{"podcast":{"title":"Real Leadership","slug":"real-leadership-6416273","podcast_index_feed_id":6416273,"rss_url":"https://feed.podbean.com/real-leadership/feed.xml","website_url":"https://real-leadership.podbean.com","image_url":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/image-logo/16325038/Real-Leadership-PodBean.jpg","author":"real-leadership","episode_count":52,"summary":"Welcome to REAL Leadership, the podcast that takes you on a journey behind the scenes of some of the world’s most successful companies. Produced by The О̄nin Group and hosted by COO Jim Weaver, our show is dedicated to exploring what it truly means to be a leader in industries that make, move and process. In each episode, Jim sits down with C-level executives to discuss their experiences and insights on leadership, as well as the challenges and opportunities that come with leading in dynamic environments. Our guests come from a range of industries, including logistics and manufacturing, and offer real stories and actionable advice to inspire you to take your leadership to the next level. If you’re a seasoned executive or aspiring leader looking to sharpen your leadership skills and stay ahead of the game, then this is the podcast for you. Join us as we dive deep into the world of REAL Leadership.","last_synced_at":"2026-06-10T04:19:20.802550+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/real-leadership-6416273"},"episode":{"title":"Shawn Khan, CEO & President of Metropolitan Warehouse & Delivery Corp, Real Leadership","slug":"shawn-khan-ceo-president-of-metropolitan-warehouse-delivery-corp-real-leadership","published_at":"2026-03-10T15:19:39+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/real-leadership-6416273/shawn-khan-ceo-president-of-metropolitan-warehouse-delivery-corp-real-leadership","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/real-leadership-6416273","url":"https://real-leadership.podbean.com/e/shawn-khan-ceo-president-of-metropolitan-warehouse-delivery-corp-real-leadership/","audio_url":"https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/g7fvv4fk645geg99/S03_E03_Shawn_Khanb58vh.mp3","summary":"Shawn Khan’s entrepreneurial journey started from the ground up in a way most founders never experience. He didn’t inherit a company, raise venture capital, or even understand the industry he was stepping into. Shawn bought a one-truck furniture delivery operation in New York City, rented the truck every morning, and learned the business by riding in the back making deliveries himself. Two years later, he was ready to shut it down. What changed everything wasn’t a new strategy. It was mentorship, perspective, and the willingness to stay in the fight long enough to evolve. Today, Shawn leads Metropolitan Warehouse & Delivery, a company with 47 facilities nationwide, 3 million square feet of warehouse space, and partnerships with retailers like Costco, Amazon, Walmart, and Target. But if you’re a leader, this episode isn’t just about logistics. It’s about: How businesses actually scale. Surviving the early years when the numbers don’t work. Knowing when to expand and when expansion will hurt before it helps. Shifting from being the operator to building the system. Turning labor challenges into ownership opportunities. Key Moments 01:37 – The search for a business 03:42 – The near-failure and the partner who changed everything 06:06 – Riding the e-commerce wave with Costco and Anthropology 07:56 – Doubling the business during the chaos of COVID-19 16:27 – Turning drivers into business owners through the contractor model 25:29 – Why logistics is now a technology business Show Notes Shawn’s Company: GoMWD.com Metropolitan Warehouse Website: https://www.metropolitanwarehouse.com/ Shawn’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawn-khan-38711187/ Metropolitan Warehouse & Delivery LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/metropolitan-warehouse-delivery-corp/ Jim Weav…","meta_description":"Shawn Khan’s entrepreneurial journey started from the ground up in a way most founders never experience. He didn’t inherit a company, raise venture capita…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":1959,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/real-leadership-6416273/episodes/shawn-khan-ceo-president-of-metropolitan-warehouse-delivery-corp-real-leadership/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/real-leadership-6416273/shawn-khan-ceo-president-of-metropolitan-warehouse-delivery-corp-real-leadership.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}