In celebration of our 40th anniversary, Black Enterprise is taking a look both forward and backward at the world of black business. Our list of 40 Next celebrates the next generation of entrepreneurs and business leaders.
These BE Nexters–those 21—35 years old making a measurable impact within their respective business, organization, industry, or field–are standouts in the areas of entrepreneurship, corporate America, academia, nonprofit, the arts, and the STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). And they prove every day that “business as usual” is not so usual. For them, leveraging expertise in one area to maximize an opportunity in another is standard operating procedure.
Using the legacy of their business predecessors to forge their own way, this new generation of leadership accepts the torch without trepidation. But the commonality between then and now is that success still takes a focused, strategic, and passionate mindset. Here, we introduce you to one of our 40 Next.
Christopher Johnson, 31
President/CEO
The Johnson Group Inc., Sacramento, CA
Johnson has grown his technical staffing and consulting firm into an 11-employee force that generated $3.3 million in 2009–less than four years since its inception. The Johnson Group specializes in high-growth architectural, engineering, environmental, and construction fields, and has retained nearly 100 clients, including Sacramento Municipal Utility District and global firm HOK Architects.
Education
Bachelors of Arts in Communications and Organizational Management from University of California, Davis.
Favorite Books
Outliers by Malcomb Gladwell, E-Myth by Michael Gerber, Cashflow Quadrant by Robert Kiyosaki
BE Next Manifesto
“To change the world, I plan to continue to be a living example of the miracles that God can perform.” Many of our youth cannot be changed by words, but change by action is the key. I read somewhere that children may not always listen to their parents; however they never fail to imitate them. I will continue to be a positive role model, not only for my children but for my community as a whole, impacting as many lives as I can.