Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Rose Slam! Johnson. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Rose Slam!, appreciate you joining us today. What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?
My parents were committed to partnering with my brother and I. We would have family meetings to make decisions that truly worked for everyone in my family. I have leaned on this skill in my experience as a teammate, leader, and individual.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
When I launched my first business in 2009, it was entirely run on excitement and opportunity. My friends and community were cheering me on at every turn, but it was in the moments when I was all by myself where my inner critic really let me have it. For every enthusiastic customer, successful event, or new business innovation, I had double the limiting beliefs and compelling evidence for why I wasn’t qualified.
I looked for teachings on how to do it better: I studied Nonviolent Communication, I explored bookkeeping, business planning, and management styles. I worked for a variety of companies, organizations, and teams in management, sales, and direct service. I discovered that it is less about what I know and more about how I learn. In each role, my key to success was finding a goal worth playing for.
I support Small Business Owners to speak their truth and create environments that are safe-enough for their teammates and clients to exist and thrive. My clients tend to be Queer, into alternative economies, and/or ready to create and refine a meaningful and values based business (and life). We work together to launch o
Training with the Academy of Coaching Excellence has helped me share the value of coaching, companionship, and collaboration — not just through skill but through presence. The lessons I have learned through coaching, mentorship, and teamwork have helped me align my focus with my inner vision. With this, I have been able to set goals, take steps, and celebrate success. I have developed practices that help me focus on what I want instead of my old and familiar insecurities. I have been able to take on new projects that continue to expand my experience and expertise and support my unstoppable curiosity and drive.
We’d appreciate any insights you can share with us about selling a business.
I was a broker on a business sale at the very start of the pandemic. A few years prior to the lock down, I had established a sweet relationship with a micro green farmer who was running his business out of my backyard. In April 2020, his partner was accepted to medical school on the other side of the country and he started to prepare for his big move. My farmer friend was getting ready to shut down business and call it a day when it dawned on me that a lot of people were out of business and he had a really great business launch kit right here in my very own back yard. So I partners with my farmer friend to draft a pitch and to circulate it within our larger communities. We ended up receiving a lot of interested and 3 formal bids. I worked with my farmer friend to interview and evaluate who might best take over the business. He landed on someone who has taken the brand and totally thrived with it. Plus he got to leave knowing his business was in good hands and with financial recognition for his years of hard work launching the project.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
To this day I remember the Side Walk Brunch I hosted in 2009 with such great detail (and a subtle weight of fatigue:) I had just launched Apothocurious, a CSCA (Community Supported Culinary Adventure) and thought I would host an event for my clients and friends. I happened to be managing an amazing and delightful intern at the time and she offered to host the event at her house in the Richmond. What the heck is a side walk brunch you might ask… Well let’s see if I can describe it. We hauled a bunch of tables and chairs to the street and made it look cute with table clothes and fun music and we started making french toast in the upstairs (2 flights) kitchen. 100 people ended up coming through that day and the event was full of laughter, connections, and tasty bites. We went on to host other events throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, but that one felt like the first. And while it took so much energy to haul that food up and down those stairs, and wash those endless dishes, the vibes were so fun and the community so rich that I would do it again in a heart beat.
Contact Info:
- Website: nimblerootscoaching.com
- Instagram: nimblerootscoaching
- Facebook: nimblerootscoaching
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roseslamjohnson/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsz_nEQHNzoVcWJ-83l1Mfg