We’re looking forward to introducing you to Devin Wilmott Johnson. Check out our conversation below.
Devin, really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: What makes you lose track of time—and find yourself again?
Creating music. Ever since I was a kid, all I wanted to do was sing and produce music. It’s always been my escape and my grounding place. Music has this magical ability to transport you—it suspends time and pulls you into another dimension where everything else fades. Now, it’s even more meaningful because it’s something I share with my family. My husband and daughters all sing too, and we often create music together or have spontaneous dance sessions in the living room. Those moments are filled with harmony, laughter, and joy and I lose track of time and find the purest version of myself. Music is our love language. It connects us, heals us, and brings us back home.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Absolutely! My name is Devin Wilmott Johnson, a Presidential Lifetime Achievement Honoree, and I’m the Founder of DWJ & Co., an award-winning boutique strategic marketing agency where we help visionaries turn bold ideas into built realities. I also proudly serve as the Chief Operating Officer of TSMAC (Texas Supremacy of Music & Arts Conservatory)—a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to empowering youth through music, dance, and purpose.
With executive experience across multiple industries—including my time in leadership at the multimillion-dollar beauty brand Yummy Extensions—I’ve built a career rooted in brand development, strategic consulting, and immersive event production. My work has been featured in Forbes, TED, Essence, ESPN, CBS, CW33, Business Insider, and more. I was recently named to the Inaugural Oprah Winfrey Host Committee for 2025 at Good Soil Forum, a huge honor that reflects my commitment to purpose-driven leadership and cultural impact.
At DWJ & Co., we specialize in developing full-scale brand identities, producing transformative events, and scaling businesses with intentional strategy. But what makes us unique is that we don’t just build brands—we create movements. Our clients range from nonprofits to high-growth founders, and we help them clarify their message, amplify their presence, and scale sustainably.
Right now, I’m incredibly excited about the launch of our first signature event brand, Girls Trip. This isn’t just another event—we’re creating an entire ecosystem for women who do it all. Girls Trip is part travel agency, part event pop-up, and part empowered community designed for women entrepreneurs, creatives, and professionals who want space to retreat, reset, and reconnect. From immersive domestic pop-ups and live show-style mixers to luxury international escapes, Girls Trip is a love letter to sisterhood, freedom, and fun.
This is the first time we’re building a DWJ & Co. original from the ground up, and I’m passionate about creating experiences that pour back into the women who pour into everyone else.
Above all, I’m a woman of faith, a wife and mother, a keynote speaker, dynamic event host, and a model—recognized in global campaigns including Woman Evolve 2024. I believe in building with intention and living with impact.
Learn more at www.thedwjco.com
or connect with me on IG @uwontbutdevwill
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
I was a little girl in Iowa who fully believed she was going to be the next Beyoncé—stage, mic, world tour and all. (God clearly had other plans—haha!) But that belief? That boldness? That’s who I really was.
I grew up with big dreams and a loud voice—singing, creating, and envisioning a life far beyond what I could see. I didn’t know the power of travel, culture, or exposure because I hadn’t experienced it yet. But deep down, I knew there was more. And I wanted all of it.
Before the world told me to shrink, silence, or choose just one version of myself, I was free. Multidimensional. Unapologetically full of wonder. And even now, through everything I build—my brand, my events, my family, my faith—I’m still becoming her again. And helping others do the same.
What fear has held you back the most in your life?
The fear of not being successful. For a long time, that fear drove everything. It pushed me to overwork, to overperform, and to constantly chase the next milestone. But in that pursuit, I realized I was sacrificing something I could never get back—time. Time with my family. Time watching my daughters grow. Time simply being present.
I thought I had to choose between being great and being grounded. But what I’ve learned—through experience, faith, and a few hard wake-up calls—is that success is a journey, not a destination. And more importantly, you can have it all… just not all at once.
Now, I’m more focused on alignment than achievement. I want to win, but I want to win well—without losing myself or the people I love in the process.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. Is the public version of you the real you?
Yes—and that’s something I work very hard to protect. I’ve made a conscious choice not to lean into a curated or performative version of myself just to be accepted or approved. Whether I’m in a high-level business meeting or on a stage speaking, I show up as me. That might mean sweatpants in a room full of blazers or saying what needs to be said instead of what people want to hear.
I don’t gatekeep, and I don’t post for aesthetics—I share when it feels honest, when it can help someone else, and when it reflects my reality. I strive to stay humble, transparent, and vulnerable—even when it’s not the easiest thing to do.
That said, I’ve learned I also have to be guarded at times. Letting people in can be a lot, and I have a responsibility to protect my peace, my kids, and my family. But underneath it all, I’m still that goofy, sometimes-too-loud, move-a-mile-a-minute person. I may not always say it perfectly, but my passion shows up in what I do. I live by the phrase: I make it happen. And if you watch closely, my actions will tell you who I am before my words ever will.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. Could you give everything your best, even if no one ever praised you for it?
Absolutely. That’s the heart of servant leadership—showing up, giving your best, and doing the work even when the spotlight isn’t on you. There have been so many projects I’ve taken on where I’ve played the background, didn’t get the credit, and sometimes didn’t even get paid. But I did it because I believed in the mission, in the people, and in the power of planting seeds.
I’ve learned that real impact doesn’t always come with applause. Sometimes your reward isn’t immediate—but it always comes back, whether through a door opened, a relationship built, or a lesson learned. I believe in paying it forward, in serving with excellence regardless of recognition, and in trusting that the seeds I sow in quiet will bloom in ways I could never imagine.
I don’t serve to be seen—I serve because I understand the assignment. And even if no one ever says “thank you,” I know my work wasn’t in vain.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thedwjco.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uwontbutdevwill
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devinwilmottjohnson/
Image Credits
Lavishly Lux Studio
Ewomen Network
B. Ihezie Photography
