The Alimond Show
Welcome to The Alimond Show --join us as we share our entrepreneurial guests' stories, uncover their secrets to success, and explore the unique paths they've taken to build thriving businesses in our community.
In each episode, our host, Aliyah Dastour, sits down with a diverse group of local business owners, from the corner cafe to the boutique shop, from tech startups to family-run enterprises. We peel back the curtain to reveal the trials, triumphs, and transformational moments that have shaped their entrepreneurial journey.
Discover the passion, perseverance, and innovative thinking that fuels these businesses, as well as the challenges they've overcome along the way. Whether you're a budding entrepreneur seeking inspiration or simply a curious listener interested in the stories behind your favorite local spots, The Alimond Show has something for everyone.
Our guests share their experiences, insights, and valuable advice that can empower you to turn your own dreams into reality. We discuss topics like marketing strategies, customer relationships, community engagement, and much more, offering practical takeaways you can apply to your own business or career.
Join us every week as we celebrate the unsung heroes of our local business community and explore the vibrant tapestry of entrepreneurship in our area. Tune in to The Alimond Show and get ready to be inspired, informed, and motivated to support and nurture the businesses that make our community thrive.
Subscribe now and become a part of our growing community of business enthusiasts and entrepreneurs. Stay connected with us on social media, and don't forget to leave a review if you enjoy our show. Let's celebrate the spirit of local business together on The Alimond Show.
The Alimond Show
ZayVon Johnson - From Marketing Prodigy to Math Education Innovator: Strategies, Success, and Community Involvement
Ever wondered how a marketing prodigy transitions into the world of math education? Join us as we highlight ZayVon Johnson, a multi-faceted director of Mathnasium of Columbia. From running his own marketing company at 18 to revolutionizing math tutoring with a calculator-free approach, ZayVon shares his dynamic journey and innovative strategies. Discover how Mathnasium helps students of all ages grasp fundamental math concepts and bridge learning gaps, particularly in accelerated school programs. ZayVon also opens up about effective marketing techniques, emphasizing the power of face-to-face interactions and community involvement through local events.
Balancing professional responsibilities with personal development is no small feat, and ZayVon offers a masterclass in just that. Drawing from the Kaizen philosophy, he discusses his proactive efforts to forge stronger connections with educational institutions and the indispensability of mentorship. ZayVon reveals his personal goals for the next five years, including pursuing a PhD, excelling in jiu-jitsu, and advancing in finance, all while staying committed to self-improvement and giving back to the community through volunteering.
Finally, ZayVon leaves us with an inspiring message on the importance of perseverance and the courage to pursue one's dreams. Reflecting on his upbringing in a small town, he encourages listeners to take bold steps toward their aspirations and highlights the significance of STEM education. Overcoming the fear of math and embracing challenging degrees are vital, and ZayVon passionately advocates for more people to venture into these fields. Tune in for a heartfelt discussion that underscores the value of hard work, dedication, and community.
I am Zavon Johnson. I am the director of the Mathnasium of Columbia. We offer math tutoring services for really primarily students K-12, but really just about anybody.
Speaker 2:I love that. Now, going back into your background, how did you end up being the director of Mathnasium?
Speaker 1:Oh my gosh, such a loaded question, Good no kidding, I mean it's been an interesting journey, right. So I mean, I started off, you know, at a young age I've been interested in leadership, right. Started my first business at the age of 18. Actually, right on my 18th birthday, I started my first company. What was it? I just well, it was a marketing company, actually.
Speaker 2:Okay, cool.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it was a marketing company and it was interesting because what intrigued me the most was always the leadership aspect of it, more so than the job function of it, the actual services which were rendered. Long story short, over the course of my entire professional career I mean, I've always done leadership things. My last position I was running the largest moving company in Maryland and I feel like I've just always looked to challenge myself in terms of taking on greater roles of responsibility.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:And that's kind of how this role of Mathnasium came to be. So I mean leadership. I'm also a math geek.
Speaker 2:There we go. That's what I was waiting for you to say.
Speaker 1:It's like a mix of enjoying leadership and math, and Mathnasium is the perfect blend of that. So I'm also in college for finance, so that should tell you how much of a math nerd I am.
Speaker 2:Yeah, apparently that's what you love, right?
Speaker 1:Can't get enough of it. That is so cool.
Speaker 2:Thank you. Tell me a little bit about how you are helping these kids, what kinds of services like. Deeper into detail about the subjects, all of that good stuff, nitty gritty.
