Meet Shay Johnson

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Shay Johnson. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Shay below.

Hi Shay, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?
Co-founding High Point Fashion Week came at a time where the city had a problem and I knew that myself and partner had a solution. High Point Fashion Week was created as a solution to a city wanting to bring more to the city other than what it was known for which was furniture. High Point is the largest furnishing expo in the world so to create a thriving culture around fashion was a no-brainer.

It was not until the successful execution of season one that we realized the magnitude of what we had created, and the opportunities we spearheaded for so many people including but not limited to (designers, models, photographers, videographers, vendors, etc).

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?
Hello World!

My name is Shay Johnson and I am the co-founder of High Point Fashion Week. High Point Fashion Week is the premiere fashion week for the city of High Point, NC where we create a culture of fashion, furniture and art through a weeks worth of events highlighting local showrooms within the largest furnishing capital of the world.

I am also a Family Centered Therapist and have been in the mental health field for about 15 years. I am the mother of 3 amazing kids, 2 daughters and a son.

I am the creator of With Love, Shay a feel good podcast that promotes lessons on life, love, and the pursuit of happiness. I am the creator The Balanced Box, a mental health wellness subscription model created to help individuals become their best self through valuable resources for everyday life.

I am also the curator of Women Who Read, an online book club catered to the cultivation of reading through guided book list and monthly meetups to discuss the monthly book.

The most exciting thing about all my endeavors is I get to empower others to be their best self; whether its the fashion production seeing models for the first time hit the runway after months of practicing, or helping a family heal systemic issues within their ecology that they themselves did not think was possible, is very exciting and exhilarating.

I am currently adding another title to my resume, author; as I currently am working on a project self to release this winter.

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?

Looking back the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in my journey is my resilience, my creativity, and my impact on others.

The advice I would give folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they best develop or improve in their respected industries is to be at peace with your pace. For a lot of entrepreneurs or business owners, we all have our mind set on the end goal. We fixate on the money, the cars, the clothes, the fame that we sometimes lose insight on the journey altogether.

Entrepreneurship is not a race, its a marathon!

Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?
The most impactful thing my parents did for me was instill great morals and values. My parents have always instilled in me at an early age that anything is possible, and that if I want it, it is within my reach. I have always kept that with me and instill that with my children. Morals and values can take you places, degrees and money cannot. I live by that.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Photo 1: @shotbysemaj Photo 2-6: @j.a.brownphotography

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