OWN YOUR BRAND SHOW with Victoria Odekomaya

From Teacher to CEO: How Rebecca Johnson Is Building a $1M Business | Epi 69

• Victoria Odekomaya | LiMStudios Network • Episode 69

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Scaling a business is never just about numbers, it’s about keeping your mission at the center while you grow. Every entrepreneur has to figure out how to scale without losing the heart of their mission.

In this episode of The Own Your Brand Show, Rebecca Johnson, CEO of Golden Heart Senior Care (Central Indiana & Northwest Ohio), shares how she went from teacher to entrepreneur and is now leading a 37-person team on the path to a $1M business.

We cover:
-Designing services that meet real needs (so clients stay loyal)
-Building systems that allow you to scale without losing heart
-Writing goals you actually achieve (and stick with all year)
-Leading a team culture rooted in compassion and accountability
-Leveraging community partnerships to fuel both visibility and impact

Rebecca’s story is proof that you can lead with heart, grow strategically, and hit major milestones along the way.

If you’re an entrepreneur ready to scale your impact without losing your “why,” this episode is for you.

✨ Subscribe for more founder stories and visibility strategies that help you grow with clarity and confidence.

Connect with Golden Heart Senior Care if your family needs flexible in-home support.

  • Website: https://goldenheartindy.com/
  • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoldenHeartIndy/

ABOUT

Victoria Odekomaya is a Nigerian American entrepreneur, speaker, and content marketing strategist on a mission to help business owners grow their business, brand, and legacy through the power of storytelling and strategic content marketing.

She’s the founder of LiMStudios, a full-service creative agency and state-of-the-art content studio in Indianapolis where strategy and storytelling come together through high-quality content production and marketing implementation. She’s also the creator of Boss Ladies Magazine and host of The Own Your Brand Show, a video podcast to help business owners grow their business, brand, and legacy through strategic content marketing and authentic conversations about the entrepreneurial journey.

Each week, Victoria breaks down practical content marketing strategies in her solo “Own Your Brand” episodes and sits down with entrepreneurs in her Behind the Brand series to uncover the stories, struggles, and systems behind their success. Because when we get real about the wins AND the struggles, we realize we're not alone and that's when real transformation happens.

Follow her journey through LiMStudios, Boss Ladies Magazine, and The Own Your Brand Show and join the movement to amplify voices, build legacy, and make impact.

📩 For sponsorship or business inquiries:
mtr.bio/limstudios | hello@thelimstudios.com | Text 260-777-7211

Victoria Odekomaya:

I love that when you said the voice and care. I feel like you know when you're getting older, it's almost like you don't have a choice anymore. Right. And you're very intentional about giving them a voice.

Rebecca Johnson:

Yes, exactly. So I feel like allowing seniors to feel like they have a choice in what happens to them is so important. It worked their whole lives to be able to be here. They should be able to thrive and be safe and independent. And I think a lot of times as adults start to lose some of their mental capacity, we revert back and we start treating them like children. And we need to remember that they are grown-ups. They're adults and they have minds of their own. They know what they want. And so, in whatever way that we can provide choice for them and still keep them safe, we're going to try to do that.

Victoria Odekomaya:

I know that a lot of people do home health care, you know.

Rebecca Johnson:

Yes.

Victoria Odekomaya:

What sets you apart.

Rebecca Johnson:

You know, I'm gonna pat myself on the back a little bit here. But I think the big difference is me.

Victoria Odekomaya:

Hi, and welcome to another episode of the Own Your Brand Show. I'm your host, Victoria O'Dekomaya, and I have a wonderful, wonderful lady with me here today who is being business for about three and a half years and she's breaking ground. Y'all, I'm super excited to talk to her because I feel like we can learn a lot of things from her. As a small business owner, we are often grinding, we're, you know, really dip into it. And sometimes, you know, it's like, is this gonna work? Is this gonna happen? You know, so I want to pink her brain on how she's done it and she's expanding and you know, flourishing. And I feel like we can all learn something from her. So without much ado, let's get into it. Hi, how are you doing today?

Rebecca Johnson:

I'm doing great. Thanks for having me on. I really appreciate it.

Victoria Odekomaya:

You look amazing. I love the color.

Rebecca Johnson:

Thank you. You know, it's spring, so we're ready.

Victoria Odekomaya:

Finally, I know it's you know, it's warming up, and we, you know, oh, that's good. That's good. So, for those that don't know who you are, would you please introduce yourself, your business?

