American Gymnast and Serial Entrepreneur

14 years after winning Olympic gold on balance beam in Beijing, the American gymnast and “serial entrepreneur” now feels like she’s lived two different lives. On one hand, she’s a mom to three young kids with husband Andrew East. On the other, she’s a former Dancing With the Stars season 8 champion who has built a successful brand centered around her family.

But that’s not all Johnson is working on. With hundreds of women coming forward to speak out about abuse by former USA team doctor Larry Nassar, and gymnast Simone Biles shining a light on the importance of mental health, it’s clear that a movement is happening to help athletes and others find their voice and support one another. And Johnson says she’s excited to be part of it.

She founded the Team USA Dreams Fund, a program that gives scholarships to high school gymnasts so they can pursue their passions and dreams. She says she hopes the program will inspire other aspiring athletes to follow their passions and believe in themselves.

Johnson is a four-time collegiate All-American and a four-time national all-around champion. She competed in the 2008 Olympics and won four medals (gold, balance beam; silver, team, all-around, floor) and was awarded the ESPY for Best US Female Olympian. After the Olympics, Johnson took a break from gymnastics to focus on her career and family. She returned to the sport in 2011 and won a team gold medal at the Pan American Games. She also appeared on ABC’s Dancing with the Stars and was the recipient of the 79th AAU James E. Sullivan Award and an ESPY for Best U.S. Female Olympian.

In January 2010, while skiing, Johnson tore her ACL and was forced to undergo reconstructive knee surgery. She then retired from competitive gymnastics in 2012 and has since built her empire.

In addition to running her own business and working as a motivational speaker, Johnson trains at Chow’s Gymnastics in West Des Moines, Iowa. She and her family live in Nashville, Tennessee. The gymnast’s Instagram account has nearly 570,000 followers, and her personal website has over 3,000 fans.