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Escaping the Grind: John Ottman on Pattern Recognition and Time Freedom
Episode Summary:
For years, John Ottman worked 60–70 hour weeks, grinding just to keep the doors open on his San Francisco bar, Holy Water.
After 8 incredibly slow years, John had every reason to quit, but his belief, passion, and grit kept him pushing through the hard times, including the crushing financial stress of the pandemic shutdown.
John shares his fascinating origin story, how he used the power of relationship and pattern recognition to gain ownership, and why he chose to stick through the difficulty until the patterns in his business changed. Today, he enjoys the "Dragon’s Gold" of time freedom and leveraging a high-caliber team.
Key Takeaways:
• How pattern recognition allowed John to secure a minority partnership and become an owner.
• Why John credits his ability to survive 8 slow years to pure grit and having "no other option" (the Burn the Boats mindset).
• The critical shift that allowed Holy Water to finally thrive after years of being in a "sleepy neighborhood".
• How finding allies in the industry during the 2020 shutdown helped him overcome his darkest moment.
• Why finding a high-caliber staff is the ultimate "Dragon’s Gold" for time freedom and flexibility.
What You'll Learn:
• How to utilize relationship power to create new ownership opportunities.
• Why tenacity and grit are non-negotiable for lasting success.
• The strategy John used to overcome his darkest financial moment during the shutdown by seeking connection.
• How a high-caliber staff becomes the ultimate mechanism for an owner to gain freedom.
Tools & Weapons:
• Pattern Recognition: Noticing themes in organizational structure to position yourself for opportunities.
• Burn the Boats Mindset: Going "all in" because quitting was not an option, fueling perseverance.
• The Power of Network: Viewing people as the biggest resource; relying on allies and experts to solve problems.
• Observant Learning: Picking up small, actionable "tricks" from tradesmen to save time and money (e.g., maintenance hacks).
Send us a text
About Gold Dragon Investments:
At Gold Dragon Investments, our mission is to bring joy to others by helping them win the game of investing. Helping every client become the hero of their financial journey. We believe that wealth is a tool, but joy is the ultimate outcome.
Through meaningful partnerships, we strive to empower our investors to create freedom, and build lasting legacies of purpose, fulfillment, and wealth.
Join Us on the Adventure:
- Website: https://golddragoninvestments.com
- Schedule a Call
View all episodes
By Justin MillsEpisode Summary:
For years, John Ottman worked 60–70 hour weeks, grinding just to keep the doors open on his San Francisco bar, Holy Water.
After 8 incredibly slow years, John had every reason to quit, but his belief, passion, and grit kept him pushing through the hard times, including the crushing financial stress of the pandemic shutdown.
John shares his fascinating origin story, how he used the power of relationship and pattern recognition to gain ownership, and why he chose to stick through the difficulty until the patterns in his business changed. Today, he enjoys the "Dragon’s Gold" of time freedom and leveraging a high-caliber team.
Key Takeaways:
• How pattern recognition allowed John to secure a minority partnership and become an owner.
• Why John credits his ability to survive 8 slow years to pure grit and having "no other option" (the Burn the Boats mindset).
• The critical shift that allowed Holy Water to finally thrive after years of being in a "sleepy neighborhood".
• How finding allies in the industry during the 2020 shutdown helped him overcome his darkest moment.
• Why finding a high-caliber staff is the ultimate "Dragon’s Gold" for time freedom and flexibility.
What You'll Learn:
• How to utilize relationship power to create new ownership opportunities.
• Why tenacity and grit are non-negotiable for lasting success.
• The strategy John used to overcome his darkest financial moment during the shutdown by seeking connection.
• How a high-caliber staff becomes the ultimate mechanism for an owner to gain freedom.
Tools & Weapons:
• Pattern Recognition: Noticing themes in organizational structure to position yourself for opportunities.
• Burn the Boats Mindset: Going "all in" because quitting was not an option, fueling perseverance.
• The Power of Network: Viewing people as the biggest resource; relying on allies and experts to solve problems.
• Observant Learning: Picking up small, actionable "tricks" from tradesmen to save time and money (e.g., maintenance hacks).
Send us a text
About Gold Dragon Investments:
At Gold Dragon Investments, our mission is to bring joy to others by helping them win the game of investing. Helping every client become the hero of their financial journey. We believe that wealth is a tool, but joy is the ultimate outcome.
Through meaningful partnerships, we strive to empower our investors to create freedom, and build lasting legacies of purpose, fulfillment, and wealth.
Join Us on the Adventure:
- Website: https://golddragoninvestments.com
- Schedule a Call