Season 2 | Episode 8: Praying for Referrals Is Not a Marketing Plan: Building Real Growth Systems

August 11, 2026•2 min read

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Show Notes:

In this episode of C-Suite Secrets, host Heather Parsons sits down with Tom Mirabella, founder of Wingman, a full service marketing agency he has grown over seventeen years from a solo operation into a team of twenty five serving hundreds of small businesses. Tom shares the mindset shifts that carried him out of corporate America and into building a company now expanding through franchising.

The conversation digs into what it really means to be wired for entrepreneurship, from treating every setback as a stepping stone to getting comfortable being uncomfortable. Tom opens up about the early hustle of wearing every hat in the business and the pivotal decision to hire people smarter than him at the things he dreaded, including bringing on a chief operating officer who transformed how the back office runs.

Heather and Tom explore the leadership philosophy behind giving your team the power to make decisions and have their calls backed, why becoming the bottleneck stalls growth, and how a one three five framework helps employees map their goals across work and life. They also get into the marketing and financial realities that trip up so many founders, including the danger of treating referrals as a strategy, the importance of a real business plan and pro forma, and why lifestyle creep can quietly starve a business.

Whether you are just starting out or scaling a growing team, this episode delivers practical wisdom on delegation, financial discipline, and building a business designed to outlast the daily grind.

Bio:

Tom Mirabella is the founder and CEO of Wingman, a full-service marketing company he started at his kitchen table in 2009. Wingman has grown into a team of more than 20 employees, eight locations, and a developing franchise, Wingman Franchise. Tom is passionate about helping small businesses grow, building a strong company culture, creating opportunities for entrepreneurs, and giving back through the Wingman Foundation.

To connect with our guest, click on the links below:

Website: https://wingmanplanning.com/

Tom FB: https://www.facebook.com/tmirabella1/

Tom IG: https://www.instagram.com/wingman_tom

Tom LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tommirabella/

Tom TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wingman_tom?_r=1&_t=ZP-97oGfDX4J15

Wingman FB: https://www.facebook.com/wingmanplanning/

Wingman IG: https://www.instagram.com/wingmanplanningllc?igsh=MTYwbjc3ODhxZ2Rhdg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

Wingman LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wingman-planning/?viewAsMember=true

Wingman TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wingmanplanning?_r=1&_t=ZP-97oGfQGT2nX

Wingman YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@wingmanplanning

Wingman Franchise IG: https://www.instagram.com/wingmanfranchise