Speaker 1:Yeah, wow, that's a really great question. I would say one of the biggest differentiating factors of Mathnasium is, for one, we are a calculator-less school. So you know many, many, not just students but people in general are very dependent upon calculators when it comes to doing math. Right I mean myself included for a long time Right, it's interesting when you take that calculator away how much more challenging it becomes and how it reveals, a lot of times, gaps that people have in their math competencies. So what Mathnasium does is we really break math down to its simplest format and really help students of any age really learn how the math works right, not memorizing a bunch of equations, not memorizing a bunch of terminologies, but just really understanding how everything works in its simplest format.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:To then give you the ability to do any math equation whatsoever.
Speaker 2:That is amazing and I like that you touched on that, because I mean, I feel like I struggled with math and you definitely have to know, like those building blocks, the early stuff in order to understand the rest. So I think that is amazing and I love that you share that, because maybe some people did not know that it starts with the basics, right.
Speaker 1:It starts with the basics. It starts with the basics and you'd be surprised, especially, you know, in different schools right now it's really common. I don't know if you've heard of GT or like accelerated school programs.
Speaker 2:I know GT car but I don't know that. Pretty good car.
Speaker 1:A lot of schools are focused and I'm not necessarily pointing the finger when I say this, but many schools are focused on progressing the student on the fastest possible track, right. And the problem with that is or a possible problem, I should say is that there are students that miss some of those fundamentals, some of those fine details in the math. And what will happen is, you know, math is a compounding thing, right? If the fundamentals from one grade level are not there, they will probably reveal themselves at a later point in a higher level math, right? So when you've got students that are going super, super fast, they're learning, they're cramming all these different math concepts in one semester, I mean, there's some students that unfortunately, stuff just slipped through the cracks and it'll come back up at a later point. You know, that's kind of where we bridge the gap.
Speaker 2:That is amazing. Yeah, now it's K through 12. But if someone maybe were inquiring outside of those age ranges, would you be able to help them? We would, we would.
Speaker 1:We have private tutoring, so I mean really any student or anyone that's looking for math tutoring. We would have something available to help them. Okay, Whether they're K-12 or beyond.
Speaker 2:Okay, Whether they're K-12 or beyond. Okay, and now for marketing marketing yourself, marketing the businesses that you offer and, like all this information that you just gave me, yes, how do you market that? Are you active online? Do you make like little slides with info?
Speaker 1:Yes, so I have to give credit to my team because they are absolutely incredible with all the different marketing things that they do. I like to say that I know where I'm strong and I know where I'm weak, and I'm saying that as someone that ran a digital marketing company. I prefer old school.
Speaker 2:I prefer being in front of people.
Speaker 1:So I like just going out to different schools and building collaborations with them, also attending different events. I'm going to be at the uh indian festival uh, in september, actually one of the biggest cultural events in richmond it is in maryland. Actually it's near columbia yeah, okay, okay, but I think they're it's funny, I think there actually is another one that's in richmond I think.
Speaker 2:so I think I went to that first school project. No, you didn't. Yeah, really yeah, it was cool.
Speaker 1:They're everywhere. So, yeah, I like going to different events like that and just showcasing people what we have to offer yes, showing the value of it and helping them make their own decision for themselves. I love this Real conversations, real communications. I feel like that's where I do best. So if there's a way that I like to market, it would be face-to-face communication, just like this Show you how the math works, show you a couple different equations, show you how Mathnasium does it and then help you see what we have to offer.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and that's why I like asking that, because every person that comes in here has you know a different answer and I think it's important for everybody to know that there's not just one way of marketing. It can be word of mouth, it can be getting out there with the community, it can be through social media maybe making funny skits all kinds of stuff, so I like asking people about and getting their answers of what works yes, I mean there's my team.
Speaker 1:They do all the other areas of marketing that I'll just say I don't enjoy yeah and that's totally fine um, super thankful for them. I know my role, I know my lane, but it's yeah. If I had to choose one way to do it forever, it would be community outreach, getting out there, having face-to-face conversations and just you know, pedal to the metal.
Speaker 2:Love it For sure. Now you mentioned your team. How many team members do you have?
Speaker 1:Oh my goodness, in our entire lineage I mean close, close to to 100. So my Mathnasium lineage is probably one of the largest in the East Coast, actually so close to 100.
Speaker 2:Okay, that's a big number.
Speaker 1:Somewhat, it's getting up there. Congratulations, it's getting up there, yeah.
Speaker 2:And for anybody looking for Mathnasium services. Is it only for people who live in Maryland? Do you offer virtual? How does that work?