Rebecca Johnson:

Absolutely. I'm Rebecca Johnson. I'm the owner of Golden Heart Senior Care. We are in central Indiana and Northwest Ohio. Um, and we are excited to provide care wherever the senior is, giving them voice and choice in their care about how they receive care and um who they receive the care from. We are also providing resources for the families that are caring for those seniors.

Victoria Odekomaya:

I love that. I love that when you said the voice and care, I feel like you know, when you're getting older, it's almost like you don't have a choice anymore. Right. And you're making it, you're very intentional about giving them a voice.

Rebecca Johnson:

Yes, exactly. So I feel like allowing seniors to feel like they have a choice in what happens to them is so important. Yeah. It worked their whole lives to be able to be here. They should be able to thrive and be safe and independent. Um, that is something I'm super passionate about. And so that is part of my mission because it just has to happen. I mean, we would feel so frustrated if we didn't have a voice in how we were treated. Yeah. And so it is so crucial to be able to help seniors to enhance their independence. I don't'm not taking away their independence. We're enhancing their independence to help them feel cared for, heard, seen, and be able to keep them safe.

Victoria Odekomaya:

Right. You know what? I was just thinking, so my dad is also, you know, an elderly and it's getting to the point where we're taking care of him and all that. But I find that, like, I often want that. Like, are we taking away his independence? Are we doing like are we giving him a choice in the matter? You know, like, are we so protected? Because you know, that could be coming from a place of love to like, I want to make sure you're fine, I want to do all the, but like, is that what he really wants? It's not like he's not dead, he's still here. Like he can still contribute and you know be a part of his care, right?

Rebecca Johnson:

So I think people are um they get confused sometimes because you know, when we're raising our children, we make choices for them and we do it for their safety. And I think a lot of times as adults start to lose some of their mental capacity, we revert back and we start treating them like children. And we need to remember that they are grown-ups, they're adults and they have minds of their own. They know what they want. And so, in whatever way that we can provide choice for them and still keep them safe, we're going to try to do that. So maybe the place that they want to stay isn't where they want to stay, but we give them choice about okay, so it's not safe for you to be at home because of this, X, Y, and Z. But here are different places. I would love your input on where to go. Right. And so maybe we're not always able to give them exactly what they want, but there's always the opportunity to give them choice in that.

Victoria Odekomaya:

I love that. I love that. So you've been in business about three and a half years. Why did you start?

Rebecca Johnson:

So that's a great question. Um, you know, I was an educator before this. I was um in elementary, I taught, I was an instructional coach, I was an assistant principal, and then principal.

Victoria Odekomaya:

Oh wow.

Rebecca Johnson:

So, you know, this people are like, How on earth did you get here?

Victoria Odekomaya:

Right.

Rebecca Johnson:

But um, in the midst of that, we were caring for my mother-in-law. And she had um early onset dementia. We started caring for her about 16 years. Oh wow. Um, I was 26, and what we first thought was grief, and I do believe there was some grief, also turned out to be dementia. We had no idea where to turn, we didn't know what resources were available, we didn't know how to give her choice. And so we made choices for her that weren't popular with her or a lot of the family, honestly. But it was because we didn't know what resources.

Victoria Odekomaya:

Right.

Rebecca Johnson:

And so um, after I got out of education, my husband said, Hey, you should run this business. And I said, I am not a businesswoman, I don't know what I'm doing. Turns out he is, he knew better. And he said, Yes, you are, you know how to do this. And so I realized that Golden Heart had a mission that I loved and adored, and I wanted to get behind so that instead of living in regret with my mother-in-law, I was going to use those thoughts and feelings about what we weren't able to provide for her and give other families the opportunity to give the care and concern and love for their family members so that they weren't faced with the same situation we were. I love where we were having to make choices and then breaking relationships. You know, one of the things that I tell my clients and their families is we're here to preserve relationships.

Victoria Odekomaya:

Yes.

Rebecca Johnson:

A lot of times when you care for family members, there's resentment that happens, there's choices that have to be made. You um start feeling like you're only a caregiver and not family. And so for us, it's not only about giving voice and choice, but it's also helping family members feel like they have resources and choices, and they can keep that relationship with their family so that they can be the daughter, the son, the husband, the wife instead of just the caregiver.

Victoria Odekomaya:

That's great. So I as we were talking, I was thinking, sounds like you do more than giving care. You're also a peacemaker in a family.

