Today we’d like to introduce you to Lionel Johnson.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I relocated to Georgia from New Orleans after Katrina. I am a retired civil engineer from the USAF ANG so i came to Georgia to build a Pain Management clinic for a good friend of mine. After completing her clinic she asked me to stay and help her run her practice. Shortly after that other doctors started asking me to build them a clinic, which i did, and then I built my own, hired a few doctors to work for me, (im not a doctor) and off I went. 14 years later Covid hit and things were never the same. So adjacent to my practice people were moving out and I asked my landlord if I could rent the space, and he agreed. Whit intension of starting just podcast rooms, my thought process changed, and I said to my self, instead of just podcasting, i will build a studio unlike any other in the world so when people come out from sheltering in they would love to come and rent space from me.
With permission from my wife off I went to build the best studio ever and I did that with 4 core values. Safe, Diverse, creative, Vibe. I rallied up a group of 4 professional people and gave them the title of my advisory team to help me with my vision. They all told me the same thing, not going to happen, you have no experience in this industry, Atlanta is going to swallow you whole.
After hearing those words for over 6 months, I dissolved my team of professionals and stuck to my guns and continued on to build this amazing studio.
During the build out of the studio i started speaking to the pros in this profession / industry only to get the same feedback, no experience, bla bla bla. You need this you need that, smoking, drugs, scammers you need to be aware of. this is Atlanta is what everyone said, they are going to consume you. 5 years later I’m happy to say following my mind and what i want to see in a studio that provides a safe place creators, thinkers and engineers not to mention and environment where children can come and bring their dreams to life. It is to much to type for you get the big picture so i will do my best explaining what my big box rental studio offers.
Podcasting- (in every room) Area 51 (video and photography editing, 3d printing, conduct board meetings interactive white board, music production (AI producing as well) VR training for business and music videos, and a place to strategize your production plan. then there is Studio 1B, this room is designed for the real producer, editors, artist, voice overs, audio and sound to include gaming and live streaming. Did i mention you can podcast in every room well you can also stream in every room. This room is also equip with a DJ station for the novice to paying Pro, a recording booth and even more. Studio 1 is where the magic happens for mix and mastering your music for TV, radio, you name it. It is equip with its own booth as well. After you have mix and mastered you song or album you step into Studio 54, this is a amazing photography room equip with white cyclorama wall and a 19×9 green screen. It offers 9 different color drops, lighting, flashes, makeup station, dressing area and much more. Studio 54 can be converted to different sets for movie producing, short films, still and much much more. Lastly i equip each room with a custom signature computer that you won’t see anywhere else in a recording studio. follow this link to get a real view of my best kept secret in Atlanta / Sandy Springs
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?
In business if its smooth then something is terribly wrong. Fail to plan, plan to fail is my motto. there are some really important things to remember when starting a business, you have to believe in yourself, claim it from god, put together a realistic plan and stick to it, never ever ever ever take NO for an answer. expect casualties from finances, employees, friend and family, nature and most importantly vendors. Causalities are a given they will come you cant plan for them you just have to be prepared and learn how to recover while moving forward. Speaking more on vendors, they can cause opportunities (not Problems) for your business if you let them, A vendor is someone or something that you paid for a service and they could not comply in the time of your expectation. once you are conditioned to vendors they never go away, so you have to keep believing in you and always give it to god first. “if you believe”
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
What should you know. Solid State Studio is a photo / video production and editing studio, music recording, podcasting, meeting, teaching, live band performance, open mic and Smart studio (AI).
What do I specialize in. Mentoring, teaching business development, six sigma black belt, computer building, and facilitating.
What am i known for. I’m know for my quality engineering skills, business development, and designing and building
What sets me apart from others. I selfish, i don’t spend time in others business because I’m too focused in my business. I know a lie does not care who tells it. i invest most of my time in learning other things and sharing.
What am i most proud brand wise. I’m the only black (non physician) pain clinic medical practice owner in Georgia. And I have a multi studio never seen or built before
What do you want our readers to know about your brand, offerings, services, etc
I would like the readers to know how challenging it is to enforce 4 simple core values (sale, diverse, creative, vibe) into a business. I would like for the readers to know i have created an environment for all type of musicians, artist (all genres) children, adults, handicap, all walks of life, blacks, whites, LGBTQ, Asian, African, European, Muslim, rich or poor to have a place they can Collab, work, laugh, and create under one drug free non weapons carrying place. Solid State Studio – “the smart studio”
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
I was a typical kid with 16 brothers and sisters, i being the 11th boy was different from my other siblings, i likes sports, girls, working with my hands, playing music meeting people not like me. i did a lot of fighting in school because bullies were every where and i was never gonna be bullied. So i found my self spend lots of time in the French quarter of New Orleans, play drums at Louis Armstrong park, attending school at NOCA New Orleans school for creative arts. But Music was not enough for me. Building things, using my hands and mind to create things, so i was then set on being an engineer. (after getting kicked out of N.O.’s public school system) I got my GED, went to college, and quickly joined the AIR Force in civil engineering and pow, I never looked back. I have a bachelors in architecture design, civil engineer degree, and a masters degree.
Pricing:
- $2,500.00
- $3,500.00
- $5,000.00
- $10,000.00
- to be determined
Contact Info:
- Website: https://solidstatestudiosatl.com/
- Instagram: solidstatestudio
- Facebook: solidstatestudio
- LinkedIn: solidstatestudio
- Twitter: solidstatestudio
- Youtube: solidstatestudio
- Yelp: solidstatestudio
