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Second Business Success: Jay Johnson's Blueprint for Smart Growth
What happens when your own team votes down your next big idea? Kimberly Daniel and Stephen Lewis of the DO GOOD X Podcast revisit their conversation with Jay Johnson, founder of College Prep U and co-founder of Prep Intel, to share the raw truth about launching a second business. Jay’s staff rejected his pitch to use company funds, and instead of overriding them, he listened. He invested a year in leadership development, empowering his team around sustainable growth. The result? College Prep U had its highest-grossing year without him, and Prep Intel launched debt-free through Techstars Investment and bootstrapping.
What You Will Learn in this Episode:
✅ How to know if your business foundation is truly ready before launching a second business, and why skipping this step can put your first company and your team building at serious risk.
✅ Why letting go of control is one of the most powerful moves a founder can make, and how investing in leadership development within your existing company can lead to your highest-grossing year ever.
✅ How to pursue business funding for a new venture without draining your first company, including how bootstrapping and applying to a business accelerator like Techstars can keep both businesses financially healthy.
Join the DO GOOD X Community to access resources, connect with purpose-driven entrepreneurs, and grow your impactful business with intention.
TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 Jay Johnson on second business growth, sustainable growth, and what expansion really requires for founders
04:03 Jay shares his biggest challenge: deciding whether to fund his second venture using money from College Prep U
05:52 Jay's team votes down his pitch, revealing a powerful stakeholder culture and the importance of letting go of control
08:37 Jay commits to a year of leadership development, teaching his team to run the business independently before stepping away
09:59 College Prep U hits its highest revenue year without Jay, and Prep Intel launches through Techstars and bootstrapping success
12:53 Jay gives parting advice of having a firm foundation
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
💎 True business growth means building a team that can thrive without you. Jay's story proves that investing in your people before launching a second business is what separates sustainable founders from overwhelmed ones.
💎 Rejection from your own team can be a gift. Jay's stakeholder culture created an environment where honest feedback protected both the company and the community it serves, ultimately leading to a stronger business strategy.
💎 Business funding for a new venture should never compromise your first. Pursuing outside capital through a business accelerator like Techstars allowed Jay to launch Prep Intel without putting College Prep U or its team at financial risk.
ABOUT THE GUEST:
Jay Johnson is the CEO and Co-founder of Prep Intel, an AI- and ML-powered platform that helps educational institutions and military recruiters efficiently identify and engage prospective students. He is also the founder of College Prep U, guiding parents and students through the college-preparation process from high school through beyond.
A Morehouse alumnus and certified Collegiate Independent Counselor, Jay is a former Fortune 100 executive who has served as a Senior Admission Counselor and chaired numerous committees. He currently sits on advisory boards for the University of Alabama, the Naval Academy, Clark Atlanta University, and the University of Pennsylvania. He serves as President of the Birmingham Chapter of the 100 Black Men of America.
Jay is an Entrepreneur in Residence at Techstars and has been recognized through multiple prestigious cohorts, including Birmingham Business Journal's CEO of the Year finalist, Birmingham Business Alliance's Supply Scalers, and TechMGM's Tech Accelerator. He is also a proud member of NACAC and SACAC.
Jay Johnson - LinkedIn
RESOURCES MENTIONED:
DO GOOD X - Website
DO GOOD X Start Up Accelerator
DO GOOD X - LinkedIn
Connect with Hosts:
Kimberly Daniel LinkedIn
Stephen Lewis LinkedIn
DO GOOD X, Kimberly Daniel, Stephen Lewis, Entrepreneurs, Purpose-Driven Business, Second Business, Scaling A Business, Second Venture, Business Growth, Entrepreneurship, Small Business, Business Foundation, Leadership Development, Business Funding, Bootstrapping, Tech Startups
View all episodes
By Kimberly Daniel & Stephen LewisWhat happens when your own team votes down your next big idea? Kimberly Daniel and Stephen Lewis of the DO GOOD X Podcast revisit their conversation with Jay Johnson, founder of College Prep U and co-founder of Prep Intel, to share the raw truth about launching a second business. Jay’s staff rejected his pitch to use company funds, and instead of overriding them, he listened. He invested a year in leadership development, empowering his team around sustainable growth. The result? College Prep U had its highest-grossing year without him, and Prep Intel launched debt-free through Techstars Investment and bootstrapping.
What You Will Learn in this Episode:
✅ How to know if your business foundation is truly ready before launching a second business, and why skipping this step can put your first company and your team building at serious risk.
✅ Why letting go of control is one of the most powerful moves a founder can make, and how investing in leadership development within your existing company can lead to your highest-grossing year ever.
✅ How to pursue business funding for a new venture without draining your first company, including how bootstrapping and applying to a business accelerator like Techstars can keep both businesses financially healthy.
Join the DO GOOD X Community to access resources, connect with purpose-driven entrepreneurs, and grow your impactful business with intention.
TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 Jay Johnson on second business growth, sustainable growth, and what expansion really requires for founders
04:03 Jay shares his biggest challenge: deciding whether to fund his second venture using money from College Prep U
05:52 Jay's team votes down his pitch, revealing a powerful stakeholder culture and the importance of letting go of control
08:37 Jay commits to a year of leadership development, teaching his team to run the business independently before stepping away
09:59 College Prep U hits its highest revenue year without Jay, and Prep Intel launches through Techstars and bootstrapping success
12:53 Jay gives parting advice of having a firm foundation
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
💎 True business growth means building a team that can thrive without you. Jay's story proves that investing in your people before launching a second business is what separates sustainable founders from overwhelmed ones.
💎 Rejection from your own team can be a gift. Jay's stakeholder culture created an environment where honest feedback protected both the company and the community it serves, ultimately leading to a stronger business strategy.
💎 Business funding for a new venture should never compromise your first. Pursuing outside capital through a business accelerator like Techstars allowed Jay to launch Prep Intel without putting College Prep U or its team at financial risk.
ABOUT THE GUEST:
Jay Johnson is the CEO and Co-founder of Prep Intel, an AI- and ML-powered platform that helps educational institutions and military recruiters efficiently identify and engage prospective students. He is also the founder of College Prep U, guiding parents and students through the college-preparation process from high school through beyond.
A Morehouse alumnus and certified Collegiate Independent Counselor, Jay is a former Fortune 100 executive who has served as a Senior Admission Counselor and chaired numerous committees. He currently sits on advisory boards for the University of Alabama, the Naval Academy, Clark Atlanta University, and the University of Pennsylvania. He serves as President of the Birmingham Chapter of the 100 Black Men of America.
Jay is an Entrepreneur in Residence at Techstars and has been recognized through multiple prestigious cohorts, including Birmingham Business Journal's CEO of the Year finalist, Birmingham Business Alliance's Supply Scalers, and TechMGM's Tech Accelerator. He is also a proud member of NACAC and SACAC.
Jay Johnson - LinkedIn
RESOURCES MENTIONED:
DO GOOD X - Website
DO GOOD X Start Up Accelerator
DO GOOD X - LinkedIn
Connect with Hosts:
Kimberly Daniel LinkedIn
Stephen Lewis LinkedIn
DO GOOD X, Kimberly Daniel, Stephen Lewis, Entrepreneurs, Purpose-Driven Business, Second Business, Scaling A Business, Second Venture, Business Growth, Entrepreneurship, Small Business, Business Foundation, Leadership Development, Business Funding, Bootstrapping, Tech Startups