Latest / The Confident Entrepreneur With Jennifer Ann Johnson / Building a Legacy, Not Just a Business With Jennifer Ann Johnson
Transcript
- 0:38Jennifer Johnson: Today I want to ask you a question that might make you a bit uncomfortable.
- 0:42Jennifer Johnson: What legacy do you want to leave behind?
- 0:44Jennifer Johnson: Not your estate plan or succession strategy.
- 0:47Jennifer Johnson: Those matter too, but I'm thinking about something deeper.
- 0:50Jennifer Johnson: When people think about you in 10, 20, maybe 50 years from now, what do you want them to remember?
- 0:56Jennifer Johnson: When they tell stories about your business, your leadership, and your life, what stories do you want them to tell?
- 1:03Jennifer Johnson: This isn't just philosophical navel gazing.
- 1:06Jennifer Johnson: The legacy question is one of the most practical and strategic questions that you can ask yourself because it has the power to fundamentally change how you make decisions today.
- 1:16Jennifer Johnson: When you get clear about the impact you want to have, it becomes the filter for everything else.
- 1:21Jennifer Johnson: How you treat people, what projects you pursue, how you spend your time, and what risks you take, and what you choose to stand for.
- 1:29Jennifer Johnson: I've been thinking about legacy a lot lately, partly because I'm at a stage in my career where the long-term impact of my work is becoming more apparent, and partly because I've watched too many successful people reach the end of their lives with regrets about the legacy that they're leaving behind.
- 1:44Jennifer Johnson: They built companies, they made money, they achieved recognition, but somehow they missed creating the kind of lasting impact that they really cared about.
- 1:53Jennifer Johnson: Today I want to explore what it means to build a meaningful legacy in both business and life and how to align your daily actions with your long-term impact and why thinking about legacy isn't morbid or premature.
- 2:05Jennifer Johnson: It's essential for living and working with intention.
- 2:08Jennifer Johnson: So let me start with a story that changed how I thought about legacy.
- 2:12Jennifer Johnson: A few years ago, I attended the funeral of someone who had built a successful business.
- 2:17Jennifer Johnson: They were respected in their field, financially successful, and known for their expertise.
- 2:22Jennifer Johnson: But as I listened to the eulogies, something struck me.
- 2:25Jennifer Johnson: Most of the stories weren't about his business.
- 2:28Jennifer Johnson: They were about the small personal ways that they've impacted the people's lives.
- 2:33Jennifer Johnson: Their former employees talked about how they believed in how he believed in them and when they didn't believe in themselves.
- 2:40Jennifer Johnson: His clients shared stories about how they'd gone, how he'd gone beyond the scope of work to help them through difficult times.
- 2:47Jennifer Johnson: His family remembered him and not his deals or his revenue, but his presence, his wisdom, and the values that he lived by.
- 2:55Jennifer Johnson: That was a wake-up call.
- 2:56Jennifer Johnson: I realized I'd been thinking about success in terms of metrics that probably didn't matter at my own funeral.
- 3:02Jennifer Johnson: I was focused on growing my business, increasing my influence and achieving recognition, all those good things, but not necessarily the things that would actually define my legacy.
- 3:14Jennifer Johnson: The mortality reminder isn't meant to be depressing.
- 3:18Jennifer Johnson: It's meant to be clarifying.
- 3:20Jennifer Johnson: When you acknowledge that your time is finite, it focuses you, or it forces you actually to think about what you want to do with that time.
- 3:29Jennifer Johnson: When you accept that when you accept that you're not going to be here forever, it helps you focus on what you want to leave behind.
- 3:36Jennifer Johnson: So here's something that took me too long to understand.
- 3:39Jennifer Johnson: Success and legacy are not the same thing.
- 3:41Jennifer Johnson: You can be incredibly successful by conventional metrics and still lead behind a legacy that you're not proud of.
- 3:48Jennifer Johnson: Conversely, you can have a profound positive legacy without ever achieving what most people would consider extraordinary success.
- 3:58Jennifer Johnson: Now, success tends to be self-focused.
- 4:01Jennifer Johnson: What can I achieve?
- 4:02Jennifer Johnson: How much can I earn?
- 4:03Jennifer Johnson: What recognition can I gain?
- 4:05Jennifer Johnson: There's nothing wrong with pursuing success, but success alone doesn't create legacy.
- 4:11Jennifer Johnson: Legacy is what I call other focused.
- 4:14Jennifer Johnson: How can I contribute?
- 4:15Jennifer Johnson: What impact can I have?
- 4:16Jennifer Johnson: How can I make things better for the people who come after me?
- 4:20Jennifer Johnson: Legacy is about the value you add to the world beyond yourself.
- 4:24Jennifer Johnson: Now I know entrepreneurs who have built million-dollar businesses, but whose legacies are primarily about the wealth that they've made.
