Walk Through Fire: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Triumph by Sheila Johnson

"...an inspiring story of overcoming toxic influences, discovering her true self, and at last finding happiness in her work and life." 

Synopsis -

From humble beginnings as a schoolgirl and a young violinist in Maywood, Illinois, Sheila Johnson rose to become one of the most accomplished businesswomen in America. A cofounder of Black Entertainment Television, she became an entrepreneur and philanthropist at the highest levels.

But that success came at a painful personal cost.

Sheila grew up in a middle-class family that encouraged her love of the arts and music. But her idyllic childhood ended at age sixteen when her beloved father announced that he was leaving for another woman, an act that shattered her mother and destroyed Sheila’s trust. She vowed she’d never be in her mother’s position—dependent on a man for her sense of self-worth and for financial security. Yet when she was barely out of her teens, Sheila married a man who would take her right down that same unfortunate path.

Filled with sharply drawn, emotionally powerful senses, Walk Through Fire traces the hardships Sheila faced in her marriage and her professional life. Despite her skills as a violinist and music teacher, as well as her obvious entrepreneurial talent, she had to fight to overcome self-doubt and fears of failure. Sheila vividly details her struggles, including battling institutional racism, losing a child, suffering emotional abuse in her thirty-three-year marriage, and plunging into a deep depression with her divorce. And yet, out of that pain came renewed purpose and meaning. In the third act of her life, Sheila Johnson has not only made her mark as the founder of Salamander Hotels & Resorts and the only Black female coowner of three professional sports teams, she has also, finally, found true love.

Walk Through Fire is a uniquely American success story. And it is the deeply personal portrait of one woman who, despite heartache and obstacles, finally found herself and her place in the world.

Review -

This is a wonderful memoir, and I highly recommend the audio book version as Sheila Johnson is the reader.  There is something about hearing an author share their story in their own voice that draws me in deeper.  It is like she is reminiscing with me over a cuppa, and she shared in three acts. First was her life from birth to marriage. The second was her life during her 30 year first marriage. The third was her life after divorce where she fought to find her path forward and created success on her own terms. 

I didn't know of Johnson before picking up this book, but did know of BET.  What I was looking for was insight into the history of how BET came about.  I received so much more.  The author gave me a look inside what being a black woman, a black entrepreneur, and a female black entrepreneur - a triple hurdle - at a time when every step up the ladder was not easy for African-Americans. The pressure on her to keep up the pretense of a happy couple for the sake of the community as her first marriage became more toxic was enormous. She was urged to take one for the team.   

When she finally walked away, the gift was not only her freedom and a peaceful home of her own, but her share from the sale of BET.  It was time to spread her wings and figure out what her act third would be.  And what a third act! But it didn't come easy. Every step of the way she faced racism, sexism, the collapse of the US economy in the middle of several large projects, and more. 

This is a wonderful read (or listen).  And it brings home the importance of persistence, believing in your dreams and your instincts, and the knowledge that dreams are attainable, although sometimes it takes years and jumping a lot of hurdles to cross the finish line. 

Buy the Book: Amazon US ~ Amazon CA

Meet the Author -

Sheila Johnson is a visionary entrepreneur with a passion for helping others. In the 1980s, she co-founded Black Entertainment Television. She continues to be a powerful influence in the entertainment industry, executive producing several documentary and feature films with humanitarian themes. Johnson has since diversified her business interests. She is founder and CEO of Salamander Collection, which operates luxury properties centred around unique destinations in the US and the Caribbean.

As a partner of Monumental Sports & Entertainment, Johnson is the only African American woman to have ownership in three professional sports teams: the Washington Capitals (NHL), the Washington Wizards (NBA), and the Washington Mystics (WNBA). She is also the first African American woman to own a PGA Championship golf course.

Johnson spearheaded the formation of WE Capital, a venture capital consortium specializing in female-led enterprises with a goal of promoting social impact while generating financial returns. She serves on the education committee of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and is a past member of Barack Obama’s President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities and the Council on Foreign Relations. She serves as a board member of the Metropolitan Opera, the Jackie Robinson Foundation, the Simon & Schuster Publishing Advisory Board, and the PBS Foundation, among others.

Her memoir, Walk Through Fire, was published by Simon & Schuster in September 2023.

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