50 Years of Failures Have Made Me Successful

On June 6th, join us in person as Don Johnson gives his presentation. See below for details and registration:

How Relationships Can Create a Foundation for a Lifetime.

In this presentation I take almost 50 years as a sales professional and distill for you the lessons I have learned. I’ll share my 18 years with my family business, 15 years of commercial print sales with Maximum Graphics and Consolidated Graphics, and 15 years with Shapco Printing in business development. All these companies have provided unique experiences, commonalities, successes, and disappointments.

As I take you through this journey, I’ll share clients, projects, networking, continuous learning, and life experiences. I don’t believe you can be successful without failure. I like the saying, “Either you make dust, or eat dust”. I personally like to be the one creating the dust. To do this, sometimes you need to get out of your comfort zone. I’ll share some major victories, and oh so close losses; what I call “first losers”. A successful outcome from my presentation is that you will walk away with some insights and examples of creating and maintaining great relationships, whether it is marriage, family, friendships, or business.

Register now and turn your failures into successes!

Don Johnson was raised in Edina Minnesota and graduated with business and finance degrees from Menlo College in California. His plans to pursue a career in Investment Banking were sidetracked when his father gave him “an offer he couldn’t refuse” to join him in the family printing business. He would be the 4th generation at AG Johnson Electrotype, which his great grandfather started in 1904, after immigrating from Sweden just 8 years earlier.

After 18 years, he made his toughest decision, to leave the family business. Next he joined commercial print company, Maximum Graphics, located in Chaska, MN, and was hired for sales. After they were acquired by CGX in 2005, he became the National Account Manager. Leaving CGX in 2010, he joined Shapco Printing as VP Business Development and is still there.

He has been married to the “love of his life”, Jane, for 33 years. With his three children scattered around the country, Jane and Don both are still working and love what they do. They love to travel, whether to visit our kids, cabins in northern MN, business trips, or spending a few weeks in Europe. His hobby/passion is golf. He also enjoys working out, reading, dancing, and cooking. His mantra is “It’s Friday every day”.

Connect: donj@shapco.com

Date: Friday, June 6, 2025

Time: 7:30 – 9:15 a.m.

Location: Minnesota Bank & Trust, 9800 Bren Road, Suite 200, Minnetonka MN 55343 – Light breakfast provided.