Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Christian Johnson. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Christian, appreciate you joining us today. Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken.

In 2019 I quit my job and bought a camera, a drone, a GoPro, and a one-way ticket to Italy to fulfill my dream of traveling the world and running an online business.

At the time I was working a full-time dead-end job as a nanny in Hollywood. There was no corporate ladder to climb or promotion to be gained, and despite how much I loved exclusively working for that family and caring for their children, I knew I needed to learn skills that would build a sustainable career that would provide the lifestyle I had always dreamed of.

After researching some of the top online jobs, I found a few online courses on website and graphic design that made me fell in love with non-traditional education and the idea of running a freelance business while working on the road. The only problem was I had an unshakeable calling to travel the world that took priority over launching that online business.

As I was young, single, and had no long-term responsibilities that would keep me based in my current location, I had an internal struggle deciding if I should launch a business first and then travel the world, or travel the world and then launch a business. My deciding factor was based on this mantra I told myself. “You have your whole life to accumulate things, launch a career, and find love, you only have right now to go where your heart is calling.”

So I let go of my apartment, got out of my car lease, moved my things into storage, and took a leap of faith. With the money I had in my savings and my go-getter attitude, I listened to my heart and followed my intuition. My “dream” was only a few hours and a flight away. The easy part was getting on that flight, the real work would come once I landed.

After I arrived in Europe I quickly learned how to travel solo, meet new friends, and navigate the new lifestyle I had thrown myself into. I did nothing but eat, sleep, and eat cinematography and within a few months, my skills developed quickly, as this was my only primary focus.

Within one year I learned landscape, portrait, long-exposure, wildlife, aerial, ad commercial photography, and videography. I also learned underwater photography when I moved back home to Hawaii in 2020 when covid hit.

The pandemic was a blessing in disguise. It allowed me to slow down and strategize how I could launch and scale my business.

Because I took a leap of faith to travel the world, I can offer three services:

1. Website Design
2. Brand Curation
3. Photography and Videography

I like to think of my business as “the one stop shop for all of your branding dreams” to empower and inspire entrepreneurs and small business owners with the tools and resources they need to also launch and scale their dream business, and lifestyle.

Christian, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

What do you do when you’re a freshly single 23-year-old who doesn’t have a degree, no business or marketing experience, and is working a dead-end job? “Um… Out of luck?”

That was me in 2017 living in L.A. I was extremely unhappy with my non-existent career and lack of experience. I was at a point in my life where I knew I needed a major career change but didn’t have a clue where to look or what to do, not to mention find something I’d actually be good at and enjoy!

It wasn’t until I came across a few online courses on website and graphic design that something “clicked,” and after investing hundreds of hours and finances into educating myself plus a ton of trial and error, I now work with amazing small business owners and online creatives, building the website and brand of their dreams.

I also took a year abroad to travel full-time and learn the fundamental skills in everything photography and videography related, which is a huge bonus when it comes to understanding a client’s branded imagery vision. I grew up with a mother who helped build my confidence in front of the camera as a model and performer, so naturally, being in front of a lens before ever being behind one has played a huge role in how I help my clients capture their products or their most authentic selves.

I know the pain-aching hassle it is to try to establish yourself as a new or refined business but lack the proper tools and resources. I’ve been there!

Over the years I’ve refined my process and added new services and packages. From custom website designs, brand curation, and photography and videography services, there are so many layers that make what I do unique in how I capture, create, and curate a brand to launch and scale a new or seasoned business or company.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

Word of mouth and social media.

I have a personal Instagram account with a ton of travel photography content, and I always post work-related stories of websites and brands I’ve recently launched or images of clients from photoshoots they booked with me. That has helped my audience become familiar with my services as a branding curator.

I think the toughest part about owning a business is having consistent clients. I’m still working on having a full work schedule and am strategizing and executing my next marketing plan.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

I’m a huge fan of audiobooks.

Here are some of my favorite audiobooks that will change your personal and work life:

1. The 5 Second Rule – Mel Robbins
2. The Alchemist – Paulo Coelho
3. Girl, Stop Apologizing – Rachel Hollis
4. Greenlights – Matthew McConaughey
5. You Are A Badass – Jen Sincero
6. Dare to Lead – Brene Brown
7. We Should All Be Millionaires – Rachel Rogers
8. Girl, Wash Your Face – Rachel Hollis
9. Everything is Figureoutable – Marie Forleo
10. Take Control of Your Life – Mel Robbins

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.nondysdesigns.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nondysdesigns/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC00vMOqMaLiAbtbU22tEQaA
• Other: Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nondys/