Paper Napkin Wisdom · Leadership & Entrepreneurship Insights for Founders and Executives

Over the years, Paper Napkin Wisdom guests have described ways for entrepreneurs to structure their business and life in a way that gears them for success. While some topics have been complex, today's podcast gets us back to the basic. Serial entrepreneur Bill Dallas explains his guiding principles in business and life for the past three decades. "Pairing means with meaning is the only way to live a full life," he asserts. "Means" refers to the problems entrepreneurs solve, while "meaning" describes the purpose behind their efforts. He believes that merging the two ideals is the key to successful entrepreneurship and a happy life.

He started his businesses back in the 1980s in an old Victorian home. Back then, entrepreneurship was just barely in vogue. "I had to apply meaning to the things I was doing on a daily basis, even when they weren't things I necessarily enjoyed doing," Bill recalls. By deriving meaning from even the most mundane of tasks, he was able to parlay that passion and become the founder of several lending companies across the United States. "When you apply meaning to what you do today, you feel successful in the moment and it propels you to success and creates exponential results," he says. He also doesn't believe in putting any energy into tasks that don't revolve around the ultimate goal, stating that it's a waste of energy. "When you apply meaning to your means, the problems you solve and things you learn will end up teaching you where you need to go," he remarks.

Bill has several nuggets derived from his years of experience. He believes in keeping things simple but intentional and authentic. In fact, Bill gives each of his new employees the acclaimed Robert Fulghum title All I Really Need to Know I've Learned in Kindergarten. "We already know pretty much everything we need to," he says, "Living this way will attract like-minded people."

He also believes that all entrepreneurs must embody four personas in order to be successful. "Act like an immigrant," he says, "Have a chip on your shoulder, work hard and remember where you came from. You can't be an entrepreneur and be entitled. " Next, he urges entrepreneurs to be artisans and leave their mark on society. Thirdly, Bill advises entrepreneurs to act like a waitress or waiter, "They are the pinnacle of entrepreneurship. They know that their livelihood is dependent on the level of service they provide their customers." Finally, he believes entrepreneurs should be coaches and serve as a mentor for their teams and fellow entrepreneurs.

By embodying these traits and principles, Bill believes any entrepreneur will find success – and, more importantly, meaning within their success. "Life is simple, just not easy," he says, "Entrepreneurs should want a rich life more than they want riches."

Let us know what you think on Twitter at www.twitter.com/WiseNapkin or via Facebook at www.facebook.com/PaperNapkinWisdom

If you're a Rebel, Rule-Breaker and Renegade this is for you …

If you're the kind of person that likes to follow along with all the rules (especially from other people) and loves doing JUST what their told this won't make sense.

As an entrepreneur we like to color outside the lines … even our lines.

STOP IT! It's the most challenging thing to do … but in this week's episode I share why we need to stop and how it can move us forward.

Take Action is a short podcast, usually between 3 to 5 minutes long, and the focus is on the small, 1% improvements we can make in our businesses and lives. Small changes make a big difference!

This podcast will help you make small changes that will change your world, so we can together save the world one entrepreneur and small business at a time!

Based on The Book Paper Napkin Wisdom: Your 5 Step Plan to Life and Business Success … get yours now on Amazon or at Paper Napkin Wisdom.

Just in time for Christmas, there's cold weather in the upcoming forecast here in Ottawa. So it's fitting that today's podcast discusses ways to raise the temperature on company culture. If you're a long-time Paper Napkin Wisdom fan, you're familiar with Motivational Speaker and Leadership Consultant Jason Barger. In today's chat, we focused on how companies can collaboratively create and maintain a positive culture, or in Jason's words, "Be a thermostat; proactively set your temperature." Jason details this sentiment in his new book Thermostat Culture. The book centers on the difference between a thermometer and a thermostat – while thermometers just report the temperature, the thermostat controls and regulates the environment. "Culture is dynamic," Jason says, "The most successful cultures are proactively managed."

For the past decade, organizations and pundits have become obsessed with company culture. But Jason points out that a great culture consists of more than foosball tables, catered lunches and casual attire. "We throw around the term 'culture' so loosely. Part of setting a thermostat culture revolves around constant measuring and re-aligning," Jason remarks.

So, how can companies effectively measure this culture? Jason proposes a method he's dubbed "The 6A Process". First, leaders must assess the current temperature. Jason recalls an instance where he and his hiking companions lost their way in the Adirondacks.

