Brittney Perry is the founder of PerryCo., a lifestyle brand spanning footwear, apparel and accessories.
When she began developing her first sneaker, she wanted to create something that could last. The shoe would be unisex and versatile enough to be dressed up or down. She was less interested in following a trend than developing a silhouette that could remain relevant as styles changed.
“The first versions were honestly ugly 😂,” she said. “I was designing based on what looked good in my head, but I didn’t yet understand things like how certain stitching works with different leathers, how materials respond to weather and wear, or how small construction details can completely change the way a shoe looks and feels.”
It took three samples before she arrived at a version she was comfortable putting the company’s name on.
Eight years later, her company has grown beyond footwear into a lifestyle brand offering sneakers, apparel and accessories. The company is now selling products through Nordstrom.com, its latest retail milestone.
The path between those first samples and Nordstrom began, in part, with an unexpected $1,000.
Turning $1,000 Into the First Sneaker Samples
Brittney was working a corporate job when she took a day off to attend a taping of The Steve Harvey Show in Chicago. The episode focused on entrepreneurship at a time when she was already thinking seriously about starting a business.
A producer invited her back for another taping, so she took another day off work and returned. At the end of the show, everyone in the audience received $1,000 to put toward their dreams.
“I immediately knew what I was going to do with mine,” she recalled. “I used that money to help develop my first sneaker samples.”
As she began documenting the development process on Instagram, Chicago designer Sheila Rashid saw what she was creating. Sheila had an upcoming fashion show and asked whether Perry could produce several pairs for her models.
Brittney agreed, then had to scramble to get the shoes made in time.
Seeing her sneakers on a runway was significant, but what happened afterward gave her an early indication that there could be a market for the product. People approached her asking where they could buy the shoes.
She didn’t have a website yet.
“That was one of the first moments when I realized that something I had been developing as an idea in my head could actually become a real business,” she said.
Learning How to Build a Sneaker
Turning that early interest into a product she was ready to sell took about a year and a half.
Brittney stayed with the same manufacturer throughout development and went through three samples. The design changed along the way, including a move to smoother, softer leather and the addition of suede and nubuck on the heel.
Money also dictated the pace.
Every new sample represented another investment. She couldn’t identify a problem and immediately order another version. Instead, Brittney had to determine what needed to change, save enough money and move to the next round.
“Designing a shoe is much more than having a good idea or sketch,” she said. “There are so many details that you don’t think about until you’re actually developing the product.”
By the third sample, she had a better understanding of the materials, construction and details that would define PerryCo.
Finding Customers and Community in Chicago
Brittney’s earliest customers included strangers as well as friends and family. The Sheila Rashid fashion show introduced her work beyond her immediate network, while another important part of the brand’s early development happened around LEADERS 1354, one of the few Black-owned sneaker boutiques in the country.
Spending time there connected her with Chicago’s sneaker and creative community and gave her access to candid feedback.
Diego offered ideas about colorways and the product. Corey talked with her about the business and financial side.
“It wasn’t just people telling me, ‘This is dope,’” Brittney said. “They were giving me feedback that could actually help me build a better product and a better business.”
Being part of that community also helped her understand what was happening within sneaker culture in ways she couldn’t have learned trying to build by herself. Support from friends and family in Indianapolis helped expand her audience outside Chicago as well.
Building the Company Independently
Brittney primarily financed the business herself.
“I funded PerryCo. primarily on my own,” she said. “I used income from my corporate jobs, maxed out credit cards at different points, took out one small business loan and started with smaller amounts of inventory because that was what I could afford.”
As products sold, she reinvested the revenue.
What she didn’t have early on was a strong understanding of how to finance growth.
“I knew how to work hard and build the product, but I didn’t understand things like different funding options, angel investment, managing cash flow for growth or how to use capital strategically to scale,” Brittney said.
Over time, she began using preorders to manage inventory and payment programs that provided additional time to pay for merchandise. Accelerator programs helped her better understand business finance. Bringing in a bookkeeper gave her a clearer picture of her P&L statements, where the money was going and what needed to change to improve profitability.
“Being able to fund something yourself can get you started, but that doesn’t necessarily teach you how to finance growth,” she said.
When the Original Plan Changed
The eight-year journey included several moments that forced Brittney to reconsider how she was building.
COVID-19 was one of them.
