{"672721":{"#nid":"672721","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Junior Challenges Industry with CREATE-X Support ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EIsabella Johns, an alumna of the 2021 cohort of Startup Launch, is a junior studying business administration, with a concentration in marketing. From the age of 2, she\u2019s danced ballet, and she began ballroom dancing at 16, which led her to co-founding\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E \u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Eher own dance instruction company, Danse L\u0027Amour. Her Instagram account, \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/firstdancecoaching?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet\u0026amp;igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Efirstdancecoaching\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E, has more than 160,000 followers. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EWe talked with Johns to learn more about her entrepreneurial journey.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EWhat made you pursue entrepreneurship?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EI started to see where there were some holes in the dancing industry. Customers were not necessarily being taken care of. I really wanted to figure out how to help this situation.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EHow would you describe your experience in Startup Launch? \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EIt was spectacular. I was put into a batch with nine other companies that were also very creative. When we would do our updates, it was nice to be with other very artistic-minded people, have that community to hold each other accountable, and talk about our progress and our goals. The community has been so supportive, and there was an incredible support system with legal, accounting, and all of these things.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EI also was connected to my business mentor, Don Oates, who has been an absolute game changer for me. He has become like a built-in best friend. He\u0027s so generous with his time, and he\u0027s really helped me ask the hard questions and make pivots when necessary.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHow did you balance school and your startup at the same time?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThis was during Covid-19. I really struggled in October 2021. I was in my first in-person semester. I had been doing college completely online up to this point, and I had just gone through CREATE-X, wearing all the hats. I was not at a point where I could delegate. I was everything and also trying to have a social life, trying to stay close with my family, trying to exercise, all of that. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EI think you start to see how easily things begin slipping. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EA customer\u0027s mad because you didn\u0027t email them back fast enough. If I\u0027m in school, sitting in a classroom, I can\u0027t be emailing customers. But, if I\u0027m admin, CEO, and all those things, you start to become responsible for a staff, you start to become responsible to customers. You\u0027re also still responsible to your classmates for group projects. I would let my group project mates down. I realized this is starting to affect other people, not just me.\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EFive days before my birthday, I had to have an emergency appendectomy and then had two weeks after for recovery.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EWhen I tried to get back into the swing of things, I couldn\u0027t; it was too much. I ended up failing classes that semester. I was having a really hard time. It felt like I had to just take a mountain of a burden off, and I had to figure out how to put it back on. It was a wakeup call for me.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EI\u0027m sure it might be a little bit different for me, compared to people who have co-founders where you can split the burden a little bit, but for me, it was overwhelming. I had to learn to triage, prioritize, and some things just had to get cut at the end of the day. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EBecause of my entrepreneurship passion, I decided to go part-time with school. I\u0027m glad that I did because that gave me the balance that I needed.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EWhat has entrepreneurship given you?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EI\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Et has given me purpose. It has given me passion. It has given me freedom, immense freedom. It has given me a lot of character development and a lot of hard lessons learned. It has given me a community of people who are like-minded and entrepreneurial. It has also given me a community of people who rally behind what I also care about, which has been amazing. For example, my staff of seven women are the most amazing, powerful, creative, strong, interesting people I\u0027ve ever met, and they inspire me every day. Entrepreneurship gives me a reason to get out of bed in the morning. It\u0027s the most rewarding thing I\u0027ve ever done and will ever continue to do. Maybe a few stomachaches or headaches too.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EWhat book, podcast, or other resources would you recommend to students interested in entrepreneurship?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/hormozi?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet\u0026amp;igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EAlex\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E and \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/leilahormozi?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet\u0026amp;igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ELeila\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E Hormozi. They are the most amazing power couple and individuals who give you tough love. They\u0027re all about tough love. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003EYou can find them on Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), Threads, and YouTube. They have podcasts, and they\u0027ve published books. One\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp;is \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/100M-Leads-Strangers-Want-Stuff\/dp\/B0C7WK2GF6\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E$100 Million Leads\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E. They are constantly on my feed and are an inspiration. Tough love is really, really needed as an entrepreneur. It\u0027s very motivating.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EReceive mentorship from experienced entrepreneurs as a part of your Startup Launch experience. Applications for the 12-week summer accelerator program are open now. Apply for\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/create-x.gatech.edu\/launch\/startup-launch\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EStartup Launch\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp;by March 19 and join our rich entrepreneurial network.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EIsabella Johns, an alumna of the 2021 cohort of Startup Launch, is a junior studying business administration, with a concentration in marketing. From the age of 2, she\u2019s danced ballet, and she began ballroom dancing at 16, which led her to co-founding\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E \u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Eher own dance instruction company, Danse L\u0027Amour. Her Instagram account, \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/firstdancecoaching?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet\u0026amp;igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Efirstdancecoaching\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E, has almost 160,000 followers.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Isabella Johns, 2021 Startup Launch alumna, bet on herself and built a community around dance through her startup."}],"uid":"36436","created_gmt":"2024-02-03 22:53:11","changed_gmt":"2024-02-28 13:13:56","author":"bdurham31","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-02-03T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2024-02-03T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"672954":{"id":"672954","type":"image","title":"Bella-Johns.png","body":null,"created":"1707149840","gmt_created":"2024-02-05 16:17:20","changed":"1707149840","gmt_changed":"2024-02-05 16:17:20","alt":"Bella Johns headshot","file":{"fid":"256287","name":"Bella-Johns.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/02\/05\/Bella-Johns.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/02\/05\/Bella-Johns.png","mime":"image\/png","size":1172623,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/02\/05\/Bella-Johns.png?itok=-nza1aPv"}}},"media_ids":["672954"],"groups":[{"id":"583966","name":"CREATE-X"},{"id":"655285","name":"GT Commercialization"}],"categories":[{"id":"130","name":"Alumni"},{"id":"139","name":"Business"},{"id":"42891","name":"Georgia Tech Arts"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"137161","name":"CREATE-X"},{"id":"166973","name":"startup"},{"id":"193484","name":"female founder"},{"id":"3472","name":"entrepreneurship"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBreanna Durham\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMarketing Strategist\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["breanna.durham@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}