Meet Johnny Bailey
Johnny is a business coach, marketing consultant, and power connector with a passion for economic empowerment. A hall of fame high school athlete and graduate of Hampton University, Johnny has taken his pursuit of excellence into the world of business and technology. View Media Kit
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As Business Educator for Amazon’s Black Business Accelerator, Johnny’s mission is to level the playing field for diverse small business owners—providing world class skills training to help business owners flourish online and IRL.
As Founder of the ShineHard Network, Johnny’s mission is to help high performers socialize, organize, monetize, and self actualize. ShineHard Network is a membership club driving thought leadership and generational wealth for founders, innovators, and thought leaders.
Johnny has been recognized by the Washington Wizards, Afro Tech, and Travel Noire for outstanding leadership, was named Top 40under40 by Black Enterprise, named Entrepreneur of the Year by DC Black MBA, and partnered with the Mayor’s Office on the #FlipTheScript campaign highlighting minority fathers in Washington DC.
Beginnings
I grew up as an only child mostly raised by my grandparents. I spent my childhood between Denver, Colorado and Petersburg, Virginia, probably what most would call humble beginnings. When I was fourteen, I lost my mom to mental illness as my dad did his best to offer me guidance from afar. I didn’t really have a blueprint on how to succeed as a Black boy in America, however I never once thought that it wasn’t possible for me. During my teenage years, I often found myself thrust into leadership positions among friends and on sports teams which led me to a hall of fame high school career and earned me a scholarship to Hampton University.
early-Career
I kicked off my career working as a brand strategist for NFL sports agency, Paramount Sports & Entertainment. Primarily focused on community initiatives, database management and prospect recruiting. I helped the firm acquire and retain clients like Kam Chancellor, Marcus McNeil, and Deangelo Hall. Following the agency, I worked as a tour manager for Nike Inc., leading the Nike ID hoops tour. A national campaign with the objective to foster grassroots relationships with top ranked programs around the country. I got to work hands on with blue chip athletes, many of which, went on to enter the NBA. Also spent time focused on consumer marketing during sports like Super Bowl, NBA All Star, and World Basketball Festival.
RECENT EXPERIENCE
In 2014, I took my first step toward entrepreneurship. I built and launched a brand called ‘ShineHard’ to shine a light on black leaders who personified Black Excellence. This podcast, SH Conversations, went on to reach 1 millions site views and snowballed into a professional network. The ShineHard Network now provides exclusive meetups for high performing entrepreneurs and innovators. This work opened a huge doors for me to become Google’s DC Digital Coach in 2019 and Amazon’s Black business educator in 2021. My journey has been far from easy, but it has certainly been worth it. I am proud community leader and an advocate for a stronger, more sustainable black economy.
