Jon Dabney is turning 12 years of persistence into a major retail breakthrough. The Morehouse College graduate and founder of RocketSports-1, an Atlanta-based, Black-owned women’s activewear company, has secured placement for his signature leggings in 37 Walmart stores across the United States, with the collection also available to shoppers nationwide through Walmart.com.
For Dabney, who was born and raised in Southwest Atlanta, the achievement represents far more than getting a product onto store shelves. It is the culmination of more than a decade spent developing, financing, testing, manufacturing and refining an activewear brand built specifically around the needs of everyday women.
It also puts an HBCU-educated entrepreneur into a distinctive space: a male founder building an activewear company exclusively focused on women.
From Morehouse College to a National Retail Opportunity
A graduate of Morehouse College, Dabney later earned an Executive MBA from the University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business. His entrepreneurial journey eventually led RocketSports-1 to Walmart Open Call 2025, creating an opportunity to introduce the brand to one of America’s largest retailers.
After 12 years of building the company, Dabney says there were many opportunities to quit. Instead, he remained focused on developing a quality product and preparing the company for the moment when the right retail opportunity arrived.
That persistence has now placed RocketSports-1 before a national consumer audience.
Designed for the Everyday Woman
Retailing for approximately $36, RocketSports-1 leggings are designed to move beyond the traditional gym environment. Dabney created the collection for women balancing careers, families, fitness, travel, errands and everyday life.
The company’s philosophy—“Comfort. Fit. Confidence.”—is reflected in several key design features:
- 4-Way Stretch: Flexible fabric is designed to comfortably move with the body.
- Supportive High-Rise Waistband: Created to provide a flattering, secure fit while helping minimize rolling and slipping.
- Breathable Design: A mesh back panel adds ventilation for workouts and everyday activity.
- Accessible Price: At about $36, RocketSports-1 offers an alternative to premium activewear leggings that can cost $80, $100 or more.
Dabney’s objective is straightforward: women should not have to pay luxury-level prices to receive the comfort, support, functionality and style they expect from activewear.
An HBCU Entrepreneurial Story Worth Watching
The Walmart milestone also represents the growing importance of giving emerging and Black-owned brands access to major retail platforms.
Dabney’s journey offers another important message for entrepreneurs: success does not always happen quickly. Sometimes the national opportunity comes after years of product development, setbacks, financing challenges and continued preparation.
For RocketSports-1, getting into Walmart isn’t the finish line. Consumer support will be critical to what happens next. Every purchase helps demonstrate demand and could potentially contribute to future opportunities for the brand to grow its retail footprint.
From Atlanta to Women Across America
RocketSports-1 is currently available in 37 select Walmart stores, while customers outside those markets can shop the collection nationwide online.
The moment brings Dabney’s story full circle—from Southwest Atlanta and an education at Morehouse College to building a women’s activewear company competing on a national retail stage.
Shop & Discover RocketSports-1
Check out the RocketSports-1 collection at Walmart:
https://www.walmart.com/browse/0?facet=brand:ROCKETSPORTS-1
About RocketSports-1
RocketSports-1 is an Atlanta-based, Black-owned women’s activewear brand founded by entrepreneur and Morehouse College graduate Jon Dabney. Built around the philosophy “Comfort. Fit. Confidence,” the company creates versatile activewear combining performance, functionality and accessible pricing.
After a 12-year entrepreneurial journey, RocketSports-1 reached a major milestone in 2026 with its leggings entering select Walmart stores and becoming available to consumers nationwide online.
For entrepreneurs building their dream, Dabney’s journey delivers a powerful reminder: prepare for the opportunity, stay committed to the vision—and when the door finally opens, be ready to walk through it.
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