We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Heather Johnson. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Heather below.
Heather, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?
I recently lost both of my parents and if I could say they did anything right it was showing me how to treat people. They gave me a magnitude of lessons that will help me and that has helped me along my way. Learning to treat people right means that sometimes I’m wrong and that’s okay. I learned to meet people where they were and not have grand expectations of people because we all have our own issues and things we deal with from day to day. They also taught me that if by chance I am blessed to have people support me; appreciate it and them and always be able to be depended on in the same way. I never saw my parents in the 40 years they were married argue. All I saw was the care and love they had for one another and us. This isn’t saying they were perfect, but what it showed me is the regard they had for us and it challenged me to be better about how I handle people and relationships. I hold onto the values they gave us and most importantly my response to issues and effective communication with others. Love was the main ingredient of all of it and love is what I learned to do.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I am a mother of 4 daughters Jaida, Hydia, Azariah and Desiree and everything I do is for them. I started my brand without a penny to my name. All I had was a dream, an idea and believed that if I worked hard it would yield results. I started selling shoes out of my trunk, until I had no more room. I went from that to a storage facility to house my inventory, demand grew and so did my passion to be trendy and current and ensure I provided the best quality in styles for my customers. I’m a plus sized woman and wanted to ensure women who looked like me weren’t afraid to be fly and chic.
When I came up in retail shoes there were no handouts or anyone who looked like me helping to give insight or direction. So, everything I know has been from research, research, research!!! I’ve gotten a hundred letter no’s until this year when I was being honored in Miami Florida by Generational Cure (at risk youth enrichment program) for my contributions and this is one of my proudest moments. Nothing is a reminder of hard work and dedication than being honored and recognized by your peers. Some things are ordained and I truly believe it was time for me to exercise my faith. So, while at the event I found myself in the company of a fellow retail shoe company and asked for a meeting. I have always desired a mentor in life and business and everyone I ever reached out to said no. I’ve learned that sometimes it’s not that opportunity passes you but that when put in certain situations you must be so sure of yourself that fear subsides and you take a leap of faith!
Growth comes with tons of bumps and bruises, hard times, sacrifices and challenges. But, if you stay true to your vision and never give up on you there is always going to be an open door designed just for you. I am still growing and learning and if I am to be successful I have to invest into my brand as often and as much as I can.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
When I started my business I was told I was wasting my time and no one would buy shoes from me. I was also told that I needed to stop wasting my time and focus on a real job (whatever that is) and get my head out of the clouds. Being from a small country town this only gave me motivation to not give up. The worst thing someone can do to me is tell me I can’t. Then my sole aim is to not allow myself to prove them right! I’m a hard worker and I’m dedicated. So, once the seed is planted, I’ve written my intentions down, I begin to execute them until completion. I’m the curator of my destiny and if it lives in your mind it can also live freely as a existing element in your life…..
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
I had to unlearn that friends are few and far between. My mother would tell me this all of the time but I didn’t understand it until I had to understand it. Everyone is not for your success, your progression, the good things that happen for you in life. It takes a special person to celebrate your wins, even if it doesn’t involve them.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.shopstrutshoetique.com
- Instagram: @strutshoetiqueatlanta
- Facebook: www.Facebook.com/strutshoetiqueatlanta
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCpiw92tUAiGmojlIePpBreg
Image Credits
PBS Photography