Issue link: https://nebusinessmedia.uberflip.com/i/477247
www.HartfordBusiness.com July 21, 2014 • Hartford Business Journal 25 40 Under Forty 2014 40 Under Forty 2014 Garrett Kenny Age: 33 Title at work/what I do: I own and operate Garrett's Barber Shop in Berlin. It's a shop with four full-time barbers and a very diverse clientele. I've owned the shop since I was 19, and I'm currently in my 14 th year of business. I'm also the president and co-owner of Founders Pomade, a men's hair care brand that we personally developed earlier this year. We make it here in CT and distribute it throughout the world, currently in nine countries and 42 states. We're a company with a social mission, donating 50 cents of every bottle sold to local charities. Town where I work: Berlin / West Hartford Town where I live: Newington College I attended: I did not attend college; founded my business instead. My passion, hobby or special talent: My current hobby is preparing for my son, who will be born this September! Twitter handle: @founderspomade No. of LinkedIn connections: 63 Favorite place to network: I generally network at my barber shop and at HYPE events. Favorite drink at a networking event: Bourbon How do I create connections in my profes- sional life? Dealing with the public each day means that connections happen pretty naturally. We have a great opportunity to meet and get to know people from all walks of life. In asking questions and engaging our clients, we devel- op real relationships with people as friends first. Professional connections often result from this, but it's never our first priority. What's been my biggest challenge professionally? Many individuals don't view being a bar- ber as a legitimate career option. It's often looked down upon as mindless labor or as a fallback career for those without a bet- ter option. Frankly, I recognize that many people in our industry have only added to this stigma with an overall lack of profes- sionalism. I hope to respond to this by being a leader not just in my industry but also in the community. This is one of the reasons why my team and I work so hard to help the fundraising efforts of local charities or to reach out in more public ways. Our aim is to demonstrate that a group of people can have an impact on the community regard- less of their education or socio-economic status. When well-intentioned, thoughtful, and intelligent people work together, posi- tivity is the result. What is the best advice I received? George Brown, a long-time client of mine told me very early in my career that I needed to have an exit strategy. I didn't grasp that advice immediately, but in growing both of my companies I've realized the wisdom of those words. We need to have clear objec- tives in business, both short and long term. This includes knowing how you envision your company growing even after you're gone. That foresight really shapes the way you mold not just a product or service, but also the cul- ture of a company. What do I want my legacy to be? I'd like my legacy to be that I was some- one who worked hard, led by example, and was a friend and support to everyone around him. On May 29, Garrett tweeted, "Many thanks to @ oktopusake for their support of CT brands. Local brands = local jobs = local growth = local pride. Great folks. Great sake." FUN FACT Ashley (AJ) Johnson Age: 30 Title at work/what I do: Pastor, community educator, and founder of Small Business Night Out. I have made it my aim to turn love into tangible services for our community. As a pastor, I work in the poorest zip code in Hartford to assist people to develop spiritually and economically. As a community educator, I work with those on the path of recovery in the areas of mental health and substance abuse, assisting them to gain the skills necessary for personal recovery and reintegration into the community. As the founder of SBNO, I work to empower, encourage and network small business owners and young entrepre- neurs throughout Connecticut. Town where I work: Hartford Town where I live: Hartford College I attended: W.L. Bonner College My passion, hobby or special talent: I'm passionate about making a difference in my community, for without a sense of caring, there can be no sense of community. I enjoy volunteering for organizations like the Greater Hartford NAACP, Northeast NRZ Mothers United Against Violence and the YMCA. I am a talented motivational speaker. Twitter handle: @ajforthecity Favorite place to network: Small Business Night Out Favorite drink at a networking event: Too busy networking How do I create connections in my profes- sional life? I create connections in my professional life by keeping an enthusiastic attitude, an optimistic mind set, and an open door policy. I am eager to reach out to people on every level and figure out how I can help them in their profession and in their cause. It is my belief that our lives, both profes- sional and personal, are enriched by those we connect to. What's been my biggest challenge professionally? My greatest challenge professionally has been finding the balance between passion and patience. By that I mean I have been blessed to wear a lot of hats professionally and each of these hats has challenged me to see a vision of our community advancing. However, in the same note, it takes a lot of pieces, a lot of people and a lot of patience to see a vision through. I have learned to be a patient man and allow time to work for me rather than against me. What is the best advice I received? The best advice I've ever received was from my mother, who told me "Show me your friends, and I will show you your future." Since then, I have dedicated my time and efforts to establishing a strong network of friends, both personally and professionally. Furthermore, I established SBNO with the ambition to assist other professionals to do the same. What do I want my legacy to be? I want my legacy to be that I helped to bring poor people to the table of power. I don't necessarily want my name to be the thing that is remembered, but I want what I stand for to stand for ages. AJ tweeted on July 10: "Just Finished Leading A Peace Walk In My Community With 4 Unity! Shout Out To My Church Urban Hope." FUN FACT