Episode 2 | Tharon Johnson

The Atlanta Story

In this episode Jon Birdsong sits down with Tharon Johnson, CEO of Paramount Consulting Group. Tharon is a former campaign manager turned political strategist and in today’s episode we talk about the strategies he implemented for Mayor Kasim Reed’s come from behind win. We also discuss leadership insights about Congressman John Lewis from Tharon’s perspective. And of course, we talk about all things Atlanta and what it takes to build a company in the city today.

The Atlanta Story is put together by the folks at Atlanta Ventures -- and we can’t wait to share some of the personalities behind the brand. Atlanta Ventures invests in entrepreneurs through community, content, and capital -- most notably through our Studio with companies like Greenzie and Intown Golf Club. We believe the best entrepreneurs learn from other great artists in different fields.

In this episode, we discuss…

1. Tharon’s campaign manager days, specifically for Mayor Kasim Reed in 2009, and what strategies he implemented to win the election. (2:03)
2. Paramount Consulting Group just hosted its second anniversary. We discuss where Tharon learned his style of consensus building. (16:30)
3. “The middle is wide open.” What does that mean at a national level? (26:03)
4. How does today's fragmented messaging affect getting the word out?(30:00)
5. Stories of Congressman John Lewis. (32:28)
6. The future of Atlanta from a demographics perspective and trends seen. (36:24)
7. The next two to five years for Georgia. (42:35)

How you can get involved:

Visit atlantaventures.com/studio if you’re interested in learning more about Atlanta Ventures and the Studio.

Where you can find us (social media)

Website: atlstory.com

Twitter: @theatlantastory

Instagram: @theatlantastory

YouTube: Here

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