What does your business do?
The Real Kay Johnson is a hybrid personal development and youth empowerment company that delivers high-impact coaching, confidence education, and creative tools for personal growth. We specialize in equipping girls and young women—particularly from underserved communities—with the mindset, skills, and voice to lead in life, education, and purpose. Through customized workshops, self-image coaching, pageant preparation, school partnerships, published resources, and art-therapy-based tools, our mission is to build confidence, emotional resilience, and leadership capacity at scale. We intersect education, wellness, and empowerment to serve youth, parents, and organizations with innovative, trauma-informed programming rooted in social-emotional learning (SEL) and community transformation.
Why did you start your business?
I started my business to become the woman I needed when I was younger; someone who could model confidence, emotional honesty, and purpose without perfection. After battling depression, suicidal ideation, and the pressure to perform in silence, I realized how vital it is for young girls to be seen, supported, and given permission to express their uniqueness with courage. My mission is to break cycles of silent suffering and bring back the “village” mentality by equipping youth and families with tools for emotional resilience, self-worth, and community connection. As a multi-talented educator, artist, and speaker, I use my lived experience and broad skill set; from arts and tech to faith and youth development to reach the whole girl, and the whole family, with resources that heal, uplift, and transform.
What sets your business apart?
This work is my calling. My business stands apart through a mission that’s deeply personal and purpose-driven, to empower over 1 million girls and women as courageous leaders, not just through programming, but through a transformational calling rooted in my own healing. This isn’t just work for me; it’s destiny in action.