Gen Johnson

I would say my success comes from my parents, for sure, because my parents are the root of who I am. I don't know who I'd be without them, and my family in general - they're so supportive. It's magnificent with them. But my kids are what keep me going. My kids are the ones that are like, okay, you gotta do this. My daughter, she'll be 15 next year, and she's already asking me the tough questions like 'Mom, do you know who you are? Okay, but let's look at this. Now, what would be the reason for you not to do it?' My family has been there from the beginning - if I wanted to say I want to sell toilet paper, they'll make sure they are on every corner with me selling the toilet paper. They're super supportive, and I brought my whole family down from Michigan to Atlanta back in 2012. My sister helps me with decor, she has her own decor and balloon business. My little sister is a mixologist with her own business and a car lot. It doesn't matter what I do, they're there for me.

The best career advice I've ever received is just do it. Do it scared, do it mad, do it angry, do it happy, do it excited - just you have to do it, because you never know the results that's on the other side. You have to just keep doing it, because you're going to produce some sort of result. Even if it's negative, you know that's not the right way to go, so there won't be a question in your head like 'I wonder if I would have did that' or 'I wonder...' No, just do it. You're going to get through it, and even if you fail, failure is a huge part of succeeding.

I always say, if I could tell myself back then, I'd tell my younger self: believe. Believe in what you're doing, believe in the path, and stay in your Bible, because this industry can be so dark, it can take you alive. I really say stay rooted in your core values, your Bible, and know who you are and know what you want. Just believe in what you want and continue until you succeed. Continue to make mistakes and don't be afraid of them. The entertainment industry is oversaturated and there's a lot of competition, clicks, and pressure to stay relevant and constantly post. But if you stay true to yourself and your values, you can navigate through it all.

I would say lately it's been oversaturated, so the main thing is competition. Some people are not so receptive because they feel like 'oh, where you come from? How did you get here?' And then you get in other rooms where everybody knows you, but one person down there wants to know like 'how did this person get in this room?' It's like a mystery to them. The competition can be good and bad in this industry, as in any other industry. And then there's the clicks - the clicks are just, ugh, no, I don't do that. Another challenge is staying relevant. In the industry that we're in, you have to stay relevant throughout everything. So that's constantly posting, the pressures - the pressures of it will be the only thing that I'm like, ugh. You have to be able to walk anywhere and still maintain your professionalism, your character. AI can be a factor for beginners who are learning how to pitch to brands for media and brand placement, but as a vet who's been doing this for years, I can type it out myself faster than trying to get AI to say what I need.

I really do believe in Jesus Christ, so my Christian base is number one. The values that I hold are to be honest - I strive on being honest and being authentic to myself. Those are the two things that I really do, and I always think about my children, like I don't want them to ever be ashamed or embarrassed of me. I love the fact that I can walk anywhere and still maintain my professionalism. My character is still professional no matter what. A lot of people don't have that mastered, and that's one of my best characteristics. I can go into a meeting with a calm demeanor, and even if the meeting is prickly, I still walk out with that same kind of calm demeanor.