Sherri Johnson created W29activewear, an active apparel line, after her previous product Risrap did not succeed as quickly as hoped. Johnson is determined to design and manufacture her line in the US, specifically in Los Angeles, but finding reliable local manufacturers has been challenging. The name W29 honors Johnson's mother Wanda who passed away at age 29 and has been Johnson's driving force. Johnson's vision and motivation come from her mother and experiences overcoming layoffs to become an entrepreneur. She aims to grow W29activewear into a full activewear brand.

1. Living Fit ~ Loving Life
How Sherri Johnson’s W29activewear Will Succeed
By Tiffany Kobashigawa
ith the number of boxes and
rolls of tape needed to finish
packing a two-bedroom
townhome on my mind, I eagerly stood in
line anticipating the moment I could grip a
hot cup of coffee from the busy barista at
the Starbucks on “Ventura.” Finally
clutching a black cup of liquid energy and
hope, I turned to see a familiar and bright
smile. It had been at least a year since I’d
seen my friend Sherri Johnson. Our
children went to school together, played
on the same football and track & field
teams together. And there we were in
October of 2011— our children
approaching the end of high school,
hugging each other as I gazed at her
infectious smile. Johnson stands tall and
thin—a strong and salubrious woman full
of life, Johnson is always on the go and
keeping busy.
Running into Johnson on Ventura came
as no surprise, as it attracts such
encounters. The Ventura I’m referring to is
Ventura Boulevard, a bustling 18-mile
thoroughfare in San Fernando Valley,
California that was part of the historic U.S. Route 101 until 1964. It is home to colorful and crowded
businesses that cater to the new, native, old, young, rich and poor California’s alike. Stretching from the
Hidden Hills of Calabasas, through the original Encino compound of the Jackson Five, it tangles with
major intersections Topanga Canyon and Van Nuys boulevards, is home to the original Universal Studios
and at least five In-N-Out Burgers, and has been the backdrop to countless Hollywood movies including
the original Terminator, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, and The 40-Year-Old Virgin. Ventura’s end ravels
along the Cahuenga Pass in North Hollywood, among the homes of Hollywood celebrities, athletes, and
entertainers.
When Johnson’s voice projected that familiar L.A. question, “What are you working on?” I deflected by
quickly blurting out, “Consulting” and asking Johnson what she was up to. Everyone loves talking about
themselves so why not?
And, while I had landed a great gig as a marketing consultant for an entrepreneur from Hong Kong, it had
gotten more and more painful to be reminded that I’d been unceremoniously laid off from Anthem, just
nine months after being promoted to the prestigious national director of planning position for the health
plan’s consumer division. “What are you doing now?” I beamed forcefully. Johnson went on to tell me that
she’d recently parlayed her experience as a personal trainer and stylist into a new product. She described
that her work with clients had inspired her to create RisRap, a stylish hands-free way for her clients to
carry their iPods when they listened to music while working out. She then extended her arm to show me
W
Sherri Johnson CEO/Founder W29activewear

2. one of her Risrap. It was made from jean materials and donned large colorful stitching. While I thought
they were cute, I would soon learn that Johnson wasn’t impressed with how they were received.
Fast Forward to 2014
I had seen a few Facebook posts from my friend and it was nice seeing her smile and the posts of her
work out videos. But, I kept wondered what ever happened to her Risraps? Then I saw pants, athletic
workout pants that looked comfortable and functional and amazing. She was selling pants! It was
December 2014 and I thought that I’d purchase a pair for myself and decide if I liked them enough to give
them as gifts. So I reached out to Johnson asking her advice about a fitness plan, and told her that I
needed to know about those pants.
