EP 245 - Summit Your Current Mountain: Dustin Wells on Focus, Fulfillment, and the Climb of Leadership
Release Date: 05/20/2025
EP 261 - Build, Don’t Burnout: How Ross Albers Learned to Lead by Working ON, Not IN, His Business
Paper Napkin Wisdom
When Ross Albers found himself fired just two weeks before his wedding, most people would have panicked. Instead, Ross did something remarkable: he founded his own law firm. What started as a necessity quickly became a proving ground for building a business with intention—and more importantly, with vision. In this episode of Paper Napkin Wisdom, Ross shares a powerful lesson written on a napkin: “You have to work ON your business instead of IN it. From there, you can HIRE, ACQUIRE, and INSPIRE.” This isn’t just a play on words. It’s a strategic mindset...
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EP 260 - Toni Harrison on Building R.E.A.L. Resilience: How to Stay Grounded and Grow Through the Grind
Paper Napkin Wisdom
In Episode 260 of Paper Napkin Wisdom, we sit down with Toni Harrison, the powerhouse CEO of , a nationally recognized communications firm. Toni brings not only decades of experience in high-stakes PR and crisis management, but also a deeply personal and refreshingly honest take on what it means to be resilient in business and life. Her napkin reads: “Toni’s 4 Pillars of RESILIENCE (being R.E.A.L.): Taking on the (R)igor (E)mbrace experience Discovering how to be (A)daptable Employing (L)evel-setting goals throughout your professional...
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EP 259 - Michael Walsh - Part 7 of the Freedom by Design Series - Hire Smart for Your Expertise-Based Business
Paper Napkin Wisdom
Michael Walsh is no stranger to the Paper Napkin Wisdom podcast. As a seasoned leadership strategist, business growth expert, and founder of , Michael returns with another powerful idea that challenges how we think about hiring in today’s knowledge-driven economy. In part 7 of our Freedom by Design series, we dive into the human side of performance—and Michael’s handwritten napkin drives home one essential truth: Hiring right is half the game. But what does hiring right actually mean in a business world increasingly driven by expertise, not just execution? ...
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EP 258 - If It Doesn’t Set Your Soul on Fire, It’s Not Worth It — Dinah Chapman on the Courage to Live Unapologetically
Paper Napkin Wisdom
Dinah Chapman is not your average entrepreneur. A fierce advocate for bold living, Dinah’s energy is magnetic, and her insights are ignited by a lifetime of choosing purpose over pretense. She’s a keynote speaker, creative strategist, and self-described “disruptor with intention.” Her Paper Napkin packs a punch — literally: "If it doesn’t set your f*cking soul on fire, it’s not worth it." This is more than a quote — it’s a manifesto. In episode 258 of Paper Napkin Wisdom, Dinah invites us to challenge the safe path, to unlearn the behaviors that...
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EP 257 - Move Fast (But Don’t Break It All): Adam Olalde’s Refined Formula for Bold Leadership
Paper Napkin Wisdom
In Episode 257 of Paper Napkin Wisdom, Adam Olalde, entrepreneur and founder of the Xtreme Xperience, shares a piece of guidance that captures the heart of adaptive leadership in a fast-paced world: “Move fast and (try not to) break things.” It’s a nuanced remix of the famous Silicon Valley adage, but with a leadership lens honed by experience. Adam’s journey is marked by transformation—both personal and professional. As someone who has led teams through disruptive growth, built multi-million-dollar ventures, and weathered industry shifts, Adam brings more than...
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EP 256 - Freedom by Design Series (Part 6) | The Social Contract: Rethinking the Balance Between Owners and Employees Michael Walsh
Paper Napkin Wisdom
In the sixth installment of the Freedom by Design series, Michael Walsh distills a transformative idea on a literal paper napkin: The Social Contract. It’s a powerful reframing of the unspoken expectations that define the relationship between companies and their employees. More than a list of responsibilities, it’s a shared agreement—designed not just for performance, but for mutual growth. Michael, founder of Walsh Business Growth, has long championed the notion that businesses should be engines of human flourishing—not just economic engines. In this...
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EP 255 – Awareness Is the Gateway: Rethinking Inner and Outer States with Seema Dhanoa
Paper Napkin Wisdom
In episode 255 of Paper Napkin Wisdom, we’re joined by the brilliant Seema Dhanoa — a transformational coach, conscious leadership facilitator, and author of the powerful book The Path to Conscious Leadership. Seema’s work is rooted in helping people return to themselves and lead from a place of inner truth. Her napkin might be simple in form, but it holds an entire operating system for alignment, balance, and meaningful presence. At the center of her napkin is a bright burst of awareness — a foundational concept that Seema explains is the key to unlocking our full...
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EP 254 - Give Before Asking: A Simple Shift That Transforms Leadership - Featuring Rick Williams
Paper Napkin Wisdom
In Episode 254 of Paper Napkin Wisdom, Govindh Jayaraman sits down with Rick Williams — board director, leadership coach, and author of Create the Future: For Your Company and Yourself. A man of strategic clarity and quiet conviction, Rick shares a deceptively simple yet profoundly powerful message: "Give Before Asking." This phrase, written on a paper napkin, becomes the cornerstone of a conversation rich with wisdom about leadership, generosity, trust, and how real influence is built — not demanded. Rick’s career spans decades of advising leaders through business...
