Coryn Johnson - Bachelor of Business (Marketing) - 2005
Small business owner
Like many school students, Coryn Johnson was unsure of the direction she wanted to take professionally and left school in Year 11 thinking she would never have the desire to go to university.
That all changed when she embarked on a CSU Bachelor of Business (Marketing) degree at the age of 23.
Today, Coryn owns an organic day spa in Sydney where her childhood curiosity for knowing how things work is helping clients pinpoint the skincare treatments that will work for them.
Growing up in Bathurst, Coryn says her country approach is helping her in the competitive Sydney market and that her clientele and staff help drive her passions.
I am the youngest sibling, also the first of my immediate family to attend university. It meant a lot to my family and they were extremely proud of the achievement.
My childhood was... very normal. I had a great childhood growing up with my family and friends and had some amazing experiences along the way.
I chose CSU because… the university was in my home town, and I had heard it had a good reputation for business degrees. The overall experience of CSU was fun. I loved the experience of being a student. I’ve made lifelong friends and the degree has greatly helped me to run my business successfully.
My worst experience at CSU... I will always remember a group task in behavioural marketing class. We were up to 3am in the computer rooms the night before trying to collaborate to make a presentation and couldn’t agree on the content and delivery. Needless to say there was a clash of personalities, but we worked through the frustration and passed!
At university I was inspired… to believe that knowledge is power, and you can achieve anything you set your mind to.
Today I’m motivated… to keep learning new things, whether that be professionally or personally and knowing that being passionate about what you do helps keep you motivated and inspires you to continue learning new things.
My profession is extremely rewarding on an emotional level. I believe that what we do makes a difference to how people look and feel in a positive way, all the while helping the environment for a sustainable future. Additionally, I believe 100 percent in an organic lifestyle and well-being, and I have seen first-hand the positive impacts it has.
In my profession it is important to… stay calm! Seriously though, the industry constantly evolves so it is important to stay up-to-date with trends, technology and changing client needs.
I never dreamed I would… be changing people’s lives by helping their skin conditions. Also, winning a trip to Paris to train in my craft - not quite the lotto but close!
The biggest influence in my life... is my father. He has always been supportive and helpful. There are many challenges in both personal life and in business and it’s important to have a mentor and friend to help guide you through difficult times and decisions.
I’m most proud of… staying true to my roots and from a little country girl to being just about to celebrate six years in business in the exciting and competitive city of Sydney.
The best piece of advice I ever received... I was told if you love what you do, everything will follow! Also, just as I was about to buy my business, a fellow and extremely successful business owner told me to buy a book, The E myth - why most businesses don’t work and what to do about it by Michael E Gerber. It’s a short and insightful read, full of handy tips for anyone about to acquire a business.
The single-most important issue in the world is… being educated from a very young age the true meaning of “you are what you eat”. I can guarantee health, obesity, disease, and allergies, including severe skin conditions, would be significantly reduced. A simple video that explains this is: Food Matters! Google it.
The thing I wish I had done but never got around to... also complete a science degree.
If I could do it all again I ... would pretty much do it all the same, however one thing I would change is I would have been single until I was about 30 years old haha!
One last thing... Life is precious. You need to take time out for yourself and to do the things in life that make YOU happy!