Sheila Johnson is the first Black woman BILLIONARE.
Born on January 25, 1949, in McKeesport, Pennsylvania. Her father, one of the only 11 Black neurosurgeons in the entire country, faced tremendous adversity during that time. The family had to move frequently because he was denied practice in white hospitals. She pursued her passion for music at the University of Illinois, where she studied and became a trained violinist. In college she met her future husband, Robert Johnson, they got married in 1963.
While working as a private violin instructor and traveling the world, Sheila Johnson gained valuable business experience. In 1979, she and her husband obtained a loan and co-founded Black Entertainment Network (BET), the first cable TV franchise amplifying Black culture. BET became the first Black-owned company to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Sheila Johnson played a significant role as the executive vice president of BET.
In 2001, the Johnsons sold BET to Viacom for $3 billion, solidifying their influential presence in the media industry. Despite their divorce in 2002, Sheila Johnson continued to make impactful contributions. In 2013, she founded Salamander Resort and Spa, a 340-acre hotel and spa located in Middleburg, VA. Her ventures in the hospitality industry shattered gender barriers, as she owns seven hotels.
Sheila Johnson also holds stakes in three professional sports teams: the Washington Wizards in the NBA, the Washington Capitals in the NHL, and the Washington Mystics in the WNBA.
She is committed to helping young people from underserved communities enter the business world.
HELLA INSPIRED.
