When you meet Kevin Barnicle, you immediately sense his energy for challenging convention. He’s a seasoned entrepreneur, author, and business leader who has lived the entrepreneurial rollercoaster—leaving the security of corporate life, building companies from scratch, navigating competition with giants like Microsoft, and eventually selling his business. Along the way, Kevin built not just financial results but also a reputation for going against the grain.

His napkin is simple, direct, and deeply subversive:

“Look at what everyone else is doing, and do the opposite.”

That contrarian mindset has been Kevin’s compass since the beginning. While peers at his first job stayed put, clinging to the “safe” path, Kevin leaned into uncertainty. Everyone around him said don’t leave, yet he did—choosing risk, learning, and growth over predictability. That decision shaped his entrepreneurial DNA and continues to shape how he builds, leads, and invests today.

Why Doing the Opposite Works

Kevin’s wisdom doesn’t advocate rebellion for its own sake. It’s about pattern recognition. When the crowd rushes in one direction—whether in career moves, product design, or sales strategy—Kevin asks: What if the real opportunity lies in zigging where others zag?

He recalls moments when competition was fierce, deals were slipping, or the company hit a plateau. The instinct was to double down on what everyone else was already doing. Instead, Kevin went to the engineers, questioned assumptions, and tried the opposite approach. Time and again, that willingness to break from the herd opened doors competitors never saw.

As Kevin puts it: success isn’t just about copying someone else’s wheel; it’s about questioning whether you even need a wheel at all.

5 Key Takeaways from Kevin Barnicle

1. Don’t Follow the Herd

Most people stick to “safe” jobs or obvious strategies. The real growth often comes from stepping into the unknown. 👉 Take Action: Identify one area of your business where you’re doing what “everyone else” does. Ask: What would happen if I did the opposite?

2. Calculated Risk is Healthy

Kevin stresses that risk shouldn’t be reckless. But if you only play it safe, you’ll never break through. 👉 Take Action: Reframe failure as an experiment. Try one bold move this quarter that carries risk but also real learning potential.

3. Question Assumptions, Constantly

When things stall, don’t just grind harder. Step back and ask: What if our entire approach is wrong? 👉 Take Action: In your next team meeting, challenge everyone to propose an “opposite” idea to the current strategy.

4. Empower Others to Experiment

Kevin found that when leaders give permission to try—even if it fails—it builds stronger, more resilient teams. 👉 Take Action: Create space in your culture where people can test unconventional ideas without fear of blame.

5. Legacy is More Than Money

Kevin’s reflection goes beyond financial success. He speaks of humility, giving back, and sharing lessons learned. Doing the opposite isn’t just business strategy—it’s a way to live authentically. 👉 Take Action: Write down one contrarian decision you’ve made in your life. What did it teach you? How can you pass that lesson forward?

About Kevin Barnicle

Kevin Barnicle is an entrepreneur, investor, and author whose career spans technology, sales, and leadership. After starting at Dell, he launched his own company in a highly competitive space, grew it to millions in revenue, and successfully sold it. He continues to share his hard-earned lessons through writing and speaking, inspiring entrepreneurs to embrace risk, think differently, and lead boldly.

• 📖 Kevin’s Author Page on Amazon

• 💼 Kevin on LinkedIn

Final Thought

Kevin Barnicle’s napkin is a dare: don’t just follow. Don’t just blend in. Don’t just accept the rules. Instead, have the courage to step into the opposite lane—and see where it leads.

What about you? Take out a napkin, jot down the one place where you’ll “do the opposite,” and share it with the world using #PaperNapkinWisdom.