Entrepreneur Blake Johnson on Buying a Soccer Team, His 1969 Bronco, and His Favorite Watch
Johnson’s rise, from waking at 3 a.m. to work cattle on his family’s California ranch to becoming a self-made billionaire, began at school—but not necessarily in the classroom. “I remember running round corners trying not to get caught selling suckers and lollipops,” he says. At 47, Johnson has created and sold businesses for a combined total of over $1.15 billion. His direct-to-consumer orthodontics provider, Byte, reached a billion dollars in valuation without any external investment; Alter, a fitness brand focusing on DNA and daily biometrics, “is on a trajectory to exceed that number by multiples,” he says. His seventh enterprise—a consumer-finance company, Forma—has just launched.
Success has allowed Johnson to explore passions including art, watches, pens, and philanthropy. “I’ve had so many lucky breaks along the way—especially at the age when the concrete is still wet, so to speak—and I’ve always felt compelled to give back,” he says. Beneficiaries include International Justice Mission, Heart of Los Angeles (HOLA), and various arts, science, and educational establishments.
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Johnson is perpetually on the move but finds himself returning to a long-term aim: “I’ve become obsessed with starting a school for kids from 12 to 20 years old. I believe I can fix core problems existing in our education system.”
What have you done recently for the first time?
Became an owner of a sports team. I invested in a U.K. soccer club called Hampton & Richmond Borough FC. I went out there to go to a game in January, but the pitch was frozen.
First thing you do in the morning?
I like to knock out the items I’m least looking forward to: from workouts to analyzing financials to difficult decisions and hard conversations.
Do you have any personal rituals?
I love to travel by myself. I appreciate traveling with my family and friends, but being on the road solo is liberating. I’m perpetually curious and yearn to see what’s over that next hill and meet the next person.
What do you do that’s still analog?
I have a collection of fountain pens, each filled with a specific brown ink, and I keep cream-colored stationery and cards to write letters on. I write in cursive script and take great care with each presentation. It’s becoming a lost art, but one that I’ll never let go of.
What in your wardrobe do you wear most often?
I’m not shy to rock a scarf any chance I can. I’m a sucker for Loro Piana. I’m headed to Africa tonight, and the family member I’m traveling with joked that I needed to pack an extra suitcase for all my scarves.
Drive or be driven?
Nothing makes me happier than being behind the wheel, but I’m now driven the majority of the time. I own a few cars, including a 1969 Icon Bronco. It’s a real head-turner. You’re driving along and people are honking and giving you thumbs-up. The car I’m driven in mostly is a [Cadillac] Escalade.
What’s your favorite cocktail, and how do you make it?
Year-round in Southern California: tequila with a splash of soda water and a slice of orange. Summers in Lake Como: negronis. Winters in England: elevenses with the boys. Mexico: cerveza with tobala mezcal neat.
Who is your dealer, and what do they source for you?
CJ, hailing from London and Monaco, is well on his way to becoming the biggest contemporary-art dealer on the planet, and I find myself heavily following his lead on blue-chip artists.
What’s the most recent thing you’ve added to your collection?
A piece by George Condo, Mr. & Mrs. Strange. You see some great artists—from Richard Prince to Damien Hirst—shift their style. This one blended an old style with a new style on the same canvas.
What’s the most recent thing you regret not buying?
More real estate in 2021, when it was better to be lucky than to be good. I had my eye on a ranch in Colorado that I passed on, and I still mourn it weekly. It’s funny, they say you spend your early adult life running away from your childhood and your later adult life running back to it.
How do you get to sleep?
I fall asleep within 30 seconds of my head hitting the pillow. I’m an early-to-bed, super-early-to-rise guy. It comes from having to get up at 3:05 a.m. daily to work cattle in my youth.
What does success look like to you?
My views of success constantly change. Having my children balanced with broad perspectives and fundamentally strong characters is top of the list.
Who is your guru?
I’ve always prided myself on not having one and carving my own way through life. However, I’ve recently had the good fortune to spend days with Guy Ritchie at Ashcombe, his estate in England. Brief moments of conversation with him have forever changed my views on life and humanity. His EQ is off the charts.
Are you wearing a watch?
Yes, a Patek Nautilus 5976—my favorite piece out of around 25 I own.
How would you describe your look?
Multifaceted. I love British sophistication, Italian understated elegance, American Western wear. But most importantly, I love a good tailor. Regardless of style, if it’s not fitted, it’s not right.
What’s your favorite hotel?
It’s a tie between the Mandarin Oriental in Lake Como, the Brando in French Polynesia, and Claridge’s in London.
Who do you admire most in the world?
I admire those who live [in] the arena, whose faces are weathered by hard work, valiant efforts, and material results. I admire anyone with grit, the nimbleness to think on their feet, and a strong positive attitude.
Last piece of advice you gave?
There are three essentials in life: something to do, something to love, and something to hope for. If you’re missing one, life will be out of balance.
And the last advice you were given?
Grasp the difference between jungle and zoo lions. Independence is earned, dependence is free. No one ever did anything impressive in the zoo.
What kind of music makes you happy?
From George Strait and Chris Stapleton to Maná or Luis Miguel to George Michael and ’80s pop to Motown and [Norwegian DJ] Kygo and other EDM.
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