We had the good fortune of connecting with Isabella Johnston and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Isabella, is there a quote or affirmation that’s meaningful to you?
Think like an Olympian! This is an affirmation I tell myself, share with people on my team, and when asked to speak at events. I plan on writing a full article about this topic and sharing on LinkedIn. The word “try” is not in the vocabulary. Olympians don’t say “I will try to do this”. They say they will win.

Basically there are three key verbs in my thinking. I think, I believe, and I know. Which one does an Olympian tell themselves over and over? Do they say I think I can? I believe I can? OR I Know I Can? The use of all caps is a big clue.

Nike’s tagline, Just Do It!, is the same. Are you going to TRY to run today OR  WILL run today?

By saying I know I can….means you are a problem-solver, someone who gets shxt done.

What should our readers know about your business?
What I believe sets me apart from others in business is my eclectic background. I have deep industry and work experience in education, higher Ed, HRD (training and learning), nonprofit management and the psychology of people.

What I am most proud of?  My parents and their work ethic that was taught and ingrained in me. Thanks to my mom and dad, I gained valuable life skills that translate into how I do business. Be kind, be honest, do your very best.

How did I get to where I am today business-wise? The lessons I learned along the way are:

Was it easy? No, starting a business and sticking with it is fxcking hard. A founder has to be super focused, listen to customers, and stay positive.

Lessons learned: Look for the good in everything that happens. For example, what did I learn from challenges or set backs is it gives me a different perspective?  I choose to surround myself with positive people that I like and respect. If someone has negative energy then I look for something positive about them. I also rely heavily on God/Jesus. I usually tell people I am a Jesus girl with a potty mouth so they are not surprised if I use a bad word, like I did on the previous question.

What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story? I chose my brand colors based on what is important to me in life. My brand colors are black, white, gray, and red.

I see everything in black and white – what I mean by that is there is a right and wrong way to do and be in business.

Gray is because people are messy and many times, things have to adjust. So be flexible.

Red is my reminder of who I belong to – Christ. That red reminds me to give others grace, mercy and forgiveness because everyone is going through something which might account for why my email or phone call was not returned.

Adding on to that – I believe people are made for relationships – which includes work. You want to build  relationships and value your customers, employees, contractors, and vendors.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Friday night arrival – chill at one of my favorite places to eat Boca on Park Avenue, Winter Park https://bocawp.com/ Eating outside or tucked away in the back is really chill. From there we would walk on Park Avenue and window shop or sit in the park and people watch.

Saturday – We would prepare a picnic to take with us. Broccoli salad, pre- package veggies to grilling at the park, and fruit & chocolate fondue. We would first head towards Ormond Beach and take a BUTI yoga class at Blue Moon Yoga https://www.mindbodyonline.com/explore/fitness/classes/butiyoga-blue-moon-yoga-fitness#134095948-2021-09-04 and then head over to Daytona Beach for the afternoon and explore the MOAS (Museum of Art and Science) https://www.moas.org/ and finally a late afternoon drive to New Smyrna Beach and picnic by grilling our pre-packaged veggies in foil and dip strawberries in chocolate while watching the waves. Head back at dusk to enjoy spa water and relax. In case you don’t know what spa water is, it water that has lemons, strawberries, oranges, or cucumbers in it.

Sunday – Start the day by heading over to my church, Discover Grace https://discovergrace.com/

I usually attend online however in person is an option. Head over to Another Broken Egg for brunch. Tip – everything on the menu is scrumptious and you will be a repeat offender. https://anotherbrokenegg.com/location/winter-park-fl

Head over to Rollins College (my alma mater) and take a tour of the campus https://www.rollins.edu/ and go on the Scenic Boat Ride and see some beautiful homes https://www.scenicboattours.com/. When finished with that we would head over to Orlando Science Center – lots of hand’s on activities and people can play for a long time. https://www.osc.org/

End of day would be back at the house and out door grilling again and watch a movie.

Monday night departure – This is a wildcard day so whatever we mutually decide to do. Might be ziplining at the Canyons in Ocala https://zipthecanyons.com, visit a state park (Wekiva Springs, Historic walking tour of downtown Orlando, Disney Preserve, or go to a theme park (Disney, Universal, Gator Land, so many others to visit.

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?
Yes, I want to give a shoutout to every intern that has worked with me in the past, present, and in the future. Thank you for believing in the mission, vision, and growing Intern Pursuit. We are in the process of rebranding and look for the name change to Employers4Change (E4C).   YOU are superheroes in my mind and I could not have done this without you Every. Step. Of. The. Way!

Website: internpursuit.tech

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

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/isabellajohnston/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/internpursuit

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

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8c_T19-pyfghVuAEbOMmHg/videos?view_as=subscriber

Other: Podbean – our podcast (audio and video) is The Intern Whisperer (also on 16 podcasts channels, 3 live radio stations, and our YT and FB video page. Our guests are our employer customers, thought leaders, HR leaders, and career service professionals. https://internwhisperer.podbean.com/ Play our Intern Pursuit Game on Steam https://store.steampowered.com/app/1219790/Intern_Pursuit_Game/

Image Credits
Landen Conner Photography takes headshots for all interns that are matched with employers. He is also an employer customer. All others are property of Intern Pursuit.

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutMiami is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.