Speaker 1:So I'm glad you asked. Actually, so, if you were to join us at Mathnasium, you have the ability to be an in-person student and just an in-person student, or, for the same investment, a 100% online student or, for the same investment, a 100% online student. It's interesting because we'll have many students, especially right now during the summer, that are traveling abroad. Right, we can just convert them to online students. There's no difference in monthly investment. There's no difference in anything whatsoever. You get the same service, just 100% online. So I mean, technically, you could come to my center in Columbia, maryland, or you could be in Texas, which we have students out in Texas that are just online students.
Speaker 2:Cool.
Speaker 1:And they're with us, you know, just virtually.
Speaker 2:Very, very cool. I love that the comfort of your home so you don't have to leave and drive to the traffic.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean it's interesting because you know some people. Some people they do better in that online environment. Yeah, some people they need the in-person.
Speaker 2:I would be that person.
Speaker 1:You would be that person.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:I am not that person, I mean so. I mean, you know, I mentioned I'm in college, my college is 100% online, cool, I mean I just enjoy the comfortability of it and I tell, I tell students that like, listen, it is okay, like you can thrive as long as you're getting the material and you're doing your best. You could be on Mars and you'll do just fine it really doesn't matter.
Speaker 2:Yeah, absolutely. And I know you said when you go to schools and like collaborate with them, how does that come to be? Like how are schools finding you? And like what do you do when you go to those schools? What are you talking about? What are you showing?
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean, you know, in some instances they're finding us because, quite frankly, I mean a lot, of, a lot of our students, they, they, they talk. You know, when they're at school they tell their teacher hey, you know, I learned this methodology to solve for whatever from Mathnasium and then from there it just the word spreads. Essentially, I mean Mathnasium's also been around for over 20 years, so that you know that kind of helps as well. We're also positioned right by the high school, so a lot of students will just literally just walk right over after school.
Speaker 2:How convenient.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's pretty convenient, but in some instances, I mean, it's me reaching out trying to find them.
Speaker 1:You know, it's not uncommon for me to just reach out to a school, reach out to a professor, reach out to a teacher and just say how can I help. You know, do you have any students that could use our services? You know what can we do to provide? I like dropping off gift baskets. I'm all for a collaboration, a symbiotic collaboration. So sometimes it's them finding me, sometimes it's me finding them. It's a nice little mix. As long as we're having this face-to-face communication, like I just enjoy the conversation aspect of it and just having you know connecting yes old school absolutely old school.
Speaker 1:It's sad that we have to say old school, I'm just kidding, but you know, I feel like I'm almost showing my age no, you're good anyways I'm kidding. Yeah, let's get off of that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, anyways, I'm kidding um, who are you outside of being the director of the math museum? What?
Speaker 1:do you like to do to?
Speaker 2:unwind, and how do you set boundaries so you can find time for your own mentor?
Speaker 1:Oh my gosh, that's an incredible question. Outside of Mathnasium, I would say, I'm still a very avid student, so mentorship is something that I take incredibly serious. I'm always either speaking to a personal mentor of mine, reading something, trying to expand my mind. I'm really big on self-development, so when I'm not working, I'm trying to better myself. That could be in martial arts, which I'm very involved in. That could be through reading. That could be in martial arts, which I'm very involved in. That could be through reading. That could be through progressing through college. I know that's a very boring answer no, everybody's different.
Speaker 1:I mean, I guess, I guess I'm, I'm like a true, almost like a true nerd at heart. I just I love, I love self-development, I love nerding-improvement. Shout out to my mentor, by the way, Kaizen Master. His name's Jose Rodriguez, but he goes by the Kaizen Master. It's an old Japanese term. Kaizen means continuous self-improvement. I apologize if I'm butchering that. By the way, but we both live by the mantra of continuous self-improvement.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:I feel like it's a true lifestyle. So, to answer the question, you know what do I do when I'm not at work? I mean, I'm still working on developing myself. I just love it. That's great.
Speaker 2:I love it, yeah, no you're good, you're good, I love it, thank yeah, no, you're good, you're good, I love it, thank you. It's benefiting you and you're always growing and learning. It's not just like a nine to five, I'm growing, it's like 24-7.
Speaker 1:24-7. It's a mindset, it's a lifestyle.
Speaker 2:Absolutely, yeah, absolutely, yomi Soda. We said it at the same time, just kidding, I wanted to you something, but now I like I zoned out.
Speaker 1:When I said drinks, you'll be soda it was, it was those, it was those, uh, lifestyle conversations that we were having self-improvement, self-development.