That’s when she explained, “Risrap wasn’t working fast enough, I found that I finally just got to a dead
stop with Risrap and I really felt as if I’d been preparing for the next level. That’s when Charlie (Johnson’s
husband) said maybe we need to just drop this
wrap period and work on the pants now,” Johnson
further stating, “It was always my plan to start off
small with accessories and expand into a full line,
but I wasn’t quite sure of the timeline until it just
happened,” she tittered. Johnson started with her
first run of pants in October of 2014, but sadly she
said, “I ran out of inventory and needed to get with
my manufacturer to do a new run. They didn’t
deliver what they promised and I ran out of
inventory.” Chronicling her experiences, Johnson admittedly stated that with her business model, finding
a steady supply of reliable local manufacturers to negotiate with is the key to her ability to move forward.
“I am determined to not only design my active apparel line in the U.S. I want everything to be made in Los
Angeles and that has its challenges. Right now, I was promised a certain date for delivery but that hasn’t
happened. I trust my manufacturer but I don’t have the negotiating power of large recognized brands, so
my project is not a priority,” Johnson lamented.
Johnson with her manufacturer
“I am determined to not only
design my active apparel line
in the U.S., I want everything
to be made in Los Angeles and
that has its challenges.”

3. Progress and Vision
Based on the research presented in the academic article George Washington: Entrepreneurial Leader, by
Professors Ayman El Tarabishy and Marshall Sashkin, having self-confidence, vision and the ability to
confidently and effectively communicate that vision are the attributes most needed to be a successful
leader and entrepreneur. Additionally, according to the findings of a 2009 Harvard Business School study
summed up by Walter Frick in his 2014 article, Research: Serial Entrepreneurs Aren’t Any More Likely to
Succeed, “Previously failed entrepreneurs are as likely to succeed as entrepreneurial novices.” In fact,
what’s better about those who’d previously failed, is their experience with all of the ways that business
owners can and will fail.
Therefore, my examination of Johnson’s ability to lead W29activewear leaves me asking if Johnson
knows what it takes to succeed and does she have the skills to do so? In order to find out, I literally have
taken a page from Amy Wilkinson’s book, The Creator’s Code. Based on the author and entrepreneurial
expert, does Sherri Johnson have what it takes for the
W29activewear active apparel line to succeed?
In order to find the answers to my questions, I
interviewed Johnson by communicating with her over
the course of three separate hour-long interviews via
Facetime, as well as corresponding with her by email
continuously over the course of several weeks. I
learned more about her in the course of three weeks
than the previous nearly 12 years of first meeting her.
Johnson has always been a high-energy
entrepreneur but I never knew her motivators.
I didn’t know that as a child, Johnson moved from
Indianapolis, Indiana to Compton, California, and
sacrificed a successful hair styling career when she
moved again from Compton to San Diego, California,
so that her relatives could be closer to her growing
family. And, I didn’t know that Risrap was just the beginning of what would become W29activewear, and
that she’d planned to build a full line of active apparel.
In his 1995 book, “Built to Last” Jim Collins explained that in order to truly create lasting change, we need
to create Big Hairy Audacious Goals (BHAG). And in order to see those goals through, we must find a
motivational force or that thing which forces us to act with passion in order to accomplish our goals. For
Johnson, who has always set and accomplished BHAGs, the loss of her mother at the age of 14 was her
burning platform for how she treats people.
Wanda-Inspiration for W29activewear

4. During our first interview, Johnson explained that her
philosophy for how she’d like to further develop her
product with the additional support from family and
friends is quite unique. With slight hesitation,
Johnson asked me if I’ve heard of the Red Hen
philosophy. “Well,” she said. “The story goes that a
red hen asked her friends and family if they’d like to
help her find and gather the ingredients needed to
bake bread. They all declined but she went ahead
and baked the bread herself anyway, and when she
was done baking the delicious bread, she shared
with the same family and friends who did not help
her.” It would seem that Johnson’s motivators are
bigger than other’s ability to have faith in the bread
she’s constantly baking.
And as motivated and deliberate as Johnson seems,
I just had to ask what “W29” stands for? Her answer
was a very humbling one. “The name embodies the
strength of my mother Wanda who passed away at
the age of 29 from an aneurysm. I was very young
and she’s been my driving force throughout my life
and with building the W29 brand. I usually do a lot of things with that number because it’s so significant.