"We weren't clear where we were on the map," he recalls, "Until you travel to Point Z, you have to know where point A is." He suggests having "conversations about the currency for change", in which organizations really take an honest look at their current culture and assess the need for change. The second 'A', aligning, refers to bringing the organization together to determine whether or not everyone is aligned on the assessment and the need for improvement. "Basically, everyone needs to collectively agree on whether or not they're buying into it," Jason says.

Once aligned, organizations need to begin to determine where they want to be. "A wise man once said 'He who aims for nothing, hits it every time'," Jason says. He suggests giving people space during this period and allowing them to buy in to the ultimate company culture vision. The fourth 'A' stresses the importance of clearly articulating the culture. Developing, revising or referring to a brand platform that outlines mission and vision statements, core values and key messages is especially helpful during this time.

The final two 'A's – action and anchor – go hand in hand. Organizations must decide what they need to do to ensure their culture permeates through all aspects of their business and develop systems to make it stick. "After these steps are complete, I remind people to revisit them every so often – especially during times where it seems like the culture is going off-kilter," Jason advises.

Developing and maintaining a strong company culture is undoubtedly one of the tenets of a great organization. However, Jason warns organizations to not get too comfortable. "The phrase 'We have a good culture' should end with a comma, not a period. Whenever it ends with a period, I've found that the culture is in peril. There should always be conversations surrounding ways to keep the culture alive. You have to make that investment."

What are some of the ways you keep your organizations' culture afloat? Share it with us via Twitter at www.twitter.com/wisenapkin or Facebook www.facebook.com/PaperNapkinWisdom

Read the full show notes and blog post: https://www.papernapkinwisdom.com/post/ep-157-raising-the-dial-jason-barger-entrepreneur-best-selling-author

Listen to Paper Napkin Wisdom:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/paper-napkin-wisdom-leadership-entrepreneurship-insights/id735345903

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6ejOegCltch4RZsqCRKUm3

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Each week I'€™ll post a short podcast, usually between 3 to 5 minutes long, just talking about how to apply the Paper Napkin Wisdom 5 Step Plan to Life and Business Success in an everyday kind of way.

As I was speaking to a group of entrepreneurs about execution this week, we discussed the value of changing our Perspective as leaders to not think that we were out front, but rather out back of our teams supporting them as they charged forward.

The discussion evolved toward understanding the value of how elephants lead. While elephants have obvious size and strength, that's not how they lead. The alpha female is the leader of the herd and she leads from the back of the group using skills like Problem Solving, Social Intelligence, Openness, Decisiveness, Patience, Confidence, and Compassion to guide the group.

Make it a great week!!

Read the full show notes and blog post: https://www.papernapkinwisdom.com/post/week-in-review-11-elephant-leadership

Listen to Paper Napkin Wisdom:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/paper-napkin-wisdom-leadership-entrepreneurship-insights/id735345903

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6ejOegCltch4RZsqCRKUm3

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@papernapkinwisdom

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Website: https://www.papernapkinwisdom.com

The world loves leaders. We write books and television shows about them and promote leadership as one of the defining qualities of a successful person. However, today's guest Bill Treasurer, has a somewhat unorthodox take on what great leadership should really look like. After spending the last two decades as an author and leadership development coach for Fortune 500 brands, he has concluded that we have been wrong in our approach to the concept and essence of leadership.

"The first law of leadership is 'It's not about you'," he says. A self-described leadership plumber ("I'm the one who gets the hairballs out," he jokes), Bill explores this concept in his latest book entitled A Leadership Kick in the Ass. "I got the concept from my son. He was chosen to be class leader for the day. When I asked him how it went, he said 'I got to open doors for people'," Bill recalls. This seemingly innocuous but impactful statement revealed to Bill that one of the basic tenets of leadership was being overlooked. "Emerging leaders have sharp elbows of ambition. Sometimes leaders forget that the central of idea is about those being led. It's never about the leader," he says.

While leaders are praised for being exceptional motivators, Bill describes leaders as Chief Opportunity Creators for both their people and their organization. Instead of judging individuals and teams by their own cadence, Bill urges leaders to exude patience. "99% of the leaders I meet are impatient," he says, "But leaders must accept that people will take time to walk through the door you open for them."

