In the fast-paced world of business, leadership is evolving beyond traditional management. Travis Smith, Vice President of Coaching at Ernest Packaging Solutions, exemplifies this transformation through his unique approach to coaching, leadership, and personal growth. If you want to understand how authentic leadership and a coaching culture can drive both individual fulfillment and organizational success, this article is for you.

Drawing from Travis Smith’s extensive experience and philosophy, you’ll explore his defining moments, coaching strategies, and how his personal journey informs his leadership. Whether you’re a founder, business owner, or people leader, these insights will inspire you to play bigger and create meaningful connections in your teams.

Full podcast episode of Travis Smith, Ernest Packaging.

Table of Contents From Door-to-Door Sales to Leadership Growth Mastering the Process: The Power of Systems and Momentum Authenticity and Self-Awareness: The Core of Leadership The Power of Silence and Reflection in Leadership Your North Star: Playing Big Is a Choice Coaching Philosophy Meets Parenting Creating a Coaching Culture at Ernest Packaging Creativity and Emotional Expression Through Music Learning from Being Wrong and Embracing VulnerabilityConclusion: Embrace Your Authentic Leadership Journey From Door-to-Door Sales to Leadership Growth

Travis’s journey began in an unexpected place: door-to-door sales. As a college freshman at BYU, he faced the challenge of funding his education. A friend suggested he move to Austin, Texas, to sell Dish Network subscriptions door-to-door, promising double the income of his janitorial campus job. With nothing to lose, Travis drove his 1990 Honda Civic to Austin and dove headfirst into the challenge.

The first two days were discouraging—after knocking on hundreds of doors, he made no sales and considered quitting. But a mentor handed him Think and Grow Rich and encouraged him to read the chapter on desire before leaving. Inspired by the burning desire to succeed, Travis decided to try one more day. That day, everything changed.

At a small town called Bertram, he met Dolly, who told him she had been thinking about getting Dish Network but hadn’t acted on it. Travis asked the right questions, built trust, and closed the sale. This breakthrough taught him the power of momentum, confidence, and genuine connection.

Building Trust Through Authenticity

One of the biggest challenges Travis faced was gaining enough trust to collect sensitive information like Social Security and credit card numbers. He realized that honesty was his best tool. Instead of beating around the bush, he introduced himself plainly: “I’m selling Dish Network.” This straightforward approach helped break down barriers and foster trust.

Travis developed a simple but effective system of questions:

“Have you ever thought about getting a satellite dish?”If yes: “What has kept you from getting one?”If no: “Maybe, It’s a good time to think about it?”

These questions opened up meaningful conversations, often leading to personal connections—discussions about family, favorite TV shows, or sports. Travis genuinely enjoyed these exchanges, not just for sales but for the human connection.

Mastering the Process: The Power of Systems and Momentum

To succeed in door-to-door sales, Travis understood he needed to track his efforts meticulously. He discovered a sales-to-door knock ratio, initially around 1 sale per 60 doors. To improve efficiency, he used his watch to count doors and even taped a piece of chalk to his shoe to mark houses where no one was home, saving time searching for addresses on his list.

As his skills improved, his ratio dropped to 1 sale per 30 doors, allowing him to work faster and speak more confidently. This experience taught Travis the importance of grit, creative problem-solving, and continuous refinement of process.

From Sales to Leadership

Travis’s door-to-door experience didn’t just build sales skills—it shifted his academic focus and career trajectory. His competitive spirit thrived in this environment, and he eventually became a sales manager, recruiting and coaching a team of 16 to 20 individuals. His leadership style emphasized daily meetings, transparent reporting, and fostering a sense of competition and camaraderie.

This early leadership experience laid the foundation for his later work at Ernest Packaging, where coaching and developing people is central to the company culture.

Authenticity and Self-Awareness: The Core of Leadership

Authenticity is often talked about but rarely understood deeply. For Travis, being authentic means more than reacting impulsively—it’s about understanding who you are at your best and showing up intentionally. He distills authenticity into three powerful words:

InspiringCourageousPowerful

When you remind yourself of these qualities, you can approach conversations and challenges with confidence and clarity. Travis uses a simple but effective exercise with his teams, repeatedly asking “Who are you?” until individuals move past surface answers and tap into their true selves.

This exercise helps people find words that resonate deeply, such as “integrity,” “vulnerable,” or “heartfelt.” They then affirm their identity aloud, reinforcing self-belief and resilience, especially important in environments like sales where hearing “no” is more common than “yes.”

Self-Talk as a Tool for Growth

Travis emphasizes the power of self-talk in maintaining authenticity. When he feels disconnected from core values like courage, he practices awareness and affirmation. For example, he might say to himself, “I am a courageous leader,” both silently and aloud, to realign his mindset. This practice helps him step into difficult conversations with intention rather than anxiety.

He also cautions that without self-awareness, personal growth is nearly impossible. Reflection, feedback, and willingness to face uncomfortable truths are necessary to evolve as a leader and human being.

The Power of Silence and Reflection in Leadership

One of Travis’s standout insights is that “silence does the heavy lifting.” In coaching sessions and workshops, he encourages reflection and pauses, allowing individuals to process their experiences without judgment. This reflective space fosters awareness of ingrained beliefs and behaviors, enabling conscious choices rather than reactive habits.

