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.
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The People Playbook with Jason Taylor
John Evans - Building a $51M Franchise Powerhouse and Slaying Industry Dragons
In this episode of The People Playbook, host Jason Taylor sits down with John Evans - award-winning entrepreneur, proud millennial franchisor, and founder of EverLine Coatings. What started as a small pavement marking business in Calgary is now a $51M franchise network spanning North America.
John shares how he scaled EverLine by mastering people leadership, building systems, and disrupting an overlooked industry. From battling self-doubt to expanding into the U.S. market during a pandemic, this candid conversation unpacks lessons in leadership, trust, and how to stay authentic in a world increasingly driven by AI.
If you want to hear how bold leadership and people-first culture can turn the “unsexy” into unstoppable success, this episode is for you.
00:00 — Jason Taylor welcomes John Evans, sharing his background as a disruptor, entrepreneur, and EverLine’s founder.
01:10 — “You’ve been called a dragon slayer. What’s the biggest dragon you’ve faced building EverLine — and how did you slay it?”
John reflects on overcoming self-doubt and learning to scale through people, not just personal effort.
02:25 — Discussion on trust, communication, and the challenge of leading as a young founder.
03:38 — “How did your leadership evolve from College Pro to founding EverLine?”
John explains transitioning from running crews to building scalable, people-driven systems.
04:49 — “What made you believe a pavement marking business could become a massive franchise?”
John shares his franchising background, mentor influence, and the vision for national expansion.
07:57 — Talk on the value of mentors, business fundamentals, and avoiding unnecessary mistakes by learning from others.
09:19 — “What system or process did you put in place early that fueled EverLine’s growth?”
John outlines creating outbound marketing systems and training processes rooted in his franchise background.
10:51 — “What was the first location outside Alberta?”
John details the Saskatoon launch and the lessons of scaling in smaller markets.
11:16 — “When did you decide to expand into the U.S.?”
John discusses the 2020 decision to prep for U.S. growth, officially launching in 2022.
12:06 — “How do you balance structure with innovation across your franchise locations?”
John reflects on franchisee-led innovation, inspired by the Big Mac’s origin story.
13:44 — Jason emphasizes listening as a leadership skill — John agrees, highlighting partnerships with franchisees, clients, and vendors.
14:52 — “How do you coach franchisees to lead with both heart and hustle?”
John shares how culture, daily rituals, and personal growth are baked into EverLine’s systems.
17:17 — “You’ve been praised for integrity — how do you operationalize that in your business?”
John explains EverLine’s core quality system and building proactive accountability into every job.
19:11 — “What was the moment you knew EverLine was onto something big?”
John highlights franchisee success stories — from homeownership to family milestones — as proof EverLine works.
21:16 — “As a millennial CEO, what generational edge do you bring to the franchise world?”
John discusses bridging generations — understanding legacy ways of working while adapting with new tech.
22:04 — “Did your parents’ franchising journey influence your path?”
John credits family experience and an episode of Dragons’ Den as his entrepreneurial spark.
22:46 — “What advice would today’s John give your younger self?”
John encourages resilience, learning through tough moments — and jokes about buying Bitcoin.
23:39 — Jason adds: “This too shall pass,” highlighting the importance of adaptability.
24:33 — “What’s the next industry rule you plan to break or disrupt?”
John previews expansion into overlooked service industries and the growing need for authenticity in an AI world.
26:13 — “Any tidbits on what’s next?”
John teases applying EverLine’s success blueprint to other essential, “boring” businesses.
26:41 — Closing gratitude from Jason and John wraps the conversation.
