{"id":51449,"date":"2022-09-22T12:08:04","date_gmt":"2022-09-22T19:08:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/?p=51449"},"modified":"2022-09-26T07:52:00","modified_gmt":"2022-09-26T14:52:00","slug":"confronting-fear-and-danger-sharp-difference-maker-chris-johnson-scales-journey-to-better-self","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/the-week-in-imaging-twii\/editors-blog\/2022\/09\/confronting-fear-and-danger-sharp-difference-maker-chris-johnson-scales-journey-to-better-self\/","title":{"rendered":"Confronting Fear and Danger, Sharp Difference Maker Chris Johnson Scales Journey to Better Self"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"
Chris Johnson, Sharp<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Whenever Chris Johnson came to a fork in the road during his life, he tended to take the path littered with land mines\u2014and it\u2019s more literal than one might think. It\u2019s as if confronting his greatest fears and weaknesses was a welcome challenge to be eagerly anticipated rather than dreaded. But now, the senior director of channel sales, Central region for Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America is happy to have embraced the uncomfortable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Johnson has tried enough things to know what he doesn\u2019t like, from doing math to reading contracts. He tried his hand at break\/fix as a technician, but after six months of visiting customers who were ticked off to see him\u2014after all, broken machines prevented them from doing things they hated in the first place\u2014he gave it up. Johnson was also a sales manager for a spell with Konica Minolta, which rekindled his disdain for reading contracts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And in 2004, at the age of 31, he joined the Army, and only his boyish looks prevented any old-timer remarks. He\u2019s done tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, and his obligations have also taken him to Jordan, Turkey, Kuwait and Qatar\u2014imagine trying to go through TSA unscathed with that passport?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To top it off, Johnson didn\u2019t marry until he was 44 or have a child until about 46. In the span of a year, he got married, joined Sharp and gave up alcohol. Talk about massive changes! But to hear him talk, Johnson is only getting started and eagerly awaits his next adventure. Well, maybe \u201cawaits\u201d is a poor term; the man has a way of carving out his fortunes, although he feels it is more Divine Providence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI tend to do everything late in life,\u201d said Johnson, a 2022 ENX Magazine<\/em> Difference Maker. \u201cI tell everyone that sometimes you don\u2019t know what you need in life until God puts you in the right spot.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He\u2019s found quite a niche with Sharp. Despite the pandemic and supply chain woes, Johnson\u2019s sales team grew revenues by 15% in 2021. This year has been equally fruitful, as Sharp enjoyed its best July ever from a distribution standpoint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe revenue results were great, but I think it was due to the behavior of my sales team in staying aggressive through that whole time,\u201d he said. \u201cWe had a mantra we used with our dealers\u2014if you find people willing to buy, we\u2019ll find a way to get it to them. Our goal was to figure out how to get the right product into the right deals at the right time. We made it work.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Setting the Stage<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Armed with a bachelor\u2019s degree in political science and government from North Central College and an associate\u2019s degree in computer networking from Robert Morris University, Johnson spent the better part of 16 years with Konica Minolta in a variety of roles and developed deep knowledge in direct sales, which equipped him well when it came time to serve the dealer channel with Sharp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019ve managed sales reps and I\u2019ve been one myself. I\u2019ve done all of the things at the branch level that our [Sharp] dealers do day in and day out,\u201d he said. \u201cWhen I came to Sharp, I told the dealers that I have some strategies that can help them grow their business. And they were very receptive to it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Johnson has long appreciated the value of driving the success of others, as it is critical to his own fortunes. And he loves nothing more than a challenge he can (as he terms it) bully his way through; an aggressive nature toward obstacles only accentuates the passion Johnson has for the industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An ardent believer in the \u201cshow, don\u2019t tell,\u201d philosophy has propelled Johnson\u2019s attitude toward executing plans. Whether it\u2019s in the Army or strategizing to facilitate dealer (and Sharp) growth, actions trump promises.