Start The Year, Build A Legacy

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal and business development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Johnny K, Founder of Dream with Johnny, located in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

I provide performance and personal business development coaching for new entrepreneurs and passion projects. My clients are people who feel frustrated about not progressing to their next level of business or personal development. I do this with you by asking deep questions to establish your values, goals, systems, and habits. My customers have told me they quickly feel comfortable with me and discover parts of themselves they never knew. I take a lot of pride in my work as I am constantly developing myself to serve my clients.

Tell us about yourself

I started multiple businesses in my 20s. Everything from marketing, social media management, restaurants, and eventually opening up my own bistro in Kyoto, Japan. After five months of opening, I was an alcoholic, depressed, and frustrated with what I was doing. When it was slow, I was fighting to think of new ideas. When the restaurant was busy, I was overworked, overtired, and wondering why I had started it all. I had serious considerations of suicide. It took a life-threatening illness to bring me back to Vancouver to realize that the amount of compiling stress created somatic (body) illness. I knew that I was not someone who could sit by and not be able to control my life, and I wanted to understand every part of my mental process in order to live a fulfilled, authentic life. I decided to apply to university, spent two years building up a horrible GPA, and was accepted into one of the top universities in the psychology program. My growth came from the hours and hours of coaching, counseling, and personal development. I read books, joined Toastmasters, and took my self-development as a serious disciplined. The more I develop myself, the better I am able to serve my clients. While in school, I only take a handful of clients in order to be completely committed and focused.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Witnessing my client's dreams come true. It took six months from the initial conversation with one of my clients about her dream to work remotely in Hawaii! It's all about you. The work you put in and how you perceive moving forward. We navigate resistance to make it almost non-existent, and I enjoy every moment of it.

What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?

Balancing your work life. When you are passionate about what you do, it sometimes doesn't feel like work. However, it is massively important to schedule, if you have to, to make time for the important things in life. Your health/your family. Money is secondary. Take care of yourself, your family will take care of you, and you can be fully present for your clients.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

You are first. Eat healthily, sleep properly, exercise, meditate do yoga. Without your health, you can't do anything.
Be present. Constantly remind yourself of your purpose and the reason you do what you do. It's sometimes easy to get carried away with your work, money, and lifestyle. Stay grounded.
Enjoy the process. Don't waste 20 years of your life doing something you hate to retire with a sun of money. Enjoy what you do. Understand your values, and you'll find yourself living the most authentic and aligned self. Do the work!

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.dreamwithjohnny.com/services
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/johnny.k.coach/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnnykcoach/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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