Rebecca Johnson:

I wear lots of hats. So yeah. And you know, another piece that I'm really passionate about is helping connect my clients and their families to resources. So that's why I do so much networking because I need to know who's trustworthy, who can they ask to bring in if they need, you know, a pedic, you know, pedicure or if they need a physical therapist or an occupational therapist. Who are those people that are gonna see clients the way that I see them? Yeah, which is part of my family, right? And treat them with the respect and care that they deserve.

Victoria Odekomaya:

So your family has grown so large. Yes. Um, and I know you are expanding beyond Indiana. Yes. Um, but um tell us a little bit about that, actually.

Rebecca Johnson:

Yeah, so um, you know, I grew up in Northwest Ohio, and as soon as I started this business, I knew that I wanted to be able to move to Northwest Ohio.

Victoria Odekomaya:

Okay.

Rebecca Johnson:

But I also knew I had to take baby steps. Right. I couldn't start this job here and be successful here and move to Ohio business as well. So just um the middle of last year, we decided that we were gonna expand and we started serving our first clients in Northwest Ohio in January. Wow, congratulations!

Victoria Odekomaya:

Thank you. Wow, that's incredible. So I know that a lot of people do home health care, you know.

Rebecca Johnson:

Yes.

Victoria Odekomaya:

So what sets you apart?

Rebecca Johnson:

I think the fact that I've lived it and I understand what it's like to do it day to day, I think that gives me the opportunity to be flexible. It gives me the opportunity and the knowledge to know that, you know, those minimums exist because they are good for business, but they're not always good for the client. And so I'll be flexible.

Victoria Odekomaya:

Right.

Rebecca Johnson:

We have very flexible um scheduling. We offer no contracts. So if you want to work with us and you need to change things because as we know, situations change on a dime, right? People go into the hospital or they get better, right? Whatever the case. And so sometimes when they've worked, you know, they've started working with us, they don't need us anymore.

Victoria Odekomaya:

Right.

Rebecca Johnson:

And rather than charging them a fee or saying, nope, we have to be on the schedule until this time, we're willing to be flexible and pivot. Wow. Additionally, that helps us to also be able to be flexible and pivot if they need more hours.

Victoria Odekomaya:

Oh wow, yeah.

Rebecca Johnson:

So um, you know, we don't have the minimums that other agencies offer. But honestly, and you know, I'm gonna pat myself on the back a little bit here. Absolutely. But I think the big difference is me. My heart, I'm a small business. I am very engaged and involved with my clients and their families.

Victoria Odekomaya:

That's great.

Rebecca Johnson:

You know, I talk with my families on a regular basis. I keep I keep tabs with my clients and my caregivers. My caregivers have a lot of autonomy on how they pick up their shifts, who they work with, where they work, um, and I recognize that they're people as well. And so because I treat my caregivers well and I'm the boss that they, you know, I always wanted to have, right? They are willing and able to do things for me that other people wouldn't necessarily do. They go above and beyond.

Victoria Odekomaya:

You know what? Oh my goodness, this is so powerful because as you were speaking, I was hearing abundance mindsets. You know, you're not like trying to lock your clients into like you have to do this 12 months, whatever it is, like you're giving them the freedom, and even your caregivers too, like you're giving them the freedom. So there's so much freedom going on, and it's because you're not you're not bound. You know, you're just I can see the the care, you know, the love emanating as you were speaking.

Rebecca Johnson:

That goosebumps.

Victoria Odekomaya:

Me too, me too. That is incredible. I can tell your heart is really in it, and you love them so not just the the family, not just the you know, the patients, you know, but also the caregivers. Like it's like all around. Yes, yes, that is incredible.

Rebecca Johnson:

We're changing lives. Yes. And um, you know, we're able to be there for clients at the hardest times of their lives. We're also changing the lives of our caregivers, being able to provide for their families, being able to, you know, have career. I can't tell you how many caregivers of mine started with me and are now going to school to be nurses. You know, one is um finishing up his college degree to be an administrator, he's gonna run a building because they worked for us. And so, you know, changing lives. Yes, don't cry, you're gonna make it.

Victoria Odekomaya:

No, no, I mean, like that's like literally changing lives. Yes, you know, and sometimes like you know, it takes a lifetime to see those results. But I I love that you're seeing the impact that you're making like in real time. Yes, that is incredible.

Rebecca Johnson:

It's exciting.

