For many years, I considered myself well-informed on animal husbandry and believed that Whole Foods had rigorous standards that were best in class. That all changed at our annual shareholder meeting in 2003. For anyone who has ever led or attended this type of...
John’s Must-Reads: Summer 2023 Edition
Although I’m an avid reader all year long, there’s something about reading in the summer that is so enjoyable. Personally, I tend to travel more, so I often find myself able to read more on the go and in new and exciting places. Whether it’s an audiobook during a road...
John’s Recipe for Building a Successful Team
As leaders, we truly are only as good as our teams. Entrepreneurs and CEOs are often credited with all the success when building great companies or fostering revolutionary breakthroughs. In reality, all successful businesses have an amazing, talented team working...
Finding a Balance Between Entrepreneurship and Business Planning
When I talk to entrepreneurs and leaders at young startups, I frequently get asked questions related to business plans. What makes a good business plan? How important are they? How much influence should they really have on your day-to-day decision-making? It goes...
Remote Work: Has the Pendulum Swung Too Far?
I’m going to be direct about my opinion on a topic that can be controversial: remote work. I personally believe that being physically together in an office is critical for a healthy work culture. In-person connections are so valuable, and this is complicated by the...
Appalachian Trail Notes
Long-distance hiking is a great passion of mine. I love being able to disconnect and enjoy the beautiful nature around me. Although I have enjoyed hiking for the majority of my adult life, I developed my passion for long-distance, ultralight hiking after thru-hiking...
Your Guide to a Nutritious and Delicious Vegan Brunch
Who doesn’t love brunch? It combines the best flavors of both breakfast and lunch and is the perfect meal for a slow-starting, relaxed Sunday morning. When people think of brunch, they envision eggs, breakfast meats like bacon, sausage, and ham, pancakes and waffles,...
Four Seats and Four Questions
I want to share one of my favorite stories with all of you. In 2005, my wife and I had the opportunity to go to dinner with Milton Friedman and his wife, Rose. I had long admired Milton’s work and was excited to enjoy what I thought would be a delicious meal filled...
Alcohol’s Impact on a Good Night’s Sleep
The quality and quantity of sleep you get every night directly impacts your health, mood, and brain performance - that’s why getting a good night’s sleep is so important! A good night’s sleep is not just about logging enough hours of sleep every night, but also about...
Popular Vegan Myths Debunked
As someone whose life calling involves healthy food, I think it’s great to see the elevated attention given to food and diet philosophies in today’s culture. When it comes to the pros and cons of various dietary paths, there’s such an abundance of information out...
John’s Advice for an Aspiring Long-Distance Hiker
While packing for my recent hike on the Appalachian Trail, I started thinking about things I wish I knew before getting into long-distance hiking. I had a lot of experienced friends who helped me early on, but I also learned a lot of lessons from my own trial and...
Five Lessons for a Successful Acquisition
For many companies, the ability to accelerate growth and scale the business will involve mergers and acquisitions. There are nuances to every acquisition and a one-size-fits-all approach to integration rarely works, but there are definitely best practices that can be...