- 4:32Jennifer Johnson: I also know teachers and social workers and small business owners whose legacy is hundreds and hundreds of lives that they've touched.
- 4:42Jennifer Johnson: They've positively influenced.
- 4:44Jennifer Johnson: The size of your bank account doesn't turn determine the size of your legacy.
- 4:49Jennifer Johnson: Now I know success can often be measured immediately.
- 4:51Jennifer Johnson: This quarter's revenues or the growth, the achievements.
- 4:55Jennifer Johnson: But this time, this time horizon difference is crucial because it changes how you make decisions.
- 5:02Jennifer Johnson: If you're only thinking about immediately right now, you make choices that are only short-term and you undermine that long-term impact.
- 5:11Jennifer Johnson: If you're thinking about legacy, you're more likely to make choices that may cost you in the short term, but create a lasting value.
- 5:20Jennifer Johnson: You can stumble into success and you can be in the right place at the right time and catch a wave or benefit from circumstances that are beyond your control.
- 5:28Jennifer Johnson: But legacy, that doesn't happen by accident.
- 5:31Jennifer Johnson: Legacy requires intentional choices about who you want to be and what you want to create.
- 5:38Jennifer Johnson: That's why legacy thinking is so powerful as a decision-making tool because it forces you to be intentional about your choices instead of just being reactive to your circumstances.
- 5:49Jennifer Johnson: So let's start with the business side of legacy.
- 5:52Jennifer Johnson: Whether you're building a company or leading a team or contributing to an organization, you have the opportunity to create a business legacy.
- 6:00Jennifer Johnson: The question is, what kind of legacy do you want for yourself?
- 6:05Jennifer Johnson: One of the most lasting aspects of any business legacy is the culture that you create or contribute to.
- 6:12Jennifer Johnson: Culture outlasts products and strategies and even people.
- 6:16Jennifer Johnson: The value that you embed, the standards that you set, and the way you treat people become part of the organizational DNA that continues long after you're gone.
- 6:27Jennifer Johnson: I've seen leaders whose primary legacy in the culture is creating that culture of excellence and it's that integrity and the innovation.
- 6:35Jennifer Johnson: And years after they've moved on, people still talk about them.
- 6:40Jennifer Johnson: And they say the way things we do things here, based on the standards of the leaders that established these uh these ideals, that's powerful.
- 6:49Jennifer Johnson: But I've also seen leaders whose legacy is a culture of fear, of politics and short-term thinking.
- 6:56Jennifer Johnson: Their technical achievements may be impressive, but their cultural legacy is something that people are still trying to overcome several years later.
- 7:05Jennifer Johnson: So that culture question forces you to think beyond results to methods.
- 7:10Jennifer Johnson: How do you want to achieve your business goals?
- 7:12Jennifer Johnson: What kind of environment do you want to create for the people who work with you?
- 7:16Jennifer Johnson: What values do you want to embed in your organization's DNA?
- 7:21Jennifer Johnson: Now, another critical aspect of business legacy is the people that you develop along the way.
- 7:26Jennifer Johnson: The most successful leaders, I know, measure their success not by what they accomplish, but by what people they have mentored went on to accomplish.
- 7:35Jennifer Johnson: There's something incredibly powerful about knowing that your influence helps someone else reach their potential.
- 7:41Jennifer Johnson: It's your guidance, it's your investment, it's your belief in them that contributed to their success.
- 7:49Jennifer Johnson: And that creates a multiplying effect.
- 7:52Jennifer Johnson: And it extends far beyond what you could achieve on your own.
- 7:56Jennifer Johnson: So make it a practice regularly to ask yourself: who am I investing in?
- 8:01Jennifer Johnson: Who am I developing and who am I preparing to go further than I've gone?
- 8:05Jennifer Johnson: It's that's called legacy building.
- 10:34Jennifer Johnson: The most meaningful business legacies often center around problems that were solved or improvements that were made.
- 10:41Jennifer Johnson: What challenges did you tackle?
- 10:43Jennifer Johnson: What efficiencies, inefficiencies did you eliminate, and what innovations did you contribute to?
- 10:49Jennifer Johnson: This is where purpose-driven businesses become so powerful.
- 10:53Jennifer Johnson: When your business exists to solve real problems for real people, your legacy becomes tied to the positive change that you created.
- 11:01Jennifer Johnson: Even if your specific company doesn't last forever, the problems that you solved and the improvements you made become part of your lasting impact.
- 11:10Jennifer Johnson: Sometimes legacy is about raising the bar for an entire industry or profession.
- 11:14Jennifer Johnson: The standards that you set for quality and ethics and customer service can influence how business is done long, is done long after you're gone.
- 11:22Jennifer Johnson: Now, I think of leaders who changed entire industries by refusing to accept how things have always been done.
