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Daymond John
John in 2020
Born
Daymond Garfield John

(1969-02-23) February 23, 1969 (age 55)
New York City, U.S.
Occupations
  • Businessman
  • investor
  • television personality
  • author
Known forCEO and founder of FUBU
Spouse
Heather Taras
​
(m. 2018)​
Children3
Websitedaymondjohn.com

Daymond Garfield John[1] (born February 23, 1969) is an American businessman, investor, and television personality. He is best known as an investor on the ABC reality television series Shark Tank. As well as being the founder, president, and chief executive officer of FUBU, John is the founder of The Shark Group.

Early life

[edit]

John was born February 23, 1969, in Brooklyn, New York City,[2] but grew up in the Hollis neighborhood of Queens and attended Catholic school for seven years.[3][4] He began working at the age of 10, when his parents divorced; one early job entailed handing out flyers for $2 ($8.69 in 2024)[5] an hour.[6][7] In high school, he participated in a program that allowed him to work a full-time job and attend school on an alternating weekly basis, which he credits with instilling an entrepreneurial spirit.[8] After graduating from high school, he started a commuter van service and waited tables at Red Lobster.[3][6] After his parents divorced, according to John his mom would later "bring another man in my life who became her boyfriend for a long period of time". John regarded him as his stepfather.[9]

Career

[edit]

FUBU

[edit]

John started FUBU in his mother's house in Hollis, Queens.[10] When John first had the idea for a clothing company for young men, his mother taught him how to sew and supported him by allowing her house to be taken over to grow the business.[11]

Wool ski hats with their tops tied off with fishing line were popular at the time, and John noticed them being sold for $20, which he considered overpriced.[12] He went home and sewed about 90 hats with his next-door neighbor.[13] They sold their homemade hats for $10 each on the corner of Jamaica Avenue and made $800 in a single day in 1992.[14][15] After the hats, they began selling screen-printed T-shirts. To break into the market, they sold on consignment and at large events around the Northeast.[10] To make ends meet, John held a full-time job at Red Lobster, working on the FUBU business in between shifts.[16]

In addition to Brown, he recruited longtime friends J. Alexander Martin and Keith Perrin into the business, and began sewing the FUBU logo onto hockey jerseys, sweatshirts, and T-shirts.[15] They loaned about 10 of the hockey jerseys out to rappers for their music videos for two years and got product placements in about 30 videos.[17][18] John related that due to these placements, they were being perceived as a large and visible clothing brand, and stores started requesting their products.[10] In 1993, he convinced LL Cool J, an old neighborhood friend, to wear a FUBU T-shirt for a promotional campaign.[19] Later, while filming a 30-second advertising spot for The Gap, LL Cool J wore a FUBU hat in the commercial and incorporated the line "for us, by us" in his rapping.[16][20]

In 1994, John and his business partners received $300,000 in retailers' orders at the Las Vegas fashion trade show Magic.[10] Needing capital to make the products, John and his mother obtained a second mortgage on their house—a strategy John would later decline to recommend, as he had risked losing ownership of the house.[10][17] After being turned down by 26 or 27 banks for a loan, his mother used the last of their money to take out an advertisement in The New York Times.[10][17] As a result of the ad, FUBU made a deal with Samsung Textiles, allowing them to complete their orders.[10][17]

FUBU has earned over $6 billion in global sales.[21]

FUBU is featured at the Smithsonian's National Museum of African-American History and Culture.[22]

Shark Tank

[edit]
John and the sharks of Shark Tank in 2024.

In 2009, John received a call from Mark Burnett asking him to join the cast of ABC's new reality business show Shark Tank, which gives entrepreneurs the opportunity to pitch their businesses to investors, or "Sharks" in the hopes of receiving an investment. Shark Tank completed its 15th season in May 2024.[23] John has invested $8,567,000 of his own money in Shark Tank companies as of May 12, 2017.[24][25][26][27] His favorite investments on record by 2015 were Al "Bubba" Baker's boneless ribs and Bombas socks.[28] Shark Tank has won 5 Emmy Awards and has been nominated 25 times.[29] The show won Outstanding Reality Program from 2012 to 2014.[30]

On Season 5 of Shark Tank, John invested in Bubba's-Q Boneless Ribs on and helped grow the company from $154,000 in sales to $16 million in 3 years.[31] In 2017, Bubba's-Q Boneless Ribs partnered up with Carl's Jr. to create the limited-edition Baby Back Rib Burger.[31] The LA Times published an article in 2023 regarding the owner of Bubba-Q's great dissatisfaction in dealing with John and his investment company.[32] A permanent restraining order was later issued against the Bakers by federal judge Robert B. Kugler, who found that they had violated a 2019 settlement agreement.[33]

