Today we’d like to introduce you to Fern Johnson.
Hi Fern, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My name is Fern Johnson and I am the Founder and CEO of Career Sisters LLC. I originally hail from Fort Lauderdale, Florida and am one of eight siblings. I currently reside in Johns Creek, Georgia, with my husband, Jeff, and my four beautiful children. I come from a finance background, having worked for over 22 years in accounting and financial management. A great portion of that time was spent working in an executive-level position with both non and for-profit organizations and corporations. I’m also an accomplished speaker, former adjunct instructor, and published author. To say the least, my days are busy, but I love what I do. I firmly believe that Empowered Women, Empower Communities and my ultimate goal is to leave a lasting impact of success and service to help inspire and build a legacy for the women who come after me.
Career Sisters is an organization that focuses on the empowerment, career advancement and business development of women of color. It was born out of a necessity for the kind of support that I didn’t have when I needed it. Since its inception, it has grown into so much more than I could have imagined. In addition to our career and entrepreneurial focused services, we also partner and work with corporations to promote diversity and inclusion in their workplace. This past year we’ve also launched our content creation and event space, PoshOut Studios, located in Norcross and have so much more in-store over the next year. While I love tackling new opportunities and ventures, I also like to find time to just be me. When I’m not being a wife, mom or Career Sister, I enjoy activities like reading literature on personal growth, going to the spa to replenish, or brainstorming about how I can further help to improve the lives of women of color.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I’ve faced adversity many times and I’m not sure how many people know, but Career Sisters was birthed from adversity I experienced in my personal career. After five diligent and successful years in a high-powered career at the executive level, I was let go from my position. Additionally, I learned that I was pregnant with my 4th child. It was not an easy position to be in; however, I find that times of adversity can create great opportunities. I saw that time as an opportunity to finally pursue the kind of work that I found purposeful. I saw a gap in the marketplace where women who looked like me could gather and support one another. This is how CareerSisters came to be. As a minority and woman-owned organization, we have had our fair share of challenges. Many were impacted by COVID and we found that, like many companies, we had to learn the art of the pivot. We initially facilitated as a shared workspace and, after much consideration, rebranded our space to PoshOut Studios. We’ve been fortunate to see great success with PoshOut Studios since its launch. Despite the adversity we have faced, we are continually learning the meaning of resilience while helping other women to celebrate theirs.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Career Sisters?
Career Sisters was created in 2018 out of the need to establish resources for Women of Color in their careers and entrepreneurial endeavors. Career Sisters offers a safe space for Women of Color to: – Learn and Grow in professional and/or entrepreneurial pursuits – Support and share experiences (ex: how to navigate the nuances of corporate organizations) – Collaborate and connect with other like-minded and ambitious women to EMERGE empowered Career Sisters is here to help forge the careers and businesses of women of color and was intentionally designed with you in mind. Whether you are looking to get your career in shape, join the entrepreneurial world, or be a hybrid of the two, we have the perfect community for you. We can help you to not only figure out next steps and a future plan but also give you the tools to apply these steps and emerge empowered.
In addition to our range of career/entrepreneurial-focused services and our virtual community, we recently launched our content creation studio and event space, PoshOut Studios. Located in North Atlanta, this space is for entrepreneurs, career professionals and creatives alike who need to establish a brand presence, create content, or throw an event in one of the many beautiful backdrops in our studio.
We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
As people and particularly business owners, sometimes we can become fixed on our vision that we aren’t willing to make concessions to try something different. COVID has forced a lot of us to reassess where we are in our lives, our businesses and relationships. If there is anything COVID has taught me, it’s that I must be open to change and be willing to adapt. If I had not taken the time to slow down and truly reconsider where new opportunities exist, PoshOut Studios would have never existed.
Contact Info:
- Email: info@careersisters.com
- Website: https://www.careersisters.com/, https://www.poshoutstudios.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/careersisters
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CareerSisters/
