Today we’d like to introduce you to L Johns.
Hi L, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
If you would’ve told me ten years ago that by 27 I’d be hopping on private jets, spending weeks in Napa Valley, sitting in rooms where billion dollar decisions were being made, and building my own company, I would’ve laughed. Not because I didn’t dream big, but because I had absolutely no roadmap for how someone like me was supposed to get there.
I’ve always had ADHD, and for years I thought it was something I needed to overcome. My brain moves fast. I notice patterns, ask a lot of questions, and connect dots other people don’t. It wasn’t until I started working alongside founders, CEOs, and ultra high net worth families that I realized the way my brain worked wasn’t a weakness. It was one of my greatest strengths. While other people saw chaos, I instinctively saw solutions.
Being 27 has also made for an interesting journey. I walked into plenty of rooms where people assumed I was too young to be trusted with significant responsibility. Instead of trying to convince them otherwise, I let my work do the talking. Results have a funny way of changing people’s minds.
One opportunity led to another until I found myself helping some of the most successful people in the world navigate incredibly complex lives. The goal was never luxury. The goal was proximity. I wanted to learn from the people building extraordinary lives, and somewhere along the way, they trusted me to help build them.
That experience completely changed how I viewed success. The people operating at the highest level aren’t successful because they do everything themselves. They’re successful because they know exactly where they create the most value and aren’t afraid to trust someone else with the rest. That’s what inspired Simply Managed Co.
I launched the company with no investors and no outside funding. Within six months, we generated over $88,000 in revenue, which confirmed what I’d believed all along. There were people looking for this kind of partnership.
Today, people often assume I manage calendars or book flights, but that’s maybe five percent of what I actually do. What clients are really hiring me for is judgment. Sometimes that’s preparing for a major acquisition. Sometimes it’s leading a multi state relocation or building an executive’s support team. Sometimes it’s remembering their daughter’s favorite stuffed animal before a family vacation. The details matter because people matter.
A big lesson I’ve learned is that luxury has very little to do with private jets or beautiful homes. Real luxury is peace of mind. It’s knowing someone is already thinking ahead so you don’t have to. At the end of the day, I’m not in the business of calendars. I’m in the business of trust. The calendars just happen to come with it.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I don’t think it’s been a smooth road, but I also don’t think I’ve ever questioned whether I was on the right one. The struggle was never figuring out who I wanted to become. The struggle was convincing other people I was already her. I was young. I looked young. I walked into rooms where I had to earn credibility before I ever opened my mouth. I heard every version of, “You’ll understand when you’re older,” “You should wait your turn,” or “There’s no way.” Looking back, I’m actually grateful for it because it forced me to let my work speak louder than my age ever could. I’ve always had this quiet confidence that I was meant for something bigger. Not because I thought I was better than anyone else, but because I genuinely knew the value I brought to the table. I love bringing order to chaos. I love creating systems where there weren’t any. I love earning the kind of trust where someone hands you the keys to their business, their home, or their family and says, “I’ know you got me.” That has never felt like work to me. It’s always felt like purpose. The goal though was never luxury. The goal was proximity. I wanted to learn from the people building extraordinary lives, and somewhere along the way, they trusted me to help build them. Being surrounded by founders, CEOs, ultra high net worth families, and entrepreneurs taught me lessons that no classroom ever could. I got a front row seat to how they think, make decisions, lead people, recover from failure, and protect what matters most. Those experiences shaped me just as much as the work itself. Starting SMC was one of the biggest leaps of faith I’ve ever taken. It’s one thing to be good at your job. It’s another to believe in yourself enough to build something from the ground up. As I said..I had no investors, no outside funding, and no guarantee it would work.
The biggest lesson through all of it has been that no one is going to hand you permission to chase the life you want. At some point, you have to decide you’re willing to bet on yourself before anyone else does. No one is coming to save you. You have to do the thing for yourself. Or network enough to find the person who can do it for you. Aka, me lol. That’s what I’ve done every step of the way, and it’s a decision I’ll never regret.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Simply Managed Collective (SMC)?
SMC is a Private Client Management firm specializing in the details behind exceptional lives. From executive support and estate management to operations, travel, lifestyle management, and strategic recruitment, we become the trusted team behind the individuals, families, founders, and executives building extraordinary businesses and lives. There really isn’t a “typical” day at SMC and that’s exactly how we like it. We might be leading a multi property, multi state relocation, recruiting and training a client’s Executive Assistant or Chief of Staff, sourcing flight attendants for private aviation, building operational systems for a growing family office, overseeing household staff across multiple residences, coordinating luxury travel, or solving a problem that didn’t exist when we woke up that morning. We specialize in the kind of work that’s difficult to define because every client’s life is different. Our role isn’t to fit our clients into a process. It’s to build the process around them. Our recruitment division is an extension of that philosophy. We don’t just fill positions. We carefully match clients with exceptional Executive Assistants, Chiefs of Staff, Estate Managers, Household Managers, Personal Assistants, flight attendants, and other trusted professionals who become extensions of their homes, businesses, and families. Skills and experience matter, but character, communication, discretion, and chemistry are what create lasting partnerships, and that’s exactly what we look for. One of the things I’m most proud of is that we’ve intentionally built SMC. around relationships instead of transactions. We don’t measure success by how many tasks we complete. We measure it by how much mental space we’ve given back to the people we serve. If someone can be more present with their family, lead their company more effectively, or simply breathe a little easier because we’re in their corner, we’ve done our job. What sets us apart is that we don’t just execute requests. We think strategically. We anticipate needs before they become problems, ask better questions, and build systems that continue working long after we’ve stepped away. The people we serve aren’t looking for someone to simply check off a to do list. They’re looking for a trusted partner who can protect their time, simplify complexity, and quietly keep life moving.
We’re also intentionally different from the traditional luxury concierge model. We become trusted advisors, operators, and partners who care deeply about the people we work with. We celebrate their wins, navigate challenges alongside them, and become the team behind the team. That level of trust is something we never take for granted.
At the end of the day, we’re not in the business of calendars or to do lists. We’re in the business of creating capacity. We help people reclaim their time, reduce their mental load, and build the kind of support system that allows them to thrive personally and professionally. That’s what Private Client Management means to us, and it’s what SMC will continue to be known for.
How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
Honestly? Just say hi.
The best opportunities of my career have come from genuine relationships, random conversations, and someone saying, “You two need to know each other.” I hope that never changes.
If you’re building something exciting, love solving hard problems, have an appreciation for operational excellence, or just enjoy swapping stories with people who get oddly excited about logistics, I’d love to connect.
If you’re looking for support, we’d love to help. If you’re an incredible Executive Assistant, Chief of Staff, Estate Manager, Household Manager, private flight attendant, or someone who genuinely takes pride in creating exceptional experiences behind the scenes, I’d love to have you in our network.
And if none of those apply, that’s okay too.
Follow along anyway.
There’s a decent chance you’ll see me coordinating something completely ridiculous, solving a problem that shouldn’t exist, or somehow ending up in another country because someone’s life got unexpectedly complicated.
My toxic trait is believing almost any problem can be solved. The funny part is… so far, it usually has.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Simplymanagedco.com
- Instagram: @simplymanagedco
- LinkedIn: https://Www.linkedin.com/in/smcdallas