- 11:29Jennifer Johnson: They set new standards that focus on competitors or that focus their competitors to raise their game and everyone benefits from that.
- 11:40Jennifer Johnson: Beyond the business part, there's your personal legacy, the impact you have on your family and your friends and your community.
- 11:46Jennifer Johnson: And a lot of that comes through the values that you model and that you demonstrate on a day-to-day basis.
- 11:53Jennifer Johnson: What do people learn about life, about character?
- 11:57Jennifer Johnson: And what matters is by watching how you live.
- 12:00Jennifer Johnson: This is especially important if you have kids, but it extends to everybody who watches you because everybody is watching.
- 12:08Jennifer Johnson: I've been thinking a lot about what values I'm modeling through my daily actions.
- 12:12Jennifer Johnson: Am I demonstrating that work is more important than relationships?
- 12:16Jennifer Johnson: That success justifies cutting corners, or that being busy is more valuable than being present?
- 12:22Jennifer Johnson: Or is it more about modeling balance, integrity, and intentionality?
- 12:28Jennifer Johnson: The values question is a humbling one because it forces you to look at what you're actually demonstrating and not just what you say or believe.
- 12:35Jennifer Johnson: Legacy is ultimately about relationships and the connections that you make and the support that you provide in the community that you build.
- 12:44Jennifer Johnson: At the end of your life, the relationships you built and nurtured will likely matter more than your professional achievement.
- 12:51Jennifer Johnson: It doesn't mean that you have to be everyone's best friend.
- 12:55Jennifer Johnson: But are you present when people need you?
- 12:57Jennifer Johnson: Do you invest in others' success and happiness?
- 13:00Jennifer Johnson: Do you contribute to your community?
- 13:03Jennifer Johnson: Whether you realize it or not, you're constantly setting examples for others about how to live and how to handle challenges and how to treat people.
- 13:10Jennifer Johnson: This is true if you're in any kind of leadership position, but true for everyone.
- 13:15Jennifer Johnson: The example you set becomes part of your legacy because it influences how others choose to live their lives.
- 13:21Jennifer Johnson: And it's a responsibility and opportunity to create a positive ripple effect that extends far beyond your direct sphere of influence.
- 13:30Jennifer Johnson: Finally, a personal legacy often involves the contribution that you make to causes and communities.
- 13:37Jennifer Johnson: And charitable, that includes like charitable giving and advocacy, and how you make that positive difference.
- 13:44Jennifer Johnson: The key is to finding ways to contribute that align with your values and leverage your unique strengths and resources.
- 13:51Jennifer Johnson: Once you're clear about your legacy that you want to leave, the next challenge is aligning your daily actions with that long-term vision.
- 13:59Jennifer Johnson: So I have a few thoughts on that.
- 14:02Jennifer Johnson: Start using your legacy or your desired legacy for that matter as a decision-making filter.
- 14:09Jennifer Johnson: When facing choices about how to spend your time, think about what option better aligns with the legacy that I want to leave.
- 14:16Jennifer Johnson: It doesn't always mean choosing the option that seems most noble or selfless.
- 14:20Jennifer Johnson: It means choosing the option that contributes to the kind of long-term impact that you want to have.
- 14:27Jennifer Johnson: And legacy thinking requires extending your time horizon beyond immediate results to long-term impact.
- 14:33Jennifer Johnson: Instead of asking, what will I accomplish this quarter, start asking, what will this contribute to over the next decade?
- 14:41Jennifer Johnson: That's important because you may focus on sustainable practices, even though they're more expensive in the short term.
- 14:49Jennifer Johnson: Then you can do a values alignment audit.
- 14:53Jennifer Johnson: Regularly take a look at your actions to make sure that they align with your values and your desired legacies.
- 14:59Jennifer Johnson: It's easy to say that you value things like integrity and family and community, but it's much harder consistently to act in act in ways that demonstrate those values.
- 15:09Jennifer Johnson: It's not about perfection, it's just about awareness and course correction.
- 15:15Jennifer Johnson: When you notice gaps, you can be aware of your actions and make adjustments.
- 15:21Jennifer Johnson: And a way to think about building a legacy will evolve throughout your life.
- 15:26Jennifer Johnson: Understanding that there's different stages can help you be more intentional about your legacy, no matter what stage it is that you're in.
- 15:33Jennifer Johnson: For example, in your 20s and 30s, legacy building is often about establishing a foundation for your future impact.
- 15:40Jennifer Johnson: It may involve developing skills and building relationships.
- 15:44Jennifer Johnson: And the temptation at this stage is to think that legacy is something you'll worry about later.
- 15:49Jennifer Johnson: But the habits, the relationships, and reputation that you build early on impacts your legacy that you'll create later.
- 15:56Jennifer Johnson: And then your mid-career.