Speaker 2:I remember now okay so, speaking of mentor, did you find that, being an entrepreneur, having your own business, did you need coaching? Did you need a mentor? Did that help you? Did you figure it out on your own?
Speaker 1:I wouldn't be the director of Mathnasium if it wasn't for my mentor like it. I would say, if there's like one cheat code to life to accelerate whether I mean whether it's going down a path of entrepreneurship, whether it's going down a path of math mastery, whether it's going down a path of whatever horseback riding, I don't know Having a mentor, I personally feel like it's the cheat code to accelerating through that path in the most efficient way possible. I wouldn't yeah, I definitely would not be where I'm at if it wasn't for my mentor.
Speaker 2:Yeah, thanks for sharing that, that's not even a question.
Speaker 1:Cool, cool.
Speaker 2:Where do you see yourself in the next five years as a person and with your business?
Speaker 1:Oh my gosh, when do you hope to be at? First of all, I want to say thank you for asking that question. That is, that's huge.
Speaker 2:I'm really big on planning and I'm really big on backwards planning like choosing a goal and then working it out backwards to figure out how I need to that's so mathematical of you how I need to get I know.
Speaker 1:So analytical of me, right Five years from now, I definitely want to be working on my PhD at that point. What it'll be in? Probably something STEM related, I imagine Something math, possibly Something leadership, possibly. I definitely want to be a multi-time jiu-jitsu world champion, Possibly Jiu-jitsu Master World champion.
Speaker 2:Okay.
Speaker 1:Possibly. Well, you know physical, everything willing. I'd love to be a multi-time champion. I see myself going down the path of finance. I see myself really gearing towards that finance. I see myself really gearing towards that. So definitely in a more finance related role for sure, whether it's financial leadership or just something more technical, if you will and also being on more podcasts like this. Having the privilege to speak to great people like you and hopefully inspire people, hopefully mentor more people and also give back more Volunteering is something that's very important to me.
Speaker 2:Yeah, talk to me about that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean when I was oh my goodness, when I was back in Virginia, my grandfather he, he wrote to the Salvation Army. So I would very frequently be up there cooking with him, volunteering with him, helping him carry stuff around, like I'm so big on giving back. So you asked me like where would I want to be in five years? Definitely logging as many hours possible of being a servant. In some way it could be mentorship, it could be anything but definitely giving back, helping people who need it, not expecting anything in return. I mean I look at how much like my life's been impacted from people who did stuff for me that didn't have to, you know, mentored me when they didn't have to, believed in me when they didn't have to, even instances where I gave them every reason to not back me. You know what I mean, because I'm not perfect, but looking at the influence that that had on me, I almost feel like it's a necessity for me to return those energies back to somebody else.
Speaker 2:Yeah, pass the torch on. Share the knowledge.
Speaker 1:Got to, got to Got to. I love that outlook.
Speaker 2:That's such a good outlook. Where would we be in the world if we didn't have people who felt like that, and if it was always just like, okay, I'm going to not share this, like this is just for me, I don't want to share that Right.
Speaker 1:This is just for me. This is just yeah. No, we would be so far beyond if we didn't have people that gave back in that capacity, Absolutely.
Speaker 2:So, being that person is who I aspire to be more like in five years that person is who I aspire to be more like in five years and right now. So, yeah, start today, start right now. Power of now yeah, thank you for sharing that. Yes yes stuff.
Speaker 2:Um, volunteering has been something that is big for you. Did you have like a core memory that maybe you want to share? Or even like, since we're on the topic of math, did you maybe have an experience with a professor who maybe inspired you in back in your school days?
Speaker 1:oh, my goodness, yes, um, shout out to miss goss from high school. Um, it's so interesting. I remember when I was it was like my senior year of high school I started really taking more difficult classes than ever before, like taking AP classes, honors classes, all of that stuff. I loaded my schedule up pretty heavy with AP courses and I remember, and I feel like this is one of those things that really instilled in me the idea of being a mentor and the idea of giving back. Ms Goss would stay after school with me for like at least an hour, most days an hour and a half, and would just I mean, she was a history teacher but she would help me with everything, like Matt, like she was helping with math, she was helping me with science, like she was helping me with everything.
Speaker 1:So it's like yeah, I got like so much out of just speaking with her and yeah, that I would say if there's anything that's impacted me, it was that and it kind of planted that seed of me being that way with others. But it's such a therapeutic session, look at me. Yeah, I'm just self-actualizing on camera. Wait a minute.
Speaker 2:You look back at us and be like, oh my God. Yeah, like you're making me think about stuff us and be like, oh my.
