Trevor Yager: Values-Driven Leadership and the Art of Anti-Agency Business Building

In this episode of The Wisdom Of... Show, host Simon Bowen speaks with Trevor Yager, founder and chairman of TrendyMinds, who built a 30-year digital marketing empire by systematically doing the opposite of what every other agency owner does.  Drawing on his background in psychology and decades-long relationships, Trevor offers powerful insights into values-driven leadership, transparent business practices, and what it really takes to build sustainable competitive advantages . Discover how prioritizing relationships over revenue creates the strongest foundation for long-term business success.

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Episode Breakdown

00:00 Introduction and the unconventional path from psychology to digital marketing empire

05:28 The college decision and why human behavior became a business advantage

12:43 Early mistakes and how owning them became a competitive strategy

18:47 Building TrendyMinds from screenprinting to digital transformation

25:19 The transparency strategy that "shouldn't have worked" during acquisition discussions

32:14 How to avoid becoming a dinosaur while staying true to core principles

38:56 The ideation advantage and why creativity matters more than tools in the AI era

45:23 Long-term relationship building versus short-term revenue optimization

52:37 Values-driven decision making and the State of the Union invitation

58:44 The anti-agency playbook and systematic disruption through principled leadership

About Trevor Yager

Trevor Yager is the founder and chairman of TrendyMinds, a leading digital marketing agency he started as a college student in 1995. Under his leadership, TrendyMinds has grown from a small startup into a full-service agency trusted by global enterprise clients, including Salesforce, Eli Lilly, Indiana University Health, and Cummins.

Now serving as Chairman, Trevor guides the strategic vision and growth of the company while investing in startups, commercial real estate, and new ventures. His work has earned multiple Inc. 5000 listings and industry recognition for campaigns that genuinely improve lives.

With a background in psychology, history, and political science, Trevor brings a unique human-centered perspective to business strategy and relationship building. He represents a values-driven approach to entrepreneurship that prioritizes long-term sustainable growth over short-term profits.

Based in Indianapolis, Indiana, Trevor continues to mentor emerging entrepreneurs while overseeing strategic acquisitions and investments across multiple industries.

Connect with Trevor Yager

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevoryager/

Website: https://trendyminds.com/about

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trendyminds/p/C02YU0jvGEi/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TrevorYager/

Twitter: https://x.com/i/flow/login?redirect_after_login=%2Ftrevoryager

About Simon Bowen

Simon has spent over two decades working with influential leaders across complex industries. His focus is on elevating thinking in organizations, recognizing that success is directly proportional to the quality of thinking and ideas within a business. Simon leads the renaissance of thinking through his work with global leaders and organizations.

Connect with Simon

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonbowen-mm/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officialsimonbowen/

Website: https://thesimonbowen.com/

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