Janna’s Journey: Single Mother, Business Owner, and 15 Years Strong

In this personal episode of the Just Like Angels Podcast, host and childcare center owner Janna Johnson reflects on her 15-year journey of building a business while becoming and navigating life as a single mother. Janna takes listeners back to the early years of Just Like Angels, when she handled nearly every role herself. She was the teacher, director, cook, van driver, cleaner, and business owner — often operating in constant “owner mode” and carrying the full weight of the center on her shoulders. She also speaks honestly about burnout. Before becoming a mother, Janna reached a point where the stress of managing employees, expenses, and growth made her question whether she wanted to continue. When Janna gave birth to her daughter in 2017, a C-section required her to step away from the childcare center for six weeks. That experience became a major turning point. For the first time, she had to trust her team, delegate responsibilities, and accept that the business could continue operating without her being physically present every moment. Motherhood also changed the way Janna viewed childcare. She began looking at the program not only as an owner and educator, but as a parent asking whether she would feel comfortable leaving her own child there. That new perspective encouraged her to strengthen the quality of the center, improve systems, and create an environment that truly supported children, families, and staff. Janna discusses the importance of setting boundaries between work and home, including making a commitment to end her workday by 5:00 p.m. so she can be present for her daughter. Prayer, therapy, exercise, delegation, and giving herself grace have all played a role in helping Janna protect her mental and emotional health. Her message to other single mothers and aspiring entrepreneurs is clear: running a business and raising a child at the same time is difficult, but it is possible. At the center of this episode is the importance of knowing your “why.” For Janna, business ownership is not only about income or growth. It is about creating opportunity, building a legacy, and modeling strength and independence for her daughter — who now talks about one day taking over Just Like Angels herself. #JustLikeAngels #SingleMomEntrepreneur #WomenInBusiness #ChildcareBusiness #WorkingMoms #Entrepreneurship #WorkLifeBalance #BusinessOwner #Mompreneur #buildingalegacy Here are the timestamps and a summary of the topics discussed in the video: 00:00 - Introduction The speaker, Janna Johnson, introduces herself as the owner of Just Like Angels Childcare Center and host of the Just Like Angels podcast. She describes this episode as personal, focusing on her journey of balancing business ownership with motherhood as a single mom. 01:43 - The Early Years: Building a Business Before Motherhood The speaker reflects on starting her business 15 years ago while she was single and without children. During this time, she was "all in," handling every role from teacher and director to cook and van driver. She discusses the stress of managing a growing facility and the moment she almost quit to search for other jobs. 10:01 - The Transition to Motherhood Janna recounts meeting her daughter's father at FAMU in 2016 and the birth of her daughter, Noel, in 2017. She details becoming a single mother after the relationship did not work out and the immediate shift in her mindset regarding her business. 11:50 - Shifting Perspectives: Viewing the Business as a Parent Upon becoming a mom, Janna began looking at her childcare program through a "mommy lens," leading her to make significant changes to her staff and classrooms to ensure they met her standards for her own child. 13:26 - Strategies for Balancing Business and Parenting Delegation: The speaker emphasizes the necessity of delegating responsibilities and trusting her director and staff to run the building without her constant presence. Boundaries: She established strict hours and learned to say no to staff and parents outside of business hours. Support System: Janna discusses the importance of her "village," including family, friends, and a professional network of other childcare owners. 18:10 - Self-Care and Mental Health She highlights the importance of spiritual and physical self-care, including prayer, meditation, therapy, and exercise. 19:47 - Encouragement for Other Mothers Janna encourages other women and single moms interested in entrepreneurship, noting that while it is hard, it is possible. She shares the benefits of being a role model for her daughter, who now expresses interest in taking over the business one day. 22:03 - Closing Final thoughts on giving oneself grace and information on where to find the podcast and childcare resources.