We had the good fortune of connecting with Donnell Johns Sr. and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Donnell, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
Over time, my perspective on balance has evolved significantly. In the military, balance was dictated by structure, with clear lines between duty and rest. But in leading Veterans Growing America, I’ve learned that balance is more nuanced. It’s about prioritizing – finding the right balance between the demands of the mission and personal well-being. Importantly, I realized the indispensable role my family plays in achieving this balance. They provide a support system that allows me to navigate the demands of my work without losing sight of what truly matters. It’s through them that I’ve learned balance is more than a personal endeavor; it’s a collective one. This partnership with my family has been key to not only professional success but personal fulfillment as well.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
As a veteran, I understand the unique challenges of transitioning from military to civilian life, particularly in entrepreneurship. It’s not just about a job change; it’s about adapting to a whole new world. There’s a critical need for a support network among veteran entrepreneurs, a community where we can share, learn, and grow together. This understanding led me to establish Veterans Growing America.

Our goal is to build a community for veteran entrepreneurs to connect and showcase their businesses and I believe that this is what sets us apart. Events like our Veterans Business Pop-Up are more than networking; they’re about celebrating and supporting the veteran entrepreneurial spirit.

Establishing Veterans Growing America was a leap into the unknown, transitioning from the structured world of the military into the fluid and unpredictable realm of entrepreneurship. This wasn’t just a career shift; it was a complete change in my way of life.

Over time, my perspective on balance has evolved significantly. In the military, balance was dictated by structure, with clear lines between duty and rest. But in leading Veterans Growing America, I’ve learned that balance is more nuanced. It’s about prioritizing – finding the right balance between the demands of the mission and personal well-being.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I live about 30 minutes outside of DC.

I will take them to the monuments, we’d probably visit one per day. As well as the black history museum that’s something that you would have to spend time in an entire week.

The restaurants here are exquisite I mean they have anything that you want to eat but at these restaurants, they have a lot of stuff like I’ll take them to busboys and poets, so they can enjoy good food and a great atmosphere.

Of course, I would take them to VGA. To experience the amazing community and atmosphere of Veterans Growing America. I would have to take them to our location because it’s something that we built behind a culture that we feel like America can have. You could have a good time with great people and still make money at the same time through our business.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
If I was to give a shout out to one person, it would be my wife & son for supporting and believing in me. There has been people along the journey that also played a pivotal role in my success, Patrick Russell, Al Gordon, and Mark Daniel are huge mentors while I was in the military. , Chris McPhee, Jai Salters, and Ken Moorman played a pivotal role in VGA. I want to dedicate everything that we do to my late mother, Darlene R. Reid who passed away during our second event May 2, 2020.

Website: https://veteransgrowingamerica.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/veteransgrowingamerica/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/veterans-growing-america/

Twitter: https://x.com/veteransgrowing?s=21&t=0s11OBqrUx9abPa1vvui-g

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Veteransgrowingamerica/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Veteransgrowingamerica

Image Credits
Christopher McPhee

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