John also made a unique deal with 15-year-old Moziah "Mo" Bridges, owner of Mo's Bows. John decided not to invest in Mo's Bows but instead to mentor the young entrepreneur.[34][35] The company would eventually take on a seven-figure licensing partnership with the NBA to create bow ties that use the teams' logos.[36]

On Season 6 of the show, John invested in Bombas socks. For every pair of socks sold, the company donates a pair to someone in need.[37][38] Following his investment, total sales for the company increased from $450,000 in the first nine months to $12 million.[39] As of May 2023, it is the best-selling Shark Tank product of all time, with $1.3 billion in cumulative sales according to Sony Pictures Television.[40] He also invested in Sun-Staches, which would subsequently make $4.2 million in sales.[31][41]

The Shark Group

[edit]

John is the CEO and founder of The Shark Group, a brand management and consulting firm.[42] The Shark Group has received four Webby Awards and a nomination for their work on Black Entrepreneurs Day[43][44] and a Creator Visionary Award from Adweek.[45]

Consulting and speaking

[edit]

John has become a public speaker.[46] He is also a brand ambassador for the e-commerce company Shopify.[47]

In 2021, he signed a deal with Audible to create audio podcasts on the platform. According to Deadline Hollywood, the goal of the programs is to "provide help for aspiring entrepreneurs with the idea of amplifying Black voices".[48]

Next Level Success

[edit]

In 2015, John co-founded Daymond John's Success Formula, a program designed to teach business owners and entrepreneurs how to start and grow their business.[49]

In September 2019, Daymond John's Success Formula[50] rebranded to Next Level Success.[51]

One of the organizations the program works with is the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship.[52]

The program offers a $1,500 scholarship to two students a year. This scholarship is given in hopes to inspire a new generation of entrepreneurs.

Black Entrepreneurs Day

[edit]
John at Black Entrepreneurs Day in 2023.

In 2020, Daymond John created and launched Black Entrepreneurs Day, an event aimed at promoting and encouraging entrepreneurship and black-owned business.[53] According to People, John got the idea for Black Entrepreneurs Day after considering how he could make change in the wake of the George Floyd protests, and to channel frustration over inequities into positive change,[53] as well as to "celebrate" black business owners.[54]

The event is aimed at providing a "space for Black people to feel uplifted and encouraged", and featured black business owners and celebrities, including BET founder Robert L. Johnson, former NBA player Shaquille O'Neal, actors Gabrielle Union and Jamie Foxx, and rapper and actor LL Cool J.[53] The event was held in partnership with the NAACP, and business partners included Chase for Business, Shopify, PepsiCo; $175,000 in grants were set to be awarded to applicants.[53]

Black Entrepreneurs Day has continued annually since its conception. The 2022 event was viewed by 7.6 million viewers over livestream.[55] by 2023, over $750,000 in grants had been awarded. 2023 grant recipients included Hustle & Hope, a greeting cards company, and Green Book Global, a travel booking and review company.[56] The event has garnered additional corporate sponsors, including Lowe's, McDonald's, and T-Mobile,[55] and is held at the Apollo Theater in Harlem.[54]

Other appearances

[edit]

John was a guest narrator at Disney's Candlelight Processional Dec 7–9, 2022.[57]

Awards and recognition

[edit]

John is a New York Times and Wall Street Journal best-selling author.[58][59][60]

John has received numerous awards, including Brandweek Marketer of the Year, the NAACP Entrepreneurs of the Year Award (which he won twice), the Advertising Age Marketing 1000 Award for Outstanding Ad Campaign, the Essence Award, Crain's New York Business Forty Under Forty Award, Ernst & Young's New York Entrepreneur of the Year Award, the Brandeis University International Business School's Asper Award for Excellence in Global Entrepreneurship, Details 50 Most Influential Men, and the Congressional Achievement Award for Entrepreneurship (which he won twice).[16][24][61][62][63]

In 2015, President Obama appointed John as to the Presidential Ambassadors for Global Entrepreneurship initiative promote underserved entrepreneurs.[64]

Personal life

[edit]

John admitted that he was an absentee husband during his first marriage, telling a CNBC reporter that his wife "literally saw me on TV more than she saw me in person".[2] He attributed his absence from his wife and children to a combination of work and socializing.[2]

In 2018, John married Heather Taras, his second wife, with whom he has a daughter. He has two daughters from his first marriage.[2][65][66]

John is dyslexic.[67]

In April 2017, John was diagnosed with stage II thyroid cancer.[68] John successfully underwent surgery to remove the cancerous nodule.

