EP 291 – Jennifer McKenna - The Prosperity Formula: Familiar → Faith → Fulfillment
Release Date: 09/04/2025
EP 293 – Steven Rothberg: If a Customer Wants to Pay More, Let Them
Paper Napkin Wisdom
When you sit down with someone like Steven Rothberg, Founder and Chief Visionary Officer of , you expect to hear insights about hiring, technology, and the future of work. What you might not expect is a napkin that sums up decades of wisdom in a sentence so straightforward it almost sounds too simple: “If a customer wants to give you more money, find a way of making that happen. $$$” At first glance, it feels like sales advice. But during our conversation, it became clear that Steven’s napkin is less about sales tactics and more about mindset. It’s about curiosity,...
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EP 292 - Edge of the Napkin #3: “Who’s the best partner you ever had? (Secret) … It’s you.”
Paper Napkin Wisdom
Partnership is one of the most powerful words in leadership and in life. We spend years searching for the right business partner, co-founder, or even life partner. But here’s the twist on this week’s Paper Napkin Wisdom: the greatest, most important partnership you’ll ever have is not with someone else—it’s with yourself. The napkin for Episode 292 asks the provocative question: “Who’s the best partner you ever had?” And then delivers the unexpected truth: (Secret)… it’s you. In this episode, Govindh dives deep into the nature of the...
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EP 291 – Jennifer McKenna - The Prosperity Formula: Familiar → Faith → Fulfillment
Paper Napkin Wisdom
Jennifer McKenna, founder of JMac Consulting, is an accomplished business strategist, executive coach, and creator of The JMac Method. With decades of experience guiding leaders and organizations through transformation, Jennifer has built her reputation on blending practical business strategy with a deep commitment to values, authenticity, and growth. She has coached Fortune 500 executives, entrepreneurs, and visionaries to align who they are with what they do. On Paper Napkin Wisdom, Jennifer shares her Prosperity Formula — a deceptively simple but powerful framework to help...
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EP 290 – Andrew Safnauer: Find Your Way Over the Wall
Paper Napkin Wisdom
In Episode 290 of Paper Napkin Wisdom, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Andrew Safnauer, a seasoned leader and executive with a wealth of experience in management, strategy, and innovation. Andrew has held leadership roles across diverse industries and today brings his insights into resilience, adaptability, and persistence. His wisdom is captured on a single napkin: “Find your way over the wall.” At first glance, it’s a simple metaphor. But as Andrew shares, this idea has been a recurring theme throughout his life and career, one that continues to guide him...
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EP 289 - The Edge of the Napkin: Friction vs. Flow
Paper Napkin Wisdom
In Episode 289 of Paper Napkin Wisdom, host Govindh Jayaraman takes us deeper into the next evolution of his work: The Edge of the Napkin. This isn’t just about wisdom captured in simple strokes anymore — it’s about stepping into the tension between friction and flow, and understanding the rhythms of creativity and growth. The napkin for this episode sets the stage: a stick figure caught between jagged lines of friction and the upward curve of flow, alongside two key modes — Seminal (Spark) and Gestational (Build). At its heart, the question posed is simple but powerful: Are...
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EP 288 – Katy Spada: Build the World You Wish Existed
Paper Napkin Wisdom
When Katy Spada sat down with me on Paper Napkin Wisdom, she brought a napkin that was more than just words — it was a challenge: “Build the world you wish existed for your younger self, and for those who come next.” Katy isn’t just an entrepreneur. She’s a mother of two (ages 7 and 4), a storyteller, and the founder of , a lifestyle and apparel company that’s grounded in values of creativity, heritage, and intentional living. What makes her story remarkable is how deeply personal it is. As she says, she never set out to be an entrepreneur — she calls...
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EP 287 – Permission, Structure, and Social Media Success with Sam Toles
Paper Napkin Wisdom
In this episode of Paper Napkin Wisdom, Govindh Jayaraman welcomes Sam Toles, a digital media pioneer and storyteller with decades of experience building audiences, brands, and communities. Sam is the CEO and co-founder of , a platform designed to transform civic engagement by helping communities and governments create stronger, more transparent conversations online. Sam’s career has spanned leadership roles at MGM, Vimeo, Bleacher Report, and Warner Bros., and throughout it all he has stayed focused on how creativity, structure, and permission come together to unlock growth. His...
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EP 286 - Introducing the Edge of the Napkin
Paper Napkin Wisdom
In this special episode of Paper Napkin Wisdom, I (Govindh Jayaraman) take a step back to reflect on the journey we’ve been on together — over 280 episodes filled with wisdom, stories, and lessons from incredible leaders, entrepreneurs, and difference makers. The napkin for this episode reads: “Introducing the Edge of the Napkin.” It’s a phrase that captures both a transition and an expansion. The napkin has always been a place for distilled wisdom — one sentence, one thought, one principle that could change everything if applied. But now, we’re venturing into...
