the same urgency as business owners. New managers often struggle to motivate their teams, move projects faster, and create accountability across an organization. But urgency isn’t...
-
The Real Reason People Give You Money
In this episode, the guys break down what the Super Bowl halftime controversy reveals about branding, audience targeting, and the risk of alienating your core customers. From music and marketing to Budweiser’s brand reset, they debate whether companies should chase new audiences or double down on...
-
How to Beat a Bigger Competitor
What do you do when your competition has more talent, more resources, and more star power? In this episode, we break down how Team USA beat a deeper, more skilled Canadian roster, and why it has nothing to do with luck. This wasn’t about matching talent. It was about roster construction…
more -
How to Evaluate Your Life in 10 Minutes (Self-Assessment Tool)
What if your life (or business) feels bumpy because one wheel is flat? In this episode, Ian and Frank introduce the “Wheel of Life” assessment tool, a simple framework to evaluate eight key areas: career, finances, health, family, relationships, personal growth, social life, and attitude. They...
-
How Great Salespeople Win Without Discounting
What does “your price is too high” really mean? In this episode, veteran sales leaders Ian Mathews and Frank Cava break down one of the most misunderstood moments in selling and buying: price resistance. Drawing from decades of experience in real estate, sales management, and negotiation, they...
-
Why Salespeople Quit When Markets Get Tough (And Why Some Thrive)
In this episode of Let Me Speak to a Manager, Ian Mathews and Frank Cava break down why sales motivation collapses in tough markets and why the best salespeople actually thrive when things get hard. Drawing from decades of experience across real estate, lending, construction, and enterprise…
more -
The 4 H’s Behind The New England Patriots Cultural Turnaround
What happens when elite leadership stops evolving? In this episode, we break down one of the most revealing leadership case studies in modern sports and business: the New England Patriots’ post–Bill Belichick transformation. What followed wasn’t just a coaching change, but a cultural reset that...
-
Why Good Companies Become Complacent (And How to Fix It)
Why do successful companies lose urgency, and how do elite leaders bring it back without creating burnout? In this episode, Ian and Frank break down the leadership psychology of urgency, explaining why urgency often fades as businesses grow, teams start winning, and comfort replaces pressure....
-
Why Salespeople Get Ghosted (And How To Prevent It)
Why do prospects suddenly disappear after showing interest, and how do top performers prevent it from happening in the first place? In this episode, Ian and Frank break down the real reasons salespeople, real estate agents, and operators get ghosted, and why it’s almost never about follow-up...
-
The Four Personality Styles That Determine Every Sale
In this episode, Frank and Ian break down the most overlooked skill in sales, leadership, and communication: the ability to read people and adapt your approach. Too many salespeople, managers, and founders rely on scripts, tactics, and “best practices” without understanding who they’re actually...
-
Why Most People Stay Broke: They're Too Cheap to Reinvest in Their Skills
In this episode, Frank and Ian unpack the real return on investing in yourself through conferences, coaching, and focused mastery. What starts as classic banter turns into a grounded conversation about why most people stall out in their careers, how clarity beats overwhelm, and why narrowing your...
-
How to Ask Difficult Questions Without Starting an Argument
Summary Ian and Frank explore the nuances of communication, particularly in the context of marriage, sales, and management. They discuss the importance of assertiveness, the impact of status threats, and the effectiveness of self-deprecation and humor in easing tough conversations. The duo...
-
21 Lessons From Warren Buffet's Retirement Letter
In this conversation, Ian and Frank explore a variety of themes ranging from travel experiences and culinary adventures to the legacy of Warren Buffett. They discuss the importance of public speaking, the value of handwritten communication, and the lessons learned from Omaha. The conversation…
more -
Abundance vs. Scarcity: Why You Benefit More From Sharing Than Hoarding Your Best Ideas And Secrets
Episode Summary In this episode, Frank and Ian dig into the age-old entrepreneurial dilemma: when do you share your ideas, and when do you keep them close to the vest? Frank wrestles with whether to present a cutting-edge affordable dwelling unit (ADU) investment strategy to his mastermind peers…
more -
"If You Lie Down With Dogs, You Wake Up With Fleas" - Lessons From The NBA's Latest Gambling Scandal
Summary In this conversation, Ian & Frank jump into the intersection of gambling, organized crime, and sports integrity, particularly focusing on the recent NBA scandal involving players and the mafia. The guys discuss the cultural significance of gambling in America, the portrayal of the mafia…
more -
Zig When Everyone Zags: How to Stand Out in a Copy-Paste World.
💡 Episode Summary In this episode, what starts as a lighthearted chat about AI filters turns into a powerful conversation about originality, risk-taking, and what it means to build a life that actually fits you. The guys reflect on their own early career decisions — Frank choosing homebuilding...
-
Why Can’t We Recognize The Good Old Days Until They’re Gone? How To Step Off The Hedonic Treadmill
Episode Summary Ian and Frank explore the fleeting nature of life’s best moments and why we so often miss them while they’re happening. From playoff baseball traditions and movie outings with their kids to nostalgic sports memories, the conversation underscores that “the good old days” aren’t…
more -
Why Are We So Polarized? Charlie Kirk, Cancel Culture & The Case For Nuance And Critical Thinking
Episode summary Ian and Frank respond to the assassination of Charlie Kirk as a springboard to a broader conversation about polarization, the collapse of nuance, and why critical thinking matters — especially in business and leadership. They trace cultural roots (standardized testing, social…
more -
Buy the Culture, Not the Star: Why splashy hires fail without structure, in sports and business.
Episode Summary In this episode, Ian and Frank kick things off with some lighthearted banter about their fantasy football league before diving deep into what makes organizations thrive—or fail—both in sports and business. Using the Miami Dolphins and other NFL franchises as case studies, they...
-
Our next big real estate deal? We dissect an untapped investment opportunity in Richmond
In this conversation, Ian and Frank delve into their real estate investment strategies, particularly focusing on the development of accessory dwelling units (ADUs) as a solution to housing shortages. The discussion also covers the challenges of navigating permits, structuring investments for...
About this show
We all want to grow our career or business, but yet we feel stuck, stagnant, and unable to push through the glass ceiling.
Welcome to Let Me Speak To A Manager with Frank Cava and Ian Mathews, a podcast that is dedicated to teaching what it takes to build wealth and have fun doing it! Frank and Ian share entertaining business triumphs and failures that are both relatable and actionable.
At times eloquent and succinct, and at other points blunt and obnoxious, this is their unique riff on the big questions they had early in their careers. Learn golden nuggets as they talk about standing out in a company, leading people, building cultures, persuasion, marketing, management, and building businesses from scratch. Light on theory and heavy on practical e
Hosted by
Ian Mathews and Frank Cava
Categories