
Shawn Johnson won America’s hearts as a gold medal gymnast at the 2008 Olympics. And her husband, Andrew East, is a former NFL player.
But after their athletic careers, they stepped into the world of content creation – and quickly realized they had no idea what they were doing.
They dove in headfirst, experimenting and learning as they went – with plenty of missteps along the way. But it worked: they’ve built a following of over 12 million people across all social channels. And together they run the media company Family Made – all while being true to themselves and their values.
After their athletic careers, they stepped into the world of content creation – Today they run family media network FamilyMade, hosts of the chart-topping podcast Couple Things, and authors of a new book called The Courage to Commit ..
In this episode you’ll learn how when you compliment your partner…and stay committed to who you are…real magic can happen.
This conversation will give you the permission you need to just try stuff – even if it’s not perfect, even if it doesn’t work – because sometimes, just doing something teaches you exactly what you need to know.
You’ll also learn:
You don’t own your brand. Your audience does. You can shape it with marketing materials, but it’s ultimately defined by the associations people have with it.
Big goals matter – a lot. But the real value isn’t the goal itself. It’s everything you go through and learn on the way to reaching it.
| Clip | Leader | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Create clear boundaries when working with family | Shawn Johnson Andrew East | 1:13 |
| Don’t kick a hard decision down the road | Shawn Johnson Andrew East | 1:10 |
| Chasing trends is a fast track to burnout | Shawn Johnson Andrew East | 1:21 |
| Follow what’s true for you, not just what performs | Shawn Johnson Andrew East | 1:19 |
| Your brand is defined by how other people feel about it | Shawn Johnson Andrew East | 1:57 |
| Sell the story, not the product | Shawn Johnson Andrew East | 0:51 |
| Start first, then learn as you go | Shawn Johnson Andrew East | 0:46 |
| Be vulnerable, but after you’ve processed your emotions | Shawn Johnson Andrew East | 1:07 |
| How to start over in a new career | Shawn Johnson Andrew East | 1:10 |
| It’s about the process, not the outcome | Shawn Johnson Andrew East | 0:47 |
| Don’t expect your leadership to look like someone else’s | Shawn Johnson Andrew East | 0:47 |