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Meet Crystal Johnston of Five13 Studios in Uptown

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Crystal Johnston.

Crystal, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
2008 was a year like any. When the ball dropped at midnight, I had no idea that that was going to be the year my life was going to change forever. Let me preface, what is being said has never been publicly announced, and I have found that this is the platform to do so. In May, I was in and out of the hospital at least five times complaining of breathing problems, severe back pain, and painful legs. Each time I went in, I was released with either pneumonia or bronchitis. After almost a month of pain that is impossible to describe, I drove myself back into the hospital at 3 am. A resident Doctor was there, she was new to the hospital, and she saved my life. She ordered a CT scan, and after that moment, I would never be the same.

I was rushed into the ICU not knowing what was going on. I had compression pads on my legs and medication going in through the IV. I was asked who is my emergency contact, I told them “my parents.” At that moment I fell asleep.

I wake up hearing voices in the hall. It was my mother, my father, and what I assumed my Doctor. I all of a sudden hear my mother weeping. I wake up in a room, overlooking Colorado Springs. A nurse comes in and asks me what I would like to eat (with restrictions). I was still in pain, I still couldn’t breathe. Finally, my parents and the Doctor came in. “It looks as though you have multiple PE’s and may have DVT’s, but we are uncertain for now, you’re in good care.”

What the HELL is a PE, I was 24 and didn’t even know my regular menstrual cycle, much less what a PE was. My Mother, a Catholic, had a Priest come in to give me the prayer of the sick and dying. I was like “Whoa, I am not dying, I may be sick but I know I am not dying”. I guess PE’s are known to kill people, having five was a death sentence. I signed my “DNR” orders and laid in bed still not understanding what was going on. My mind was not accepting what was being told to me. If only I could stop the pain and breath, I would be fine.

After a week in the ICU, I was released and placed on blood thinners where I was to be regulated and monitored. At this point, I STILL could not comprehend what had happened. I followed Doctors’ orders, and I continued medications and treatments as they said, even though it did not make sense to me.

Six months later, hell began its ascent. Not literally, but at least for me. The medical bills were coming in, I was making $28,000 a year as a Personal and Business Banker (I know, perfect timing). I was robbing Peter to pay Paul, and I still could not keep my head above water. The recession hit, I was out of work, and I was done.

I had given up on life. What was the point anymore? I had no job, I had creditors chasing me for payment I would never be able to pay, my medical bills were at least 3x the amount I made a year. I broke, I finally broke. It took losing everything to break me, but it happened. I had no roof over my head, I had no job to pay bills, I had no food to put in my body. I had NOTHING! Not only that, my mind was broke. I couldn’t figure out why my mind was no longer working.

Memory loss, loss of interest, ideas of hurting myself, constant fears, constant thoughts… The BLACK HOLE, as I have come to call it today. The thoughts, the pain, the pressure, it had come to be too much. I ended up finding a facility that I could go to for help. I had no insurance, no ways to pay. I owned tens of thousands of dollars in medical bills and was coming off the STREET for help. They accepted me.

I must say THANK YOU COLORADO for giving me the grant to heal. I was able to stay and start my path of recovery. The stigma of recovery is that you are an addict, and part of that is true. I was an addict to my disease, and I didn’t even know it existed. It was not a drug or alcoholism, it was my mind I needed to recover from. You see, I had OCD, and that is why my PE’s were nothing, it took me breaking for me to realize my own life.

It took 1.5 years of my life to work through this “new” issue, which was not new, it had just been discovered. My obsessive thoughts, my over analyzing, and I NEED to be normal (obsessing over that) had all been discovered, and was now making sense. Not to mention, the memories of a horrid sexual assault that happened for two years (4-6 years of age), was brought to light.

I always knew it happened, but it wasn’t till that time in my life that I knew it was WRONG and I did NOTHING wrong. I started to remember details that can only be of nightmares. My innocence was taken away at 4 years of age, and I can never get that back.

Through ALL of this pain came my light. I am not religious at all, but I do believe that we all have our person lights to follow (stay with me here). It isn’t a spirit or a ghost. It is your SPARK. It is what defines who you are and where you will go. It is what drives you to go further in life and FIGHT. I had found my SPARK.

My SPARK started to light up, and I started my transition. I started looking for jobs (even though I was declared disabled). I started looking for friends (I joined an improv group), I started to rebuild me (I put a roof over my head). My SPARK was now my guide.

Fast forward to today, 11 years later. Guess what??? I have a roof over my head, I have a Fiance (who I love SO SO SO much), I have a pup I am responsible for, I have my family (THANK YOU, MOM AND DAD), I have a Bachelors of Science in Communications, I am 1 class away (and Thesis) from my Masters at DU, and I am the Chief Marketing Officer for 24/7 Networks, and I thank 2008.

I mean, I HATE 2008, but also I know that it changed everything. Two months ago, I got the news that I had another PE. Instead of me, going down the BLACK HOLE, I now understand my disability. I understand that my mind fights its self and that I now know why. Having OCD should never define a person. It isn’t like “As Good As It Gets”, it is a real life disorder.

Today, I am sitting at the computer that I purchased, next to my AMAZING fiancé who understands my disorder, watching a movie (Some kind of super hero thing I don’t get). I look at my life now, and even though, at times, my SPARK dwindles and seems bleak, I remind myself that it was that SPARK that got me here today.

My Fiancé and I own a company together (along with having 9-5 jobs). It is called Five13 Studios, and it is all entertainment. If you asked me 11 years ago, “Would you be living downtown Denver, co-owning a company, getting ready to obtain your Master’s degree from DU, and marry a guy who helps you every day to understand you are NORMAL” I would have told you that that does not happen.

It does happen, you are in charge of your SPARK, and you own that SOB. Charge it, dismiss it, let it rule, or let it die, it is all up to you, but your SPARK is always there and it is ready to be set on fire!

Tell us more about the business.
Well, I work full time for 24/7 Networks as their Chief Marketing Officer BUT my Fiancé and I also own entertainment business. We do things all over the entertainment board! He is a radio show host and comedian, I used to do improv company (really wanting to get back into it but my brain gets in the way). I have included a picture of me, at Pride where my Fiancé and I put on the block party for Pride and Swagger. We are both HUGE equal rights activists!

How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
With our business, it has been growing! My fiancé has been carrying so much (the majority of the load) with me in school. I am lucky to have him. As for 24/7 Networks, I see a TON of growth! I have a creative mind (Thank OCD) and I think so far outside the box! We will keep pushing our way, and making new roads in the industry.

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Image Credit:
Amy Cox https://www.blu-owl.com/ my headshot

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