The Legacy Paver Group

Hayley Johnson: Paving a New Pathway

By James Florence, Senior Writer

SANTA ROSA — Hayley Johnson used to do PR and marketing for a high-tech firm, but after she became a mother, she realized it was time to pave a new professional pathway. “In 2001, I had my first daughter and took some time off of work,” she recounts. “While I was off, I decided to help my dad with his paver business and found that I liked it a lot, from the hands-on creativity to the direct client involvement…not to mention getting to work outside. My marketing career involved long hours and travel, so I knew if I went back, I would have to put my daughter in daycare. Ultimately, I decided to join my father in the paver business. When he retired in 2003, I bought him out and took it over.”
Today, as owner of The Legacy Paver Group, Hayley says her favorite part of her job is the endless creative possibilities. “Every project we do is a blank canvas—we’re not stuck to a single design, so there’s plenty of room for creativity, which makes it a lot of fun. I enjoy working with clients throughout their projects, translating their visions into custom designs and fine-tuning them as we go along.”
A resident of Santa Rosa (where she lives with her husband and business partner, Sean, and their two daughters), Hayley expresses her appreciation for life in the North Bay. “Compared to other regions of the Bay Area, Marin and Sonoma have more scenic, rural beauty, with lots of farmland and vineyards. I’m originally from the United Kingdom, and some parts of this area remind me of being in Wales—except with much better weather!”
Outside of work, Hayley spends her time on a variety of interests and pastimes. “I enjoy photography, reading, playing soccer and working out—basically, anything active or creative,” she says. “I also like hanging out by the pool with my family and hosting barbeques at our house.” Additionally, Hayley and her family like to travel as much as possible. “Besides visiting family in England, we like to see and experience new places. We’ve been to Africa, Cuba and all over Europe, so I would definitely say travel is our favorite activity.”
In her life and career, Hayley espouses the importance of having goals. “I’m a very goal-oriented person,” she explains. “Whether with my business or in my personal life, I find that having a goal to work toward helps me stay motivated, focused and engaged. Having goals also gives you a basis for structure and organization, which leads to more positive outcomes, so I think it’s a big key to success in work and life.”
When asked the first thing she’d do if she were to retire tomorrow, Hayley says she’d take her family on a trip. “Honestly, I don’t think about retirement—I enjoy running my business and could see myself doing it into my 70s and beyond. However, if I did retire, I would definitely do more traveling. Maybe I’d jump on a river cruise down the Danube. That would be a good way to kick things off.”

Ask Me Anything!

Q: What kinds of books do you like to read?
A: I like everything from biographies and historical novels to chick lit. Basically, if something captures my interest, I’ll read it to death.

Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?
A: South America. Brazil would be my first stop. I work with a lot of Brazilians and they’re a lot of fun. Plus, it’s a huge country, so I could spend a lot of time there.

Q: Do you consider yourself a dog person or a cat person?
A: I have both, so I don’t really have a preference, but overall I’m probably more of a cat person…just don’t tell my dog.

Q: If someone was making a movie about your life, what actress would you choose to play yourself?
A: No one—I’d have it be a documentary.

Q: What was your favorite toy as a child?
A: My bike.