108. The Journey, Not the Destination: John Golden on Authentic Leadership and Self-Awareness

In this episode of What’s the Point?, Bill Ellis welcomes John Golden—strategist, podcaster, martial arts practitioner, and Chief Strategy & Marketing Officer at Pipeliner CRM. John’s story stretches from growing up in Ireland to building a career in the U.S. that blends sales leadership, publishing, and purpose-driven business.

Through their conversation, John emphasizes why embracing the journey matters more than obsessing over the destination. He shares how self-awareness, core values, and non-negotiables can guide decisions, why comparison is a trap, and how authenticity is the only way to lead effectively.

From his 1,600+ podcast interviews to his decades in sales, John also shares powerful lessons about preparation, humility, and what it means to leave a lasting legacy. This is a rich, thought-provoking dialogue about human nature, leadership, and living with intentionality.

🗝️ Key Takeaways

• Embrace the Journey: Success isn’t about an overnight win—it’s about learning from every step, even the missteps.
• Self-Awareness First: Before chasing goals, know your strengths, triggers, and true fit
• Non-Negotiables Matter: Having clear values helps avoid distractions and wasted effort
• Preparation Wins in Sales: Top performers always do their homework—it’s the ultimate respect for the client
• Authentic Leadership: True leaders model values, act with humility, and elevate others without pretending leadership is just “being nice”
• Legacy Over Noise: The real point is the impact you leave on those closest to you, not chasing global applause
  .

LINKS:

Connect with Bill:

• [e-mail]
• www.brandingpillars.com
• www.brandingforresults.com
• IG - @wcellis
• Facebook - @CoachBillEllis
• LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/wcellis
• Book: Women Who Won

CONTACT INFO:

• Name: John Golden
• Email: [e-mail]
• Website: https://www.pipelinersales.com/
• SOCIAL MEDIA:
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/SalesPOP
• X: https://twitter.com/RealSalesPOP
• X: @‌JohnGoldenFRR
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johngolden/
• Sales POP! Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sales-pop-podcasts/id1455305326

Quick Episode Summary:

• 00:00 – Meet John Golden: strategist, podcaster, and sales leader
• 02:00 – From Ireland to San Diego: why embracing the journey matters
• 06:30 – Self-awareness and core values as the foundation of clarity
• 10:30 – Building your list of non-negotiables
• 14:00 – Podcasting lessons: consistency, purpose, and value over vanity
• 18:30 – Human nature insights: what the Maasai warriors can teach us about silence and observation
• 24:00 – Martial arts lessons: humility, competing with yourself, and long-term discipline
• 30:00 – Why comparison is destructive in life and sales
• 33:00 – The power of preparation: a cautionary sales story
• 38:00 – Debunking myths: salespeople are made, not born
• 40:00 – Purpose-driven leadership beyond metrics
• 46:00 – Flaws, scars, and the beauty of imperfection
• 48:00 – John’s answer to “What’s the Point?”