PART 1: WHAT MAKES A SUCCESSFUL

Benjamin was born in Oxford in 1979 and raised in Staines-upon-Thames, before chasing a dream of musical stardom through London, Europe, and Japan. After years on the road as a singer-songwriter, burnout brought him to Australia, and into the world of sales.

What began as a way to pay the rent turned into an unexpected detour through sales floors, management roles, and eventually, a full-blown identity crisis wrapped in KPIs and corporate buzzwords. Along the way, Benjamin discovered that creativity and leadership don’t have to be mutually exclusive, and that the biggest challenge facing new managers isn’t talent, but support.

With a sharp sense of humour and a keen eye for the absurdities of office life, Benjamin writes for those who’ve stepped into leadership and found themselves wondering, “Wait… is this it?” His mission is simple: to help others survive and thrive in the strange world of middle management.

PART 1: WHAT MAKES A SUCCESSFUL

Benjamin V. Smith