The business had been gaining momentum when factory shutdowns and international shipping disruptions made receiving footwear from overseas increasingly difficult.
She responded by leaning further into apparel and accessories. Those products sold out.
Brittney had always envisioned creating a lifestyle brand, but the disruption accelerated that expansion and showed that customers were interested in more than footwear.
Another turning point arrived in 2021. She was laid off from her corporate job. The following week, she learned that she had been accepted into the Workshop at Macy’s program.
In 2022, Brittney moved from Chicago to Los Angeles, leaving the network and community where she had spent years developing the business.
“When I moved to LA, I didn’t have that same foundation,” she said. “In a lot of ways, I felt like I was starting over and had to build relationships and establish the brand in a completely new city.”
Those experiences changed how she thought about planning.
“Building a brand isn’t always about sticking perfectly to the original plan,” Brittney said. “Sometimes it’s about knowing what the bigger vision is and being willing to change how you get there.”
Growing PerryCo. Beyond Sneakers
Although the business began with footwear, the intention was always to create a broader lifestyle brand built around the same unisex and versatile philosophy as the original sneaker.
One of its first significant expansions came after Brittney traveled to Japan in 2019.
She noticed how frequently people were carrying crossbody bags and was drawn to their functionality. After returning home, she developed her own version.
COVID accelerated the expansion into apparel and accessories. After moving to California in 2022, sunglasses became a larger part of the product line.
As the assortment has grown, Brittney has also incorporated more of her personal style through different colors, textiles and designs.
“Sometimes it’s the sneaker, sometimes it’s the sunglasses, a bag or a jacket,” she said. “I don’t necessarily want PerryCo. to dictate how someone dresses. I want to create pieces that people can incorporate into their own style and make their own.”
Navigating the Sneaker Industry as a Black Woman Founder
One of the biggest challenges Brittney says she has encountered in the sneaker industry is being underestimated.
“There have been people along the way who have flat-out told me that what I was trying to build wasn’t going to work,” she said.
She also points to the importance of access and relationships within fashion and footwear.
“There have been incredible people who have genuinely supported me, shared resources and opened doors, and I’m extremely grateful for them,” Brittney said. “But I’ve also experienced the other side of it, where people are more willing to help once you have a certain amount of visibility or when the relationship can benefit them in some way.”
Her response was to continue building a track record through customers, partnerships and retail opportunities.
“Instead of waiting for someone to validate PerryCo., I’ve focused on creating my own proof,” she said. “Every customer, retail opportunity, partnership and milestone has helped me build a track record that speaks for itself.”
How Nordstrom Discovered PerryCo.
The Nordstrom opportunity came directly to Brittney.
A footwear buyer discovered the brand and reached out to discuss an opportunity. From there, the process moved quickly.
The circumstances were particularly meaningful after years spent reaching out, applying for opportunities and trying to get people to see what she was building.
“To have a buyer from a retailer like Nordstrom discover PerryCo. and reach out to me was a reminder that the years of building the brand and putting the work out there were creating visibility, even when I didn’t always know who was watching,” she said.
The products are now officially available on Nordstrom.com.
The initial assortment includes the Primeira sneaker, select sunglasses and one of the newer Heirloom pieces, with additional products being added throughout the month.
“Nordstrom is a retailer I’ve known and respected for years, so seeing PerryCo. there after everything it took to build the brand is a really meaningful milestone,” Brittney said.
What Brittney Perry Is Building Next
Building the business has also changed Brittney.
When she started, she didn’t have the confidence she has today. Entrepreneurship required her to become the face of the brand, advocate for herself and enter rooms where she didn’t always feel comfortable.
“I have much more confidence now and a lot more faith in my own abilities,” she said.
Brittney has also started the Brand Builders Society, a Skool community for people starting and growing product-based businesses. She wants what she has learned over the past eight years to benefit other entrepreneurs and plans to continue working with organizations that give young people opportunities to learn about entrepreneurship and design.
Her larger vision is to build an international lifestyle brand, expand its retail presence, continue developing footwear, accessories and apparel, and reach customers around the world.
“When I look back at those first samples compared to where the brand is today, I’m proud of how far we’ve come,” Brittney said. “But I can also see how much more there is to build.”
Shop PerryCo.
Shoppe Black readers can use code SHOPPEBLACK for 15% off purchases through the PerryCo. website.
