Joshua Johnson wears many hats in the UCF and Orlando community. He earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration and an MBA with a certificate in entrepreneurship from the University of Central Florida. While working on his degrees, he began studying social media strategies for purpose of business communication and marketing.
He has created and implemented social media campaigns and strategies for the National Entrepreneur Center (formerly known as the Disney Entrepreneur Center), The City of Orlando, Orlando, Inc. (Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce), as well as several other organizations. He also specializes in educating the small business community on blending social media marketing with traditional marketing channels and regularly speaks to civic and business groups on the topic.
University of Central Florida’s Professor Joshua Johnson has been an entrepreneur all of his life and applies real-world experiences in the classroom. He genuinely cares about helping others grow.
In his free time, when he has some, you’ll catch him enjoying yoga, kayaking, and trying new adventures such as hang gliding or skydiving. This professor with edge has caught our eye. He’s a motivator, a leader, an entrepreneur, and full of dynamite!
Learn more about Professor Johnson and tips to being successful in my Q&A with him.
Q: Why entrepreneurial studies?
A: To put it simply… Working for someone else leaves too much power in their hands. I am a big believer in taking ownership of my destiny and placing that power in my own hands. Once the sun sets and the day is over, I know I will have done everything possible for me to succeed. I hope to have the opportunity to show others the benefit of taking control of their own destiny.
Q: What was your first business you started and at what age?
A: I was a teenager when I started my first business. It was a simple mobile auto detailing operation. Eventually I built up enough clients to be able to open a permanent shop location which I ran along with the mobile operation.
Q: What is your favorite spot around campus?
A: The Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation! I love being in an environment where people are constantly kicking around ideas and trying to solve the problems around them. Even if I don’t have any interest in many of the ideas I hear, being around people who are going through that process is both inspiring and motivating. Aside from that, they have some great resources in there for people who are genuinely interested in starting something.
Q: What are all of your occupations?
A: Owner of NextZen Media, co-founder of www.CourseMob.com, and adjunct faculty at UCF.
Q: Being an entrepreneur involves taking many risks – when do you know that the risks are worth taking?
A: Entrepreneurship does have a certain amount of risk associated with it, but you can mitigate those risks by first doing tons of research, and then using your gut. I can’t stress enough the importance of doing the due diligence for any business idea before attempting to launch a new venture. From there, it is just a matter of doing a serious gut check and making a game day decision.
Q: You incorporate much of today’s world and technology into your entrepreneurial class, for instance – social media. How much of a role do you think social media plays in the success of a company and when is it too much?
A: I sure do! Social platforms, if used correctly, can be a tremendous asset to any business today. That being said, business owners need to evaluate the platforms to determine which of the many are going to be the best use of their time and energy as well as the overall desired outcome they wish to see. For example, Twitter is an incredible tool that can serve numerous purposes. While many people think it is just a place to broadcast today’s special deal, one of the most powerful aspects of it is in the possibilities it creates to collect a great deal of data. Without setting proper goals with accompanying milestones, it can steal a great deal of time and energy from other activities that may have been much more beneficial.
Q: Creating the brand – What is the importance of entrepreneurial branding?
A: Aside from building a strong and trustworthy company brand, I think the most important thing to think about is how you start building your personal brand today. With social networks such as Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc, individuals have unprecedented access to communicate with tons of people. If these platforms are used strategically, you can begin placing yourself as an expert in your field immediately. Brand today, or be gone tomorrow.
Q: As a young business professional, what is the best advice you could give a student wanting to pursue their own business?
A: There are several things to consider before embarking on the entrepreneurial path.
1. I would say be sure to find a mentor and support from friends and family. There are going to be days where you will feel like you are at the falling into a bottomless pit. A mentor should be able to offer you some great advice to move forward while friends and family can offer the morale support to keep you going.
2. Be ready to do your homework – lots of it! Entrepreneurship involves certain risks, but that doesn’t mean you just throw caution to the wind. The most successful entrepreneurs are usually the people who are relentless when it comes to gathering data about their customers, competitors, and their products.
3. Make sure you are passionate about what you do. If you are in it just for the money, it is really hard to work 36 hours straight and give up on your social life when you really need to.
Q: Many entrepreneurs seem to have the adrenaline junkie side to them – what are your outlets to relax and have fun?
A: I love being outside, so in my spare time you might catch me kayaking, hang gliding, or doing something crazy like riding an ostrich. Generally speaking, I love new experiences. They don’t have to be crazy activities, just something I haven’t tried before. Usually, the less likely most people are interested in trying something, the more I want to.
From personal experience, I say if you have a chance to take Professor Johnson’s Entrepreneurial Marketing class, MAR 3765, do it!