John is Catholic.[69][70]

Philanthropy

[edit]

John is on the Board of Overseers and volunteer as a host or judge at NFTE events.[71][72] NFTE is a global organization with chapters in 12 countries that teaches the value of entrepreneurship and core competencies to students in low income areas.[73]

John has supported other efforts to encourage black entrepreneurship, including Barack Obama's My Brother's Keeper Challenge,[74] and he was involved in Michelle Obama's college initiative at Temple University.[74]

Louis Farrakhan comments

[edit]

After attending the funeral for DMX, John posted a message to Twitter praising Louis Farrakhan's speech.[75] John garnered instant backlash as people brought up Farrakhan's history of anti-Semitism, and John immediately apologized and deleted the tweet.[76][77][78][79]

Filmography

[edit]

Film

[edit]
Film appearances
Year Title Role Notes
2005 The Crow: Wicked Prayer Proud Foot Joe
2014 Sharknado 2: The Second One Wall Street Man

Television

[edit]
Television appearances and roles
Year Title Role Notes
2009–present Shark Tank Himself
2013 The Game Himself Season 6, episode 2
The Real Himself Episode 3
The Neighbors Himself Season 2, episode 7
2014 What Would You Do? Himself Season 9, episode 1
2016 To Tell the Truth Himself Season 1, episode 6
The $100,000 Pyramid Himself Season 1, episode 6
Dr. Ken Himself Season 2, episode 7
2018 All About the Washingtons Himself Season 1, episode 1
2020 Billions Himself Season 5, episode 4
Ridiculousness Himself Season 16, episode 31
2021 The Titans That Built America Himself 2 episodes
Wahl Street Himself 5 episodes
2022 Celebrity Family Feud Himself Season 9, episode 9
The Masked Singer Fortune Teller Eliminated in Season 8, episode 3
2023 Black Ink Crew Himself Season 10, episode 14
The Eric Andre Show Himself Season 6, Episode 10
Wild 'n Out Himself Season 19, episode 17

Bibliography

[edit]
  • Display of Power: How Fubu Changed a World of Fashion, Branding and Lifestyle (Naked Ink, 2007) ISBN 978-1595558534
  • The Brand Within: The Power of Branding from Birth to the Boardroom (Display of Power Publishing, 2010) ISBN 978-0982596210
  • The Power of Broke: How Empty Pockets, a Tight Budget, and a Hunger for Success Can Become Your Greatest Competitive Advantage, with Daniel Paisne (Crown Business, 2016) ISBN 978-1101903599
  • Rise and Grind: Outperform, Outwork, and Outhustle Your Way to a More Successful and Rewarding Life, with Daniel Paisne (Currency, 2018) ISBN 978-0804189958
  • Little Daymond Learns to Earn (Random House, 2023) ISBN 978-0593567272