Victoria Odekomaya:

Wow. So tell us a little bit about I know you probably can't say too much because of HIPAA and other things, but like maybe share some testimonial that you've received. Right, you know.

Rebecca Johnson:

So um, I've actually had a couple families that have given me permission to share stories about their loved ones. That's good. Um, you know, one, my very first client that I ever had was actually one of my former coworkers' husbands. Oh, wow. And um, you know, he had some really scary things happen with his health. And unfortunately, he's passed on. But we were able to keep him from being in an assisted living facility. He was there in the facility. We were able to bring him home. Oh, so he was able to be at home with his family. Um, we were able to be there in the hospital. So he was never alone. He always had somebody that loved him and cared for him. And I think that's really impactful. Yes. You know, being allowed able to have someone to be at home with their family. And I will never forget the pictures that she posted about a week before he passed. He had been getting better, he had been doing really well, he was able to have a really precious time with his grandsons. They were playing with a balloon, and just the smiles and the laughter. Oh, if he had been in a facility, that wouldn't have happened.

Victoria Odekomaya:

Right.

Rebecca Johnson:

But because we were able to provide the care that he needed, he was able to be at home with his family and be able to have those opportunities.

Victoria Odekomaya:

That's incredible. Like, as you were speaking, I was also thinking again, I feel like you're just giving me so much ideas. But like, you know, I don't think we fully understand the impact of being able to be at home.

Rebecca Johnson:

Yes, yes.

Victoria Odekomaya:

You know, I don't know if you want to speak to that, but like there's something so precious, so you know, I don't even have the words to describe it. You know.

Rebecca Johnson:

So if you think about being um in a diminished capacity, maybe you don't remember things, or maybe you're not sure who uh they are, but there's just a feeling about being at home. People that love you, you feel that. You know, the surroundings are familiar, you feel that. And so I had another client who um I went to the hospital and did an intake with him. At that time, he was walking, he was talking, he was able to eat. He got home and he just wanted to be home to be with his cat. And so we brought him home, knowing that he was going to be on hospice, but not expecting things to go as quickly as they did. But I will tell you, he got home, he had a really good meal, he laid down in his bed, his cat laid on his chest, he passed within five days of being at home, but he wouldn't have been able to listen to his music. I mean, we had his music playing for him the whole time. We were able to, he was able to snuggle with his cat, he was able to be in his own bed. You know, those are opportunities that people just don't have. And, you know, he was conscious, he knew what was going on, but he was ready. He was ready to go home. Home and home. Right, right, right, right. He was ready to pass on, but he was able to let go because he was comfortable. There's something to be said about being comfortable, surrounded by people that you love, and in an environment that you feel comfortable in.

Victoria Odekomaya:

That's incredible. Wow. Oh my goodness. Wow. So before we dive into how you've scaled your business, because I know a lot of us want to know, you know, I'm just curious about the extent of the services, and and this is probably my own naivety right here, where um, like what are some of the services that you provide?

Rebecca Johnson:

So, and people, you're not alone. Most people don't know what I do. They hear that I'm Goldenheart Senior Care, and they're like, Oh, do you have a home? No. We go where the seniors are. Right. But what I said is we enhance independence. So we provide um showering help, which showering is one of the scariest things for people that have that limited mobility. It's a really big fall risk. It's very dangerous. Right. And so a lot of seniors are really scared to take showers. Um, but we can also do things like taking you to the grocery store. Um we can cook healthy meals instead of eating those pre-prepared frozen or you know, high cholesterol, high salt, all right.

Victoria Odekomaya:

That doesn't help anybody.

Rebecca Johnson:

Um, but we can also do things like I got to go with a client to Symphony on the Prairie. Oh how cool is that, right? So she wanted to go. She didn't have a ride, she didn't have anyone to take her. So I went with her. Oh, that's so sweet. And you know, being able to do the things that you want to do and not be stuck at home, we can help with that.

Victoria Odekomaya:

Wow.

Rebecca Johnson:

We provide care from as small as four hours all the way up to 24-7.

Victoria Odekomaya:

Oh, wow.

Rebecca Johnson:

We can help with things like pet care.

Victoria Odekomaya:

Oh, wow.

Rebecca Johnson:

Um, we can help with cleaning around the house. When I say that, people are like, Do you do people besides seniors? Right? Um, but we can drive you to appointments, we can practice um physical therapy exercises, we can do memory things, but also we can provide that respite. So some families are caring for their loved ones and they don't want to give the control or the care over to someone, but they just want to go have lunch with their friends.