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you\u2019re going to make a change or you have a new strategy, just start putting it into play,\u201d he said. \u201cYou don\u2019t need to make a big announcement about what you\u2019re going to do. People only care about the results.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Given his less-than-traditional path, it\u2019s not surprising that Johnson has a penchant for looking at things differently, but with a big-picture perspective. That\u2019s where the strategizing begins, with an eye toward solutions that are predictable and repeatable. Johnson also keeps his eyes on the X-factor and its potential to impede goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Johnson has gleaned much of his insight from key influencers such as his boss, John Sheehan (Sharp\u2019s senior vice president of channel sales); President and CEO Mike Marusic; and Armen Biberian, a former boss with Konica Minolta. Sheehan provided a long leash to try new ideas and not be afraid of failing. When Johnson was a rep, Sheehan never kept a quota watch over his underlings, and that confidence he showed in Johnson was eye-opening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think I would be where I am today, skill set and industry-wise, without John giving me that leeway to do it on my own,\u201d Johnson noted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was Biberian who guided Johnson\u2019s initial foray into the industry and was the author of the \u201cno big announcements\u201d philosophy. \u201cHe taught me that loyalty was a big piece of the puzzle,\u201d Johnson said of Biberian. \u201cHe showed me how to manage people.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Encore Performance<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As 2022 winds down, Sharp remains on track for its strongest regional performance, and that\u2019s coming off a wildly successful 2021. Johnson is focused on helping dealers expand their product horizon and take advantage of opportunities with Dynabook laptops and AQUOS BOARD displays. Print volumes may be trending down, but the demand for information is growing exponentially, and he believes diversification is critical for dealer growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The journey to personal and professional enrichment is enhanced through lessons learned, and Johnson believes that will not only serve him and his team well in the future but will also open the door to profit avenues for dealers. \u201cThe first thing dealers ask after I finish my product pitch is, who else is doing this?\u201d he related. \u201cWhat strategies of theirs can we borrow? We\u2019ll share with them what works and what doesn\u2019t, because [other dealers] are OK with us sharing the info that can help others build on their success.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Johnson and his wife, Violet, have been married for six years; their son is 12 and their daughter is four. Johnson and his son share a love of Star Wars, and the young man is now old enough to enjoy concerts with his dad. In addition to traveling abroad, the Johnsons love to travel and camp out under the stars.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Whenever Chris Johnson came to a fork in the road during his life, he tended to take the path littered with land mines\u2014and it\u2019s more literal than one might think. It\u2019s as if confronting his greatest fears and weaknesses was a welcome challenge to be eagerly anticipated rather than dreaded. But now, the senior director of channel sales, Central region for Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America is happy to have embraced the uncomfortable. Johnson has tried enough things to know what he doesn\u2019t like, from doing math to reading contracts. He tried his hand at break\/fix as a technician, but after six months of visiting customers who were ticked off to see him\u2014after all, broken machines prevented them from doing things they hated in the first place\u2014he gave it up. Johnson was also a sales manager for a spell with Konica Minolta, which rekindled his disdain for reading contracts. And in 2004, at the age of 31, he joined the Army, and only his boyish looks prevented any old-timer remarks. He\u2019s done tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, and his obligations have also taken him to Jordan, Turkey, Kuwait and Qatar\u2014imagine trying to go through TSA unscathed with that passport? To top it off, Johnson didn\u2019t marry until he was 44 or have a child until about 46. In the span of a year, he got married, joined Sharp and gave up alcohol. Talk about massive changes! But to hear him talk, Johnson is only getting started and eagerly awaits his next adventure. Well, maybe \u201cawaits\u201d is a poor term; the man has a way of carving out his fortunes, although he feels it is more Divine Providence. \u201cI tend to do everything late in life,\u201d said Johnson, a 2022 ENX Magazine Difference Maker. \u201cI tell everyone that sometimes you don\u2019t know what you need in life until God puts you in the right spot.