So when my sister Tosucha [Johnson] said, ‘Call it W29,’ it made sense. Why not honor her? I owe my
success to my mother. It helps me stay focused at being successful because I don’t want to fail.”
While in her twenties, Johnson was laid off from her job at the same company twice, within a month’s
time. Because of that, Johnson was forced to change her definition of success and her game plan for
bringing in money. “I didn't want another person to be in control my failure, success, destiny or my
money,” she stated. Johnson also went on to state that she has was she describes as “entrepreneur
blood” in her DNA. “I come from a family of business owners. Barbers and Cosmetologist are abundant in
my family so it’s in my DNA. I’ve always looked for ways to be independent so it was a natural transition
and I will never work for someone else again.” And while these stories explain her motivation for
entrepreneurship, Johnson’s Red Hen philosophy explains one of her most valued characteristics—her
vision. While she also has the healthy sense of self-confidence needed to succeed, it is her laser-like
vision and intentions that motivates and persuades others. “I don’t think about what other people see or
think about me. I don’t know how others perceive me either personally or professionally. I show concern
and compassion and let the sincerity do the rest,” Johnson reflects.
W29 Pants, @ w29activewear.com
Johnson is modest, but her ability to articulate her vision and persuade
others is evidenced in the mentors she’s surrounded herself with.
Sherri Johnson and her first 50 yards of fabric

5. A girlfriend who had previously owned a business, Paulette Holoman, found out that Johnson wanted to
launch Risrap and quickly took Johnson under her wings. “We went and learned the manufacturing
business together. She was a mentor in that she’s owned several successful businesses already and
taught me so much about business in general, but this was especially great because we learned the
manufacturing process together,” Johnson stated.
Another mentor Johnson can access is Jana Stern. Stern is a fashion designer who designs hotel
uniforms. “I would go with her very early on to learn the lingo and watch the seamstress contractors. I
don’t even know how to sew but I learned what to look for and what type of quality to demand, Jana
taught me that and I still call her before I negotiate any contracts to make sure that what I’m working on is
good,” Johnson excitedly stated. Johnson also went on to state that, “A friend who is also a client and will
refer to only as Trish, gave me capital to start the pants line. She funded the entire first run of the very
first model of pants.”
With a team of mentors and the support of her family, Johnson has proven to those who matter most, that
she possesses the six essential entrepreneurial skills that author Amy Wilkinson has outlined within her
book, The Creator’s Code. Mainly I believe that Johnson has the self-confidence to see her plans and
therefore her ideas all of the way through to the end. However, below I have ranked Johnson’s current
ability according to my nearly month-long observations, conversations and additional research. I have
given Johnson a designation based on a scale of one to five, with five being the most productive use of
each skill. The following table was developed using the designations Amy Wilkinson’s The Creator Code:
The Six Essential Skills of extraordinarily entrepreneurs.
Skill Set Designation Explanation
Find the Gap: Spot opportunities
that others don’t see
3.5 While functional and comfortable Apparel (pockets and space
for iPods, keys and credit cards) is not a new concept, there is
an opportunity to build a trusted and respected brand that is
Made In The USA. The market has yet to be saturated and
there is room for growth, but it’s not new.
Drive for Daylight: Manage
speed by focusing on the horizon
5 Johnson is consistently two steps ahead. I had no idea that
she’d planned to move from RisRap to a full apparel line.
Fly the OODA Loop: Master fast-
cycle iteration to Observe, Orient,
Decide, and Act
4 She will continue to get better at this but she keeps her
operations purposefully lean in order to ensure that improving
her business remains an iterative process.
Fail wisely: Set a failure ratio and
hone resilience
4.5 Again, while better planning might have helped her avoid this
issue, when Johnson realized that she wasn’t getting the
sales she desired from Risrap, she moved on to the next
phase of her plan.
