Daymond John
Encyclopedia
Daymond John is an American
entrepreneur
, investor
, fashion designer, television personality, and motivational speaker
. He is best known as the founder, president and CEO of FUBU
, and appears as an investor
on the ABC reality television series Shark Tank
.
borough of Brooklyn
, but spent his childhood in the Queens neighborhood of Hollis He was raised an only child by his mother and attended Bayside High School
. In high school, he participated in a co-op program that allowed him to work a full-time job and attend school on an alternating weekly basis, which he credits with installing an entrepreneurial spirit. After graduating high school, he started a commuter van service.
's origins date to 1992. At the time, wool
hats with cut-off tops were popular, and John noticed them being sold for $20, which he considered overpriced. He went home and sewed around 80 hats with his next-door neighbor, Carl Brown. They sold their homemade hats for $10 each in front of the New York Coliseum
, and made $800 in a single day.
Sensing potential, Daymond and his mother mortgaged their house for $100,000 to generate start-up capital. 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. To make ends meet, John held a full-time job at Red Lobster
, working on the FUBU business in between shifts. In 1993, he convinced L.L. Cool J., an old neighborhood friend, to wear a FUBU t-shirt for a promotional campaign. Later, while filming a 30-second advertising spot for The Gap, LL Cool J was allowed to wear a FUBU hat in the commercial and ended it by saying "for us, by us."
FUBU gained nationwide exposure when John and his partners traveled to Magic, a trade show in Las Vegas
in 1994. Despite not being able to afford a booth, FUBU received over $300,000 worth of orders. FUBU continued growing, signing contracts with Macy’s, J.C. Penney's, and the National Basketball Association
and a distribution deal with Samsung Electronics
. By 1998, FUBU returned $350 million in revenues. Currently, FUBU has amassed over six billion dollars in global sales.
, a show about entrepreneurship on ABC. John and four other business executives listen to business pitches from everyday people, and decide whether or not to invest money in the project.
To date, John has invested $700,000 in Shark Tank projects.
and the Miss Universe
Organization.
As a motivational and business speaker, John speaks about marketing, negotiations, and entrepreneurship. Some of his recent speaking engagements include California First Lady Maria Shriver
’s Women’s Conference, AT&T
’s History Makers Tour, and Babson College
School of Entrepreneurship.
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 Business of New York 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).
FUBU has received attention from the sports and entertainment industry, and has been worn or endorsed by LL Cool J
, Janet Jackson
, Will Smith
, Mary J. Blige
, Busta Rhymes
, Magic Johnson
, Lennox Lewis
, and Whitney Houston
.
. Two of his favorite books are Think and Grow Rich
and Rich Dad, Poor Dad
.
John has written two books, The Display of Power: How FUBU Changed the World of Fashion, Branding and Lifestyle and The Brand Within. The Display of Power is an autobiography that details John's rise from Queens to a fashion empire; it was named one of the best business books of 2007 by the Library Journal
. The Brand Within examines the loyalty relationships between customers and companies.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
entrepreneur
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
, investor
Investor
An investor is a party that makes an investment into one or more categories of assets --- equity, debt securities, real estate, currency, commodity, derivatives such as put and call options, etc...
, fashion designer, television personality, and motivational speaker
Motivational speaker
A motivational speaker or inspirational speaker is a speaker who makes speeches intended to motivate or inspire an audience. In a business context, they are employed to communicate company strategy with clarity and help employees to see the future in a positive light and inspire workers to pull...
. He is best known as the founder, president and CEO of FUBU
FUBU
FUBU is a clothing company. It includes casual wear, sports wear, a suit collection, eyewear, belts, and shoes for the African-American community in the sense of economic investment but not to be exclusively worn by African Americans...
, and appears as an investor
Investor
An investor is a party that makes an investment into one or more categories of assets --- equity, debt securities, real estate, currency, commodity, derivatives such as put and call options, etc...
on the ABC reality television series Shark Tank
Shark Tank (TV series)
Shark Tank is a reality television series based on the Sony TV/BBC TV Dragons' Den. It premiered on ABC television in August 2009 and features a panel of five wealthy entrepreneurs who are called "sharks"...
.
Early life
John was born in the New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
borough of Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, but spent his childhood in the Queens neighborhood of Hollis He was raised an only child by his mother and attended Bayside High School
Bayside High School (New York City)
Bayside High School is a four-year public high school located in Bayside, in the New York City borough of Queens, administered by the New York City Department of Education. Bayside High School, Abraham Lincoln High School, Samuel J...
. In high school, he participated in a co-op program that allowed him to work a full-time job and attend school on an alternating weekly basis, which he credits with installing an entrepreneurial spirit. After graduating high school, he started a commuter van service.
