EP 261 - Build, Don’t Burnout: How Ross Albers Learned to Lead by Working ON, Not IN, His Business

Govindh Jayaraman
14 minutes ago
3 min read

Ross Albers - Paper Napkin Wisdom - You have to work ON your business instead of IN it. From there, you can HIRE, ACQUIRE, and INSPIRE

Build, Don’t Burnout: How Ross Albers Learned to Lead by Working ON, Not IN, His Business Paper Napkin Wisdom – Episode 261 Guest: Ross Albers

When Ross Albers found himself fired just two weeks before his wedding, most people would have panicked. Instead, Ross did something remarkable: he founded his own law firm. What started as a necessity quickly became a proving ground for building a business with intention—and more importantly, with vision.

In this episode of Paper Napkin Wisdom, Ross shares a powerful lesson written on a napkin: “You have to work ON your business instead of IN it. From there, you can HIRE, ACQUIRE, and INSPIRE.” This isn’t just a play on words. It’s a strategic mindset shift that changed everything for him—and can change everything for leaders and entrepreneurs ready to grow beyond the grind.

From Fire to Fuel: Starting With Nothing but a Desk

Ross candidly tells the story of being let go just before his wedding and deciding to take control of his future:

“I literally walked into my apartment, took a desk from the guest room, and said, ‘This is my law firm now.’”

No fancy plan. No capital. Just a commitment to taking action. That small start taught him something essential: the only way to grow something bigger was to stop thinking like a technician and start thinking like a business owner.

Learning the Hard Way: Getting Stuck IN the Business

Like many founders, Ross spent his early days doing it all—meeting clients, managing cases, running operations. But eventually, he hit a wall:

“I was working 60, 70 hours a week, and I realized I’d built a job—not a business.”

It’s a common trap. Ross’s turning point came when he recognized that in order to scale, he had to let go. That meant documenting systems, trusting his team, and investing in leadership—his own and others’.

The Shift: ON vs IN

Ross breaks it down:

Working IN your business means being buried in the day-to-day.
Working ON your business means stepping back, building systems, and leading from a higher level.

“Once I got out of the way, I could actually build something bigger than me.”

This shift allowed him to begin hiring the right people, acquiring the right resources, and inspiring a team culture grounded in purpose.

Culture and Confidence: Hire, Acquire, Inspire

Once Ross transitioned to working ON the business, things accelerated. He started hiring team members not just for skill but for fit. He acquired other firms and expanded reach. And most importantly, he created a culture where leadership was distributed, not just centralized.

“Inspire isn’t just a fluffy word. It’s the result of clarity. When your team knows where you’re going, they’ll help you get there faster.”

Leadership as Leverage

Ross leaves us with a clear message: leadership is about creating space—space for your team to thrive, your business to grow, and your life to rebalance. It’s not about doing more. It’s about doing less, better.

His napkin wasn’t just an idea. It was a framework for success. And as he puts it:

“Every time I work ON the business, I become a better leader, and my business becomes better without me.”

5 Key Takeaways from Ross Albers – Episode 261

Start Before You’re Ready
Ross didn’t wait for the perfect moment. He acted, then iterated.
Take Action: Identify one thing you’ve delayed starting—then start it, imperfectly, this week.
Stop Doing, Start Leading
Doing the work is not the same as building a business.
Take Action: Audit your week—how much time is spent “IN” vs “ON” the business?
Document to Delegate
Scaling requires systems. Systems require documentation.
Take Action: Pick one task you repeat often—record yourself doing it and hand it off.
Build Culture Intentionally
Leadership isn’t about control. It’s about clarity and consistency.
Take Action: Share your vision with your team in a 1-page manifesto this month.
Inspiration Follows Structure
When people understand the why, they rally around the how.
Take Action: At your next team meeting, connect a key task to the bigger purpose.