loader from loading.io

EP 248 - John Sleeman Series (Part 1 of 3) | Start a Pub: The Deal-Driven Origins of John Sleeman's Entrepreneurial Rise

Paper Napkin Wisdom

Release Date: 05/27/2025

EP 261 - Build, Don’t Burnout: How Ross Albers Learned to Lead by Working ON, Not IN, His Business show art 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...

info_outline
EP 260 - Toni Harrison on Building R.E.A.L. Resilience: How to Stay Grounded and Grow Through the Grind show art 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...

info_outline
EP 259 - Michael Walsh - Part 7 of the Freedom by Design Series - Hire Smart for Your Expertise-Based Business show art 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? ...

info_outline
EP 258 - If It Doesn’t Set Your Soul on Fire, It’s Not Worth It — Dinah Chapman on the Courage to Live Unapologetically show art 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...

info_outline
EP 257 - Move Fast (But Don’t Break It All): Adam Olalde’s Refined Formula for Bold Leadership show art 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...

info_outline
EP 256 - Freedom by Design Series (Part 6) | The Social Contract: Rethinking the Balance Between Owners and Employees Michael Walsh show art 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...

info_outline
EP 255 – Awareness Is the Gateway: Rethinking Inner and Outer States with Seema Dhanoa show art 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...

info_outline
EP 254 - Give Before Asking: A Simple Shift That Transforms Leadership - Featuring Rick Williams show art 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...

info_outline
EP 253 - Freedom by Design Series (Part 5) | Rethink the Core: Why Real Growth Starts Within - Michael Walsh | Freedom by Design, Part 4 show art 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....

info_outline
EP 252 - The Customer Isn’t Always Right – Your Team Comes First: Wisdom from Christine McDannell show art 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_outline
 
More Episodes

This episode is personal. 

Just after college, I started a small business with my friend Matt Fox. We launched a student-focused magazine called Fingertips — hunting down wing nights and drink deals before smartphones made that easy. Money was tight. Hustle was everything. And our first cold call was to Sleeman Brewing in Guelph. 

John Sleeman said yes. 

That early “yes” stuck with me — and now, decades later, I’m sitting with him in this beautiful building, recording a full-circle episode for Paper Napkin Wisdom. But this story isn’t about the brewery. Not yet. 

Because before John knew anything about his family’s brewing legacy… he had a napkin idea: “Start a Pub.” 

“I realized in my late teens that I was almost unemployable,” he said. “I kept getting fired because I was always telling my bosses how to do things better.” 

So he stopped trying to fit in — and started building his own future. 

The Pub Was the Trojan Horse 

John didn’t set out to become a beer mogul. In fact, in the beginning, he wasn’t even thinking about beer as a product. He wanted to open a pub — not just to pour pints, but to create an experience no one else in Canada was offering: imported draft beer served the proper way. 

There was just one problem. The logistics didn’t exist. 

“You couldn’t get most foreign beers in kegs back then — only in bottles,” John explained. “No one had the infrastructure. And if you wanted to bring it in, you had to go province by province.” 

So he did. 

One liquor board at a time, John started pitching the idea that he could be the one to bring kegs in. Not bottles. Not cases. Kegs. Exclusive, premium, fresh-draft kegs that elevated what it meant to go out for a beer. 

“I said, ‘Look, I know someone at this brewery. Let me bring in the kegs.’ They said, ‘We don’t usually do that.’ But I kept going.” 

Eventually, they said yes. Then another one did. Then another. John had cracked the code — and in doing so, quietly became the exclusive draft importer of some of the world’s best beer brands in Canada. 

This was before he knew anything about his family’s brewing past. Long before he would restart Sleeman Breweries. Long before legacy became part of the equation. 

At this point, John was just solving problems in real time, stacking deals, and building leverage through persistence and relationships. 

Why It Worked 

John’s pub wasn’t successful because it was trendy. It was successful because it was different. He wasn’t competing on price or location. He was the only game in town pouring certain beers — and that exclusivity gave him a unique edge. 

“People would drive from across town just to have a proper pint of something they couldn’t get anywhere else.” 

What started as a workaround for sourcing product became a business advantage. And eventually, a platform. 

That pub, those provincial approvals, those import contracts — they all laid the groundwork for something he didn’t even know he was building yet. 

 

5 Key Takeaways from Episode 247 with John Sleeman 

1. Start with the Problem You Can Solve 

John didn’t know his family legacy. He wasn’t dreaming of a brewery. He just wanted great beer on tap — and couldn’t get it. 

Take Action: What challenge in your business or life are you uniquely positioned to solve today? 

 

2. Be Willing to Knock on Doors (Literally) 

John went province to province pitching the liquor boards. He didn’t wait for permission — he created the opportunity. 

Take Action: Make one phone call or send one email this week that feels like a long shot. You might be surprised who says yes. 

 

3. Different Is Better Than Better 

John’s pub wasn’t the biggest or fanciest — it was exclusive. That was enough. 

Take Action: What do you offer that no one else does? Focus on it. Lead with it. 

 

4. Ignore the Legacy Until It’s Earned 

John didn’t build off a family name — he earned his way forward through deals and grit. 

Take Action: Stop waiting for a story to define you. Create the value first. The legacy can come later. 

 

5. Big Impact Starts with Small Logistics 

Importing kegs may sound minor. But those logistics fueled an empire. John understood the power of detail. 

Take Action: Look at your systems. What “small” piece of your model might actually be the engine? 

 

It started with a scribble: “Start a Pub.” 

It became an import empire, a business blueprint, and eventually, a brewery. 

But in this episode, we see the version of John Sleeman most don’t talk about — the deal-maker, the fixer, the relentless problem solver. The guy who didn’t need a legacy to start building something legendary. 

What would happen if you acted on your napkin idea today? Share it with us using #PaperNapkinWisdom.