Boss Mom Spotlight – Donna Marie Johnson
We want you to meet Donna Marie Johnson
Donna Marie is a Career Coach and Leadership Development Specialist at Lead Like A Queen
Get to know Donna Marie
My name is Donna Marie Johnson. I am originally from Chicago and relocated to Atlanta in 1995. I am a compassionate, empathetic teacher-advisor who truly hates seeing other people struggling with things I have already learned. So, I am delighted to share knowledge and encourage others who are going through what I have been through.
I am a Christian woman, wife & spousal caregiver, mother, and daughter in a multi-generational household in Newnan, Georgia USA (Coweta County).
Since 2014, I have empowered women via in-person and virtual events leaders to lead better and serve their families, customers, & the community better. It’s called the Lead Like A Queen event series and has had sponsors in the past including the local library and a local co-working organization.
As a side gig, I serve as a Mentor, Career Coach, and Leadership Consultant to individuals and groups, usually women leaders. I also serve as a Motivational Speaker / Blogger / Podcaster to inspire leaders recovering from trauma and crisis as they transform and become more resilient.
I am the author of “Small Biz Big Impact, But How?: How Conscious Selfless Servants Impact the World”. My book helps encourage leaders and informs them on how to start small and still make a big impact by serving others. It includes a case study of a leader who already succeeded in doing this.
Share a bit about your Boss Mom journey:
I was sorely disappointed in 2000 when I couldn’t pivot the Lead Like A Queen annual event series into webinars after I lost my one and only venue sponsor due to the COVID-19 pandemic. I learned from this that I need more sponsors to continue growing this event series and impacting more local women leaders. I became a Boss Mom after I joined the Nurture to Convert Society because I can see how these connections, especially the local Atlanta connections, energize and encourage me. I am hopeful that my ongoing learning and implementation of the system will pay off so that I can rebuild the event series and transform it into even better than before, including having multiple sponsors that will be available to support both online and offline events. I see the progress the Boss Mom members are making, and I am learning from what they are sharing, but, mostly, I am so encouraged to see I am not alone in the struggle of the juggle.
Deanna Mason of Refreshed Moms introduced me to Boss Mom. She is my awesome rest coach and helps me keep my focus on the spiritual side of my journey, along with the practical side so that I don’t burn out like I have done so many times before. I am so grateful that Boss Mom and Refreshed Moms both keep reinforcing the concepts I need to lead a balanced life while I move forward with planning my business. I especially love that Boss Mom emphasizes what we can expect as we go along, and how to avoid the traps of chasing novelty and getting bored with doing the system, step by step. I am sure these are things that have made me sidestep in the past. So, Boss Mom helps keep me reminded of all of this and more in a way that is not overwhelming or judgmental. Oh, that part, the no-judgment zone, has been so helpful and encouraging for me. I can be pretty hard on myself, but I know that I am not the only one with “issues” and that there are always solutions. I just have to go back to the system that I know works well.
Thank you, Dana and Deanna and all of you ladies… especially those of you who came out to the Atlanta Meetup.
What makes you excited about becoming a Boss Mom of the Week?
I am actually usually very nervous about being in the spotlight, but I am grateful for this opportunity and look forward to seeing how I can use it to serve more and lead better.
One piece of advice for moms who are starting a business
Be patient with the season of life you are in. Be patient with and compassionate towards yourself. I spent 5 years pregnant and had 3 children close in age. It took me a while to figure out a system that worked for me, and I didn’t have the kind of advice and support that Boss Mom provides. Someone told me, “You can do it all and have it all, but not all at the same time.” I agree with them. Again, be patient.
Where do you go for inspiration?
The Holy Bible is full of stories that inspire me, especially the ones about mothers who used wisdom and faith for their businesses and received miracles. Specifically, in 2 Kings 4, there was a widow who was instructed by the prophet Elisha to sell oil. She did what he told her to solely based on faith and ended up debt-free and thriving as a single mother. I keep this in the back of my mind as I move forward in my business.
What are you currently reading or listening to (podcasts, books, blogs etc)?
Today I listened to Dr. Deering’s podcast “Mother Daughter Connections” episode where she shared lessons learned from Simone Biles. I am also reading her book on Audible “What Mothers Never Tell Her Daughters”. We live in a multi-generational household full of women, so this is very helpful right now.
I want to live in a world where…
women’s value is both talked about regularly and compensated financially constantly as the norm, and not as the exception.
This is what I know to be true…
Father God loves me as I am right here right now, and I love Him back by serving selflessly in this world, just as my big brother Jesus did when He was here.
One thing you can’t live without…
water. Dehydration causes a lot of illness and has even been targeted as a cause of overeating. I am learning to do a better job drinking it and eating it in raw fresh fruits and vegetables. The latter part, eating it, seems the most difficult, but I am working on it and learning to love fresh, organic salads.
What is the big milestone that you are hitting that you are celebrating?
I just turned 50. I am so grateful. I know women that didn’t make it to this age. I am learning from their mistakes and taking better care of myself.
Get to know Donna Marie’s work:
You can check out Donna Marie’s book “Small Biz Big Impact, But How?: How Conscious Selfless Servants Impact the World”. It’s available for free at https://smallbizbigimpact.com
Donna Marie is developing a course for moms who want to go back to school. Will you take this survey for her? https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/JBB72JV