Victoria Odekomaya:

Oh, that's true.

Rebecca Johnson:

And so we can be there to be a safe person for the client while the family goes and does things outside the home.

Victoria Odekomaya:

Right.

Rebecca Johnson:

Um, you know, a lot of our clients' families they schedule appointments when they know we're gonna be there. Right. Because we're a safe space. Yes. We can help people prevent them from falling. Um, the biggest thing that we can do is we can provide that attention for seniors who um to keep them out of the hospital. Because as we know, people that go in the hospital, people that go into memory care, people that go into assisted living, their percentage of um of being healthy and and thriving, it significantly decreases. Right, right. So, and and when people fall, that's usually like the beginning of the end, right? It's that slide. So being able to provide care for people um so that they're not falling, they're not going back to the hospital, that's huge.

Victoria Odekomaya:

That's huge. Yes, yes. Okay, wow. So I know you say that you sometimes, you know, step in and help with the so like I how many um staff do you have?

Rebecca Johnson:

Because yeah, I have 37 staff members.

Victoria Odekomaya:

Oh my god.

Rebecca Johnson:

Yeah.

Victoria Odekomaya:

But then you're still involved too.

Rebecca Johnson:

Yes. Oh my god. Yes. So I will cover shifts sometimes if I don't have people. Um it's it's hard. Yeah, it's hard to run the business while I'm doing those things, but it's just, you know, people aren't asking us for services because it's, you know, for giggles. They really need someone. So, you know, for safety, for you know, that continuity of care, that reliability, I will do that. A lot of the time, too, if I have a new client and we're not really sure what services need to be offered, I'll work the first shift.

Victoria Odekomaya:

Oh, wow.

Rebecca Johnson:

So that that way I can write the plan that my caregivers will be able to follow so that we know what is needed.

Victoria Odekomaya:

That's great because you're so involved. Yes. That is amazing. I love that. Okay, so shifting into the running the business. Yes. How do you how do you even manage it?

Rebecca Johnson:

Oh, it's hard. I will say the one one of the things is um I have an incredible assistant. Her name is Gigi. Shout outs to Gigi.

Victoria Odekomaya:

Hi, Gigi.

Rebecca Johnson:

Um, she is completely amazing. I, when she first um asked me, she actually she was a former client's daughter. Oh, wow. And when the client passed away, she said, I believe in you, I believe in your business, I want to come work for you. And I was like, Great, okay. That's good. But I was so wrapped up in things that I didn't respond back. And so I love Gigi. She is um a truth teller. That's good. You gotta have those. She said, Look, I know when I'm not wanted. I'm like, no, wait, wait. So um we started working together, and um, she's been an incredible addition to my team. Wow, that really helps because she does a lot of my screening. So if you ever call because you might want services, um, she'll answer the phone. Um, she also helps me with my scheduling, um, and she also helps me to find caregivers. So um I would not be able to do what I do without her, honestly. Thank you, Gigi. Thank you, Gigi. I appreciate you. Um, so another thing that I have to do is I have to really balance my time, and I'm not good at that. I'm doing better.

Victoria Odekomaya:

Oh, we all struggle.

Rebecca Johnson:

So another person that's super critical is my husband. So, you know, traditionally, us women, we do things around the house, we take care of the kids, we do the shopping. My husband has really taken over quite a bit of that. That's great. And um, he's incredible. Also, he's my biggest cheerleader. I would, you know, he believes in me when I don't believe in myself.

Victoria Odekomaya:

Oh, we need those. Yeah.

Rebecca Johnson:

And so he's huge. So thanks, Dave. I appreciate you too. Thank you, Dave. Um, I wouldn't be able to do that, but it's also about um figuring out what matters. Where's that return on investment? And it's not all about money, but we need money to pay the bills.

Victoria Odekomaya:

Oh, yes.

Rebecca Johnson:

We also have to figure out how to plan our day so that we are not just putting out fires, but we're building.

Victoria Odekomaya:

Yeah.

Rebecca Johnson:

So it really rankles me sometimes when people are like, you need to work on your business, not in your business. And I'm like, what does that even mean? But it's true. Yeah. If you're not building pipeline, you know, sales pipeline, I don't want to get too salesy, but if you're not building those, you know, contacts that people are gonna give you referrals, if you're not, you know, finding those connections that are going to be people you can refer to, if you're not keeping your name out there, marketing, doing those things, your business is gonna get stagnant. Right, you know, and I had to learn that the hard way because I got really sick a couple of years ago. Oh wow. And it got to the point where my business was almost to a screeching halt.

