Daymond John
Daymond John | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 23, 1969 Brooklyn, New York City, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, investor, television personality |
| Known for | Founder, president, and CEO of FUBU; investor on Shark Tank; founder of The Shark Group |
Daymond Garfield John (born February 23, 1969) is a prominent American entrepreneur, investor, and television figure. He serves as an investor on the ABC reality series Shark Tank and is the founder, president, and CEO of FUBU. Additionally, he established The Shark Group.
Early life
John was born in Brooklyn, New York City, and grew up in the Hollis area of Queens. He spent seven years attending Catholic school. Following his parents’ divorce, he began working at the age of 10, distributing flyers for $2 per hour. During high school, he took part in a program that alternated his weeks between full-time employment and schooling, which nurtured his entrepreneurial mindset. After completing high school, he launched a commuter van service and worked as a server at Red Lobster. At 16, his mother’s boyfriend, who was an attorney, became both a mentor and a stepfather figure to him.
FUBU
John established FUBU from his mother’s residence in Hollis, Queens. His mother taught him sewing skills and supported the venture by allowing her home to serve as the business’s base.
Observing that wool ski hats were retailing for $20—a price he considered excessive—John crafted approximately 90 hats with a neighbor and sold them at $10 each, earning $800 in a single day in 1992. They later expanded their offerings to include screen-printed T-shirts, which they sold on consignment and at events throughout the Northeast. To sustain FUBU’s growth, John maintained full-time employment at Red Lobster, managing the brand during breaks between shifts.
Together with partner Brown, John recruited long-time friends J. Alexander Martin and Keith Perrin to sew the FUBU logo onto hockey jerseys, sweatshirts, and T-shirts. Over two years, they loaned about ten jerseys to rappers for music video appearances, resulting in product placements in nearly 30 videos. This visibility elevated FUBU’s brand profile and attracted interest from retailers. In 1993, John persuaded neighborhood friend LL Cool J to wear a FUBU T-shirt for promotional purposes. LL Cool J subsequently sported a FUBU hat in a The Gap commercial featuring the slogan "for us, by us."
At the 1994 Las Vegas trade show Magic, John and his partners secured $300,000 worth of retailer orders. To finance production, John and his mother took out a second mortgage on their home—a significant financial risk he later cautioned against. After being declined by more than 25 banks, they placed an advertisement in The New York Times, which led to a partnership with Samsung Textiles that enabled them to fulfill orders.
FUBU has achieved over $6 billion in worldwide sales and is exhibited at the Smithsonian's National Museum of African-American History and Culture.
Shark Tank
In 2009, John became an investor on ABC’s reality business program Shark Tank, where entrepreneurs present their ideas to investors ("Sharks") seeking capital. By early 2025, the series had completed 16 seasons. As of May 2017, John had invested $8.57 million of personal funds into companies featured on the show. Among his notable investments are Al "Bubba" Baker's boneless ribs and Bombas socks. The program has earned five Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Reality Program consecutively from 2012 through 2014.
During Season 5, John invested in Bubba's-Q Boneless Ribs, contributing to sales growth from $154,000 to $16 million within three years. In 2017, Bubba's-Q collaborated with Carl's Jr. to launch a limited-edition Baby Back Rib Burger. However, in 2023 the Baker family publicly criticized John and his investment firm; subsequently, a federal judge issued a permanent restraining order against the Bakers for breaching a 2019 settlement agreement requiring cooperation and confidentiality.
John executed an unconventional deal with Moziah "Mo" Bridges of Mo's Bows when Bridges was just 15 years old; rather than investing capital, John chose to mentor him. The company later secured an NBA licensing agreement worth seven figures for team-logo bow ties.
In Season 6, John invested in Bombas socks—a brand that donates one pair for every pair purchased. Following his investment, sales escalated from $450,000 within nine months to $12 million. As of May 2023, Bombas stands as the top-selling product from Shark Tank with cumulative sales reaching $1.3 billion according to Sony Pictures Television. He also invested in Sun-Staches sunglasses, which recorded $4.2 million in sales.
The Shark Group
John leads The Shark Group as its CEO and founder, a firm specializing in brand management and consulting. The company has been honored with four Webby Awards and received a nomination for its contributions to Black Entrepreneurs Day.
Consulting and speaking
As a well-known public speaker, John also acts as a brand ambassador for the e-commerce giant Shopify. In 2021, he secured a first-look agreement with Audible to broaden his media ventures.
Next Level Success
In 2015, John co-launched Daymond John's Success Formula, a program designed to assist entrepreneurs in launching and expanding their enterprises. This initiative was rebranded as Next Level Success in 2019 and collaborates with groups such as the Network For Teaching Entrepreneurship. Additionally, it provides two annual scholarships of $1,500 each to support aspiring business owners.
Black Entrepreneurs Day
Daymond John introduced Black Entrepreneurs Day in 2020, an event dedicated to promoting entrepreneurship within the black-owned business community. Motivated by the George Floyd protests, John sought to channel the collective frustration over systemic injustices into constructive action while honoring black entrepreneurs. Hosted at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, the event partners with the NAACP and corporate sponsors, showcasing prominent black business leaders and celebrities.
Other appearances
In 2018, John featured on Joey's World Tour, a popular YouTube channel known for fast food reviews.
In 2022, he participated in season eight of The Masked Singer under the alias "Fortune Teller," departing during "TV Theme Night" alongside other contestants.
He also appeared as a guest narrator at Disney's Candlelight Processional from December 7 through 9, 2022.
Publications
John has penned five books: Display of Power, The Brand Within, The Power of Broke, Rise and Grind, and Little Daymond Learns to Earn.
- Display of Power, co-authored with New York Times bestselling writer Daniel Paisner, recounts how four individuals from Queens revolutionized streetwear into an international fashion and branding sensation.
