JJ McDonough, here at his Leeward Staffing office in Boynton Beach, runs luxury hospitality businesses. He and his family, temporarily in Boynton Beach, are awaiting completion of a new home on Hypoluxo Island, where he has lived for almost 15 years. Tim Stepien/Coastal Star
JJ McDonough — JJ stands for John Joseph, and he’s the IV, but he never uses it — is a busy guy.
The Hypoluxo Island resident runs two companies, is vice president of the Hypoluxo Island Property Owners Association, promotes Lantana’s growth and beautification, works out and exercises with Elizabeth, his wife of 20 years, and is a serious soccer dad with his two sons, Kane, 14, and Van, 10.
“I just have a bit of an insatiable appetite to make things better, and if I can help, I’ll try to,” he explains.
Oh, and his family is living in a home they bought as an investment in Boynton Beach, because he’s building a new home on the island.
“I’ve been on Hypoluxo Island almost 15 years now, and we have started to build a brand-new home there,” says McDonough, 53. “I have the first floor done and the second floor should be going up soon. I’m hoping by the end of the year we’ll be back there.”
Considering his background, his hospitality businesses feel like a natural extension. He grew up in his grandparents Ken and Helen Withall’s east Boca Raton home. Ken, a tennis pro, taught in the Caribbean and Southern California before taking over Fred Perry’s job at what was then the Boca Raton Hotel and Club.
“After my grandfather retired, he played tennis and golf there as he aged, and so my first job at about 8 years old was brushing and lining tennis courts at the Boca Resort,” McDonough says.
In his 20s, McDonough taught tennis and started a business placing specialty recreation staff, tennis pros and massage therapists locally. Currently, his two businesses are Leeward Staffing and Sanctuare. Leeward Staffing places domestic staffing to high-net-worth clientele. Sanctuare is a brokerage firm that represents ultra-luxury real estate for short-term rentals.
“Essentially, my demographic is the top echelon of wealth,” he says. “I have worked with some of the most interesting and wealthiest and iconic celebrities in the world.
“It all started with tennis, I think. I grew up as essentially an employee around this type of wealth.
“The dream for me always was to work for myself, to be very engaged with communities, and to enjoy it along the way, to stay active physically and be challenged mentally. I’ve always loved to travel, and both of these businesses have afforded me travel to all types of very interesting spots.”
Regarding his family life, he says, “Both my wife and I are very active. Every morning, prior to being parents, we would probably do two cardiovascular activities per day and then go to the gym or do yoga. Now, that is limited to once a day. But anyway, we’re an active family. We like to bike. We like to surf. We are playing padel, which is a fun racket sport, and we spend a lot of time on the soccer field. Both of my boys play at a very high level, so we play soccer six days a week.”
Kane is a student at Oxbridge Academy in West Palm Beach and Van attends Unity School in Delray Beach. Soccer doesn’t end when soccer season is over.
“My sons actually do quite a bit of training for soccer. They do soccer camps at a very high level,” McDonough says. “Last year, Van played in one of the biggest tournaments in Madrid, and the year before, we were all through England for several weeks doing soccer camps there.”
— Christine Davis
Q. Where did you grow up and go to school? How do you think that has influenced you?
A. I grew up in a multigenerational home with my grandparents Ken and Helen Withall, my mother, Robin Cox, and my aunt Lisa McCusker, directly across the street from the beach that borders Boca Raton and Deerfield Beach.
At the time, the area was far less developed than it is today. Spending so much time with my grandparents in old east Boca, back when it was still an authentic beach town, deeply shaped my sense of place and values.
Q. What professions have you worked in? What professional accomplishments are you most proud of?
A. After college, I started a couple hospitality businesses that didn’t succeed while trying to play professional tennis; I was also teaching tennis to a variety of ultra-wealthy and celebrity families. Those early experiences laid the groundwork for what followed. I have since owned and operated two luxury businesses for over 25 years and continue to make a positive impact in our industry, serving some of the world’s wealthiest families.
Q. What advice do you have for a young person selecting a career today?
A. I wish someone would have told me when I was young. … Pay attention to your energy and passion. Optimize learning, not prestige. Don’t confuse fear with intuition. There is no failure, only lessons. Your career journey will not be linear, and that’s OK.
Q. How did you choose to live on Hypoluxo Island?
A. I have traveled a lot international and domestically, and if I’m going to stay in the U.S., I don’t know of a better place in the winters than Palm Beach County. My wife and I are both from Palm Beach County, and with the exception of having ample land further west, there isn’t much better than Hypoluxo Island. The old Florida growth, the winding roads, non-gated, the community of neighbors on the island is amazing. Its non-pretentious rooted families provide an amazing sense of home.
Q. What is your favorite part about living on Hypoluxo Island?
A. The community and the people in it, and the trees.
Q. What book are you reading now?
A. Get A Grip: An Entrepreneurial Fable by Gino Wickman.
Q. What music do you listen to when you need inspiration? When you want to relax?
A. My grandfather was a jazz pianist and vocalist who loved the American Songbook, and my father was a blues harmonica and saxophone player; both genres greatly influenced my music tastes. I do listen to many different genres, but I tend to listen and lean more into a lot of jazz fusion — Yussef Dayes, Tanhai Collective, Jazzbois.
Q. Do you have a favorite quote that inspires your decisions?
A. Always attempt to expand your knowledge and eliminate your limitations.
Q. Have you had mentors in your life? Individuals who have inspired your life decisions?
A. I’ve had many mentors over the years, and while my current mentors are in business and parenting, my moral compass has always come from my grandfather. A World War II veteran, he was married 71 years and excelled as a businessman, athlete, community leader, musician and most importantly parent and grandparent.
Q. If your life story were made into a movie, who would you want to play you?
A. My wife seems to think Matthew McConaughey. He has such a great mix of effortless charisma, modernist philosophy, authentic humor … and is a great husband and father.
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