Meet Dre Day Johnson CEO/Founder of City Boyz Nation LLC & City Boyz West

We recently connected with Dre Day Johnson CEO/Founder of City Boyz Nation LLC & City Boyz West and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Dre Day Johnson with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?
I definitely get it from my mom. I grew up in a single-parent household. Having watched my mom work 3 jobs to provide for my older brother and me, I knew early on what it took to keep the electricity on and keep the furnace running. I started working with my mom around 13 years old, helping her clean offices in Philly. When I turned 16 I started working any job I could so I could help my mom with the bills. I worked retail at The Gap and at a mattress store, and then my brother got me into a restaurant washing dishes and bussing tables. When you gotta step up as a man as young as I did, you really start to shape your work ethic in a way that feeds that need to eat….. literally AND figuratively.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
My neighborhood really inspired me to want to give back and make a change for the better. I worked hard to create a name for myself, as well as the City Boyz brand and what it represents. We are an all-inclusive independent label that provides platforms for local artists to showcase their talent. We also provide collaborative opportunities in the studio helping them with their music and producing tracks, and doing photoshoots. We have other creatives on the team too, like fashion consultants, photographers, and drummers. It’s important to me to help these artists develop themselves and have “the whole package” ready to present to the world. Cuz this industry is tough, and there’s a lot of amazing talent that gets lost in the business of it all. You gotta know every side of this business, the social media, the streaming revenue, marketing. I go out of my way to make sure I’m educated in all of it, and it brings me joy to share that knowledge and help a fellow artist make it. We actually have our next showcase coming up, on Wednesday, Nov. 22nd in Tucson, AZ

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Definitely the “never give up” mentality is what’s gonna make or break you. Giving up cannot be an option. I’m sorry to have to be real with you, but it’s the truth. You have to be 100% in within your heart. That doesn’t mean you can’t have another job. I mean you have to have that dedication in your mind and in your soul, and never lose sight of WHY you’re working that other job.

I’ve also had the ability to believe in myself when no one else does, and continue to motivate myself past the negativity to where I can’t even see it anymore. I’ve gotten really good at removing myself from situations that disrupt my peace. I also believe in Him who will provide me the tools to succeed. But you still need to do the work. When I come across something I don’t know, I teach myself right then and there. That goes for everything! Business, or otherwise. I once studied Bull Sharks on the internet when I heard about them while on vacation. I love learning new things.

I’ve done a lot of research on personalities and human emotions too. I find it so important, in business and in life, to never act off your emotions. I’ve spent a long time working on myself and finding my joy, and I make a conscious effort to create time for that joy.

What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?
This goes back to the things that bring me joy. Take the time to find those things for yourself. I turn all my notifications off, meditate, pray. My focus is to get myself centered so that I can tackle the obstacle without distraction. Everyone’s different. For me, I like to go hiking, take a scenic drive, kinda go off the grid for a day or two. Yours might be something different. Just find it. Your peace is more important than you know

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