The People Playbook with Jason Taylor
Better People Decisions. Stronger Teams. Scalable Results.
The People Playbook is your weekly guide to building high-performing teams and cultures that scale. Hosted by leadership coach and executive advisor Jason Taylor, this podcast features raw, insightful conversations with CEOs, founders, and culture builders who know what it really takes to lead in today’s world.
From mindset to execution, every episode unpacks the strategies, missteps, and breakthroughs behind exceptional leadership - and how to align your people, purpose, and performance for lasting impact.
Whether you're a CEO scaling fast, a senior leader navigating change, or a builder at heart - this is your playbook for becoming the leader your team needs.
🎯 New episodes weekly
🔥 Real talk. No fluff.
🧠 Actionable insights you can use today
Because growth doesn’t start with strategy - it starts with people.
Join the People Playbook Circle for exclusive leadership tools & community: jetcoaching.app.clientclub.net
The People Playbook with Jason Taylor
Brian Bazely — Architecting Franchise Success: From Driverseat to Changing Cancer Care
In this deeply insightful episode of The People Playbook, host Jason Taylor sits down with franchise veteran and culture-first leader, Brian Bazely. As the former CEO and co-founder of Driverseat, Brian shares the honest, behind-the-scenes story of leaving a high-paying executive role to chase the bold dream of building one of Canada’s most respected franchise brands.
Together, they unpack:
- The emotional and financial fear of stepping away from “safe” success
- The people-first philosophy that guided Driverseat’s rise
- How to operationalize culture across a diverse franchise network
- The power of leadership during crises like COVID-19
- What it means to be a “Franchise Architect” today
- The future of franchising — including his new mission to revolutionize cancer care
Whether you're a franchisor, franchisee, or simply a leader building something bigger than yourself, this episode is packed with hard-earned wisdom you won’t want to miss.
00:00:00 – 00:00:45
Jason Taylor: Intro and Guest Introduction
00:00:58 – 00:01:01
Jason Taylor: What pulled you from C-suite into founding your own company?
Brian Bazely: Shares his journey and motivations for entrepreneurship.
00:01:33 – 00:01:41
Jason Taylor: How many years ago was that? What stage of life were you in?
Brian Bazely: Talks about starting 16 years ago, in his 30s.
00:02:21 – 00:02:28
Jason Taylor: What people decision early in Driverseat changed everything?
Brian Bazely: Emphasizes building values before even choosing an industry.
00:03:30 – 00:03:44
Jason Taylor: Were you ever scared when you started?
Brian Bazely: Admits to financial fear and fear of failure.
00:05:00 – 00:05:16
Jason Taylor: What’s the number one trait that makes a great franchise leader?
Brian Bazely: Says it’s being industrious and starting from trust.
00:07:19 – 00:07:51
Jason Taylor: How did you keep the brand culture alive across different personalities?
Brian Bazely: Talks about operationalizing culture and peer-driven recognition.
00:11:18 – 00:11:32
Jason Taylor: How did it feel letting Driverseat go, and what did you learn from that?
Brian Bazely: Describes the emotional challenge and his commitment to timing.
00:13:16 – 00:13:28
Jason Taylor: What does being a Franchise Architect mean to you?
Brian Bazely: Explains designing the system before legal steps, likens it to “playing all six innings.”
00:16:46 – 00:17:00
Jason Taylor: Where do franchisors go wrong when they start scaling?
Brian Bazely: Mentions lack of purpose-driven planning and people-first leadership.
00:19:47 – 00:19:54
Jason Taylor: Can you take me back to a tough time in the industry and how you handled it?
