John’s Must-Reads: Holiday Edition
With the holidays around the corner, I’d like to share ten books I’ve thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend. Whether you’re looking for a new book to read this holiday season or are looking for a great gift for someone on your list this year, I think there’s...
John’s Stance on Labor Unions
This fall, I had an interesting conversation with Michael Moynihan on Bari Weiss’s Honestly podcast. One topic we discussed is sometimes considered controversial and has sparked negativity in the past: labor unions. I want to use this as an opportunity to clarify a...
John’s Must-Reads: Fall 2024 Edition
Looking for compelling reads to dive into this fall? Sharing three books that I have read recently and really enjoyed: I Feel Love: MDMA and the Quest for Connection in a Fractured World by Rachel Nuwer As I share in The Whole Story, I support the use of psychedelics...
The Rebel in Me
I often talk about my relationship with my father, Bill Mackey. He was my best man at my wedding, an original investor in Whole Foods Market, a long-time board member, and my greatest mentor in business. In my new book The Whole Story, I talk in detail about our close...
John’s Journey to Whole Foods, Plant-Based Living
I often share my story of becoming a vegetarian and later transitioning to an ethical vegan lifestyle. However, there's an important chapter I don’t often discuss—the step towards adopting a whole foods, plant-based (WFPB) diet. To take you back to the beginning, I...
John’s Tips for Maintaining Brain Health
Now that I’m in my 70s, brain health is something I’ve become increasingly more interested in. Maintaining brain health is crucial for overall health and well-being, physically, mentally, and emotionally, and by adopting healthy lifestyle habits, we can support and...
The Benefits of Long-Distance Hiking
Long-distance hiking is a great passion of mine. Although I have enjoyed hiking for the majority of my adult life, I developed my passion for long-distance, ultralight after thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail in 2002. Since then, I have hiked the Appalachian and...
John’s Must-Reads: Summer 2024 Edition
Sharing a few of my favorite books I’ve been reading this summer: The Fish That Ate the Whale: The Life and Times of America’s Banana King by Rich Cohen This story chronicles the extraordinary life of Samuel Zemurray, a Russian immigrant who became a powerful figure...
Whole Foods Annual Gathering 2024
This month I attended the Whole Foods Annual Gathering and was inducted into the Whole Foods Hall of Fame. I knew I was going to be honored at the event, but I could not have imagined how deep the honor would be and how much incredible love would come my way! This...
A Morning with John
People often ask me about my spiritual practices and morning routine. Over the years, I've crafted a routine that sets a positive, productive tone for my day, spiritually, emotionally, and physically. Here's a glimpse into my mornings: Spiritual Readings I wake up...
John’s Must-Reads: Spring 2024 Edition
As we head into spring, I’d like to share a few recent reads that I’ve really enjoyed: Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself: How To Lose Your Mind and Create a New One by Dr. Joe Dispenza Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself by Joe Dispenza offers an inspiring look at...
Lesson #72
Taking time to disconnect from the busyness of everyday life is essential. Taking time for yourself helps reduce stress and allows you to mentally recharge, which everyone needs. For leaders, the benefits can also extend into your organization. Stepping away from your...
Why You Should Play Pickleball
Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in the U.S. and for a good reason. It appeals to people of a variety of different ages and skill levels, is easy for beginners to pick up, and is relatively inexpensive. Not to mention, it’s an absolute blast! I first began...
Recent Thoughts on Conscious Capitalism
As we approach the 11th anniversary of our book, Conscious Capitalism: Liberating the Heroic Spirit of Business, co-authored by my dear friend and Babson business professor, Raj Sisodia, I've spent considerable time contemplating the evolving perception of conscious...
Top Five Blogs of 2023
As we head into 2024, I’d like to revisit five blogs that resonated most with readers this past year: The Value of Mentorship In this blog, I talk about my greatest mentor: my dad, Bill Mackey. I have no doubt in my mind that Whole Foods would have failed in its...
Five Qualities of Successful Entrepreneurs
Many qualities are necessary to find success as an entrepreneur, but here are five that I find especially important: Perpetually Optimistic You may have heard the statistic that half of small businesses fail in the first 5 years. And it’s true – most businesses do...
John’s Must-Reads: Fall 2023 Edition
As fall is coming to an end, I’d like to share a few books I’ve read and have really enjoyed: Enlightenment Now by Steven Pinker As a perpetual optimist, this book is one of my favorites! I would even claim that this is the most important book that has been written in...
12 of My Favorite Plant-Based Cookbooks
I follow a whole-food, plant-based vegan diet and have eliminated both refined sugars and oils, so I stick to simple, whole foods that allow me to make healthy, simple, and delicious dishes. Here are twelve of my favorite plant-based cookbooks (in no particular...
Kindness: A Simple Concept with a Big Impact
Nine months after opening the first Whole Foods, what’s known as the “100-year flood” came through Austin and severely damaged the store and destroyed all our inventory. I thought that this was the end and that Whole Foods would never recover given the extensive...
John’s Must-Reads: Alpe Adria Trail 2023 Edition
Back in August last year, I set out to hike the Alpe Adria Trail. The trail runs 466 miles long and consists of 43 stages, traveling through Austria, Slovenia, and Italy. Unfortunately, after two weeks of hiking, I developed a painful shin splint in my left leg that...
Lesson #71
I always try to be open, whether that’s open to new people, new ideas, or trying new things. Doing so allows you to learn things from other people, about yourself, and about life that you may not have been exposed to otherwise. This mindset has surfaced many important...