Victoria Odekomaya:

Oh wow.

Rebecca Johnson:

And um, I was not able to function the way that I needed to. And I found really quickly that if you're not a present person in your business, your business is gonna fizzle.

Victoria Odekomaya:

Right.

Rebecca Johnson:

So thankfully I'm doing a lot better. I still have struggles with my health, but I'm doing a lot better to the point where I'm able to be consistent on working my business, making sure that people know about me, people know what services I have, providing that good customer service. Because if you're not doing those things and you're just, you know, nose to the grindstone doing all the things, you're you're not gonna grow.

Victoria Odekomaya:

Right. You say something so important there. It's I think there's there's a way that we need to just like balance this as as much as we can, you know, because if you're not present, that was a word you used that I really liked, you know. Like, you know, you you just you you it's just necessary. It's really necessary. So I have one question for you about so there's people out there, they might not be in the home healthcare business, but they're like, How did you scale your business? You know, what are some of the things that they can be doing right now to grow? Because it's it is hard. And I know you shared a little bit about, you know, you know, being present and you know, but is there anything else? What advice would you give to any business owner there?

Rebecca Johnson:

So I recently went to a conference and they said 97% of people don't have goals, which just blew my mind because if there's anything about me, I have always had goals. I am too the to my fault almost, I have goals. And so, of course, having those goals is really important. But what I what was really impactful to me is people that write down their goals are 30 times more likely to accomplish their goals than people that don't. So making sure that you know where you want to go, working on those goals, writing them down so that you see them and living with intentionality.

Victoria Odekomaya:

That's good.

Rebecca Johnson:

So I think if that if expanding and scaling your business is where you want to go, then you need to think about what's holding me back from that and then set a goal that has to do with that and make sure that everything that you do is focused on that. Because if you're just kind of like spray and pray, essentially, like I'm gonna try this and maybe it'll work, and I'm gonna try this and maybe it'll work. But I think finding out what your mission and your vision is, and then making sure that everything that you do in your business is aligned to that and really focused on that and that it is moving you forward in that is key.

Victoria Odekomaya:

I love that. So anytime when I work with my clients, the first thing I tell them to do is close your eyes and envision where you see yourself in the next one, two, or three years. Yeah. And then I I tell them, take the limits off of God, you know, just like what do you see? How who do you see yourself as? What do you see your business, your, you know, whatever it is, like just paint that picture for me and then we walk backwards. Right. Because then we can put in actions and strategy in place to put you on the roadmap to get to that point. Right. Because there's no time for us to be like, well, maybe I'll try this, maybe I'll try. I don't even, you know, like it's it's a it's such a waste of time. So I love, I love, love that.

Rebecca Johnson:

And if I can be vulnerable with you, I want to let you know that as a baby business owner, that's what I call myself. As a base baby business owner, it was really hard for me to think, what do I want to do in five years? Because I didn't even know what next year was gonna look like.

Victoria Odekomaya:

Right.

Rebecca Johnson:

And so sometimes if that feels too big, then just think about what do I want to do in the next six months?

Victoria Odekomaya:

I love that.

Rebecca Johnson:

I went to another conference and that's I mean, really like figuring out those professional things. But I went to another conference and they talked about having a goal and then doing a quarterly review with yourself.

Victoria Odekomaya:

Yes.

Rebecca Johnson:

That was super impactful to me because I think sometimes, especially towards the end of the year, you think, what do I want to do for next year? What are my goals for next year? And then it just stays on the shelf.

Victoria Odekomaya:

Right.

Rebecca Johnson:

But if you do those regular check-ins with yourself, even if it's only quarterly, at least still you're refocusing. Oh, I got off track here. Oh, this didn't serve me. This didn't serve my business. Maybe I need to think about changing paths.

Victoria Odekomaya:

Right.

Rebecca Johnson:

So um, I think making sure I another part that I've done is I've gotten a really good core of people that are there that understand what I'm going through and they can speak truth into my life.

Victoria Odekomaya:

So good.

