We recently connected with Jennifer Johnson and have shared our conversation below.

Jennifer, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you tell us a story about a time you failed?

It was 2020 and we were facing the closure of our store for several months due to covid. This time allowed me to find the cracks in my business and what I found was not what I expected.

My failure in my business was the culture that my team at the time was creating. I was too busy doing the day to day and doing my job and every else’s that I failed to see what was happening right in front of me. My team at the time would lie, cheat, steal and be downright nasty to me (in front of my face and behind my back) I was too busy “doing” and didn’t take the time to pay enough attention to do anything about it.

The time that we had to be closed due to the pandemic allowed me to but a magnifying glass up against the culture in my company and what they were creating in a bad way. That PINK space as I like to call it allowed me to get really honest as to what needed to happen. Before we even reopened, I let the entire staff go and hired started hiring people that shared the values of the company. I wanted to work with and stand by those that really cared about what we were doing as a company, and I did just that!

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I own 2 businesses. True Fashionistas, which is the largest lifestyle resale store in Florida, and we carry clothing, accessories, home decor and furniture. We carry brands from Chanel and Louis Vuitton to Lululemon and Lilly Pulitzer. I created this because I love fashion and have from a very early age. I have fond memories of growing up and going to garage sales with my grandma every Saturday because I was the 2nd oldest of 6 siblings and we were poor so the only “new to us” clothing we ever received were from garage sales. There was nothing like what I wanted to create in my area, so I created it.

The Confident Entrepreneur was a business I started a few years ago to coach (via one-on-one coaching and an online small business academy) small business owners on how to operate and grow their business. I created that because when I started my first company, a wedding and event planning business I did not have a business coach or any roadmap for that matter to help me and I want that for other small businesses because I didn’t have that, and it would have helped immensely. I just want to help be the guide for small businesses. Small business is my passion, and I am here to help with everything from mindset to marketing. I offer tailored solutions and expert guidance from a seasoned entrepreneur (I have owned my own businesses for over 25 years).

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

The biggest setback I had in my business came two months after starting. I started my business with a partner because she had the money, and I had the know-how on how to start this business. Two months in she knocked on my door at 10 pm on a Sunday night and told me she wanted out of the business. No real reason other than she “didn’t think it was working out.” I would be lying if I said I was not freaking out, because I was! We had to find the money to either buy her out or she would pay me for my portion and take the business. I had so much passion for this business there was no way I was going to let her take the business. This was my passion this was everything I had dreamed of. We cashed out my husband’s 401K and paid her. Off into the sunset I thought she would go. However, she had another idea. The day after we paid her, she signed a lease on a space about 8 stores away from me in the same plaza for the SAME business as mine. Then she took all my employees (one stayed with me) and opened her store. This was the toughest time in my entrepreneurial journey. I felt alone, betrayed and totally defeated. I thought we were done. She would take all my customers and I would be left with nothing. Something much different happened. I found a newfound drive that I never really knew I had. I put the pedal to the metal and didn’t stop or look back. I believe to this day that things in life happen for you and not to you. The for me moment here was that the business would not be here today if we were still partners. It lit a fire within me and allowed me to push forward in bigger ways than I ever imagined

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

I am a firm believer in always be learning and I have coined the term ABL (Always be Learning). I love reading business books, partaking in video series with experts and joining masterminds

I have 3 favorite books that have changed my life and business: Begin with WE by Kyle Mcdowell, The Power of One More by Ed Mylett and Story Brand by Donald Miller. These three books creating actionable items that I took away and started using right away in my business. They allowed me to see things that I wanted to do or wanted to change.

Video series are also a very important part of my learning. My favorite is the Masterclass series. The lessons that I have learned from the most seasoned entrepreneurs, personalities and individuals are some of my most treasured tidbit that I carry with me every day.

Masterminds are very important in your learning as an entrepreneur. It brings in the best of both worlds. Experts and peers, you can learn from both of them and just by stepping out of your day to day to join a mastermind you are already setting yourself up for success because you are opening your mind and world to learning.

Contact Info:

• Website: [email protected] and jenniferannjohnson.com
• Instagram: truefashionistasresale and jennifer.ann_johnson
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/truefashionistasresale and https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089312054101
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-johnson-39237448/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@truefashionistas and https://www.youtube.com/@jenniferannjohnson