About Brandon

My life and journey is not unlike anyone else in this world. I’ve had my ups and downs, and I’ve had challenges and celebrations. All in all though, I have been and will continue to be committed to my purpose in life…..and that is to help people become more successful and happy in their personal and professional lives.

Growing up in Dodgeville – a small rural town in Wisconsin – my entry-into-the-business world began at age 10 when I embraced the opportunity to have a paper route, and soon after I was also working in my family’s cleaning business – cleaning homes, businesses, washing windows and waxing floors. Through this and my parent’s teachings I learned very quickly that if I wanted something in my life, I had to go after it by working hard.

There’s no doubt that my core values to be of service and to make a difference can be attributed to the combination of hard-working and loving parents and growing up in a small community.

Brandon W Johnson

In 1994, upon becoming the first 4-year college graduate in my family (B.A. in Hotel & Restaurant Management and M.S. in Management Technology – emphasis in Organizational Development, from University Wisconsin – Stout), I jumped into my leadership journey with a quickly expanding restaurant concept – Boston Chicken, which today is known as Boston Market.

My unique perspective on personal growth, leadership, customer loyalty, employee development and business success has continued to evolve through my professional success that included being a Training Restaurant GM at age 23, Director of Management Training & Recruitment for Famous Dave’s BBQ Restaurants at 27, Executive Director of a non-profit at 31, CEO & business owner at 35, and an instructor at the University of MN at 37.

One of the most humbling and exciting aspects of my journey has been that I’ve been able to achieve many wonderful things in business, all while maintaining a healthy personal and family life.

My beautiful wife Katie and I, along with our two fantastic children, Emma and Zachary, live very full lives in Woodbury, MN.

Since leaving my corporate career in 2004 I have since worked with small businesses and colleges up to organizations that have $500 million in sales and have trained thousands of people enabling them to find success and fulfillment in their professional and personal lives.

From 2004-2010, I had the honor of becoming a non-profit Executive Director (LifeSkills Center for Leadership) and later business partners (LifeSkills Business) with “Famous” Dave Anderson and his wonderful wife Kathy, as well as their son, James Anderson.

In those years of many wonderful achievements with the LifeSkills Team we were very proud that I was named an “Emerging Leader” by Twin Cities Business Magazine, that we were featured on the “Twin Cities Live” TV Show, and that the organization and trainings were honored by both Oprah’s Angel Network and the Chicken Soup for the Soul book series as a Charity of Choice.

In 2010 I founded Brandon W. Johnson, LLC (Positive Energy Guy), with the intention of partnering with business owners, managers, HR professionals, colleges, and their teams on how to improve service and profits through people, passion and performance. And I have been humbled ever since with the opportunity to do what I have been placed on this earth to do.

Thank you for visiting my website – please use the “Positive Energy Vault” as a resource for your personal and professional growth and if you are ever in search of a Keynote Speaker, Leadership Trainings, and/or a Business/Organizational Advisor or Consultant, I would love the honor of discussing how I may be of service to you.

In service to your success,

Brandon W. Johnson – “Positive Energy Guy”

Be You. Lead from your Heart. Make a Difference.