Welcome to "Morgan Entrepreneur Spotlight," our monthly-ish showcase where we shine a light on Northeast Ohio's entrepreneurial superstars. Each feature delves into the journeys of individuals who have participated in our programs and are harnessing their learnings to fuel impressive growth and innovation.
Johnathon Jamison is the Executive Director of Bank One Billiards and President of the Lock-In Billiards Youth League in Cleveland. He has participated in several Morgan Foundation-sponsored programs, including the SEA Change 2024 cohort, which culminated in a prize for another business he co-founded, Real People, Reel Legacies.
Johnathon is a Morgan Startup grant recipient, and he was a prize winner in the 2024 Accelerate pitch competition. Johnathan is a current member of the BASE Roundtable (Business Acceleration Through Shared Experience) inaugural cohort at Cleveland State University.
About Your Business
Please tell us a little about your business.
“Bank One Billiards is a TV show where I have special guests come onto the show and I interview them while we play a game of pool. We are expanding our business to build a Billiards Tech Arcade and Lounge where we will serve young professionals with billiards technology, entrepreneurship and more! We are looking to serve the collegiate entry level creatives, ages 21-28 who like gaming, social sports, and billiards. We will be the only billiards tech arcade lounge in Northeast Ohio!”
How have the growth programs you’ve participated in influenced your business or leadership approach? What were your key takeaways?
“These programs added structure to my businesses, by surrounding me with like-minded individuals and providing resources and tools that my business was lacking. Being a part of these cohorts has challenged me to do more public speaking, pitches, and presentations which has built my confidence tremendously. This has made me a better leader for my team and interns by showing them what I have done and the approach I have taken to become a leader.
These programs taught me the importance of surveying my customer base about my new brick and mortar to help me decide where we should build Bank One Billiards. SEAChange has helped me with my finances and understanding them and what we need to become profitable. I gained a positive relationship with Case Western Reserve University as a result of winning SEA Change, where I’ve been part of a student-led consulting team with the World Benefit Clinic project at the Fowler Center.”
Tell us about any growth, milestones, or key wins you’ve experienced since participating in a Foundation-supported program or other growth program.
“I won the Accelerate Cleveland Pitch Competition as well as SEAChange with my projects. My TV show officially aired on Amazon Prime on April 02 -April 19, 2026. I have been building a relationship with the CDC in Slavic Village who wants to see my business in their area, and I am competing for a $99,999 grant opportunity to renovate my space.”
What has been your biggest challenge in growing your business, and how did you navigate it?
“My biggest challenge remains funding. Because I am a startup, traditional banking does not work for me because I do not have the equity injection and liquidity that the banks are asking for. I am trying other funding opportunities like grants, and non-traditional funders like ECDI and HFLA to help me acquire my brick and mortar and continue seeking business funding elsewhere. I have also been documenting how my business model works, which I hope to share with lenders in the future. The key is to never give up!”
What are one to three goals you hope to achieve in the next twelve months?
“One goal is to acquire my brick and mortar by purchase or lease. The next goal is to sign an extension with BilliardTV for my TV show and produce Season 2. My third goal is to hire a team of 3 people to help me reach sales goals as well as marketing goals.”
Insights & Impact
How do you define success — for yourself or your business?
“I define success as making a living by doing something you love to do. Success is being able to be financially stable enough to give back to others. My business will be successful by providing employment, positively impacting the community, and increasing the number of young people that want to follow me through film and billiards and watch the industry grow!”
What motivates you to keep going when things get tough?
“My motivation comes from the love that God has shown me all my life. My motivation is my 5-year-old son and building something for him to attach to his name and have when my time is done. My motivation is my parents, to help them retire and let them live their lives peacefully. My motivation comes from my love of billiards and film and my love of seeing others do what they love to do. I want to create that space for people, and I have been working to do so since 2012. Being able to employ people is also a huge motivational factor for me. The younger generation learning billiards and film and wanting to be a part of my projects is also my motivation.”
Who has been an important mentor, partner, or supporter in your journey?
“This is a very deep question for me because my journey has been dark and very lonely. I lost a lot in 2025 when it comes to supporters, and it saddens me. My mother supports me as much as she can, but she would rather see me work a 9-5 job and cannot see the vision that I have for my life or, more importantly, that it will work! Everyone else smiles and cheers me on from above the valley, but I have not met anyone who is willing to throw a solid enough rope to pull me up.”
How does your business contribute to your community or industry?
“I have turned my passion into a nonprofit as well, teaching youth how to play the sport of pool and filmmaking, ultimately giving them options other than the traditionals to go after and enjoy. My vision is seeing young men and women get into the film industry and/or playing the sport of pool for a living! What we are doing with the sport of pool, technology, and film is unprecedented and I believe it will singlehandedly push the billiards industry to a multi-billion-dollar industry by 2029.”
What advice would you offer to entrepreneurs just getting started?
“Don’t quit! If you love what you are doing and would do it for free, this is what you need to be doing. I would also say to always think outside the box. The answer most of the time will not be right in front of you so you have to dig deep. Surround yourself with people who enjoy being around you and believe in you. If they don’t, stay by yourself until those people come along. Lastly, the key is to be profitable. So start finding ways that your business can make money.”
Personal Reflections
What role does innovation or creativity play in your business?
“We are innovating the way the sport of pool is played as a competitive and social activity. My team will be building technology around pool tables that will make them more interactive and enjoyable for everyday patrons. It also will help people improve their skills. Creativity is so fun in the billiards industry. I have been creating an ecosystem of pool players and providing them with opportunities to engage, network, earn cash, and compete at a high level. Creating this space has been enjoyable and the products and services we offer is something the industry is missing.”
What book, quote, or resource has most inspired you?
“These are some of my favorite quotes:
‘I am working to be more than what is expected of me,’ John Jamison.
Dom Kennedy, one of my favorite rap artists, has many great quotes. The one that I will share is ‘Damn being a dad is great! I get to tell my son, look… Don’t be out making your dad's mistakes’.
Lastly, this is a quote I shared from PARTYNEXTDOOR at the end of my time with the Neighborhood Leadership Development Program (NLDP) ‘Change is going to come, pain is going to fall, and the stars are going to align.’”
What legacy or long-term impact do you hope to build through your entrepreneurial work?
“I hope to build a community of entrepreneurial pool players. I will take the old sport and modernize it for all ages to enjoy and learn from. My TV show will be inspirational, and the content will live on forever.”
Is there anything else you’d like to share?
“Tune in to Bank One Billiards on YouTube!”
To learn more about Morgan Foundation sponsored programs and opportunities for startup ventures, contact Angela Evans.
If you have participated in Morgan Foundation sponsored programs and are interested in being featured in the Spotlight, contact Gina Dotson.