Welcome to the 20/20 Club, Michelda Johnson! Michelda is a serial entrepreneur, author, philanthropist, strategist and innovator with over 20 years of business experience, community advocacy, and executive leadership. She has consistently and continually broken barriers personally and professionally. At the age of 30, and in the peak of her professional career as a senior level executive for a major organization, she decided to turn in her corporate hat and follow her entrepreneurial desires.
Michelda’s decision led to a prolific career where she provided human resources consulting, diversity and leadership training, and EEOC investigative services across the nation. She worked with many organizations conducting risk assessments and strategic analysis to develop short and long-term growth strategies and efficiency analysis. Her impressive clientele included many federal, state, and municipal government entities, Fortune 500 organizations, and international companies doing business in the States.
In her hometown of Huntsville, AL (Michelda currently resides in Columbia, MD), she opened the first Edible Arrangements store in the state of Alabama. Edible Arrangements continually exceeded revenue goals, setting a standard for the state. For seven years she consistently experienced profitable margins to the bottom line until it was sold in 2014.
“Of whom much is given, much is required” (Luke 12:48) resonates more than any accolade with Michelda. It is this driving force that pushes her to passionately provide business coaching, mentorship, and tools to help entrepreneurs reach their next level of success. She is the Founder of WaterWalker, which has a mission of helping others find their purpose, discover untapped potential, and walk on the waters of success toward their dreams and goals. Michelda is known for her engaging commentaries, blogs, and videos, and frequently describes the importance of sharing her “good, bad, and ugly” in the business world. She is a passionate speaker who keeps her audience engaged, involved, and looking forward to their next!
This same mandate propels Michelda to consistently give thousands of dollars in philanthropy to organizations across the nation to support their missions and goals. Since 2009, she has been pushed to share entrepreneurial and wealth-building techniques and use her knowledge and experience to push people to their destiny and purpose. With a motto of “bridging the gap between vision and execution,” Michelda provides countless hours coaching, mentoring, and counseling to small business owners and in many cases providing seed money as an angel investor into their dreams.
The mandate continues as she raised $3.5 million to build a new 21st century library in her hometown that will provide economic development opportunities. It is this mandate that is the driving force of working with a Pastor in Nairobi, Kenya to provide funding and resources to open a grade school in the Korogocho Slum community. It is this mandate that established the WaterWalker Scholarship Fund, providing scholarship opportunities for high school students pursuing a degree in business. It is for this mandate that she hosts an annual “pitch” contest called BizTank, giving entrepreneurs an opportunity to pitch their business idea for a $1000 investment. It is for this mandate that she weekly comes into the homes of listeners via the Yes Lord Radio platform and shares entrepreneurial strategies in a show titled BizNation.
Michelda ultimately has a passion for people and that passion has led her to continue to seek ways to improve her community, region, and nation. She is grateful for PlanNet Marketing and the entrepreneurial spirit of the organization. “PlanNet Marketing provides the vehicle for the message and the fuel to push individuals to pursue financial freedom and build a legacy. The realization that so many are HUNGRY for more — more life balance, more time with family, more energy to LIVE…and with PlanNet Marketing you feel as if you have the secret to unlock the MORE they desire. When you realize the value and power of what you have, it is impossible to stay quiet about it. So, I speak on this opportunity often. Too many allow others and their lack of knowledge to shame us into silence.”
She concludes, “My why is simple. I have two beautiful daughters (Jessica & Erica) and a rambunctious Goldendoodle name Charley who are everything to me. They have taught me so much and I want to leave them the WORLD. Since early childhood they were tasked with selecting and booking our annual family two-week vacations. We have traveled the world, parasailed over three oceans, hiked some interesting mountains, 4-wheeled through back country, and golfed in exotic locations.”