- The Brand Within: The Power of Branding from Birth to the Boardroom (2010) delves into how brands and celebrities cultivate loyalty and identity among their audiences through strategic branding.
- The Power of Broke (2016) emphasizes how entrepreneurs turn limited financial resources into competitive strengths, featuring success stories from Kevin Plank, Steve Aoki, Gigi Butler, and Mo Bridges. This title appeared on both the Wall Street Journal and New York Times bestseller lists and won an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Instructional Literary Work.
- Rise and Grind (2018) centers on surpassing competitors through relentless effort and determination, earning spots on both the New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller lists.
- Little Daymond Learns to Earn (2023) targets young readers as a New York Times bestseller, extending John's brand into educational literature.
Awards and recognition
John is recognized as a best-selling author by both The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.
His accolades include Brandweek Marketer of the Year, two NAACP Entrepreneurs of the Year Awards, Advertising Age Marketing 1000 Award for Outstanding Ad Campaign, the Essence Award, Crain's New York Business Forty Under Forty distinction, Ernst & Young's New York Entrepreneur of the Year honor, Brandeis University's Asper Award for Excellence in Global Entrepreneurship, inclusion in Details' 50 Most Influential Men list, and two Congressional Achievement Awards for Entrepreneurship.
In 2015, President Obama appointed John to serve on the Presidential Ambassadors for Global Entrepreneurship initiative aimed at empowering underserved entrepreneurs.
Bibliography
- Display of Power: The Impact of Fubu on Fashion, Branding, and Lifestyle (Naked Ink, 2007)
- The Brand Within: Harnessing the Influence of Branding from Birth to the Boardroom (Display of Power Publishing, 2010)
- The Power of Broke: How Limited Resources, a Lean Budget, and Ambition Can Become Your Strongest Competitive Edge, co-authored with Daniel Paisne (Crown Business, 2016)
- Rise and Grind: Strategies to Outperform, Outwork, and Outhustle for a More Fulfilling and Prosperous Life, co-written with Daniel Paisne (Currency, 2018)
Personal life
John has openly admitted to being a distant spouse during his initial marriage, citing professional obligations and social engagements as reasons for his limited presence. In 2018, he wed Heather Taras, his second wife, with whom he shares a daughter. Additionally, he is father to two daughters from his first marriage.
He lives with dyslexia. In April 2017, John received a diagnosis of stage II thyroid cancer and underwent successful surgery to excise the malignant growth.
John practices Catholicism.
Philanthropy
John is an active member of the Board of Overseers and frequently volunteers as a host or judge at events organized by NFTE. NFTE operates across 12 nations, focusing on teaching entrepreneurship and essential skills to youth in underserved communities.
He advocates for programs that encourage black entrepreneurship, including former President Barack Obama's My Brother's Keeper Challenge, and took part in Michelle Obama's college initiative on National Signing Day at Temple University.
Louis Farrakhan remarks
On April 22, 2021, following attendance at rapper DMX’s funeral, John commended Louis Farrakhan on Twitter, describing his address as “powerful” and praising his “profound grasp of the Bible and respect for diverse faiths.” This statement sparked immediate criticism due to Farrakhan’s history of anti-Semitic views. John promptly issued an apology, clarifying that his comments were solely based on Farrakhan’s conduct at the funeral. He highlighted his personal ties to Judaism through his stepfather and condemned all forms of anti-Semitism and bigotry. The tweet was later removed by John.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | The Crow: Wicked Prayer | Proud Foot Joe | ||
| 2009–present | Shark Tank | Himself | Shark | |
| 2014 | What Would You Do? | Himself | Season 9, episode 1 | |
| 2014 | Sharknado 2: The Second One | Wall Street Man | ||
| 2016 | To Tell the Truth | Himself | Season 1, episode 6 | |
| 2016 | The $100,000 Pyramid | Himself | Season 1, episode 6 | |
| 2016 | Dr. Ken | Himself | Season 2, episode 7 | |
| 2018 | All About the Washingtons | Himself | Season 1, episode 1 | |
| 2020 | Billions | Himself | Season 5, episode 4 | |
| 2020 | Ridiculousness | Himself | Season 16, episode 31 | |
| 2021 | Wahl Street | Himself | 5 episodes | |
| 2022 | Celebrity Family Feud | Himself | Season 9, episode 9 | |
| 2022 | The Masked Singer | Fortune Teller | Eliminated Season 8, episode 3 | |
| 2023 | Black Ink Crew | Himself | Season 10, episode 14 | |
| 2023 | The Eric Andre Show | Himself | Season 6, episode 10 | |
| 2023 | Wild 'n Out | Himself | Season 19, episode 17 | |
| 2024 | Ridiculousness | Himself | Season 39, episodes 5-6 |
External links
- Official website of The Shark Group
- "Daymond John on FUBU" (audio interview from How I Built This)
- Pages with script errors
- Articles with short description
- Articles with hCards
- No local image but image on Wikidata
- 1969 births
- Living people
- African-American entrepreneurs
- African-American fashion industry designers
- American fashion designers
- African-American investors
- American investors
- African-American authors of non-fiction
- African-American television figures
- American business authors
- American chief executives in fashion
- American professionals in the fashion sector
- American motivational speakers
- American motivational authors
- American retail executives
- American transportation entrepreneurs
- Businesspeople originating from Queens, New York
- Contestants on American reality TV shows
- Residents of Hollis, Queens
- Primetime Emmy Award recipients
- Television hosts with dyslexia
- Authors from Brooklyn
- African-American Catholics
- 21st-century African-American authors
- 20th-century African-American authors
- American writers with disabilities
- Shark Tank
- American businesspeople in fashion