In tennis, everything can shift in a moment. A ball scrapes over the net, an unlikely sprint pays off, belief flickers—and suddenly, momentum swings. For Grand Slam champion and Former World No. 1 Stan Smith, chasing every ball wasn’t just a tactic—it was a mindset.
“A match can turn around totally because a player just barely gets to a ball,” Smith said on a recent episode of The Corporate Competitor Podcast. “All of a sudden you’re back in there and you have a chance.”
Today, Smith’s legacy reaches beyond Wimbledon. He has inspired millions through the iconic Adidas sneaker that bears his name and he’s mentored young players at his academy. Together with longtime business partner Gary Niebur—a former tennis pro turned entrepreneur—he has spent three decades creating unforgettable corporate experiences that blend elite sports with transformational relationship-building.
They’ve also co-written a new book, Winning Trust: How to Create Moments That Matter. In it, they reveal the S-E-R-V-E framework they’ve used to lead, connect and earn trust at the highest levels of sports and business.
A once-rejected ball boy, Smith rose to the top of the tennis world. He’s always sought new heights (see: his premier experience firm Stan Smith Events), and he’s achieved them by never letting a chance pass by unnoticed.
“You may not be able to get to it,” Smith said. “But if you don’t start, you have no chance.”
They talked about this and more on the podcast, including:
• Build trust: The world can feel as divided as it’s ever been. That’s why building trust between people matters now more than ever. It’s a scarce resource that needs to be replenished in all corners, including sports and business. “Trust is a depreciated asset in today’s world,” Smith said.
• Volley ideas: Smith and Niebur’s S-E-R-V-E framework includes the “volley” concept, which encourages leaders to allow ideas to flow freely in the workplace. “It’s about rallying ideas back and forth to find the best solutions,” Smith said. “Problem solving is a key component to being a good leader.”
• Maximize you: While we often like to quantify things in both sports and business, Smith said important victories can come in defeat. “You might play your very best match ever and still lose,” he noted. “The way to measure success is getting the most out of what you have.”
