How Getting Robbed Of $100,000 Turned Me Into An Entrepreneur. Allegedly.

When I turned 21, I achieved what was only a pipe dream for me. A pipe dream for a lot of people. I was cast in my very first acting gig. A little TV show called Under The Dome. Up until that moment, I was just a little hoodrat skater kid making less than $80 a day working graveshifts. The next week, I was playing a hoodrat skater kid on TV. And ya boy Johnny was GETTING PAID.

Overnight, I was thrust into a world that I was ill prepared for. I suddenly had everything I’ve ever wanted, all at once. I finally got to say that I did something cool for a living. The TV show ended up doing really well. Like most watched summer TV premiere in 13 years well. Not bad for a first gig huh?

I ended up being in all 3 seasons on the show, during which I had the amazing opportunity to film another called Texas Rising. At one point I had to fly internationally from one set to the other. It was pretty cool marking off that bucket list item.

Anyway, I was making more money than Dollar Store Oprah™, but I wanted more out of life. I had a dream that it would be cool to start a skate shop, and sponsor all the homies I would skate with growing up. Horrible business idea, but a great way to keep all the friends together.

On the outside, it was great.

On the inside…oh boy. I didn’t find out until I was officially diagnosed years later, but I suffer from Persistent Depressive Disorder. Fancy word for bad…