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EP 253 - Freedom by Design Series (Part 5) | Rethink the Core: Why Real Growth Starts Within - Michael Walsh | Freedom by Design, Part 4
Paper Napkin Wisdom
In the next installment of the Freedom by Design series, Michael Walsh brings us back to the heart of sustainable business growth: the core of your organization. His napkin, boldly titled “Rethink the Core,” offers a deceptively simple yet profoundly important shift in how entrepreneurs and leaders define what really drives performance. On one side of the napkin: a traditional model where teams create results, leading to customer value and company profit. It's efficient. It's direct. But it's incomplete. On the other side: a redesigned model....
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EP 252 - The Customer Isn’t Always Right – Your Team Comes First: Wisdom from Christine McDannell
Paper Napkin Wisdom
Christine McDannell is a serial entrepreneur, author of The Resilient Founder, and a passionate advocate for building businesses that align with long-term legacy and personal purpose. She’s launched and sold multiple companies, including a 7-figure exit, and now focuses her energy on guiding purpose-driven founders through her work at Kindred Quarters and . In Episode 252 of Paper Napkin Wisdom, Christine shared a bold but essential truth that many leaders need to hear: “The customer is not always #1… your team is #1!” It's a deceptively simple statement...
info_outlineDustin Wells isn’t just an experienced tech entrepreneur — he’s a guide for leaders looking to rediscover purpose in the peaks and valleys of business and life. With over two decades in tech and a successful exit under his belt, Dustin has learned to measure success not only in valuations but in clarity, impact, and joy. In Episode 245 of Paper Napkin Wisdom, Dustin shared a message written in bold blue ink: “Summit your current mountain.”
This deceptively simple statement holds transformative weight. It’s not just about climbing higher — it’s about finishing the climb you’re on. In a culture obsessed with constant reinvention and the next big thing, Dustin’s wisdom is a powerful reminder that what’s in front of you right now deserves your full attention, effort, and heart.
“I almost didn’t sell. I had no plans to sell,” Dustin says, recalling the unexpected opportunity to exit the company he founded. “But when I did, it was the first time in years I could hear myself think.”
That moment of clarity didn’t come easily. Like many founders, Dustin had tied his identity to his company. Stepping away forced him to confront the truth: even success can become a trap if you’re not fully present in the journey.
Throughout the episode, Dustin opens up about the transition from founder to free agent — a phase marked not by absence, but by deeper exploration. “What was fascinating,” he shares, “was how much of my day was about responding to others. After I exited, I had to rediscover what I wanted to do.”
That rediscovery is at the heart of his message. "Summit your current mountain" isn’t about escapism. It’s about going all the way with what you’ve started. “Don’t quit halfway. Don’t build a bridge and walk away before it connects. Get to the top, see the view, learn the lesson — then decide what’s next.”
His story isn’t just about tech or exits. It’s about agency. About being deliberate. About noticing when you're climbing someone else’s mountain — or worse, running in circles at the base of your own.
“What I learned is that there's joy in the hard things — if you're doing the right hard thing.”
In a world that glorifies hustle and pivots, Dustin invites us into a different rhythm: one that values completion, reflection, and intentional transition.
5 Key Takeaways from Dustin Wells
1. Finish What You Start — Fully
“If you’re halfway up a mountain and decide to stop, you don’t get the view. You don’t get the lesson.”
🧭 Take Action: Identify one major initiative or relationship in your life that you’ve left incomplete. Recommit to seeing it through — or consciously close the loop.
2. Let Silence Speak
“I didn’t realize how noisy my life was until I had a moment to just… listen.”
🧘 Take Action: Block 30 minutes this week for uninterrupted reflection — no agenda, no distractions. Listen to what your inner voice is telling you.
3. Don’t Outsource Your Identity to Your Work
“Who are you when you're not the founder, the CEO, the operator?”
🪞 Take Action: Journal about your identity beyond your job title. What values, joys, or passions define you outside of work?
4. Embrace the Power of Choice
“You can choose to stay, to go, to rest, to climb — but make it a choice, not a reaction.”
🎯 Take Action: Review your current obligations. Are you choosing them or just reacting to momentum? Make at least one intentional change.
5. The Next Mountain Can Wait
“Climb this one first. Feel the summit. Then you’ll know what’s next.”
⛰️ Take Action: Pause the chase for “what’s next” until you’ve fully processed where you are. Celebrate completion before setting new goals.
Dustin Wells is an executive advisor, founder, and former CEO with two successful exits. He now supports leaders in finding clarity, calm, and capacity in their businesses and lives. You can connect with him on LinkedIn.
If Dustin’s message struck a chord with you, here’s your challenge: write your own mountain on a napkin — then commit to summiting it. Post it with #PaperNapkinWisdom and inspire someone else to climb with intention.
🗻 What’s your current mountain? Let us know.