Travis uses “real plays” instead of role plays—practicing actual conversations participants need to have, rather than hypothetical ones. Noticing when people “pad” conversations to avoid discomfort helps them confront their fears and communicate more authentically.

This process of reflection and debriefing builds confidence and helps leaders and teams internalize lessons for lasting change.

Your North Star: Playing Big Is a Choice

Travis believes that playing big in life and leadership is a conscious choice. His personal north star is grounded in a deep conviction that every person deserves to fully express their unique masterpiece and have access to emotional, spiritual, and physical care for a fulfilled life.

This vision guides his daily work—recognizing that no single conversation guarantees transformation, but any one conversation can change a life’s trajectory. His goal is to show up authentically, contributing to this north star one conversation at a time.

Where Leadership and Authenticity Break Down

Travis acknowledges that the process of aligning authentic self with leadership can break down when people are stuck in self-preservation mode, driven by fear and discomfort. Using the example of a child distracted while crossing the street, he illustrates how fight-or-flight responses manifest in tense conversations.

People often resist changing their belief systems because it’s uncomfortable and disorienting. Words like “should” reveal internal shame and blame, which trap people in limiting mindsets. Overcoming these barriers requires awareness, curiosity, and willingness to be vulnerable.

Travis encourages leaders to recognize confirmation bias and be willing to be wrong, opening the door to new possibilities and growth.

Coaching Philosophy Meets Parenting

Travis’s coaching philosophy deeply informs his approach to parenting, especially as the father of a biracial family through adoption. He shares how his heart didn’t split but grew exponentially with each child, challenging traditional notions of family based on biology.

This expansion of empathy and compassion extends beyond his family to how he connects with others in life and work. He believes there is no limit to love and that meeting people where they are is the foundation of both parenting and coaching.

Travis also recounts a story from his son about trusting oneself despite external pressures, a lesson that resonates in leadership and life.

Creating a Coaching Culture at Ernest Packaging

At Ernest Packaging, Travis leads a unique coaching culture as VP of Coaching—a role rarely found in companies. Supported by senior executives like owner Tim and the leadership team, this culture focuses on developing people holistically to drive both performance and fulfillment.

Travis redefines coaching beyond the stereotype of a sideline coach yelling instructions. Instead, coaching is about guiding people from where they are to where they want to go, shoulder to shoulder, aligned by shared core values.

This approach taps into discretionary effort—the energy people choose to invest when they feel understood and supported. Leaders stay curious and dive deep into what drives each individual, creating alignment with the company’s mission and vision.

Leading in the Middle: The Gift of the Goose

Travis shares a powerful metaphor inspired by Greg Kampe’s leadership philosophy: leading in the middle. Like cyclists in a peloton, the front faces wind resistance, and the back risks being dropped. The safest and most effective place is the middle, where you support and are supported by others.

He likens this to geese flying in a V-shape, taking turns leading and cheering each other on—the “gift of the goose.” This symbolizes mutual support, shared responsibility, and walking alongside people on their journeys rather than pushing or dragging them.

True leadership, Travis Smith or Ernest Packaging argues, recognizes that control is an illusion. People are ultimately a choice, and leadership is about aligning and empowering, not commanding.

Creativity and Emotional Expression Through Music

Outside of Ernest Packaging leadership, Travis finds grounding and expression through piano playing. Inspired by his mother’s morning piano music, he reconnected with this passion after years of setting it aside. He discovered that music allows him to express emotions words cannot capture, complementing his leadership journey.

Travis even composes original music, channeling his daily experiences into creative outlets. He highlights the power of silence in music—the rests and pauses that create rhythm and meaning—drawing a parallel to the importance of silence and reflection in conversations and leadership.

Learning from Being Wrong and Embracing Vulnerability

One of the most refreshing aspects of Travis’s leadership is his willingness to admit when he’s wrong. He encourages asking yourself, “What have you been wrong about lately?” This question fosters vulnerability and growth.

Travis shares a personal story of anticipating a difficult conversation with a company leader, only to find openness and curiosity instead of resistance. This experience reminded him that assumptions can limit possibilities and that showing up with positivity can transform outcomes.

He emphasizes that living the work—learning from each interaction and relationship—is the key to continuous personal and leadership development.

Conclusion: Embrace Your Authentic Leadership Journey

Travis Smith’s story and philosophy offer a blueprint for anyone looking to lead with authenticity, courage, and compassion. From his early door-to-door sales days to shaping a coaching culture at Ernest Packaging, he demonstrates that success is rooted in genuine human connection, self-awareness, and continuous growth.

By embracing your authentic self, reflecting deeply, and walking shoulder to shoulder with others, you can unlock not only your own potential but also inspire those around you. Remember, playing big is a choice—and every conversation is an opportunity to change a life.

Let Travis’s journey inspire you to build resilient cultures, empower your teams, and lead with heart.

 

Dr. Rob Bell is a Sport Psychology Coach. DRB & associates coach executives and professional athletes. Some clients have included three different winners on the PGA Tour, Indy Eleven, University of Notre Dame, Marriott, and Walgreens. 

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