The Art of Preventing Stupid: How Matthew Davis Uses Systems to Avoid Costly Business Mistakes

My guest for Episode #318 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Matthew Neal Davis, an attorney, entrepreneur, and author of the provocative book The Art of Preventing Stupid.

Episode page with video and more

Matthew is the founder and managing partner of Davis Business Law, which has grown more than 1,000% in six years, earning a spot on the Inc. 5000 list. In addition to running a multi-office law firm across several states, he’s also the frontman of a heavy metal band called Geriatric Steel.

In this episode, Matthew shares how not fully recognizing the leadership lessons from his Eagle Scout experience early in his legal career became a favorite mistake—and how it shaped the way he leads his firm today.

Matthew reflects on the hiring and leadership missteps that stemmed from overlooking those early lessons—particularly how applying Ken Blanchard’s Situational Leadership framework helped him better support team members through growth phases. He explains how understanding where someone is on the spectrum from “excited beginner” to “self-reliant high achiever” has transformed how he mentors attorneys and minimizes costly turnover. These insights, combined with structured systems and data dashboards, now fuel a high-performance culture rooted in learning and ownership.

...we have rituals around this. Every Wednesday is WINSday—we celebrate successes. Every Friday, we have a firm huddle where we talk about what kicked our butts that week. We put it all on the table. That’s how we learn. That’s how we build trust and improvement into the culture.

We also talk about the core idea behind Matthew’s book: that most business problems come from one of three vulnerabilities—catastrophes, ignorance, or ill-discipline—and how leaders can build a "business immune system" to prevent them.

From mismanaged Google Ads campaigns to ill-advised partnerships, Matthew brings humor and clarity to how we can all learn faster, prepare better, and focus on growth. His story is a compelling reminder that being proactive beats being reactive—and that embracing mistakes is the best way to strengthen your systems and your culture.

Questions and Topics:

• What’s your favorite mistake?
• What did you overlook from your Eagle Scout experience that later became valuable in business?
• What specific mistakes did you make in those early years of running the firm?
• How do you apply situational leadership in your law firm?
• Can you share an example of helping someone move through that “frustrated learner” phase?
• What lessons from Scouting translate to business leadership?
• Did you ever think growing the firm beyond a solo practice was a mistake?
• What do you mean by “preventing stupid”?
• Can you explain your framework for categorizing business vulnerabilities?
• How do you distinguish ignorance from stupidity in business?
• What are examples of ill-discipline you’ve seen in your firm?
• Have you created checklists to avoid repeating mistakes?
• What is the Strong Protected Business System?
• How does your business immune system tool work?
• What do you mean by circular systems in business?
• How do you think about culture as your firm grows?
• Have you managed to avoid hiring narcissistic or toxic attorneys?
• How often do you get to play with your band, Geriatric Steel?
• Are your original songs available on Spotify or anywhere online?