Today we’d like to introduce you to Jonny Johnson.
Jonny, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Back in 2010, I was the president of sales for a home alarm company. I had a hard time finding quality apparel. So I decided I would learn how to do it myself. I found out the wholesale accounts, most of which you had to have up to 2 years in the industry – so I found someone who would vouch for me and I got the wholesale sites set up. I teach myself how to design, and use Illustrator then I started to design apparel for my company. Before long, there were many others who wanted me to design for them.
So I started my first print and promo company. After about a year, I combined my company with another and we started doing really well, but it was always a side hustle so I ended up selling my portion of the company to focus back on the main source of income. I realized very quickly that my passion was design. So I started another company a few years later, and we decided to start a brand along with it that we did giveaways. We gave away FJ land cruisers. The stuff that for every dollar you spend, you get 1 entry to win. That was really fun, I learned a lot- but again, it was my side hustle so I ended up selling that as well.
But I kept the print and promos side. We rebranded the print and promos side to LIFT PROMOS and created a brand called LIFT THREADZ. When I started on my own, I realized the print and promo industry was a race to the bottom. Everyone could get the same blanks to print on (next level, bella canvas, Richardson Cap, etc… ) and so clients had all the leverage in being able to say “Well, so and so can get the same stuff, but .10 cheaper.” That always frustrated me because I felt I gave exceptional customer service and design time. So I realized if I was going to make it, I would need to design my own blanks.
In the spring of 2022, I got my first order from overseas. It was 100 polos. I sold those 100 polos the week I got them and ordered 1,000 more. Then sold those in about a week. (selling using them as blanks and bulk selling them). I then got 5,000 – sold a bunch of those and started to branch out into other types of clothes. At that time, I owned a trailer dealership, Taurus Trailer. I had my office and stocked inventory on the top floor of our shop. By May of 2022, I had outgrown my spot and realized trailers weren’t my passion so my partners and I had a conversation about buying out my position and me leaving the shop to do my own thing.
I looked for warehouse space and everything seemed so expensive. I have about 4000 sq. feet in my unfinished basement so I decided I could work from home for a couple of months until I found something. That was in Aug. 2022 when I went full-time. For the first time in my life, I was 100% dependent on one income, working out of my basement. Fast forward to today, we have been doing pretty well. Our model is thriving and companies are loving our gear.
Our concept is unique in that we can make it seem like companies went and designed their unique, high-end apparel and did more than they did when really they are just white-labeling LIFT THREADZ apparel.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
NO – haha, it has been a wild ride. Lots of ups and downs. Running a brand, print, and promo you have to constantly find ways to be different, and stand out. We decided to do another giveaway and have been doing vacation giveaways for purchasing our apparel. The difference is our apparel is high-end and unique. It would be like if Legends or LULU said – “hey, for buying our apparel, we will enter you in to win an epic, once-in-a-lifetime trip.”
That has helped us stand out. But one thing that has been tough is holding as much inventory as we have to hold. Cashflow gets really tight. Also, when we first started in the basement, it was just my wife and I (now we have 12 employees) there were so many nights we would be down working til 2-3 in the morning until we couldn’t see straight, just to wake up the next morning and do it all again.
We realized that when you run a business, you have to deliver, on time – or you lose clients. So we would pull all-nighters to get stuff done. Looking back, those were awesome times working alongside my wife, talking about our days, and seeing how much she cared about helping me achieve my dream of growing this business to something sustainable, that could create generational wealth for me and my family.
I am by no means where I want to be, I know with growth will have struggles, trials, sleepless nights, and wild days.
But it is something I am excited to tackle.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Lift Threadz is our brand. We create high-end, comfortable clothes for all sizes.
I am a bigger guy, I hated finding clothes to fit. The sleeves were too big when you size up, but the spare tire showed way too much when you size down. So I designed clothes to fit the average dad’s body. That would be something you could wear to the gym, or wear to dinner on Friday night, something you could wear to work, and aren’t rushing home to rip off at the end of the day.
LIFT PROMOS is the print and promo arm of our company. we help companies create a culture by using apparel. Think about why you love the teams you love, it is likely due to a t-shirt someone gave you, or a hat when you were little. If you create apparel that people want to wear, with your company’s logo on it you’re going to create a culture of people loving your business. It is that simple. we also do any type of promotional products.
Threadz wholesale – is our wholesale arm. We supply other promotional companies with the chance to purchase our blanks and use them for their company. we also do patches, hats, and many other things for other “competitors” to help their brands grow.
What makes you happy?
It makes me beyond excited and happy to see people out wearing my gear, and getting someone who messages me how much they love the gear. I also love seeing companies so excited about stuff I have created for them.
But what makes me more happy than anything is spending time with my family. Coaching my son, and watching my girls dance. There is nothing better in life.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.liftthreadz.com
- Instagram: @lift.threadz. and @JKJOHNSON
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Lift.Threadzz/
