Jessica Johnson shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Hi Jessica, thank you for taking the time to reflect back on your journey with us. I think our readers are in for a real treat. There is so much we can all learn from each other and so thank you again for opening up with us. Let’s get into it: Have you ever been glad you didn’t act fast?
Yes. Over the course of the 15 years I’ve been building Hidden San Diego, there have been times when I’ve received a lot of pressure to use tactics that would help “blow my brand up” overnight. But in my mind, it went against what I felt my brand represented at the time. I have always been ok with slow growth knowing that HSD will hopefully last my entire lifetime.
My brand has grown and shifted over the years and some things I didn’t feel comfortable with 10 years ago, I have now implemented into my brand. The key was they were all gradual changes instead of overnight “shocking” changes and I think that maneuver has helped strengthen my foundation.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My brand is called Hidden San Diego (I also run Hidden California). It is your go-to website for all hidden, haunted and amazing spots in San Diego. Although these days I feel I should change it to “your go-to website for all hidden, amazing and foodie spots in San Diego” as I largely cover the San Diego foodie scene now.
What makes it unique is I don’t only cover the latest, greatest and trendiest places. I also cover the old, crumbling history of San Diego, abandoned locations and true hidden spots in the entire county.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
I remember when I was going to Palomar College I had two different instructors pull me aside and talk about my artistic talents. One went as far as calling my mom and saying she really felt I had a calling in life to be an artist. Another told me I had exceptional talent and encouraged me to apply to a college in New York (I was studying Fashion Design at the time).
Although I never became a designer (I did teach art for 14 years though) their belief in me was everything. It was really hard for me to find my place in this world. I didn’t connect with traditional schooling and that definitely left me feeling lost after graduating high school
Having two teachers that really believed in me helped me believe in myself. This set me off on a confident course with my creative endeavors from then on.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
I wish I understood when I was younger that there are so many different paths to being successful. The traditional path of going to a university and finding a career is ONE path to success. Many successful entrepreneurs will agree with me on this that the huge emphasis of university=career is rather outdated for so many fields.
I wish I had just believed in myself from the beginning instead of letting so many outside voices overpower my inner voice or even manipulate it to making me feel so irrelevant in this giant world.
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?
I intentionally don’t attach my face to my brand for many reasons. Mostly, I value my privacy and don’t need to be recognized in public to boost my ego. I prefer anonymity. Sure, when I get asked to be on television or showcased in a publication I don’t turn it down, but other than that, my brand is faceless.
With that aside, I definitely try to be as authentic as possible though and when I do public features I am speaking from the heart.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. When do you feel most at peace?
I feel most at peace when I am surrounded by nature. It’s when I feel my most authentic. It is very concerning to me with how much concrete is replacing natural fields. Whether we are conscious of it or not, I feel nature is so incredibly necessary in everyone’s lives. We ARE nature and when we die we go back to it.
More and more tract homes and quick developments are taking over everywhere and I truly wonder how this is affecting our mental health collectively. It’s not healthy to have such a great imbalance of concrete vs. nature.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://hiddensandiego.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hiddensandiego/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HiddenSpotsOfSanDiego
- Other: https://hiddenca.com/