With the number of responsibilities on their plate, leaders must find time to refocus – not only on the company's goals – but also their leadership style. The renowned innovator Steve Jobs reportedly had a similar refocusing period after he was fired from Apple in the mid-80s. "He got back to the essentialism of it all. We learn best from experience and our transformational humiliating events," Bill says.

Leaders must learn how to authentically rebuild themselves in order to provide the greatest value to their team. Additionally, leaders can refocus by setting vision and getting team members to become emotionally invested its success. "Growth is good, but it's just an outcome or an ends to the means. People and investment are the means," Bill remarks.

What are some ways you refocus your leadership? Let us know at www.Facebook.com/PaperNapkinWisdom or Twitter www.twitter.com/WiseNapkin!

Each week I'll post a short podcast, usually between 3 to 5 minutes long, just talking about how to apply the Paper Napkin Wisdom 5 Step Plan to Life and Business Success in an everyday kind of way.

This week I visited a group of entrepreneurs for a workshop on Execution. On the way back, I had huge challenges getting back home for the weekend. Apparently there was some sort of computer error, which took a ton of time to fix and, predictably, let to me missing the flight home.

The challenge was that 1000s of other passengers had the same challenge as I did that day.

I never quit, nor did I think of quitting … in fact, I've never quit on anything. In fact, in never even occurs to me.

This week I share why.

Make it a great week!

Read the full show notes and blog post: https://www.papernapkinwisdom.com/post/week-in-review-10-remember-why

Listen to Paper Napkin Wisdom:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/paper-napkin-wisdom-leadership-entrepreneurship-insights/id735345903

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6ejOegCltch4RZsqCRKUm3

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@papernapkinwisdom

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Website: https://www.papernapkinwisdom.com

Many entrepreneurs, both budding and seasoned, can sometimes find themselves in a standstill due to lack of action. But how can entrepreneurs make "action" their default? If you've been following our show, you'll know that a motto of mine is "make it bad, then make it better." Today's podcast guest, John Henry explains why the motto "default to action" has become one of his guiding principles. "You'll be surprised what you can build if you default to action," says the 23 year old entrepreneur and founder of Cofound Harlem, "I think some people may disagree with that principle but that's the stage of entrepreneurship I'm in."

He adopted this mantra years ago when he founded his first business. A child of immigrant parents, John has always maintained a scrappy approach to entrepreneurship. While working as a doorman, he was approached by a resident who provided him with a business opportunity. "The resident offered to give me wholesale rates on dry cleaning if other residents were willing to do their dry cleaning at his businesses. If a shirt cost $6 to dry clean, he would charge me $2 and I would pocket the $4," John recalls. Soon, he had launched a full scale operation which included providing dry cleaning services to popular shows, including Law and Order, Boardwalk Empire and more.

Defaulting to action has to become a default mindset. John follows a few routines to keep himself centered. "Before I go to sleep, I write out my to-do list and then prioritize based on which tasks will yield the biggest results, instead of by which tasks I find the most enjoyable," he says. Sometimes, this means he opts to work with his accountant on tax issues as opposed to writing a blog post. In addition to this, he tries to catch himself whenever he becomes unfocused. "Facebook is the new TV," he jokes. Instead of heading to social media, he reads articles from the Financial Times or some of his other favorite publications.

John views focus as a muscle – the more you work it out, the stronger it becomes. Being intentional about focus is a huge part of his motto. "I'm very intentional about greatness. At one point, I wrote greatness over and over in my black notebook. Now, when I'm not being productive, I feel guilty," he says.

How would defaulting to action improve your business? Comment below or send us a tweet.

Each week I'll post a short podcast, usually between 3 to 5 minutes long, just talking about how to apply the Paper Napkin Wisdom 5 Step Plan to Life and Business Success in an everyday kind of way.

Had a fun, wine-filled conversation this week with someone about unlikely sources of cinematic inspiration. I've almost always gone back to this handful of movies when I feel like my belief in myself is shaken and I need a source of inspiration.

What movies do you watch for inspiration? My top few are in the podcast … but there are so many more (including my holiday favorite) It's a Wonderful Life, and Scrooged, that could have made the cut.

Make it a great week!

Read the full show notes and blog post: https://www.papernapkinwisdom.com/post/week-in-review-9-don-t-stop-believin

Listen to Paper Napkin Wisdom:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/paper-napkin-wisdom-leadership-entrepreneurship-insights/id735345903

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6ejOegCltch4RZsqCRKUm3

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@papernapkinwisdom

Follow Paper Napkin Wisdom:

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Welcome to Episode 1 of Leading Behind the Scenes, a new channel focused on supporting those who support great leaders and entrepreneurs.