- 15:58Jennifer Johnson: In your 40s and 50s, you often have more influence, resources, and experience to leverage for that building.
- 16:05Jennifer Johnson: This is often when you can make your biggest direct contributions through leadership, mentorship, innovation, and community involvement.
- 16:12Jennifer Johnson: It's also where the tension between immediate success and long-term legacy become most apparent.
- 16:19Jennifer Johnson: You have the power to prioritize short-term gains or long-term impact.
- 16:25Jennifer Johnson: And then later in your career, in your 60s and beyond, this is when legacy building often shifts towards sharing your wisdom and knowledge transfer and making sure that you're leaving a positive impact.
- 16:37Jennifer Johnson: This stage is often more about ensuring that your legacy continues beyond your direct involvement rather than just accumulating more personal achievements.
- 16:47Jennifer Johnson: Building a meaningful legacy isn't solo.
- 16:51Jennifer Johnson: You can't do it alone.
- 16:52Jennifer Johnson: It requires ongoing conversations with people who matter to you most, meaning your family and your friends.
- 16:58Jennifer Johnson: With your family, talk to them about your legacy and what you want to leave.
- 17:03Jennifer Johnson: And sometimes there's a gap between what you think matters and what actually matters to the people closest to you.
- 17:09Jennifer Johnson: These conversations can be humbling, but very valuable.
- 17:13Jennifer Johnson: Then with your team.
- 17:14Jennifer Johnson: If you're in a leadership position, have a conversation with your team.
- 17:18Jennifer Johnson: What kind of culture do you want to create or what kind of impact do you want to have?
- 17:22Jennifer Johnson: It's going to make sure that everybody is aligned, not just around what you're trying to accomplish, but what you're trying to accomplish how you're trying to accomplish it and why.
- 17:31Jennifer Johnson: And then one with your mentors.
- 17:33Jennifer Johnson: Seek out conversations with people who are further along in their careers and can provide a perspective on what creates a lasting impact.
- 17:41Jennifer Johnson: These conversations can help you avoid common mistakes and help you focus your energy on the things that are most likely to create the kind of legacy that you want to leave.
- 17:51Jennifer Johnson: When you start making decisions based on your legacy that you want to leave, it creates that ripple effect I talked about.
- 17:57Jennifer Johnson: And it attracts the right people.
- 17:59Jennifer Johnson: It provides resilience during hard times.
- 18:02Jennifer Johnson: It creates meaning beyond your success.
- 18:06Jennifer Johnson: So as we wrap up today, I want to leave you with a thought.
- 18:09Jennifer Johnson: You're already building a legacy.
- 18:11Jennifer Johnson: The question isn't whether you'll leave a legacy.
- 18:14Jennifer Johnson: The question is what kind of legacy will you leave?
- 18:17Jennifer Johnson: Every interaction, decision, choice, and how you spend your time and energy is contributing to the story that will be told about your life and work.
- 18:25Jennifer Johnson: The opportunity is to become intentional about that story instead of leaving it to chance.
- 18:30Jennifer Johnson: Your legacy won't be determined by your biggest achievements or your most impression, impressive accomplishments.
- 18:39Jennifer Johnson: It'll be determined by the patterns of how you treated people and what you stood for, what you contributed and what you left behind for others.
- 18:47Jennifer Johnson: The most powerful thing about legacy is thinking that it's in the is the thinking that it's never too early to start or late to start, whether you're just beginning your career or nearing the end of it.
- 18:59Jennifer Johnson: It's whether you're leading a team or 100 or just trying to be a good parent or friend.
- 19:05Jennifer Johnson: You have the opportunity to be intentional about the impact that you want to have.
- 19:08Jennifer Johnson: So here's my challenge for you.
- 19:10Jennifer Johnson: Spend some time this week thinking about the legacy you want to leave.
- 19:15Jennifer Johnson: What do you want to be remembered for?
- 19:17Jennifer Johnson: What impact do you want to have?
- 19:19Jennifer Johnson: And what story do you want your life to tell?
- 19:22Jennifer Johnson: And then ask yourself, what would I need to change about how I'm currently living or working to align with that legacy?
- 19:29Jennifer Johnson: What decisions would I make differently?
- 19:32Jennifer Johnson: What would I prioritize and what would I let go of?
- 19:35Jennifer Johnson: Remember that legacy isn't building it being built in grand gestures.
- 19:40Jennifer Johnson: It's built in daily choices.
- 19:41Jennifer Johnson: It's built in how you show up when no one is watching, how you treat people when you're under pressure, and how you choose your influence and resources.
- 19:50Jennifer Johnson: You have the opportunity to create a legacy that you're proud of that makes a positive difference and that continues to impact the world long after you're gone.
- 19:59Jennifer Johnson: The question is what will you do with that opportunity?