Rebecca Johnson:

So they are able to tell me, hey, you're doing really good work. I see sometimes it's hard to see the good things that you're doing when you're working and you're you're stressed and you're struggling. And they're able to say, Hey, you're doing great things. Here's what I I saw you do. Or, hey, Rebecca, this probably isn't serving you. Have you thought about scaling this back?

Victoria Odekomaya:

Right.

Rebecca Johnson:

And they're not afraid to tell me those things that maybe aren't doing their, I'm getting off track. Um, and so I think having those people around you that aren't just gonna pump you up, but are also not afraid to say, whoa, I don't think this is the right path. Yes. Is really important.

Victoria Odekomaya:

Oh, I love that. Um, I had a guest, uh, Dr. Jamie, she's my mentor, and she also said the same thing, like, or something similar. You have to have a village of people that you can trust and they will speak truth to your life, you know. Absolutely. And they can see because sometimes, like you said, we're so deep into it, we can't see, but we need people that can see from the outside and say, hey, this is what you're I see you doing. Right. And then we can check it back to our goals, you know, in that, like you said, the review and say, okay, well, maybe I need to adjust here or there. So that's really good. I love that. So, what is one of the things that stuck out to you from all the conferences and books that you've read?

Rebecca Johnson:

So, I think one of the things is we're reading a book in my group that we meet um every Tuesday called How Women Rise. And um, a lot of our professional development books are written from a male's perspective. And so it was super impactful to me to learn about how to do things for women. One of the things that us women are not good at is taking credit for our accomplishments and advocating for ourselves, not being afraid to speak out. I think a lot of times we are taught that as women we need to be quiet, we need to just work, people are gonna recognize us, they'll see our work. And we need to not be afraid to say, hey, this is what I'm doing to change the world. Because let's face it, women are changing the world. Yeah, yes, and um, we need to be not afraid to speak out and say, This is what I have to offer. Yes, this is why I'm good at what I do. And by the way, these are ways that you can help. Yes. And so not being afraid to leverage those relationships. Leverage sometimes sounds like a bad word, but being able to find the strengths that your friends have and say, hey, you're really good at this. Can you help me with this? Or do you know someone who could help me get better at this? Right. So to sum it up, leverage your relationships. Don't be afraid to speak out for yourself and don't expect that people will recognize your accomplishments. Speak out and say those things.

Victoria Odekomaya:

You know, I love that because I think it's on us. I completely agree that it is important that we speak up because it's it's kind of like if you don't do that, somebody else that needs your skills, your talents, we're not gonna know.

Rebecca Johnson:

Right. We're robbing them from the opportunity to get the help that we have to offer already.

Victoria Odekomaya:

Yeah, so oh my goodness, so important. So I completely encourage women out there, like this is not the age for us to be shy or to be modest. Like, think of it as you empowering other people by being, you know, fully in your gift. So please, please, please just take advantage of, like, do it for others because that is that's what we're always doing, right? We're always doing something for it. So think of it as you're also helping other people by, you know, living in your, you know, your your strength, your vision, but then also telling the world about it. Absolutely. Yes. That's great. So You are doing a wonderful job with your business. I'm so excited about for all the things that you're doing. I know you also do a lot to serve the community as well.

Rebecca Johnson:

Yes.

Victoria Odekomaya:

And I know you have a fundraiser coming up. Yes. Tell us a little bit about that.

Rebecca Johnson:

So we're really excited. We are doing our third annual Cheers to Your Health. It is an annual fundraiser. We have been able to raise up to $15,000 in a year for the Alzheimer's Association. But it's not just for people that have people that are suffering from Alzheimer's. This is to bring awareness and bring light to normalizing talk around aging, dementia, support. So with that, we are going to be doing this on August 28th.

Victoria Odekomaya:

August 28th.

Rebecca Johnson:

Yep. From 5 p.m. till 8 p.m. We are expecting between five and 700 people.

Victoria Odekomaya:

Oh wow.

Rebecca Johnson:

We are going to have silent auction where you can have you can do all kinds of um, and our our auctions are high end. Okay. So like $150 or more value. Oh. Incredible. Right. Um, we are going to have a live band.

Victoria Odekomaya:

Ooh, right?

Rebecca Johnson:

It's going to be at Daniel's Vineyard. Okay. So on Thursday and on Daniel at Daniel's Vineyard, they have a buy one, get one half off.

Victoria Odekomaya:

Oh, okay.

