John Taylor played volleyball at Stanford, where he studied electrical engineering. He also played for the Hollywood Comets and in 1964 was named Rookie of the Year by the US Volleyball Association. Taylor later attended law school at Southern Cal. Taylor was then a partner with Ward/Davis Associates for 18 years, serving as Manager of Sales and Marketing for this high-tech electronics firm. He was President of Group Three Electronics from 1985-89, a computer peripherals distribution and service company, and then formed his own company, John F. Taylor & Associates, an investment banking, mergers & acquisitions firm.