Deals and Steals' Tory Johnson celebrates 20 years on GMA
NEW YORK -- Tory Johnson is celebrating 20 years of bringing ABC viewers big deals and shopping tips.
She first appeared on Good Morning America for a series called, "Show Me The Money."
"This journey has been incredible, 20 years. My very first segment on GMA was with Robin, I was doing a segment about how to make extra money during the holidays and I was so nervous, and at the end of the segment she said, 'Come on back, we'd love to have you.' And I thought, "Yes! Girl, you nailed it!"
She then worked for 10 years as the workplace contributor.
"Diane (Sawyer) used to send me to help people to negotiate better salaries, negotiate work-from-home arrangements, find better satisfaction at work," she said. "The first 10 years I helped people make more money, and the second 10 years of creating 'Deals and Steals' to save more money."
Deals and Steals helps people make their money work for them and save on products. Tory is credited with saving viewers $1.5 billion during the past 13 years.
"It's been the greatest joy, the greatest unexpected joy. I can't believe that after all this time it's still going strong and I am so grateful for that," Tory said.
She credits her success to keeping an open mind.
Be open to opportunities, be creative, be available, speak up, use your voice to pursue what you love but also to respond to potential opportunities that could come your way, or the inkling of an opportunity that you could turn into something bigger," she said.
Her favorite thing to do is to convince skeptics. She was on the ground floor of the popular company Bombas.
"I remember raving about these socks and a few people in the studio were like, socks are socks, how could they be so good. I said do me a favor, they are 50% off as is everything on Deals and Steals, purchase some and let's talk about it next week," Tory said. "Bombas socks has now become an absolute GMA favorite in the studio and across America. It's a company with a heart. For every pair they sell they donate one for someone in need."
If you are confused about what deals to take advantage of during the holidays. You're not alone. But Tory says don't wait to shop.
"Shop and buy when you see something that you love because if it's a hot item it might not be around when you get around to it," she said.
GMA is celebrating 50 years from now until next November, and Tory said she loves being a part of the ABC and GMA family.
"I am obsessed with the GMA family, I have the best time when I walk in the studio in the morning," she said. "It really truly is a family. I have had the joy and privilege of working with these people for 20 years, and that long, they are my family! So it is the people that really make the show."
You can catch Tory and GMA's Deals and Steals from 7-9 a.m. on ABC.
