Evan Carmichael Top Header about About About facebook Twitter YouTube Google+

Lesson #3: Go Against the Grain

John Johnson Quote


Staff post about: John Johnson
Become an Author

Free PDF Download
John Johnson Quotes - By John Johnson

Name: Email:


In the late 1950s, when Johnson was beginning to increasingly use black models for his magazines as well as the Ebony Fashion Fair Show that he sponsored, he began to notice how difficult it was for these women to find cosmetics shades that were dark enough for their skin. As of yet, there were no cosmetics lines produced specifically for dark-skinned women and they were forced to try to blend together various lighter shades in order to approximate their skin tones.

Johnson didn’t think this was an acceptable solution. “The Ebony Fashion Show made me act,” he said. “I watched our models as they mixed different shades, trying to find the right blend to bring out the unique beauty in their skin, and decided that somebody had to do something.” That somebody turned out to be Johnson himself.

Initially, Johnson had approached both Estee Lauder and Revlon – the cosmetics giants at the time – to produce a line of makeup specifically for black women. Despite his strong sales skills, Johnson could not convince them to take him up on his idea. But, that didn’t stop him.

In 1969, Johnson decided to start his own cosmetics company. He knew little about make-up but he saw the demand and wasn’t about to let the opportunity pass him by. He had his company put together a mail-order package, the Capsule Collection, and sent it out to Ebony and Jet subscribers. It proved to be an immediate success and inspired him, in 1973, to create the Fashion Fair Cosmetics Company.

Fashion Fair began manufacturing high-quality beauty products for darker skin tones, as well as fragrances for women. With its products lining the shelves of over 2,500 upscale stores throughout the world, Fashion Fair continues to be one of the leading companies globally for cosmetics for women of colour. Today, both Estee Lauder and Revlon have a line of cosmetics for black women, but at the time, Johnson was doing something that had never been done before and something few thought would be worthwhile.

In 1955, when Johnson’s Jet magazine featured a cover photograph of a young Emmett Till being lynched, he was again demonstrating his fearlessness in doing things differently. Johnson was going to do what he thought needed to be done regardless of the naysayers or of the consequences of his actions. The magazine quickly became a voice for the uprising of African Americans across the nation and a leader in the fight for equality and civil rights.

“I’m convinced that the only way to get ahead in this world is to live and sell dangerously,” said Johnson. “You've got to live beyond your means. You've got to commit yourself to an act or vision that pulls you further than you want to go and forces you to use your hidden strengths.” He was a visionary who wasn’t afraid to go against the grain, to do what hadn’t been done yet and what others said couldn’t be done at all.


Related Articles

  Money - In New Zealand
  Climate Change and Food Crisis
  Who Is Your Proud Family?
  Go for brown!
  BRAC - Linking Food and Training with Microfinance
  Three Marketing Lessons from Realtors
  Hairballs and Digestion
  The Gravity of Failure
  Entrepreneur – How Not To Have A Bad Employee?
  What Does Your Gut Say?
  Selling swimming pools is the same as selling what you sell
  Lessons to be Learned When Politicians Attack the Media
  The Highest Leverage Investment in a Business is...
  Getting Rich Is An Exact Science
  Manage Fear of Failure
  Losing The Deal - Yeah, It Does Happen To All Sales Professionals too!
  An Unusual Man
  The Art of Floating
  What's a Domain Name Really Worth?
  How A Game Of Rugby League Can Teach You To Make Your Online Business A Success.

Home > Famous-Entrepreneurs > John Johnson > Lesson 3 Go Against the Grain >

Free PDF Download
John Johnson Quotes - By John Johnson

Name: Email:


Related Forum Posts

Dan Kennedy Marketing Methods Dan Kennedy Marketing Methods

Share this article. Fund someone's dream.

Share this post and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.
Share for a Cause
Like this page? PLEASE +1 it! Evan Signature
Bottom Footer



Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!
Name:
Email:
Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.