FUBU
FUBUFUBU
FUBU is a clothing company. It includes casual wear, sports wear, a suit collection, eyewear, belts, and shoes for the African-American community in the sense of economic investment but not to be exclusively worn by African Americans...
's origins date to 1992. At the time, wool
Wool
Wool is the textile fiber obtained from sheep and certain other animals, including cashmere from goats, mohair from goats, qiviut from muskoxen, vicuña, alpaca, camel from animals in the camel family, and angora from rabbits....
hats with cut-off tops were popular, and John noticed them being sold for $20, which he considered overpriced. He went home and sewed around 80 hats with his next-door neighbor, Carl Brown. They sold their homemade hats for $10 each in front of the New York Coliseum
New York Coliseum
The New York Coliseum was a convention center that stood on Columbus Circle in New York City from 1956 to 2000. It was designed by architects Leon and Lionel Levy in a modified international style, and included both a low building with exhibition space and a 26-story office block.-History:The...
, and made $800 in a single day.
Sensing potential, Daymond and his mother mortgaged their house for $100,000 to generate start-up capital. 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. To make ends meet, John held a full-time job at Red Lobster
Red Lobster
Red Lobster is a U.S. chain of seafood restaurants. It also operates in Canada, the UAE and Japan . It is aimed at the mid-level "casual dining" segment of the market...
, working on the FUBU business in between shifts. In 1993, he convinced L.L. Cool J., an old neighborhood friend, to wear a FUBU t-shirt for a promotional campaign. Later, while filming a 30-second advertising spot for The Gap, LL Cool J was allowed to wear a FUBU hat in the commercial and ended it by saying "for us, by us."
FUBU gained nationwide exposure when John and his partners traveled to Magic, a trade show in Las Vegas
Las Vegas metropolitan area
The Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ...
in 1994. Despite not being able to afford a booth, FUBU received over $300,000 worth of orders. FUBU continued growing, signing contracts with Macy’s, J.C. Penney's, and the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
and a distribution deal with Samsung Electronics
Samsung Electronics
Samsung Electronics is a South Korean multinational electronics and information technology company headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul...
. By 1998, FUBU returned $350 million in revenues. Currently, FUBU has amassed over six billion dollars in global sales.
Shark Tank
In 2009, John joined the cast of Shark TankShark Tank (TV series)
Shark Tank is a reality television series based on the Sony TV/BBC TV Dragons' Den. It premiered on ABC television in August 2009 and features a panel of five wealthy entrepreneurs who are called "sharks"...
, a show about entrepreneurship on ABC. John and four other business executives listen to business pitches from everyday people, and decide whether or not to invest money in the project.
To date, John has invested $700,000 in Shark Tank projects.
Consulting and speaking
Through his reputation as FUBU's CEO, John has become a highly sought after consultant and speaker. He works with brands and celebrities to create additional revenue streams and brand extensions; some of his clients include PitbullPitbull (rapper)
Armando Christian Pérez , better known by his stage name Pitbull, is an American rapper, singer-songwriter and record producer. His first recorded performance was from the Lil Jon album Kings of Crunk in 2002, after which he released his debut album in 2004 titled M.I.A.M.I. under TVT Records...
and the Miss Universe
Miss Universe
Miss Universe is an annual international beauty contest that is run by the Miss Universe Organization. The pageant is the most publicized beauty contest in the world with 600 million viewers....
Organization.
As a motivational and business speaker, John speaks about marketing, negotiations, and entrepreneurship. Some of his recent speaking engagements include California First Lady Maria Shriver
Maria Shriver
Maria Owings Shriver is an American journalist and author of six best-selling books. She has received a Peabody Award, and was co-anchor for NBC's Emmy-winning coverage of the 1988 Summer Olympics. As executive producer of The Alzheimer's Project, Shriver earned two Emmy Awards and an Academy of...
’s Women’s Conference, AT&T
AT&T
AT&T Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications corporation headquartered in Whitacre Tower, Dallas, Texas, United States. It is the largest provider of mobile telephony and fixed telephony in the United States, and is also a provider of broadband and subscription television services...
’s History Makers Tour, and Babson College
Babson College
Babson College is a private business school located in Wellesley, Massachusetts near Boston.- History :Babson College was founded by Roger Babson on September 3, 1919, as the Babson Institute. It was renamed "Babson College" in 1969...
School of Entrepreneurship.
Awards and reception
John has received numerous awards, including BrandweekBrandweek
Brandweek was a weekly American marketing trade publication.First published in 1986 as Adweeks Marketing Week, the publication changed its name in 1992 after facing a legal threat from the UK's Marketing Week magazine. Brandweek coverd the world of marketing from big-budget ad campaigns to...
