We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Khali Johnson. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Khali below.

Khali, appreciate you joining us today. What do you think it takes to be successful?

When it comes to success the real question is what is success? To many, the definition of success can mean popularity, the number of people that stan you when you enter the room. Success can mean having power, the ability to rule the world or it could be as simple as wealth which is financial stability. When you define what success is to you then you can determine what it takes to get there. For me, success is growth, the realization of life’s purpose.
To become successful, you must have focus, faith, and patience. You need to have tough skin, You should also accept that you will lose friends along the way, “you may in fact” end up alone. It is also important to recognize when people are deflecting their fears onto you, very important. These are dangerous people. These are the people that will cause you to doubt yourself. But the most critical key to becoming successful is knowing your purpose for being alive!
I grew up owning skates. I would skate outside in our cul-de-sac with my headphones and Walkman. As a child, every year at the beginning of December my parents would ask me and my brother what we wanted for Christmas. I was about 12 years old, my skates got too tight to wear, so I let my dad know that I wanted (needed) skates for Christmas. At the time my request wasn’t a big issue. The closer it got to Christmas my parents would always ask me and my siblings again what we wanted for Christmas. I reiterated my desire to have a new pair of skates, but this time my dad let me know that he couldn’t find a pair of skates, and to not set my heart on getting them, but he would continue to try to find them. To make a long story short I didn’t get them.
A year later we moved, and life changed drastically, the idea of getting another pair of skates would be a distant memory for many years. The idea of skating outside would also become a distant memory. I would go to the rink often, but it wasn’t the same.
Fast forward, several years later I was hopping from job to job with no real ambition for my future. I started reminiscing about times in my life when I was truly happy. My face lit up when I thought about skating outside. My last real memory as a teen skating was when I took my boom box and recorded the songs from “The Chipmunk Adventure”. I took my homemade soundtrack outside and skated in my cul-de-sac. It hit me! There wasn’t a skate shop in my area, and there definitely wasn’t a skate shop owned by a person of color. After all these years I finally found a purpose for my life. But there was a moment that really solidified my purpose. I used to go to the mall frequently, but this one time I went, I walked past a bearing. It was a skate bearing “at that”. The bearing was on the ground; how did I notice this little bearing on the ground? Out of all my years of going to the mall or for that matter anywhere and I have never found a bearing on the ground. That was my sign. I found my purpose. I found success; I now have the ability to encourage others to seek out their purpose in life. That is true success, the ability to encourage others, and the realization of self-purpose.

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?

There was a businessman named Myles Munroe, who came to my church in Virginia to speak to my class. He talked about purpose. Myles would say “The biggest tragedy in life isn’t death, but a life without purpose.” Myles’s words really impacted my life. It wasn’t until I was older that I really started to understand what he meant. There are millions of people that die and never truly understand why they are here. There are books that were never written. There are cures that were never created and businesses that were never started. Every life has a purpose. I decided after years that I didn’t want to be that person whose life vanished without at least attempting to contribute my gift to the world. I am a roller skater, my passion is roller skating. In my area, there isn’t a skate shop. I found a problem that I could resolve. My shop sells/repairs roller skates. I have also found that I am in a position to encourage everyone that walks through my door. So I not only sell skates, I push people to believe in themselves in their dream and goals for their future. One thing that set me apart from most is my desire to see everyone become successful.
The world is so big. Metaphorically speaking people are like components of a car, one part can’t work without the other, so in terms of which part is most important, all the parts are important. “ “We” are all important, we all have something to give to the world and there is enough wealth to spread around, (so don’t seek wealth because it will come. Seek to understand your purpose for being alive and I promise everything else will fall in line. People just need a little push in the direction of their goals! My future goal is to create a skate program for the youth in my area, so they can have that mental reinforcement of how great they are. Owning my skate shop isn’t just about skates it’s about helping others.

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

I mentioned earlier, there was a businessman named Myles Munoe. He wrote a book (actually he has written many books) called “How to Become A Leader”, this has by far been the most influential book I have ever read. It changed my mindset, the way I think about myself. and the way I see and treat others. I am still a work in progress, but I am definitely far ahead of where I was.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

It’s funny because Google has played a large role in providing new clientele. I thought it would be word of mouth.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.nikkisskateshop.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nikkis_skate_shop/