\u201d He\u2019s found quite a niche with Sharp. Despite the pandemic and supply chain woes, Johnson\u2019s sales team grew revenues by 15% in 2021. This year has been equally fruitful, as Sharp enjoyed its best July ever from a distribution standpoint. \u201cThe revenue results were great, but I think it was due to the behavior of my sales team in staying aggressive through that whole time,\u201d he said. \u201cWe had a mantra we used with our dealers\u2014if you find people willing to buy, we\u2019ll find a way to get it to them. Our goal was to figure out how to get the right product into the right deals at the right time. We made it work.\u201d Setting the Stage Armed with a bachelor\u2019s degree in political science and government from North Central College and an associate\u2019s degree in computer networking from Robert Morris University, Johnson spent the better part of 16 years with Konica Minolta in a variety of roles and developed deep knowledge in direct sales, which equipped him well when it came time to serve the dealer channel with Sharp. \u201cI\u2019ve managed sales reps and I\u2019ve been one myself. I\u2019ve done all of the things at the branch level that our [Sharp] dealers do day in and day out,\u201d he said. \u201cWhen I came to Sharp, I told the dealers that I have some strategies that can help them grow their business. And they were very receptive to it.\u201d Johnson has long appreciated the value of driving the success of others, as it is critical to his own fortunes. And he loves nothing more than a challenge he can (as he terms it) bully his way through; an aggressive nature toward obstacles only accentuates the passion Johnson has for the industry. An ardent believer in the \u201cshow, don\u2019t tell,\u201d philosophy has propelled Johnson\u2019s attitude toward executing plans. Whether it\u2019s in the Army or strategizing to facilitate dealer (and Sharp) growth, actions trump promises. \u201cIf you\u2019re going to make a change or you have a new strategy, just start putting it into play,\u201d he said. \u201cYou don\u2019t need to make a big announcement about what you\u2019re going to do. People only care about the results.\u201d Given his less-than-traditional path, it\u2019s not surprising that Johnson has a penchant for looking at things differently, but with a big-picture perspective. That\u2019s where the strategizing begins, with an eye toward solutions that are predictable and repeatable. Johnson also keeps his eyes on the X-factor and its potential to impede goals. Johnson has gleaned much of his insight from key influencers such as his boss, John Sheehan (Sharp\u2019s senior vice president of channel sales); President and CEO Mike Marusic; and Armen Biberian, a former boss with Konica Minolta. Sheehan provided a long leash to try new ideas and not be afraid of failing. When Johnson was a rep, Sheehan never kept a quota watch over his underlings, and that confidence he showed in Johnson was eye-opening. \u201cI don\u2019t think I would be where I am today, skill set and industry-wise, without John giving me that leeway to do it on my own,\u201d Johnson noted. It was Biberian who guided Johnson\u2019s initial foray into the industry and was the author of the \u201cno big announcements\u201d philosophy. \u201cHe taught me that loyalty was a big piece of the puzzle,\u201d Johnson said of Biberian. \u201cHe showed me how to manage people.\u201d Encore Performance As 2022 winds down, Sharp remains on track for its strongest regional performance, and that\u2019s coming off a wildly successful 2021. Johnson is focused on helping dealers expand their product horizon and take advantage of opportunities with Dynabook laptops and AQUOS BOARD displays. Print volumes may be trending down, but the demand for information is growing exponentially, and he believes diversification is critical for dealer growth. The journey to personal and professional enrichment is enhanced through lessons learned, and Johnson believes that will not only serve him and his team well in the future but will also open the door to profit avenues for dealers. \u201cThe first thing dealers ask after I finish my product pitch is, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":166,"featured_media":49634,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[3626,80,1650,82,1638],"tags":[4232],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51449"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/166"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=51449"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51449\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":51463,"href":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51449\/revisions\/51463"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/49634"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=51449"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=51449"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=51449"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}