Meet Jordan Mishra Johnson

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jordan Mishra Johnson. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Jordan, so glad you were able to set aside some time for us today. We’ve always admired not just your journey and success, but also the seemingly high levels of self-discipline that you seem to have mastered and so maybe we can start by chatting about how you developed it or where it comes from?

In college, one of my business professors taught us the analogy of the elephant rider. He explained that human brains are like elephant riders. Our rational minds are the ones “calling the shots” and directing things as the rider, but our emotional minds are like elephants which given its size and strength, can basically do whatever it wants even if the rider is trying to direct things. In order for the rider to maintain order, it has to take care of the elephant and make sure its needs are met, it has to train the elephant, and make sure it’s not trying to get the elephant to do impossible tasks that are just going to freak it out or exhaust it.

As someone who has anxiety and depression and who was raised in disfunction, this analogy provides me the perspective to realize that if I want to succeed in my career goals, I have to make sure I’m taking care of the emotional stuff first. I won’t be successful if I feel overwhelmed, frustrated, or exhausted. I’ve become really good at identifying the things I love to do and asking for help and finding affordable resources for the things that I don’t like.

If you’re starting a business or looking to scale up your operation, find out if your state or city have entrepreneurial support organizations. I was able to receive 1 on 1 coaching for bookkeeping, operations management, marketing, and more. Instead of telling myself that I should be able to do these things all on my own and to just figure it out, having an expert guide me through these different facets of business makes the work 1000x easier and then I’m free to do things that bring me joy.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I’ve always been an artist, but I never knew how that passion could support me. I spent many years just trying to live an interesting life, pursuing my passions, learning as much as I could from my various jobs, and being confident that one day I would finally stumble across an idea that was so good I couldn’t pass it up and would need to fully dive in.

Here’s a short list of what I was doing from 2015-2022: working at a boutique hospitality public relations firm that represented restaurants, artisans, and wineries, I was an associate editor of a coffee and tea trade magazine, I sold wedding dresses as a bridal stylist, I posted portraits of chefs and farmers to Instagram, I screen printed tote bags, I made a coloring book, I learned how to make sourdough bread, I played cello, I painted faces at block parties, and I grew a vegetable garden.

In November 2022, that idea finally came to me. I had been creating small collections of products, going to art markets and honing my artistic craft for more than a year when I decided to reflect on what I had learned and start channeling my energy into something I could take globally. I outlined four potential paths for my art business that utilized the skills I had built. The one I ended up pursuing was a culinary card game based on combining the gameplay of Apples to Apples with the cooking creativity of the Food Network show Chopped. It combined so many of my loves and I couldn’t find anything like it out in the market. So I took the dive and decided to become a game designer.

My favorite part of what I do is providing an excuse for people to gather together, talk to each other, learn about food, and feel their culinary creativity blossom. It’s so cool to witness the connections forged over the course of a game. As of writing this, I have my game in 10 stores and available on my website. I have a YouTube series where I invite chefs and foodie friends to join me for games of Drawn Hungry in delightful destinations. It’s incredible the people I get to meet and see my idea flourish into a booming business. Follow me on Instagram @DrawnHungry to follow the journey and find out about upcoming expansion packs.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

1. Asking for help and having a support system. While I am a solo-entrepreneur at this point in my journey, I wouldn’t be here with a completed product out on the market if I didn’t ask for help. My husband is a great chef and he’s often the one keeping our home in order. I have a mentor who helps me navigate through tough situations and cheers me on. I also have incredible friends who come out to my events and participate. Having a support system to lean on is invaluable.

2. Provide Unique Value. As a digital artist, there’s a lot of low-hanging fruit. You can sell t-shirts, stickers, art prints, cups, totes, calendars, etc… The issue is that there’s a lot of competition out there because the barrier to entry is so low for all these products and you can just drop ship. I personally had to dig really deep in order to find a way I could provide a unique kind of value to my target audience. It makes my product an easy sell to the right kind of person.

3. Get curious and explore. I really didn’t have a plan when I went into college. I had grown up wanting to own a bookstore, but when the Kindle came out, that idea fizzled by the time I was a senior in high school. My dad convinced me into going to a state school and studying business instead of pursuing illustration at a fancy art school I had gotten into. Honestly, Dad had good advice because I loved entrepreneurship and looking at business like a collaborative art project. I continued pursuing art as a minor and finding opportunities to do graphic design once I was out in the workforce. I learned all about public relations and how to find/pitch journalists, I learned great customer service selling wedding dresses, and I became a better artist by doing dozens of portraits just to post on Instagram.

Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?

I’m always looking for collaborators. Drawn Hungry is an incredible tool to bring people together both just for a game and as a way to work together.

1. YouTube videos: I love to have chefs, artisans, farmers, restauranteurs, winemakers, and foodie friends join me for a game on my YouTube channel. Also, I’m always on the look out for a cool restaurant, game cafe, or store to film in.

2. Board Game Bash events: I host game demos where players are treated to delicious snacks as we play Drawn Hungry together.

You can contact me at [email protected] to discuss potential collabs.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Aubrie LeGault

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