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Intro to the Guest and Topic
Core Takeaway: Build Family-Centered Company Culture
John is the founder of Patmos, Albertus Magnus Institute, and Pizza Norcia. Today, we discuss ambition in Catholic men, the dignity of employees, the stewardship of wealth, and the integration of faith and AI in business. John shares his unique perspective on building successful enterprises while staying true to Catholic principles. This is a truly inspiring episode.
PS: We apologize for the poor audio quality in some places — I made some mistakes setting up the recording and we had to do some patching together in order to salvage the audio at all. Poor as the audio quality is, we feel very strongly that the content is top-tier.
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Catholics must build company cultures that promote family values, because family is the basis of society.
At Patmos, they pay bonuses when employees get married or have babies. Recently, they agreed to pay the salaries of the spouses of their employees who are affected by the government shutdown (repayable without interest).
Where most corporate cultures promote a culture of death, Patmos is upholding the culture of life. They are also treating their employees with respect as individuals, which leads to the flourishing of the human individual. No more just surviving and suffering through endless bureaucracy and HR rules.
In case you’re not already sold on listening to the episode, here are some killer quotes.
“Ignorance is my superpower. If I had any idea what I was getting into these things, I never would have done it.” — John Johnson
“We have an amazing potential to be co-creators, not just generators of our progeny.” — John Johnson
“There’s a real problem with it, especially men who have grown addicted to comfort over the years, where we’re so addicted to security, ease, then golden handcuffs.” — John Johnson
“If you can sell Jesus to teenagers, you can pretty much sell anything.” — John Johnson
“If anybody really wants to be successful, there’s no better practical way of forming yourself than through a real liberal arts education.” — John Johnson
“You have to first understand the reality of material things... things of the material world elicit in us a great desire that when we have them, they make us miserable.” — John Johnson
“Money is like fun. If you set out trying to have it, you’re not going to.” — John Johnson
“First employees have names and infinite dignity. No matter who they are, no matter what the background is, they’re worthy of respect.” — John Johnson
“We have bonuses for when employees have babies. We have bonuses for when employees get married. Big tech base employees effectively to abort their progeny. We do the opposite.” — John Johnson
Join the Catholic Founders Guild Today!
It’s $10/month or $100/year so anyone can afford it.
Don’t build alone -- join 50+ Catholic business owners building, learning, and praying together.
https://www.catholicfounders.com/subscribe
Key Moments: (outline)
00:00 Intro to John Johnson
01:57 His Empire: Patmos, Albertus Magnus, and Pizza
02:20 The Secret Behind His Pizza Perfection
06:29 The Drive to Build: Ambition in Catholic Men
07:31 Ignorance as a Founder’s Superpower
08:23 Co-Creation and Divine Guidance in Entrepreneurship
09:53 Escaping Comfort: The Entrepreneurial Adventure
11:12 Unlocking Your Creative Potential: Discovering God’s Call
13:17 Ambition vs. Calling: The Truth About Material Desires
15:19 Beyond Mercenaries: The Power of a Mission-Driven Business
16:01 The Entrepreneur’s Edge: Why Theology and Liberal Arts Matter
18:36 Leisure vs. Labor: Redefining Education’s Purpose
19:06 Balancing Ambition with Family and Faith
20:12 John’s Advice on Scaling: From Heroics to Systems
24:41 The Visionary and the Operator: Building a Strong Team
26:24 Radical Respect: Dignity and Family-First Policies for Employees
28:18 Beyond Market Rates: The Philosophy of Just Wages
29:22 Stewardship, Wealth, and the True Meaning of Blessing
31:31 The Parable of Talents: Embracing Risk for God’s Glory
33:55 Wealth as a Tool: Detachment and Purposeful Stewardship
34:23 Investing with Intention: Tithing and Proximate Charity
36:49 Faith in the Workplace: Cultivating Culture with Diverse Teams
39:00 Beyond Resumes: Hiring for Culture and Innate Intelligence
39:52 AI’s Dark Side: The Counterfeiting of the Human Person
42:47 Navigating the AI Landscape: Caution and Limits
45:01 Rapid Fire:
Favorite Scripture: John’s Gospel, Enthymemes
Favorite Saints
Favorite Devotions: Rosary and the Office of Prime
49:22 Final Thoughts: Patmos, Albertus Magnus, and Prayers
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Discussion about this video
Catholic Founders
Catholic Founders is where Catholic Entrepreneurs and Business Owners go to learn how to integrate their faith into every aspect of how they run their business and life as a Catholic AND as a Founder.
In modern times, it's become more unclear than ever how to unite our faith with our work. It's even harder when you run a business. However, just as there is a holy way to live, there is a holy way to build and run our businesses.
Fundamentally, our skills were given to us by God so that we may become instruments of His will. These skills are not for our own use. Therefore, to waste or misuse them is a grave thing. This entire project is born out of a deep belief in this truth.
Catholic Founders is where Catholic Entrepreneurs and Business Owners go to learn how to integrate their faith into every aspect of how they run their business and life as a Catholic AND as a Founder.
In modern times, it's become more unclear than ever how to unite our faith with our work. It's even harder when you run a business. However, just as there is a holy way to live, there is a holy way to build and run our businesses.
Fundamentally, our skills were given to us by God so that we may become instruments of His will. These skills are not for our own use. Therefore, to waste or misuse them is a grave thing. This entire project is born out of a deep belief in this truth.
