Catholic Founders #35 John Johnson (Patmos) on Pro-Family Compensation, AI Dangers, Stewardship, and Classical Education
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* Intro to the Guest and Topic
* Core Takeaway: Build Family-Centered Company Culture
* Episode References
* Select Quotes
* Key Moments
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Today’s Topic & Guest:
* John Johnson | Patmos | Pizza Norcia | Albertus Magnus Institute
* 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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Core Lesson:
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.
God Bless & Happy Building!
~Silas Mähner
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Key Episode References:
* Episode 18 with Daniel Francis (Abel Police)
* Episode 24 with Daniel Egan (St. Joseph Mural)
* Episode 29 with Joe Coleman (Saint Kolbe Studios)
* Joe Coleman from Saint Kolbe Studios
* Episode 30 with Drago Dimitrov (Holy Habits)
* Lilies of the Field — Matthew 6:28-34
Select Quotes:
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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