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EP 285 – Kendra MacDonald: Building a Career That Grows With You
Paper Napkin Wisdom
Careers aren’t meant to be lived on repeat. In this episode of Paper Napkin Wisdom, we sit down with Kendra MacDonald, CEO of Canada’s Ocean Supercluster, a leader who has spent her career helping organizations innovate, adapt, and push boundaries. Kendra has been recognized for her work in transformation and leadership across industries, and she brings her wisdom to the napkin with a deceptively simple but powerful message. On her napkin, Kendra wrote: “Make sure your career is 25 years, not 1 year 25 times. What will you learn this year?” This phrase, first...
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EP 284 - Michael Walsh – Conclusion of The Freedom Series Part 16
Paper Napkin Wisdom
Introduction: A Journey Comes Full Circle Over the course of sixteen episodes, Michael Walsh has taken us on an extraordinary journey through what he calls the Freedom Framework. This framework has become a cornerstone for entrepreneurs who want to build businesses that don’t just survive but thrive – organizations that create value, empower people, and endure through change. Michael, founder of , has spent decades helping leaders shift from working in their businesses to working on them. His approach blends deep financial discipline, people-first development, and a...
info_outlineJennifer McKenna, founder of JMac Consulting, is an accomplished business strategist, executive coach, and creator of The JMac Method. With decades of experience guiding leaders and organizations through transformation, Jennifer has built her reputation on blending practical business strategy with a deep commitment to values, authenticity, and growth. She has coached Fortune 500 executives, entrepreneurs, and visionaries to align who they are with what they do.
On Paper Napkin Wisdom, Jennifer shares her Prosperity Formula — a deceptively simple but powerful framework to help leaders and entrepreneurs move from what is familiar into a space of true fulfillment.
The Prosperity Formula
At first glance, Jennifer’s napkin sketch looks straightforward:
Familiar → Faith → Fulfillment
But the wisdom beneath it is transformative.
Jennifer explains that many of us stay trapped in the Familiar. It’s comfortable, predictable, and safe — but it’s also where growth stalls. Leaders often cling to familiar patterns, roles, or narratives because stepping out feels risky.
“Familiar feels safe,” Jennifer shared in our conversation, “but it’s also where dreams get stuck.”
The leap forward happens in the middle step: Faith. This is not blind optimism, but intentional trust — in yourself, in the process, in the possibility of something greater. Faith is the bridge between what you know and what you long for.
From there, the destination is Fulfillment. This isn’t just material success; it’s alignment, purpose, and prosperity that’s measured in joy and meaning as much as in results.
Key Takeaways
1. Familiar Is Comfortable, But Limiting
Staying in the familiar feels safe but can create stagnation. Leaders who cling to the old way risk missing the future.
Take Action: Audit where “familiar” shows up in your life and business. Ask: Am I holding onto this because it works, or because it’s just what I know?
2. Faith Is the Necessary Bridge
Faith isn’t passive. It’s the decision to trust and step forward when certainty isn’t available.
Take Action: Identify one decision you’ve delayed because of uncertainty. Commit to moving forward with faith, trusting the process.
3. Fulfillment Goes Beyond Achievement
True prosperity isn’t just about hitting goals — it’s about finding meaning and joy in the pursuit.
Take Action: Redefine success for yourself. Write down three elements of fulfillment that go beyond financial gain.
4. Prosperity Requires Courage
Jennifer reminds us that prosperity is not a formula for quick wins; it’s a formula for courageous living.
Take Action: Each week, take one step outside your comfort zone. Track the results not just in outcomes, but in personal growth.
5. The JMac Method: Prosperity as a Practice
Jennifer’s consulting practice uses this formula to guide leaders into alignment — where business growth and personal fulfillment go hand in hand.
Take Action: Share your Prosperity Formula moment. What’s one way you’re moving from Familiar, through Faith, toward Fulfillment this week?
About Jennifer McKenna
Jennifer McKenna is the founder and principal of JMac Consulting, where she helps businesses and leaders align their strategies, culture, and leadership practices for lasting impact. She is the creator of The JMac Method, a framework that integrates purpose-driven leadership with actionable business strategy.
Connect with Jennifer:
Final Thought
Jennifer’s Prosperity Formula challenges us to stop clinging to what is safe, and instead take the leap of faith that leads to true fulfillment.
Now it’s your turn: grab a napkin, jot down where you’re stuck in the Familiar, and write the step of Faith you need to take to move toward Fulfillment. Share it with us using #PaperNapkinWisdom.
Because prosperity isn’t an accident — it’s a choice.