Jun 01, 2020
A few weeks ago, Chalene and Bret Johnson got a 6 a.m. text from their son about a very important piece of news: He had just been verified on Instagram.
For most college students, having an account with a blue checkmark — denoting a public figure, brand or celebrity — would be exciting, but for Brock Johnson it could mean big things for his business.
Brock Johnson is a senior at UC Davis majoring in communication who plays quarterback, but said his true passion is the venture he created teaching business owners (mostly female Gen Xers, he said) how to use social media.
“I’ve grown up with social media,” he said. “It excites me.”
In a regular year, he spends about two hours a day working when he’s not in class or at practice. But now, he’s spending each day holed up in his parents’ San Clemente, California, beachfront home. And he’s spending a lot of time thinking about business — and not just his.
His parents jointly run several businesses, chief of which is an online academy to teach others to start a business and build a presence online.
“I’ve been in almost every business plan meeting because most of them have been taking place around the dinner table at home,” Brock Johnson said.
He’s been involved with their enterprise before, speaking at an annual conference for the last four years. He and his mother also host the Build Your Tribe podcast focused on business and social media tips.