Miranda Barrett is an entrepreneur support expert with more than 10 years working with more than 400 entrepreneurs as part of the EO Global Team, and shares her insights on what it takes to be an effective leader.

Leaders often think they're leading, but their staff is disengaged and disinterested in the overall mission. "If you think you're leading and no one is following, you're just out for a walk," she says.

According to Miranda, the main trait of a good leader is someone who knows how to leverage and engage their team. "Entrepreneurs have so much energy and passion. It's akin to an excited golden retriever," she says. Leaders must understand how to share that excitement and vision with the team. Additionally, showing sincerity and curiosity is a crucial part of getting teams in line with their leader. She explains, "You have to admit when you're stuck and turn to your team members to help fix the problem, instead of micromanaging. That trust is contagious and will come right back to you."

Empowering your team through humility and vulnerability can also lead to teaching them to develop their inner leader, which, in turn, will help you reach your goals. The team needs to feel protected and supported by the leader before they'll protect and support him or her. She recalls a situation where a supportive team led to success. "We were hosting our Global Student Entrepreneur Awards program. The team was phenomenal. My job was to make sure our emcee did the best job possible, despite last minute scheduling changes. In a very visible way, he was on the hook for anything that would have gone wrong, but he had a safety net. He looked alone but he was very, very well supported."

Things don't always turn out as planned. When teams don't reach their goals, it's important to take some time to regroup. "There's a humility in being curious. Seek first to understand, then to be understood. Was the process broken? If so, where was the breakdown? Unemotionally figuring out what happened and where, instead of immediately blaming your team is a crucial part of maintaining that trust," she says.

Having a team of "yes-men" may mean that your team members don't feel open enough to voice their opinions. A disengaged team can be just as bad as an incompetent one. "When you have people proactively looking ahead of you to help and feel safe making suggestions? That's when you can be sure that your team wants to be there," she says. Conversely, if your team isn't making suggestions, they may not feel comfortable speaking up. People who follow like leaders help push each other to grow and be better.

Finding ways to draw the honesty out of your team ensures its health. Miranda suggests that leaders find "fun and inventive" ways to get honest feedback from team members that may not feel comfortable opening up. Miranda recalls a company that was opening a store in China. In a meeting, the team assured their managers everything was on schedule to open on time. However, after the managers let the team place bets on when they thought the store would actually open, they found out that no one on the team thought that making the deadline was possible. The store ended up not opening for months.

Provide a safe environment, and people will speak up.

Read the full show notes and blog post: https://www.papernapkinwisdom.com/post/leading-behind-the-scenes-ep-1-what-it-takes-to-be-an-effective-leader-miranda-barrett-entrepren

Listen to Paper Napkin Wisdom:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/paper-napkin-wisdom-leadership-entrepreneurship-insights/id735345903

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6ejOegCltch4RZsqCRKUm3

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@papernapkinwisdom

Follow Paper Napkin Wisdom:

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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PaperNapkinWisdom

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Website: https://www.papernapkinwisdom.com

Each week I'll post a short podcast, usually between 3 to 5 minutes long, just talking about how to apply the Paper Napkin Wisdom 5 Step Plan to Life and Business Success in an everyday kind of way.

I was visiting a group of 20-30 entrepreneurs in Washington, DC this week and we were discussing Execution (getting stuff done). There are so many of us that seem to get stuck in urgent tasks, instead of focusing on the important work that will move us forward. Sometimes we do this because it is more comfortable to play the role of the superhero and the save the day, the way we have always done, rather than do the uncomfortable task of doing something new.

Remember, the new task – the harder one to pick, is supposed to be uncomfortable. We have never done it before. Go for it … do the thing that you have never done to get the results you have never had.

Read the full show notes and blog post: https://www.papernapkinwisdom.com/post/week-in-review-8-get-stuff-done

Listen to Paper Napkin Wisdom:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/paper-napkin-wisdom-leadership-entrepreneurship-insights/id735345903

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6ejOegCltch4RZsqCRKUm3

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@papernapkinwisdom

Follow Paper Napkin Wisdom:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/govindhj/

X (Twitter): https://x.com/WiseNapkin

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/govindhj/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PaperNapkinWisdom

TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@papernapkinwisdom

Website: https://www.papernapkinwisdom.com