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Glader, Sue. "Daymond John, Entrepreneur". The Yale Center for Dyslexia & Creativity. Archived from the original on December 5, 2017.
  2. ^ a b c d Clifford, Catherine (November 22, 2016), "Right as 'Shark Tank' investor Daymond John became really rich, he lost everything", CNBC website, archived from the original on November 23, 2016, retrieved March 13, 2018
  3. ^ a b Gault, Ylonda. "40 Under 40: Daymond John, 28]". Crain's New York. Archived from the original on August 16, 2017.
  4. ^ Richards, Richard Feloni, Daniel. "Before Daymond John became a millionaire investor on 'Shark Tank,' he was waiting tables at Red Lobster and talking his way onto LL Cool J's music video sets". Business Insider. Retrieved May 18, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ "$2 in 1979 → 2023 | Inflation Calculator". www.in2013dollars.com.
  6. ^ a b "From waiting tables at Red Lobster to a $300 million fortune: the rags-to-riches story of Daymond John". Business Insider. Retrieved July 10, 2018.
  7. ^ "From waiting tables at Red Lobster to a $300 million fortune: the rags-to-riches story of Daymond John". BusinessInsider.com (Axel Springer SE). Retrieved March 21, 2017.
  8. ^ "Daymond John]". TheHistoryMakers.com. September 16, 2003. Archived from the original on June 13, 2011. Retrieved April 27, 2011.
  9. ^ "Daymond John | The New York Times Best-Selling Author, FUBU Founder and Shark Tank "Shark" On How to Transform Any Situation, Close Any Deal, and Achieve Any Outcome". The ThriveTime Show. September 25, 2020. Retrieved April 9, 2022.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g Harrison, J. D. (October 7, 2014), "When we were small: FUBU", The Washington Post website, ISSN 0190-8286, archived from the original on October 8, 2014, retrieved December 9, 2017
  11. ^ "'Shark Tank' investor Daymond John explains how his mom helped FUBU become a $350 million company". BusinessInsider.com (Axel Springer SE). Archived from the original on March 22, 2017. Retrieved March 21, 2017.
  12. ^ Kaufman, Leslie. "Trying to Stay True to the Streets". The New York Times. March 14, 1999.
  13. ^ "Daymond John: Streets Ahead of the Rest". The Independent. July 18, 2002.
  14. ^ Alleyne, Sonia (August 2010). "Backtalk with Daymond John". Black Enterprise. 41: 144 – via Academic Search Premier.
  15. ^ a b "Daymond John". Shark Tank official website, original version (ABC). Archived from the original on September 5, 2009.
  16. ^ a b c Ferriss, Tim. The Making of Fubu - An Interview with Daymond John The 4-Hour Workweek Blog. April 7, 2011.
  17. ^ a b c d Lee, Ellen (August 7, 2012), "How FUBU Founder Daymond John Conquered Urban Fashion", CNBC website, archived from the original on September 6, 2013, retrieved March 21, 2017
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  20. ^ "Entrepreneurs Aim to Become Big Names". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. July 27, 2001.
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  22. ^ "FUBU is featured in The Smithsonian's National Museum of African-Ameri". DaymondJohn.com. Retrieved March 21, 2017.
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  24. ^ a b Daymond John Archived July 20, 2011, at the Wayback Machine. Great Black Speakers.
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  26. ^ 'Shark Tank's' Daymond John Quicker To Go for Jugular These Days Archived April 4, 2011, at the Wayback Machine. Creators.
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  29. ^ "Shark Tank". Television Academy. Retrieved July 27, 2018.
  30. ^ "Site Search". Television Academy. Retrieved March 21, 2017.
  31. ^ a b c Daymond John, Shark Tank host, FUBU founder. Sharkalytics.
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  33. ^ Perman, Stacy (July 21, 2023). "'Shark Tank's' Daymond John granted permanent restraining order against former contestant". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
  34. ^ "Meet the 13-year-old CEO who built a $200,000 business and is mentored by Daymond John". Business Insider. Retrieved July 9, 2018.
  35. ^ "5 of Daymond John's Most Profitable 'Shark Tank' Deals". Inc.com. June 7, 2017. Retrieved July 9, 2018.
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  37. ^ "About Us". Bombas. Retrieved July 18, 2018.
  38. ^ "Q&A: Entrepreneurs behind the socks company Bombas share career advice". ABC News. August 2, 2017. Retrieved July 18, 2018.
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  40. ^ Levin, Gary (October 30, 2023). "The new list of best-selling 'Shark Tank' products of all time". USA Today. Retrieved September 24, 2024.
  41. ^ Clifford, Catherine (April 15, 2017). "How Daymond John's 'biggest deal ever' on 'Shark Tank' went from $154,000 to $16 million in sales". CNBC. Retrieved July 18, 2018.
  42. ^ "'Shark' Daymond John Wrapped His Apparel Brand In Hip-Hop Mystique". Investor's Business Daily. May 15, 2017. Retrieved January 4, 2018.
