Owner, Crazy Fry’s, Stonebridge Property Management, Vision First Investments

This year, Jefferson City Magazine recognizes 10 Ones To Watch—a group of up-and-comers who are not only high-character individuals, but who also have achieved things that have bettered the community. This group inspires through faith, drive, and dedication, and they have shown effective leadership in both their professional and personal involvements.

For Stallone Watson, success is defined by the impact he leaves on people’s lives. A Lincoln University graduate turned a multi-enterprising entrepreneur, Stallone utilizes his businesses to connect, mentor, and add value to the community through leadership.

I am a child of God, a visionary, and I aim for the impossible. I am only in the infant state of my journey. My life has been like a pendulum. It feels surreal where I am today. I’ve felt the harshness of poverty and the sweet taste of prosperity. Like a good student, I aim to master both. My hope is to show my family all the things that money can’t buy, like God’s wisdom, forgiveness, compassion for others, and having a charitable heart. These are all of the things you can’t pick from a shelf, but their value sits high when dealing with people. In the future, I see myself building upon what I started six years ago in real estate. I foresee myself going into other industries that I may not be accustomed to. I want to be a gardener of life and leave value everywhere I go. Success is a reflection of the amount of people I am able to help in this lifetime.

GRATITUDE
I am grateful for life. I cherish every moment because with it, opportunities are endless.

ON GOALS
If anything, I realign myself with the goals I committed to years prior. I believe that if you cannot commit yourself to a goal or dream for five years, you are wasting your time. Motivation is only the spark, but it’s not the fire. Purpose, on the other hand, ties in so deeply with your destiny that even when you don’t want to do it, you still find a way to get it done.

SOCIETAL CHALLENGES
Sometimes I sit and ask myself, “How? How can we break down the barriers of two communities — the majority and the minority?” We may come from different backgrounds, class systems, economic statuses, or have different colors of skin. But should the scale of being a human weigh any differently between each based on their status, class, or color? We are all subjected to have our opinion. One day, I hope we can all come to realize the hatred is nothing but an illusion. If you look closely, we have more in common than we realize. To truly address this issue, I’ve made it my mission to treat everyone with dignity and respect. One of our biggest challenges is our own personal biases. I have them, you have them, we all have them. If we allow ourselves to put our biases down, we will see that we are all trying to make sense of the world around us.

ON COMMUNITY
I strive to provide quality and affordable housing options to the community — including to individuals who have lower creditor past offenses. I recently helped launch the first Minority Business Council, where I am currently serving as the co-chair, in addition to membership with the Jefferson City Area Chamber of Commerce. This allows me to be the best version of who God wants me to be even though I am a long way from my home church – Gatekeepers House of Worship in New York City.

LIFTED BY SPIRIT
For a long time in my career, I abused the clock. Eventually, I depleted myself and my tank was truly on empty. This took a big toll on me. The feeling of depletion I thought was going to last a week, turned into months. This unshakable feeling drew me closer to God. He was the one that restored me when I was at my lowest. From that day forward, I have put God in everything I do.

ON MENTORSHIP
In each phase of our lives, we find ourselves with a mentor. Currently, my pastor is my greatest mentor. He’s inspirational and wise beyond his years and an extraordinary role model that leads by example.

LEAVING A LEGACY
I would like to be remembered as a gardener of life. I would like to pour into everything I commit to in my life. Just as you water a plant to help it grow, I will pour into the people in my life, my family, my relationships, my friendships, and my business.

FAVORITE PLACE IN JCMO
Crazy Fry’s

FAVORITE THING TO DOIN YOUR FREE TIME
I enjoy hiking, traveling, and most of all, mentoring young adults.

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