{"id":15694,"date":"2025-04-10T15:26:13","date_gmt":"2025-04-10T15:26:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/?p=15694"},"modified":"2025-04-10T15:26:13","modified_gmt":"2025-04-10T15:26:13","slug":"fixing-whats-broken-a-conversation-with-bmj-enterprises-founder-and-city-council-candidate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/2025\/04\/10\/fixing-whats-broken-a-conversation-with-bmj-enterprises-founder-and-city-council-candidate\/","title":{"rendered":"Fixing What\u2019s Broken: A Conversation With BMJ Enterprises Founder and City Council Candidate"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"By Asia Nail
\n<\/em><\/strong>The Truth Reporter<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Sometimes, to make a house a home, you have to first fix what\u2019s broken. That\u2019s exactly how local business owner and community leader Blair Johnson<\/strong> approaches both real estate and public service.<\/p>\n

Johnson is the founder of BMJ Enterprises<\/strong>, a Toledo-based remodeling and property investment company. He\u2019s also stepping into a new role\u2014running as an Independent candidate for Toledo City Council<\/strong>, seeking one of the six at-large seats.<\/p>\n

We sat down with Johnson for a candid conversation about what drives him, the difference between real leadership and just holding a title, and how he hopes to create lasting change, one project\u2014and one person\u2014at a time.<\/p>\n

The Foundation Is People<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\u201cIf the foundation isn\u2019t strong,\u201d Johnson said, \u201ceverything else will fall apart. And in our communities, the foundation is people.\u201d<\/p>\n

That\u2019s not just talk\u2014Johnson\u2019s lived it. With years of experience in residential remodeling and inspection, he\u2019s seen firsthand how poor housing conditions can affect families. But he\u2019s also watched how a little help\u2014like a new roof, working heat or clean water\u2014can lift people up.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t need heroes,\u201d he explained. \u201cWe need listeners. People who will actually hear what residents are saying and figure out how to help. I\u2019m not running to be a politician. I\u2019m running to be a public servant. I just want to serve again.\u201d<\/p>\n

Before launching his own business, Johnson built a career rooted in service and leadership. He worked for the United States Postal Service for seven years as a carrier, clerk and supervisor\u2014roles that strengthened his belief in fairness, efficiency and community connection.<\/p>\n

He later transitioned into the private sector, managing regional operations for a hospitality and parking services company across cities like Columbus, Cleveland, Gary and Durham. Whether supervising mail routes or leading multi-city teams, Johnson says the same skills\u2014clear communication, problem-solving and a heart for people\u2014now help him deliver for his community in more meaningful ways.<\/p>\n

Two Types of Investors, One Need<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Johnson doesn\u2019t just work on houses\u2014he thinks deeply about housing. In our conversation, he explained that Toledo has \u201ctwo types of investors.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are the ones who just want to come in, flip properties and make money,\u201d he said. \u201cBut then there are the ones who care about the community. They want to help fix up the neighborhood, create affordable housing and give people a decent place to live.\u201d<\/p>\n

He believes the city can do more to help the second group.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are already programs that help with things like new roofs, windows or energy-efficient furnaces,\u201d he shared. \u201cBut just because something exists doesn\u2019t mean people understand how to access it. A lot of people just don\u2019t know where to start\u2014or they get stuck in the process.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Power of Listening<\/strong><\/p>\n

Throughout our talk, one theme kept coming up: listening. But not just listening<\/strong> to reply\u2014listening to understand<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople know when they\u2019re being ignored,\u201d Johnson said. \u201cI\u2019ve seen folks pour their hearts out at town halls, the next month, nothing changes. That\u2019s not listening.\u201d<\/p>\n

He compares real leadership to being a plumber. \u201cSometimes the problem isn\u2019t what you see on the surface. You\u2019ve got to listen carefully to find out what\u2019s happening underneath. Then you fix the leak.\u201d<\/p>\n

Building the Next Generation of Builders<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Johnson is only 35, but he\u2019s already thinking about who will come after him.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople aren\u2019t going into trades like they used to,\u201d he said. \u201cBut we\u2019re always going to need people to fix things\u2014carpenters, electricians, plumbers. Robots aren\u2019t coming to hang drywall anytime soon.\u201d<\/p>\n

One of Johnson\u2019s long-term goals is to train and hire local residents, especially young people, and teach them these skills.<\/p>\n

\u201cEven if they don\u2019t stay with me forever, that\u2019s okay,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019d love for them to learn, then start their own businesses. That\u2019s how we grow.\u201d<\/p>\n

He describes it like planting a garden. \u201cIf I grow one strong tree, that tree can drop seeds. Those seeds become more trees. That\u2019s how we build a forest.\u201d<\/p>\n

Event Spotlight: Building Black Wealth <\/strong><\/h3>\n

Johnson\u2019s commitment to empowerment goes beyond housing. As a member of the Greater Toledo Realtist Association (GTRA), he\u2019s helping to host Building Black Wealth Day<\/strong> on April 12<\/strong> at the brand-new Wayman Palmer YMCA. The event is free and open to the public.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll have financial coaches, housing experts and local leaders sharing real tools,\u201d he said. \u201cA lot of people want to buy homes or fix their credit, but they don\u2019t know where to start. We\u2019re going to help with that.\u201d<\/p>\n

The event aims to make financial literacy feel less intimidating. \u201cWe\u2019re not going to throw big words at you,\u201d Johnson promised. \u201cThis is about giving people what they need in a way that makes sense.\u201d<\/p>\n

From the Mailbox to the Meeting Room<\/strong><\/h3>\n

When asked why he decided to run for council, Johnson doesn\u2019t hesitate.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur people need help,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd not just help\u2014they need someone who will really show up.\u201d<\/p>\n

He talks about his parents\u2019 backgrounds in service\u2014his mother worked for the U.S. Postal Service, and his father is a Navy veteran and business consultant.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was raised to believe in working with people, not just over people,\u201d he said. \u201cThat\u2019s what public service is supposed to be about.\u201d<\/p>\n

Johnson\u2019s not flashy, and he\u2019s not trying to be. But what he offers is something every city needs: someone who cares enough to roll up their sleeves and do the work.<\/p>\n

Home Is a Team Effort<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Toward the end of our interview, we laughed about how home improvement projects can take over your life\u2014and how having someone to guide you through it makes a big difference.<\/p>\n

\u201cSometimes, I even need someone to coach me through my own house!\u201d Johnson jokes. \u201cHomes are like puzzles, and when the pieces are everywhere, it\u2019s easy to get overwhelmed.\u201d<\/p>\n

But that, he says, is the whole point.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t have to do it alone. Whether it\u2019s fixing a house or fixing a system, we all need help. That\u2019s why I\u2019m doing this. Because if we work together, we can build something that lasts.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Asia Nail The Truth Reporter Sometimes, to make a house a home, you have to first fix what\u2019s broken. That\u2019s exactly how local business owner and community leader Blair Johnson approaches both real estate and public service. Johnson is the founder of BMJ Enterprises, a Toledo-based remodeling and property investment company. He\u2019s also stepping […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":15696,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[21,250,252,17],"tags":[],"wf_post_folders":[288,23],"class_list":["post-15694","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cover_story","category-local-news","category-politics","category-local"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15694","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15694"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15694\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15697,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15694\/revisions\/15697"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15696"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15694"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15694"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15694"},{"taxonomy":"wf_post_folders","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wf_post_folders?post=15694"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}