For 18 years, Jennifer Ford has been the only black female sneaker boutique owner. If you have ever visited Houston and love sneakers, then you are probably familiar with her store, Premiumgoods. While Premiumgoods is widely known for being the first sneaker boutique in Texas, it is also recognized for igniting the popularity of apparel which showcases local love for Houston.After earning an economics degree from Emory University, Jennifer moved to New York to pursue her love of retail with a prominent department store. She completed an extensive training program and moved around the women’s buying departments until she eventually found her love in women’s product development. But, she still longed for more. Sharing many similarities and interests, including a love of sneakers, Jennifer became friends with Clarence Nathan, the owner of PremiumGoods-Brooklyn. Clarence invited Jennifer to shadow him as he opened his sneaker boutique, and it was at this moment that Jennifer realized her dream — to be the owner of her own sneaker boutique. In 2004, Jennifer moved back home to Houston, Texas to chase her dream. Premiumgoods Houston opened in October 2004, with much love and support from family, friends, and the local sneakerhead community. Since then, Premiumgoods has been a staple in the city and the industry. In 2010, Premiumgoods expanded and launched Premiumkids, a children’s store focused to help cultivate the next generation of sneakerheads in Houston. Jennifer was able to build a store and private label brand that truly represents Houston’s sneaker culture throughout the years and through her many partnerships. With both stores in performing well, she’s even more involved in the community as ever before. Through these experiences, Jennifer has realized that as one of the few black women in her industry, and female leaders in her community, she is in a special position to empower other women and minorities around her and help them chase their goals and achieve their dreams.Holdin’ it down while lifting us up!