Speaker 1:God, yeah, like you're making me think about stuff that happened. Wow, that was so formative. Thank you for asking that. Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 2:I'm curious because like you're like helping others right, but what was your experience like with math and like tutoring and all of that? So I think it's great to like pick your brain about that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean it's interesting because I've mentored people in so many different capacities over the course of my life. But now that I think about it I almost feel like I'm not giving back enough. Like I look at how much mentorship I'm getting enough.
Speaker 1:Like I look at, I look at how much mentorship I'm getting and you know, now that I think about it right here on this podcast, now that I think about it, I feel like I could be doing more. Um, I mean I mean, that's just the blunt answer Like I don't have, I don't have a mentee at the capacity that I am a mentee. Maybe, I don't know, maybe this is a sign for me to give back more and maybe be less self-centered myself with receiving mentorship, but maybe not giving it back as much as I would like.
Speaker 2:Okay, maybe did I just open your third eye all night or something.
Speaker 1:You just, you just, it's wide open. Now it's wide open, oh yeah, oh yeah, but thank you for asking that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, no, absolutely. And um, where do you hope that what you're doing is going to inspire others, or what kind of legacy would you like to leave behind?
Speaker 1:Wow, wow, I would say. If there's one thing that I would really want to leave behind, it's inspiring others to just take a chance. Take a chance and just do what you want to do, right. Like me, growing up in a very similar area to this in Leesburg, there just wasn't much.
Speaker 1:There wasn't much in the little town that I'm from, right, and I'm not saying that there's anything wrong with staying in the place that you're from, but having the courage to move from the place that I was in to a major city you know, just because I knew it's what I wanted to do, that, yeah, if there's anything that I want to inspire and other people, it's the ability to just say you know what, this is what I want to do, this is my dream, this is my aspiration. I'm gonna do it, I'm gonna give it a real shot. You know, if there's anything I want to leave behind, I would say having the courage to fight for your dreams.
Speaker 2:Yeah, take that chance.
Speaker 1:Absolutely Love that and, of course, along the way, get better at math and have fun with it. Place an emphasis on STEM, because I feel like we need more people in STEM. We need more people that are courageous enough to get into STEM. Try it. I feel like it scares people away. Very frequently I was scared, I mean, at first. There's been so many times where I wanted to switch out of my degree plan to like something else just because of the fear of all the math. But inspiring people to go for a degree that challenges them whatever that might be, whatever that might be STEM anything anything, anything in life, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:Thank you for sharing that.
Speaker 1:Absolutely. Don't run away from the fire, run towards it. Yeah, oh my gosh, challenge yourself.
Speaker 2:Okay, don't literally run to the fire, though, if you're listening like run to the fire. That. That's the quote from Zayvon. Metaphorically, please gotta put the warning. Since I have you here, I want to make sure that I'm touching on all the key points for your listeners who will listen, and our listeners. Is there anything that I didn't touch on that maybe you want to share? Maybe an upcoming event or something?
Speaker 1:new. I definitely appreciate that. I think the only thing that I want to touch on is just connecting with maybe an upcoming event or something. Wow, well, I definitely appreciate that. I think the only thing that I want to touch on is just connecting with me on social media, on Instagram, at Zavon Johnson, by the way.
Speaker 1:All the different things that I mentioned today in terms of mentorship, giving back math, taking a are taking, taking a chance those are all things that I want to help people with. Those are all things that I want to give back concerning so. I mean, if anyone, if there's anyone that I could help that feels like they could get something out of it, just don't hesitate to contact me and I'll do my best to do that. I've been helped so much in my life. I feel as though it would behoove me to not give back in the same manner. So if there's anything I want to mention, it's that.
Speaker 2:Awesome. Now my last question.
Speaker 1:Uh-oh.
Speaker 2:If you could leave our audience with a message or maybe share a mantra that you like to live your life by for inspiration for them. What would that message or mantra be?
Speaker 1:never give up mic drop. That's it. Yeah, that's it never give up, choose something and fight for it. Um, it's really that simple. It's really that simple best. It's really that simple.
Speaker 2:The best things don't come easy right. That's it. Gotta work for it.
Speaker 1:That's it.
Speaker 2:That's it. Thank you so much for being here.
Speaker 1:No thank y'all. I'm literally so appreciative for y'all having me. This is amazing. I don't know if the viewers can see this, but this podcast room is beautiful, thank you. Thank you so much for having me and I just really appreciate it. Thank you. Glad I got to talk a little bit about some math, some leadership, some Some old teachers, some good culture nerdy stuff on this podcast. Absolutely Thank you.
Speaker 2:You're welcome, thank you.