Today we have a very special guest…Cameron Johnson.
Cameron’s story is amazing to say the least.
At age 12, Cameron made $50,000 selling Beanie Babies on the Internet!
he became the youngest American appointed to the board of a Tokyo-based company. His first book “15-Year-Old-CEO” was released in Japan and made it to #4 on the country’s bestseller list.
Simply put he is amazing!
The Cameron Johnson Interview
1) Ok, Can you tell us about yourself, your mission and what inspires you?
Sure, I started my first business when I was 9 years old, and started about a dozen businesses before I turned 21. Starting businesses and being an entrepreneur was something I’ve always enjoyed and is my passion and I think the challenge is what excites me and keeps me going.
2) You say you looked up to Bill Gates, Michael Dell, Donald Trump, Richard Branson, and others. How did they change the way you thought about business?
Much of what I learned as a kid was from business biographies written about Gates, Dell, Trump, and Branson. I was able to learn from them how they found success and how they also did so at an early age. They really helped shape the way I think about business and also inspired me to get started as young as I did.
3) When I first heard your story about how you sent a letter to Donald Trump after watching Home Alone 2 I was inspired. Tell us a bit more about that.
I was 8 years old and had just seen Home Alone 2 – Lost in New York. Much of the movie takes place at the Plaza Hotel, which at the time was owned by Donald Trump. Mr. Trump has a cameo in the film and after seeing the movie, I begged my parents to take me to NYC and I also was hoping we could stay at the Plaza. Finally, after plenty of pleading, my parents agreed that if I earned Straight-A’s that school year, then we would go the following summer. When I found out the dates for our trip, and that we’d be staying at the Plaza, I decided to write Mr. Trump a letter asking if I could see the suite where the movie was filmed. I never heard back from him but when we arrived, he had arranged for my parents and I to stay in the suite the entire time we were there. This experience was life-changing in that it showed me:
If you want something bad enough, there’s always a way
4) Being an entrepreneur it is often hard for us to stay motivated. How do you keep yourself motivated?
For me, the excitement is in the challenge. So with that being said, I started a number of different businesses – many of which were unrelated. I stayed motivated simply because I never let my businesses control my life. When I was tired of a particular business – or more excited about another idea – I would sell it and move on. I think that’s important, to always stay motivated and challenged.
5) What is Entrepreneurship to you?
To me, entrepreneurship is really simple. It’s about creating value for others and it’s a way of life. Those around you, whether your partners, employees, or customers – they depend on you. There’s a lot of responsibility but that also is one of the exciting parts of being an entrepreneur. You make it happen.
6) How did you manage to remain focused at such a young age?
In many ways I wasn’t necessarily very focused. I jumped from business to business and used each as a stepping stone to make the next business that much bigger. So I was focused, as far as staying busy, but as far as staying on just 1 idea – that never happened. I think it’s more important to always be creating value, lots of entrepreneurs may find themselves a little ADD at times. That’s a good thing.
7) What do you think the key to your success has been?
Being passionate and excited about every project I’ve involved myself and by always creating new goals and challenges.
You were making $15,000 a day with your internet business at 15. People often say money cant buy you happiness. Do you agree? What is your opinion on this? Did all that money affect you in any way?I definitely agree. I’ve met plenty of millionaires, and billionaires, along the way who may have all the money in the world – and all of the things they may want (houses, cars, watches, whatever…) but at the end of the day – it’s about living the life you want. Being the entrepreneur that you want to be- you can’t let your business ruin your family life. Most people start their business to create a better life for their family in the first place…so be careful to not forget what’s important.
9) What is it that gets you out of bed in the morning?
I’ve always been one to stay up late at night and to get up early in the morning when I have something exciting – and for me, business is always exciting.
10) What has been the biggest setback/obstacle in your life and how did you overcome it?
As a kid often times my age was a challenge but I always found a way to turn that obstacle into an advantage. No matter what problem or challenge you may face, it’s all about how you look at the problem.
11) You made headlines for taking part in Oprahs Big Give. Tell us a bit more. Also, How important was it that you took part in Oprahs Big Give and why?
The Big Give was a fantastic experience. Oprah gave 10 of us the opportunity to travel the US and to help charities and families in need. We raised millions of dollars and we were thrown into a variety of tough situations. It made me a better person and I was honored to have been chosen to be a part of such a great show.
12) So often we hear people say ‘I want to make more money’ The problem with that is its not specific so any amount would suffice right? What are your thoughts on this? And How do you manage to achieve the goals you set for yourself?
I think the more important question to ask yourself is “why do you want to make more money?” Is it so you have more free time? How can you create more free time without more money? There’s always a way to better define your goal than a dollar amount. No dollar amount will ever be enough. If you want to save $25,000 – once you’ve done that, you’ll then want to save more. First ask yourself, “Why?”
13) Whats your definition of risk taking. What values and guidelines do you follow? What advice could you give someone about to take a risk?
For me, it’s all about taking calculated risks. I love researching and studying the competition – I love knowing what works and what doesn’t. You can’t be afraid to take a risk – but I also believe in starting small and risking as little as possible until you know what works.
14) If you were stripped of everything you had today and had to start all over again what would you do? And more critically how would you build your credibility?
I think that’s the best challenge for any entrepreneur. Most entrepreneurs will tell you they will make back whatever they lost in 3-5 years. Whether it’s someone who had $100,000 or $100 million, they’ll tell you they can get back on their feet in no time. For one, it’s confidence. Two, it’s about knowing what works and what doesn’t. There’s no magic pill – it’s about hard work and passion. As far as credibility, I think that’s one of the most important things any entrepreneur has – so it’s important to always value your morals and protect your credibility.
15) If you had to give one secret about making money what would it be?
Put Yourself Out There (meaning get started now, go do something)
16) Whats so good about your book and why should my readers get it?
Well I wrote the book for entrepreneurs who either didn’t know where to start or who want to take their business to the next level. It’s 19 chapters of secrets I learned from starting a dozen businesses and I’m glad I was able to share those with the world.
17) What advice would you give to someone who doesn’t believe that they can achieve all that is within them?
Most of your readers are already highly-motivated and in most cases already have great ideas- that’s why they’re here at your blog. Being successful definitely comes down to confidence at some level. If you’re selling a product, for instance, if you’re not confident it’s the best product your customers should buy – then they will sense that and not buy it. That principle translates throughout business.
18) Finally, to end the interview, what is your #1 success tip for anybody who wants to become a millionaire?
I have a hard time with the “millionaire” label – but my #1 tip for success is to get started today and to worry about making $5,000 before you make $50,000. Everyone starts somewhere and it’s important to stay focused, start small, and think big.
We thank Cameron so much for giving up his precious time to answer our questions. You can catch Cameron over on his Personal Website.
For those of you that want to continue your entrepreneurial journey and get more education from the man himself then I would recommend you buy his book ‘You Call The Shots’.
2 Comments
Great interview, Aaron. Great tips from you too, Cameron. I’ve gathered a whole lot of valuable tips from this interview. Thanks for that, Aaron and Cameron
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.-= Shirley´s last blog ..Happy Birthday To Me! =-.
Hey Shirley,
Thank you. I’m glad you got a lot of value out of it! Cameron’s such a cool guy!