EP 248 - John Sleeman Series (Part 1 of 3) | Start a Pub: The Deal-Driven Origins of John Sleeman's Entrepreneurial Rise

Paper Napkin Wisdom

This episode is personal.

Just after college, I started a small business with my friend Matt Fox. We launched a student-focused magazine called Fingertips — hunting down wing nights and drink deals before smartphones made that easy. Money was tight. Hustle was everything. And our first cold call was to Sleeman Brewing in Guelph.

John Sleeman said yes.

That early “yes” stuck with me — and now, decades later, I’m sitting with him in this beautiful building, recording a full-circle episode for Paper Napkin Wisdom. But this story isn’t about the brewery. Not yet.

Because before John knew anything about his family’s brewing legacy… he had a napkin idea: “Start a Pub.”

“I realized in my late teens that I was almost unemployable,” he said. “I kept getting fired because I was always telling my bosses how to do things better.”

So he stopped trying to fit in — and started building his own future.

The Pub Was the Trojan Horse

John didn’t set out to become a beer mogul. In fact, in the beginning, he wasn’t even thinking about beer as a product. He wanted to open a pub — not just to pour pints, but to create an experience no one else in Canada was offering: imported draft beer served the proper way.

There was just one problem. The logistics didn’t exist.

“You couldn’t get most foreign beers in kegs back then — only in bottles,” John explained. “No one had the infrastructure. And if you wanted to bring it in, you had to go province by province.”

So he did.

One liquor board at a time, John started pitching the idea that he could be the one to bring kegs in. Not bottles. Not cases. Kegs. Exclusive, premium, fresh-draft kegs that elevated what it meant to go out for a beer.

“I said, ‘Look, I know someone at this brewery. Let me bring in the kegs.’ They said, ‘We don’t usually do that.’ But I kept going.”

Eventually, they said yes. Then another one did. Then another. John had cracked the code — and in doing so, quietly became the exclusive draft importer of some of the world’s best beer brands in Canada.

This was before he knew anything about his family’s brewing past. Long before he would restart Sleeman Breweries. Long before legacy became part of the equation.

At this point, John was just solving problems in real time, stacking deals, and building leverage through persistence and relationships.

Why It Worked

John’s pub wasn’t successful because it was trendy. It was successful because it was different. He wasn’t competing on price or location. He was the only game in town pouring certain beers — and that exclusivity gave him a unique edge.

“People would drive from across town just to have a proper pint of something they couldn’t get anywhere else.”

What started as a workaround for sourcing product became a business advantage. And eventually, a platform.

That pub, those provincial approvals, those import contracts — they all laid the groundwork for something he didn’t even know he was building yet.

5 Key Takeaways from Episode 247 with John Sleeman

1. Start with the Problem You Can Solve

John didn’t know his family legacy. He wasn’t dreaming of a brewery. He just wanted great beer on tap — and couldn’t get it.

Take Action: What challenge in your business or life are you uniquely positioned to solve today?

2. Be Willing to Knock on Doors (Literally)

John went province to province pitching the liquor boards. He didn’t wait for permission — he created the opportunity.

Take Action: Make one phone call or send one email this week that feels like a long shot. You might be surprised who says yes.

3. Different Is Better Than Better

John’s pub wasn’t the biggest or fanciest — it was exclusive. That was enough.

Take Action: What do you offer that no one else does? Focus on it. Lead with it.

4. Ignore the Legacy Until It’s Earned

John didn’t build off a family name — he earned his way forward through deals and grit.

Take Action: Stop waiting for a story to define you. Create the value first. The legacy can come later.

5. Big Impact Starts with Small Logistics

Importing kegs may sound minor. But those logistics fueled an empire. John understood the power of detail.

Take Action: Look at your systems. What “small” piece of your model might actually be the engine?

It started with a scribble: “Start a Pub.”

It became an import empire, a business blueprint, and eventually, a brewery.

But in this episode, we see the version of John Sleeman most don’t talk about — the deal-maker, the fixer, the relentless problem solver. The guy who didn’t need a legacy to start building something legendary.

What would happen if you acted on your napkin idea today? Share it with us using #PaperNapkinWisdom.