John Vincent

In Chapter Fourteen, I'm honoured to invite John Vincent, Co-Founder of hugely popular healthy eating fast food chain Leon. Having built an empire of 52 restaurants, I wanted to find out what drives him and the lessons he's learnt along the way. Tragically, John's father passed away a week prior to our conversation, and he discusses what his fathers influence has taught him. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

John Vincent, the dynamic founder of the LEON restaurant chain, shares his inspiring journey back to the brand he loves. He discusses the emotional and ethical motivations behind reacquiring LEON to prioritize its purpose and staff wellbeing. Vincent highlights the integration of ancient wisdom and modern science in his leadership philosophy, emphasizing love in business. He reflects on midlife reinvention, family dynamics, and the excitement of future improvements at LEON, all while maintaining an optimistic outlook on purposeful work and community connection.

Have you ever questioned what kind of leader you are and which roles truly suit you? Today’s interview is with Leon Co-Founder and Former CEO John Vincent. Named after John’s father, Leon was founded in 2004. John became CEO ten years later in 2014 after his co-founder Henry Dimbleby stepped down. In 2017, Leon was named on The Sunday Times Fast Track 100 list, which ranks Britain's 100 private companies with the fastest-growing sales over the last three years. In 2021, the company was sold for a reported £100 million to the billionaire Issa brothers. But look behind this success, and you’ll find a lot of lessons along the way.John talks about: How to identify your personality type and which roles might suit you best as a founder Why every business needs disruptors, scalers and executors What John did wrong as a disruptive CEO  Coming up with the idea for ‘healthy’ fast-food Their big mistake early on  Why wise investors keep Founders in the driving seat His relationship with his co-founder What to do if you give away too much equity early on  How much he actually made when they sold the business Why he wrote the book ‘Winning not Fighting’ which draws on the philosophy of Wing Tsun, an ancient Chinese martial art How identifying your fears can help you understand your desires Why he thinks it's unhealthy to have too many regrets --SponsorsVorboss - get better internet: https://vorboss.com/secretleadersVanta - get 20% off security certifications like ISO27001 and SOC2: https://vanta.com/secretleadersVertice - save on your SaaS or cloud spend ($5k off or a free benchmark) using the code secretleaders: https://www.vertice.one/l/secretleaders--NewsletterSign up here: https://secretleaders.email/You can find our historic newsletters here: https://www.secretleaders.com/episodesvanta.com/secretleaders

Join thought leader John Vincent, along with podcast contributors Matt and Trevor, as they untangle the complexities of DevOps. They dive into the crucial need for collaboration between developers and operations, dispelling common misconceptions. The trio humorously discusses workplace culture, the challenges of open office layouts, and the vital role trust plays in tech teams. Their light-hearted banter includes personal recommendations for books and whiskey, making the discussion both insightful and entertaining!

Join John Vincent, Chief Executive and Co-Founder of Leon Restaurants, as he navigates the challenges of living in a digital age. He argues that social media is subtly affecting younger generations, comparing it to a frog in boiling water. Drawing from his experiences with African tribes and insights from physical meditation, he shares valuable tips on embracing mindfulness and living in the present. Discover how to break free from online validation and cultivate a more fulfilling, grounded life.