#94 Jon Koontz

Click to Book your Episode Episode 94 – Jon Koontz. Jon is a former TCU defensive end who went from walking onto one of the top football programs in the country to earning a scholarship, becoming a starter, and eventually being named a team captain. Today, he serves as President and COO of an independent supermarket company with 34 stores across five states, applying many of the same lessons in leadership, discipline, accountability, and culture that shaped him as an athlete. Jon shares the mindset it took to enter TCU as a walk-on, spend his first years without seeing the field, and continue working until he earned his place within the program. He reflects on playing for legendary head coach Gary Patterson and how TCU's emphasis on toughness, consistency, responsibility, and simply “doing your 1/11th” taught him that successful organizations are built when everyone understands their role and is accountable for doing it well. He also discusses how being elected captain prepared him to lead in the business world, why clear standards must come before accountability, and the importance of communication, consistency, mentorship, and surrounding yourself with people who want to grow. Ultimately, Jon’s story is a reminder that athletics can prepare us for far more than competition—it can teach us to earn our opportunities, lead people who depend on us, remain committed when the results don't come immediately, and carry those lessons into life long after the game ends.