Today we’d like to introduce you to Danelle Johnson.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I have skyrocketed past the failure ratio of what society says for children who grow up in the foster care system. In middle school, I received the Best Dress Award which helped solidify my fashion beginnings. I graduated from Old Dominion University. A year later, I worked 2 jobs to save to move to LA to attend FIDM, one of the most prestigious Fashion Design Schools. I have always been a self-motivator and persistent since I was a young girl. I push myself harder after hardships & made a promise to myself as a child to do so because of what I seen. I knew I had to be greater than my environment & the adult examples that didn’t exemplified what I wanted to be. My strongest achievements came from weak moments. So, after calling off my engagement with a PTSD military vet in 2016, my business sprouted when most would have been broken. I had an very vivid dream while sleeping about my business vision and started it a year later in 2017. I knew I could make the impossible, possible. I wear a bracelet that says ’you are a Diamond dear, they can’t break you’. This really defines how I live & serves as a daily remind to myself that even though triumphs tried to break me- that I am still standing in my purpose.
After moving back from Los Angeles, I created a disruptive innovation for the fashion industry on the East Coast my hometown, with a new way to shop!
My business is a Shark Tank Featured & Celebrity Stylist Boutique, which started as a mobile ‘tiny house’ Boutique! Think of a store on wheels inside a relaxed home environment (144 sq ft). Tiny houses are small homes on wheels that families live in to save, like on the Tiny House Nation show. I sell exclusive, exquisite and elegant women’s fashion alongside curated handmade designer pieces & created a platform for independent Designers with custom pieces.
I style Celebrity clients, actresses in films & have been featured on several TV, newspaper & radio outlets such as Voice of America International News, ABC, WUSA9, Fox5, WPGC 95.5 and most outlets. In the very first month of opening, I was in newspapers and in 2 months on TV every 6 months for my business concept.
Hence my motto, “we are tiny, but we dream BIG”.
My Boutique offers one-of-a-kind handmade pieces by designers, architectural designs, 3D fabrics, vibrant colors, unique notions, intricate art, flashy, and fitting garments that accentuate the curves to make women feel confident. I also host several fashion shows per year and a Best Dressed Event that is about empowerment in my community.
During my Shark Tank TV highlight in 3/2022 with Mark Cuban where I made it to the 2nd round, he stated motivating words such as “brilliant, a great idea, this is really smart” and to hear that from him- a billionaire has been a great remedy for my continuation.
What many people & Shark Tank don’t know is that during the 2nd round, I literally suffered from temporary short term memory loss which was an after effect from prednisone (doctors were treating my allergies) and it wiped my memory. I couldn’t even remember my own business name or what I do, but the producer had a deadline that week for me to submit it. Instead of giving up on one of the biggest opportunities of my life and giving them an excuse, I stayed up for a week rehearsing who I was, all of my business info and couldn’t retain any. Therefore, I decided to create myself a script and angle the camera so nobody could tell. I also had trembles from the medication that made me slur a little and had to power thru that so they didn’t think I was drunk. I am hard on myself, so after recording I told the videographer that they probably could tell and I don’t know how I would make it to the next round. Well, with God’s grace, that same video caught Shark Tank’s attention and fits my story of perseverance. I made my actual dream a reality.
After 6 years of being mobile, in 2023 my storefront was opened! Currently, I am focusing on reaching a broader audience by pushing my online presence while still appearing as a Fashion Expert on several TV outlets for red carpet awards such as the Oscars & Grammy’s.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Being a pioneer of the new way to shop as a mobile store on wheels comes with creating your own path because of many barricades, to include pitching my futuristic vision & unconventional business concept that others may not grasp. I was up for the challenge with the understanding of being the pioneer.
My unconventional business model faced obstacles such as zoning against ‘tiny houses’ & acceptance of a unique business concept.
Imagine this: a fashionista dressed up outside handling gasoline & oil for the generator to start my day, this was necessary if an event didn’t have a plug for my mobile operation. I’ve always said “find a passion you don’t mind doing for free and it won’t feel like work” so that kept me going!
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
What makes me most proud about my business is being the first of its kind, the first mobile ‘tiny house’ in the DMV area and helping others! Living the life of a pioneer is challenging yet rewarding to be able to create the blueprint for others and leaving a mark in their life. I am also proud of being able to receive amazing advertisement and publicity with many TV, radio, magazine, and newspaper outlets continuously every 3-6 months for the last 10 years since opening in 2017.
My biggest accomplishment to date is my Shark Tank TV showing & experience in 3/2022 with Mark Cuban. With hearing motivating words such as “this is really smart” from him- a billionaire has life-changing!
What I would like readers to know is that I give back to the fashion community by creating a platform with showroom space for local independent designers as well as hosting a Best Dressed event to bring the community together with fashion, food and fun!
I hold several fashion shows a year, with the goal of building confidence in models with low self-esteem or who have faced domestic violence situations with the goal to pour life into them.
My business is bigger than fashion, with hopes to inspire and motivate those around me with the motto, “we are tiny, but we dream big” meaning a small thought can become an empire. In addition, I believe clothing builds confidence and makes a woman feel beautiful, but I stress that self-love comes from the inside first, and to navigate the difficult internal work to be whole from the inside out. Clothing for me also creates a sense of individuality and emphasize to my customers to be them self and love the skin they are in. It’s most important for me to be an example for brown girls & others who may not have one and inspire them to greatness.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
My advice is to always have a mentor and possibly more than one for different subject matters. Research non-profits or organizations in your area that offer free mentorship, such as SBDC, SCORE and other small business spots.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://tinyhouseoffashion.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tinyhouseoffashion/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tinyhouseoffashion/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@tinyhouseoffashion
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@tinyhouseoffashion