Marketer of the Year, the NAACP Entrepreneurs of the Year Award (which he won twice), the Advertising Age
Advertising Age
Advertising Age is a magazine, delivering news, analysis and data on marketing and media. The magazine was started as a broadsheet newspaper in Chicago in 1930...
Marketing 1000 Award for Outstanding Ad Campaign, the Essence Award, Crain’s Business of New York Forty Under Forty Award, Ernst & Young
Ernst & Young
Ernst & Young is one of the largest professional services networks in the world and one of the "Big Four" accountancy firms, along with Deloitte, KPMG and PricewaterhouseCoopers ....
’s New York Entrepreneur of the Year Award, the Brandeis University
Brandeis University
Brandeis University is an American private research university with a liberal arts focus. It is located in the southwestern corner of Waltham, Massachusetts, nine miles west of Boston. The University has an enrollment of approximately 3,200 undergraduate and 2,100 graduate students. In 2011, it...
International Business School’s Asper Award for Excellence in Global Entrepreneurship, Details
Details (magazine)
Details is an American monthly men's magazine published by Condé Nast Publications, founded in 1982. Though primarily a magazine devoted to fashion and lifestyle, Details also features reports on relevant social and political issues.-History:...
50 Most Influential Men, and the Congressional Achievement Award
Congressional Award
The Congressional Award is an award for young Americans, established by the United States Congress in 1979 to "recognize initiative, service and achievement in young people." It is non-partisan, voluntary, and non-competitive program open to all 14 to 23-year-olds.The Congressional Award recognizes...
for Entrepreneurship (which he won twice).
FUBU has received attention from the sports and entertainment industry, and has been worn or endorsed by LL Cool J
LL Cool J
James Todd Smith , better known as LL Cool J , is an American rapper, entrepreneur, and actor...
, Janet Jackson
Janet Jackson
Janet Damita Jo Jackson is an American recording artist and actress. Known for a series of sonically innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows, television and film roles, she has been a prominent figure in popular culture for over 25 years...
, Will Smith
Will Smith
Willard Christopher "Will" Smith, Jr. , also known by his stage name The Fresh Prince, is an American actor, producer, and rapper. He has enjoyed success in television, film and music. In April 2007, Newsweek called him the most powerful actor in Hollywood...
, Mary J. Blige
Mary J. Blige
Mary Jane Blige is an American singer-songwriter, record producer and occasional actress. She is a recipient of nine Grammy Awards and four American Music Awards, and has recorded eight multi-platinum albums. She is the only artist with Grammy Award wins in Pop, Rap, Gospel, and R&B. Blige has...
, Busta Rhymes
Busta Rhymes
Trevor Tahiem Smith, Jr., better known by his stage name Busta Rhymes ,Smith is an American rapper, producer and actor. Chuck D of Public Enemy gave him the alias Busta Rhymes after NFL wide receiver George "Buster" Rhymes...
, Magic Johnson
Magic Johnson
Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player who played point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . After winning championships in high school and college, Johnson was selected first overall in the 1979 NBA Draft by the Lakers...
, Lennox Lewis
Lennox Lewis
Lennox Claudius Lewis, CM, CBE is a retired boxer and the most recent British undisputed world heavyweight champion. He holds dual British and Canadian citizenship...
, and Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston
Whitney Elizabeth Houston is an American singer, actress, producer and a former model. Houston is the most awarded female act of all time, according to Guinness World Records, and her list of awards include 1 Emmy Award, 6 Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, among...
.
Personal life
He is currently based in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Two of his favorite books are Think and Grow Rich
Think and Grow Rich
Think and Grow Rich is a motivational personal development and self-help book written by Napoleon Hill and inspired by a suggestion from Scottish-American businessman Andrew Carnegie...
and Rich Dad, Poor Dad
Rich Dad, Poor Dad
Rich Dad Poor Dad is a book by Robert Kiyosaki and Sharon Lechter. It advocates financial independence through investing, real estate, owning businesses, and the use of finance protection tactics....
.
John has written two books, The Display of Power: How FUBU Changed the World of Fashion, Branding and Lifestyle and The Brand Within. The Display of Power is an autobiography that details John's rise from Queens to a fashion empire; it was named one of the best business books of 2007 by the Library Journal
Library Journal
Library Journal is a trade publication for librarians. It was founded in 1876 by Melvil Dewey . It reports news about the library world, emphasizing public libraries, and offers feature articles about aspects of professional practice...
. The Brand Within examines the loyalty relationships between customers and companies.
External links
- DaymondJohn.com Official website