John Mahfood: Debt, Failure and Knowing When to Walk Away

Send us Fan Mail When does perseverance become an expensive refusal to let go? John Mahfood, CEO of Jamaican Teas Limited, shares a personal experience behind his cautious approach to borrowing: losing his house when he couldn’t keep up with mortgage payments. In this episode of Behind The Title, John reflects on struggling at school, finding confidence through his CPA qualification around age 30, and returning to Jamaica after building experience in England and the United States. We explore the values he inherited from his father, Adeeb, the opportunities and accountability that come with listing on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, and why business growth requires more than buying another company. John also speaks about becoming attached to business ideas that aren’t working, preparing a new generation to lead, and balancing fatherhood with his son’s role in the business. He explains why he cannot fully stop to enjoy his achievements until he knows the company can continue without him. For entrepreneurs, professionals and aspiring leaders, this is a conversation about ambition, sound judgment and the person you become while building a career or company. In this episode: • Education, confidence and finding your own timeline • Debt, equity and public ownership • Business failure and knowing when to change direction • Family business and succession • Exports and Jamaica’s economic potential • Leadership, responsibility and personal legacy Follow Behind The Title on Apple Podcasts or Spotify for more conversations with the people shaping the Caribbean. Watch the full interview: https://youtu.be/ZfKwjJ9Uju4 Support the show