  43. ^ "Black Entrepreneurs Day". Webby Awards. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
  44. ^ "Daymond John's Black Entrepreneurs Day". Webby Awards. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
  45. ^ "Adweek's 2022 Creator Visionary Awards: See All the Winners". May 2, 2022. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
  46. ^ Klara, Robert. Daymond John: Swimming With a Shark (Q&A). AdWeek. April 4, 2011.
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  48. ^ White, Peter (February 2, 2021). "'Shark Tank' Star Daymond John Signs First-Look Deal With Audible". Deadline. Retrieved February 3, 2021.
  49. ^ "6 Big-Name Entrepreneurs Who Share Their Secrets". Retrieved May 3, 2018.
  50. ^ "Shark Tank's Daymond John is a no-show at his 'Success Formula' business seminars". Dallas News. September 29, 2017. Retrieved September 9, 2021.
  51. ^ "Daymond John: Story Of The People's Shark". July 6, 2021. Retrieved September 9, 2021.
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  53. ^ a b c d Merrett, Robyn (October 6, 2020). "Daymond John Launching Black Entrepreneurs Day, Providing $25K Grant to Select Business Owners". People. Retrieved September 29, 2024.
  54. ^ a b Richardson, Drew (October 10, 2023). "'Shark Tank' star Daymond John looks to boost Black entrepreneurs for a fourth year". CNBC. Retrieved September 29, 2024.
  55. ^ a b {{cite web |last1=Brown |first1=Preezy |title=Daymond John’s 4th Annual ‘Black Entrepreneurs Day’ To Feature Star-Studded Lineup |url=https://www.vibe.com/news/events/daymond-johns-black-entrepreneurs-day-star-lineup-1234801518/ |website=[[Vibe (magazine) |access-date=September 29, 2024 |date=October 12, 2023}}
  56. ^ Philippe, Joyce (November 5, 2023). "Black entrepreneurs awarded $25K grants to grow their businesses". ABC News. Retrieved September 29, 2024.
  57. ^ "'Candlelight Processional' returns to EPCOT this holiday season with new celebrity narrators". WFTV. October 4, 2022. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
  58. ^ "Best-Selling Books Week Ended Jan. 28". Wall Street Journal. February 2, 2018. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved July 2, 2018.
  59. ^ "Business Books - Best Sellers - March 11, 2018 - The New York Times". The New York Times. Retrieved July 2, 2018.
  60. ^ "Children's Picture Books - Best Sellers". The New York Times. April 30, 2023. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  61. ^ McDonough, Kevin. Inspiring Night with Essence Awards. Record-Journal. June 2, 1999.
  62. ^ #25: Daymond John. Crains New York Business.
  63. ^ Nance-Nash, Sheryl. FUBU Founder Daymond John Stages His Next Act. Daily Finance. July 24, 2010.
  64. ^ Pedersen, Erik (September 19, 2017). "'Shark Tank's Daymond John Inks With Gersh". Deadline. Retrieved December 21, 2017.
  65. ^ "StackPath".
  66. ^ "Daymond John's Wedding: 'Shark Tank' Star Marries Heather Taras in Private Ceremony (EXCLUSIVE)". September 28, 2018.
  67. ^ "'Shark Tank' investor Daymond John explains how his dyslexia helped shape him into an entrepreneur". BusinessInsider.com (Axel Springer SE). Retrieved December 29, 2015.
  68. ^ Gomez, Patricia (May 10, 2017). "Shark Tank's Daymond John Opens Up About His Private Cancer Battle — and How He Caught the Disease Early". People. Retrieved May 10, 2017. ...says John, 48.
  69. ^ John, Daymond (April 11, 2021). "Picture". Facebook. Retrieved May 18, 2021.
  70. ^ John, Daymond (April 1, 2018). "Picture". Facebook. Retrieved May 18, 2021.
  71. ^ Lazar, Shira (April 24, 2012). "Daymond John on Engaging Young Entrepreneurs and Building a Better Business". Entrepreneur. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
  72. ^ "» Board Leadership". nfte.com. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
  73. ^ "» Our Programs". nfte.com. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
  74. ^ a b Busch, Anita (April 16, 2018). "'Shark Tank's Daymond John Latest Star To Join Michelle Obama's College Initiative". Deadline. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
  75. ^ "'Shark Tank' Star Daymond John Apologizes, Deletes Tweet Praising Louis Farrakhan at DMX Funeral". The Wrap. April 25, 2021. Archived from the original on April 26, 2021. Retrieved August 28, 2021.
  76. ^ McCarthy, Tyler (April 26, 2021). "'Shark Tank' star Daymond John catches backlash for tweet praising Louis Farrakhan's speech at DMX's funeral". Fox News. Retrieved April 29, 2021.
  77. ^ ""Shark Tank" Star Apologizes for Tweet Praising Farrakhan". Jewish Journal. April 26, 2021. Retrieved April 29, 2021.
  78. ^ "'Shark Tank' Star Daymond John Apologizes, Deletes Tweet Praising Louis Farrakhan at DMX Funeral". www.msn.com. Retrieved April 29, 2021.
  79. ^ "'Shark Tank' Star Daymond John Apologizes After Receiving Backlash For Praising Minister Louis Farrakhan In Now-Deleted Tweet". Atlanta Black Star. April 27, 2021. Retrieved April 29, 2021.
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