George Johnson: Building the $75M Afro Sheen Empire & Funding Soul Train

At 97 years old, George E. Johnson Sr. is a living legend. In this extraordinary conversation, the founder of Johnson Products Company—the first Black-owned business to trade on the American Stock Exchange—shares his remarkable journey from humble beginnings to revolutionizing the beauty industry.

Joined by his co-author, award-winning writer Hilary Beard, Mr. Johnson discusses their new memoir "Afro Sheen: How I Revolutionized an Industry with the Golden Rule, from Soul Train to Wall Street."

IN THIS EPISODE:

• How George started Johnson Products Company with just $500
• Creating Afro Sheen and Ultra Sheen during the natural hair movement
• His mentor S.B. Fuller and the principles that guided his success
• Meeting Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Operation Breadbasket
• The untold story of how he funded and saved Soul Train
• Becoming the first Black-owned company on a major stock exchange
• Why he profit-shared with employees and started his own bank
• Advice for young entrepreneurs from a 97-year-old business pioneer
• Hilary Beard on preserving this crucial piece of American history

This is more than a business story, it's a masterclass in entrepreneurship, perseverance, and living by the Golden Rule.

GUEST: George E. Johnson Sr. - Founder, Johnson Products Company | Author, "Afro Sheen" Hilary Beard - Award-winning writer, speaker, and co-author

GET THE BOOK: "Afro Sheen" by George E. Johnson Sr. and Hilary Beard https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/george-e-johnson/afro-sheen/9780316577366/?lens=little-brown

DOWNLOAD BOOKUM APP: Join book clubs and discover more conversations with legendary authors https://www.bookumapp.com

This Podcast is to brought you by Bookum - The book communities NEW and BEST way to host dynamic online book clubs.

Download the App and Start your Book club today at www.bookumapp.com

Catch all of conversations live on the Bookum App Nooks!

In this holiday special of the Bookum Founders Talk Podcast, we sit down with special guest, Co-Founder, and brother, the brilliant Kris Colley II.

We talk through Kris Colley’s role at Bookum, how the idea for the platform first came together, and the journey that took Bookum from an idea to a billboard in Times Square. We also reflect on standout moments from 2025, including conversations with Hollywood Producers like Will Packer, the evolution of community features like Nooks, and the podcast episodes and books that defined our year.

To close things out, we jump into Bookends, a rapid-fire look at what we’re currently loving across books, film, television, and culture.

This episode is a year-end reflection on building in public, honoring the stories that move us, and looking ahead to what’s next for Bookum.

Join the Bookum community
Download the Bookum app to discover books, join conversations, and connect with readers and creators:

https://www.bookumapp.com

Timestamps:

0:00 – Intro
1:23 – Kris’ role at Bookum
3:45 – The origins of Bookum
6:23 – How we got a Bookum billboard in Times Square
14:48 – Standout moments from 2025
16:46 – Will Packer
17:50 – Nooks on Bookum
22:12 – Favorite books of the year
28:54 – Favorite Bookum podcast of the year
29:58 – Bookends (Crave Outs)
30:33 – Plur1bus
30:53 – Sex in the City
31:24 – Billie Joel Documentary
33:00 – Mr. Scorsese

Bookends:

• Plur1bus
• Sex in the City
• Billie Joel Documentary
• Weapons
• Elway
• Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
• Mr. Scorsese

This Podcast is to brought you by Bookum - The book communities NEW and BEST way to host dynamic online book clubs.

Download the App and Start your Book club today at www.bookumapp.com

Catch all of conversations live on the Bookum App Nooks!

Does great art require hubris? In this episode of Creators Talk Podcast, we explore Gothic literature, Frankenstein, and the complex relationship between artists and their creations with Dr. Rebecca Marks, a Cambridge PhD specializing in Gothic literature and art history.

Dr. Marks takes us deep into the world of Gothic literature, from Mary Shelley's Frankenstein to the moral questions that define the genre. We discuss whether classics should remain untouchable, who gets to adapt stories by women, and the eternal debate: can we separate the artist from the art?

This conversation covers content creation, the role of hubris in making great art, controversial artists, and how Gothic literature teaches us about morality, ambition, and what it means to be a creator in today's world.

TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 - Introduction
1:02 - Frankenstein Interactive Museum in London
2:28 - New Frankenstein Movie Review
3:03 - Should Classics Be Untouchable?
4:12 - Does It Matter Who Adapts Stories by Women?
6:21 - Growing Up and Getting Into Gothic Literature
7:40 - Getting Into Content Creation
9:02 - Short vs Long Form Content Creation
10:28 - Relatability in Content Creation
12:01 - William Blake and Imagination
12:40 - How to Better Understand Gothic Art
14:40 - Source Texts for Understanding Literature
16:40 - Gothic as Open for Interpretation
18:26 - Morality Questions Within Gothic Literature (Frankenstein)
21:55 - The Role of the Artist
23:12 - Hubris in Art
24:02 - Is Hubris Required for Great Art?
25:12 - Can You Separate Art From the Artist?
26:11 - Kanye West Discussion
27:41 - JK Rowling Discussion
28:34 - Eric Gill and Controversial Artists
29:12 - The Fear of Criticism in Art
30:02 - Writing The Culture Dump Blog
31:12 - What is a Culture Dumper?
31:38 - Perfect Day of Writing
33:11 - The Power of Coffee
34:00 - Last, Now, Next Books
35:45 - How to Annotate Books
36:50 - Rapid-Fire Book Questions
38:50 - What Would You Like to See More of in the Art World?

CONNECT WITH DR. REBECCA MARKS:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/culture_dumper/?hl=en
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theculturedump?_t=ZG-8tdNOaeGNNp&_r=1&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMjU2MjgxMDQwNTU4AAGn7-IrCGaEaxrEE8Fmyivr2zKyniyDBnxRpnh60pUdMzKfynqt8MJSaLcZ2LQ_aem_kZEhAP3Gp6-nFzRb0MSoQw
The Culture Dump Blog: https://culturedump.substack.com/p/a-pre-raphaelite-primer?r=49iulx&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=ig&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMjU2MjgxMDQwNTU4AAGnh3yBND8YP3ALgU_eYZZb6tHh64g25ROGU1R0Es0j9VIuxtBIZR5N0S-GQLM_aem_wqCrIEV2Ss9CNOI1hNvBgA&triedRedirect=true


Books:
The Magic Mountain by Thomas Mann (A Recent Read)
Death in Venice by Thomas Mann (A Short Story)
Zofloya by Charlotte Dacre (A Gothic More People Should Read)

Art & Artists:
Lady Diana Beauclerk - Illustrations to Leonora
Joseph Wright of Derby
William Blake

Media:

Death Note (Manga)
The Legend of Zelda

Learn more at: https://www.bookumapp.com

This Podcast is to brought you by Bookum - The book communities NEW and BEST way to host dynamic online book clubs.

Download the App and Start your Book club today at www.bookumapp.com

Catch all of conversations live on the Bookum App Nooks!