"What do you want to be when you grow up?"
It's a simple question. But for being so simple, it rarely has a straightforward answer.
Maybe that's why we stop asking it so soon.
For most of us, the last time we heard the question was when we were kids—or maybe one last time at the end of high school. After all, having arrived at the terminus of our youth, haven't we grown up?
For CJ Johnson, that question comes up daily. And the answer keeps changing. At six, he wanted to be Batman. When that didn't pan out, he settled for the entertainment industry. But cameras brought egos and attitudes, and CJ wanted something better.
His interests shifted from Hollywood Boulevard to Venice Beach, where LA's competitor to Silicon Valley—the so-called "Silicon Beach"—was separating itself from that area's bohemian past. CJ found himself shifting from entertainer to marketing consultant. But his journey was far from over:
"I was having more and more conversations as a consultant, as a marketer, and as an influencer. And I just kept getting asked more and more personal questions. And I realized my purpose: it has nothing to do with me being an actor, or writer, or director, or CEO. It has everything to do with inspiring someone."
With 31K followers on Instagram and a total social reach of over 10 million people, it's safe to say that CJ is inspiring more than just someone. And for good reason: his career has seen him co-found one of the top digital agencies in Los Angeles, become the "on-demand marketing guru" of Silicon Beach, and be recognized as both a Google NextGen Policy Lead and GQ Insider.
On this week's episode, CJ shares his experience as an entertainer, marketing consultant, and influencer. He explains what it means to "empower emerging generations," how you can monetize your interests, and how to find opportunity in times of crisis.
We also chat about:
You can find out more about CJ on his site, or reach out to him directly on his Instagram.