Network Minds: Harness
cognitive diversity to build on each
other’s ideas
5 She is extremely good at asking for and giving advice, ideas,
etc. and putting the good ideas that she is exposed to into
action. It is pursuing this line of logic that helped her build her
apparel line with no previous experience.
Gift Small Goods: Create more
value giving to others
5 Johnson exemplifies this in every way with her Red Hen
Philosophy.
Johnson has extended her ability to harness the ideas and influence of those she chooses to surround
herself with. She has begun to create a slow burning mix of successful CEOs and celebrities to learn from
and network with. And why wouldn’t she? Johnson has Ventura as HER backdrop and her pick of
celebrities and successful business leaders in the L.A. enclave to help propel her brand, “Now that I built
the small fire, I know that I need serious capital to get to the next level of my plan and in order to get

6. capital, banks and investors need to see a plan, and right now
the plan is in my head and in the notes that I have to make
sure everything runs smoothly,” she confesses.
However, there are experts who have a difference of opinion
about that. “Business plans are overrated— but only when
you have true vision. Why? Because investors provide capital
for the vision of a business and not plans,” states Tim Berry,
Entrepreneur, Business Planner and Angel Investor who
suggests that business plans are sometimes overdone and
misused. Instead, he emphasizes, it’s the planning process
that is the most critical. “The planning process is as vital to
business as steering is to driving; it takes near constant
correction to stay on track,” Berry writes in the March 14,
2007 Entrepreneur Magazine article, No Plan, No
Problem?
“What’s better than making your own money and being
your own boss? It’s a beautiful feeling! The best thing about
being an entrepreneur is the freedom, growth, learning and
failure I get to experience. I’m someone who is willing to
take risks to achieve my vision, and now I just have to
convenience others to do the same,” Johnson admits. So
far, her lack of a business plan doesn’t seem to be a
deterrent for enthusiastic fans; among them Wendy Kaaya,
co-creator of the international haircare line Mixed Chicks
and Brandy Norwood, the singer and actress known as
Brandy, possibly best known for her role as Moesha, in the
series of the same name which aired from 1996-2001.
Mixed Chicks
W29 Twitter Feed featuring Brandy and Mixed Chicks.
Johnson defines her success as seeing her dreams
become reality and not compromising on the vision of
the brand. “While I’d like to be a global household
named brand, I intend to keep jobs at home, there’s
no negotiation on that point,“ Johnson plainly states.
While she admits that beginning with more capital
would have been ideal, Johnson thrives on the
support of her family. “I have 100% commitment from
my immediate family, including my sons Devin, Chase
and my husband Charlie. My extended family thought,
‘Here she goes again…she’s starting a new
business.’ I actually sent out a text and asked them
for financial support to take the business to the next
level. Charlie’s dad gave me enough money to get
this current production line started. A girl at work just
gave me $1,000 to keep the momentum going. I do
believe that God positions us with people in our path
to help us along the way if we are on the right road.”
As we wrapped up our last interview, Johnson left me
with the following, “While I’m currently focused on building
W29, I’m always looking to create and grow the next
successful business. If money never sleeps why should I?
WatchherGrow
Brandy
When I asked Johnson about her next move she tells me, “I
don’t belief in luck, I believe in blessings and those
blessings have been the positioning of the right people in
my life, who are ultimately helping me move the W29 brand
forward.” She plans to focus on securing the capital needed
for product development and manufacturing, but when I
asked Johnson about bringing on staff she replied, “I like to
work with people who go the extra mile, because I go the
extra mile. If someone asked for help, I move heaven and
earth and enjoy doing so,” she said with her signature wide
grin.
“I have more confidence in my brand and myself and my
path has become clear.” Johnson says. Crediting her
attitude with the fact that she surrounds herself with
likeminded people, she explains, “I thrive on learning new
things. I knew nothing about the apparel industry but by trial
and error I gain more knowledge every day. I’m still
learning. I can’t wait to see how my company will grow and I
use my competitors as my driving force to make a high-
quality product.”