We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jill Johnson a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Jill thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. If you could go back in time do you wish you had started your business sooner or later

As they say, “timing is everything.” I am a business owner of less than a year, but have always felt that I would land here. There has only been a few times in my many decades as a working professional that I wasn’t very clear about what was coming next. As I am typing, I can still recall every single relationship (both good and bad) that has gotten me to where I am today. Every single email, led to a conversation and every conversation, led to a meeting. Those touch points for almost 30 years are now clients and relationships that I consider magic. I have never taken them for granted and many of them are still important and relevant to my consulting business. I think there are moments that you know when to jump. I was at a cross roads last year while deciding to leave an organization that I helped build. The tears were real, the failure feeling was one that I hadn’t felt in a very long time. However, something was telling me that each industry and leadership role that I fought for was a little leap each time, and now I was going to jump, big time! What I underestimated was how nice it was leaping solo and only depending on myself for the hustle. Some might say that it is unfortunate, but I think I am built for hard. I don’t believe I could have started JHJ Collective at any other time and my only regret is that I didn’t save the enormous rolodex that sat in my office almost all those years ago. I bet several of those contacts still exist in my cell phone and that is one thing I am very proud of.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

As an Arizona native with deep community connections, I bring over 25 years of professional relationships to help clients build strategic partnerships. JHJ Collective works with nonprofits, government agencies, brands looking to align with causes, and organizations committed to values-based leadership. My core values are time and home. I am full time soccer mom, wife, volunteer, raging empath and justice seeker!

I am the founder of JHJ Collective and a certified Dare to Lead™ facilitator trained in the research of Dr. Brené Brown. I describe myself as a connector, a soul pourer, and a tenacious wayfinder with extensive experience in cause marketing and team leadership. With a background in working with diverse teams including first responders, I develop authentic leadership while making meaningful community impact

My Collective offers comprehensive services in two key areas: cause-related marketing strategy and impactful leadership coaching based on Brené Brown’s renowned Dare to Lead™ methodology. I provide specialized team retreat facilitation services to help organizations strengthen communication and break down silos. I built JHJ Collective to help people step into their full potential and make a lasting difference. I don’t do performative. I don’t do transactional. I build cause marketing strategies that make a real ripple impact in the community.

I have a Dare to Lead™ certification, which helps emerging leaders and teams develop trust, vulnerability, and more effective communication. The mission is JHJ Collective centers on serving “doers of good” by equipping them with clarity, strategy, and purpose to maximize their impact. My company’s cause marketing services include discovery and planning, strategic partnerships, grassroots community engagement, storytelling, and impact measurement.

For leadership development, I offer Dare to Lead™ based training, workshops, team development, and personalized coaching for executives and emerging leaders. I focus on cultivating self-awareness, practicing courage, fostering empathy, and leading with purpose.

Research shows that organizations aligning with causes don’t just contribute to their communities—they enjoy better brand recognition, improved employee retention, and stronger customer loyalty. At the same time, authentic leadership creates environments where teams can truly thrive. This is my favorite part of my day-to-day, helping leaders share their imperfections and watching them be comfortable with it. THAT is true leadership and how we evolve in my opinion.

How do you keep your team’s morale high?

Listen, learn and lead. You are only as good as who you surrounds yourself with. It’s that simple. Hire the one that can and might take your job. Hire the one that might only stay 1 1/2 years but that will be the best 1 1/2 years ever. It’s never about us, it’s about who you are supporting. If you fail, it’s your fault and when you win, thank the team. Leadership is hard and it takes a conscious efforts to listen. When you listen to your team, you learn about them and what makes them motivated. Once you learn about them, you know how to best lead them. People will follow you when you are clear. Unclear is unkind. Don’t leave anyone guessing, even when things are hard. It’s ok to be the leader of the ship and still not know the perfect path.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

I’d like to think that I am a likeable person. lol. Arizona is a large state where you know everyone, it is very strange. I never thought I would stay living in Arizona post college. Here I am, many years later. When organizations have crumbled, when the mics have been turned off, when I have chosen to leave a company, it has aways been done with gratitude. I don’t recommend burning bridges, it never turns out favorable for you. Take the time to mourn the change but get back at it and say thank you. I believe I have a good reputation because I don’t shy away from hard conversations and try my best to self reflect and see the other persons point of you.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.jhjcollective.com/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jill-hawkins-johnson-70a57864/ & https://www.linkedin.com/company/105915457/admin/dashboard/