Ep. 522 - Will Smith – How Trust and Time Created a Profitable 15-Store Brand

Second in Command: The Chief Behind the Chief with Cameron Herold

In this episode of the Second in Command Podcast, co-host Sivana Brewer chats with Will Smith, COO and Managing Partner of Lone Star Pups, a multi-location Dogtopia franchise with 15 stores across San Antonio and Denver.

Will shares how he’s scaled his team from zero to 140 employees in just a few years by leading with servant leadership, radical transparency, and a simple but powerful formula: Time + Trust = Influence.

From teaching his staff about personal finance to running anonymous team surveys and writing heartfelt newsletters himself, Will breaks down how he creates a workplace where people feel seen, supported, and connected to the company’s mission. He also dives into financial literacy and why understanding money, personally and professionally, is the missing link for many leaders.

Whether you’re managing a large service team or growing a people-first brand, this episode is packed with actionable leadership and financial principles that can transform both your team and your bottom line.

Timestamped Highlights

[00:04:15] – How Lone Star Pups began as a post-COVID passion project.

[00:05:47] – The story behind Will’s partnership with his CEO, Devin.

[00:07:43] – Building trust by adding value—not ego—to leadership.

[00:09:19] – Why Will left a 30-year hospitality career to run a dog business.

[00:11:00] – Making decisions that impact 140 people every day.

[00:12:00] – Servant leadership in action: clearing plates, fixing walls, setting culture.

[00:13:34] – How Time + Trust = Influence became the company’s core formula.

[00:16:10] – What Will learned from his first company-wide employee survey.

[00:17:00] – How monthly newsletters create connection and clarity.

[00:19:10] – The truth about communication—why “no one ever over-communicated.”

[00:25:20] – The meaning behind Watering Your Bamboo and why patience drives growth.

[00:27:26] – How Will learned financial discipline from his grandfather.

[00:29:00] – Teaching personal finance to staff—and why it improves retention.

[00:31:36] – “Canary Metrics”: a system to track the financial health of each location.

[00:33:49] – Why every manager must learn to write their own P&L variances.

[00:35:00] – The link between personal spending habits and leadership performance.

[00:40:35] – Helping the next generation reclaim their time, focus, and financial control.

[00:41:15] – What’s next: growth, teaching, and giving back.

Resources & Mentions

• Lone Star Pups, LLC
• Dogtopia
• Watering Your Bamboo by Greg Bell
• The 80-10-10 Rule – Will’s personal finance framework (80% bills, 10% savings, 10% giving)
• The Speed of Trust by Stephen M.R. Covey
• John Maxwell – Leadership teachings referenced in the episode
• Oklahoma Wesleyan University – Adjunct teaching program

About the Guest

Will Smith is the Chief Operating Officer and Managing Partner of Lone Star Pups, LLC, overseeing 15 Dogtopia franchise locations across two states. With a background in hospitality from brands like Westin, Hyatt, and Hilton, Will brings a people-first mindset and deep operational expertise to the pet care industry.

Known for his servant leadership philosophy—Time + Trust = Influence—he’s passionate about growing leaders, building culture through action, and teaching financial literacy to help employees thrive both at work and in life.

About the Co-Host

Sivana Brewer is a Fractional COO for Remote Teams and former COO at Closers.io, where she helped scale the company to multiple eight figures and built over 500+ sales teams in just 2.5 years. She specializes in leadership development, remote operations, and systems that empower teams to grow sustainably.

🔗 Connect with Sivana on LinkedIn

Important Links

• Connect with Cameron: Website | LinkedIn
• Explore the COO Alliance - The World’s Leading Community for Seconds in Command
• Get Cameron’s book: Second in Command: Unleash the Power of Your COO Book
• Take Cameron’s leadership course: Invest In Your Leaders Online Course (Use promo code PODCAST10 before the end of the month for 10% off)
• Chat or video call with AI Cameron via Delphi