Rebecca Johnson:

So you can get bottles of wine. We're going to have food trucks. We're going to have local vendors that are all walks of life, not just senior space. And so it's an awesome opportunity. All of the proceeds that we have goes towards the Alzheimer's Association. We are we have a big goal. We're going to speak it. We are hoping to raise $20,000 this year.

Victoria Odekomaya:

My God, that is great. And I mean, you've done this over the years too, right?

Rebecca Johnson:

So yeah, that's this is the third annual.

Victoria Odekomaya:

Wow. Wow.

Rebecca Johnson:

So it's in cooperation with Dignity and Hope Hospice, Grandbrook Memory Care, Daniels Vineyard, and myself.

Victoria Odekomaya:

Nice.

Rebecca Johnson:

So we have other people and we are inviting people that want um exposure to their business to come alongside because we use those vendor fees towards the Alzheimer's Association. So all the money from the vendors' fees goes towards that. Um, and it's just gonna be a great time. I feel even if you don't have anyone that you know that's suffering from Alzheimer's, come out, hang out with us, listen to some music, drink some wine, get food. Oh, if I don't know if I said we're gonna have food trucks. You did say, yes. Yeah, so get some really good food from some of our local people. Um, and it's just gonna be a great time.

Victoria Odekomaya:

Yeah, so August 28th, we're gonna make sure that we um get all the information on how to get the tickets and all that. We'll put that in the comments. So excellent. We already know how that goes. So look, check the comment section. Awesome. But um, as you were speaking about um the auction and um the the event, so this is in a partnership with so many other people, right? And um, how can people learn more about this?

Rebecca Johnson:

Like so you can um if you can't come but you still want to donate, we do have a link that we'll give you so that you can donate directly towards this um online. You can, if you are wanting to sponsor a basket, if you have some things that you want to offer, it also could give you exposure for your business. So we're accepting baskets from different local businesses. Um last year I had a group of women that I meet with every week and we put all of our business stuff in there. And so that was able to, because none of us on our own could afford $150 worth of products, but we were able to put it in together, yeah. Together, and so we were able to provide a really fun basket. Um, we also are accepting vendors. So if you wanted to set up a table and give um information out about your business, we can do that. And we are also looking for volunteers. Oh, yes. So the volunteers will get a t-shirt, it will be purple, and I'll say the longest day. Okay. Um, and you can come and help us set up. You can help um work the table. You can help. Um, we're hoping to have like photos happening and that sort of thing. So um just I would love it if you're interested in getting involved to contact me and I'll be happy to give you more information.

Victoria Odekomaya:

I love that. And I think one thing that I wanted to mention also was that it's not just for the client, but it's also resources for the family members too. So it's you know, like bring come with your friends, your family members, like all of that. Anyone, everyone would get something from this.

Rebecca Johnson:

Absolutely. And all of the money goes to the Alzheimer's Association, which they use the money to fund research. They also provide support for the families. Yes. I don't know if if people realize this, but the Alzheimer's Association has an 800 number that you can call. It's staffed 24 hours a day. Oh, wow. So people that are struggling with people um that have dementia or Alzheimer's can call that for help and support, which is an absolutely amazing resource. Yes. They also will offer classes, um, things like that. So it's an amazing organization. And until I got involved with it, I didn't know all of the resources that they offer to people.

Victoria Odekomaya:

Yeah, that is incredible. And all the things that you are doing too for the community and for the family. So I really appreciate you coming on today. August 28th. So you want to mark the calendar, we'll put the com the details in the show notes and the comments. And so please make sure you check that information out. Be a vendor, buy the tickets, come support. You know, I ever if you want to donate, there's other opportunities, volunteer, you know, all the things, so many opportunities to be a part of this. Thank you so much for your time today.

Rebecca Johnson:

Thank you for having me. I really appreciate it.

Victoria Odekomaya:

No, I really appreciate you. I just really am in awe with the amazing things that you're doing. I see your heart, I see how much you care about the people and the family and your caregivers. I think that resonates so much. And I just want to encourage you to just continue to do that because a lot of people are being inspired by the work that you're doing. You know, and I'm rooting for you. Like this is just the beginning. Yes, your best is yet to come.

Rebecca Johnson:

Thank you. Thank you so much. And thank you for the encouragement. I can't tell you how much it means to hear those positive words, and I'm gonna hold them in my heart.

Victoria Odekomaya:

Oh, thank you. Thank you all. Until next time, make sure you continue to fulfill your passion, you know, dream big and follow through with that. Take care.

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Victoria Odekomaya

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