Daymond John, most known for being an investor on the reality show Shark Tank, was born on February 23rd, 1969, in Brooklyn, New York.
John, The People’s Shark, has a humble and to down to earth approach to the budding entrepreneurs that enter the tank. That makes him a fan-favorite amongst Shark Tank viewers. Along with being an investor, John is the proud owner of men’s clothing brand FUBU! We have a lot to cover when it comes to his life and career, so let us hop right on into it!
Let us start with what FUBU is!
FUBU is labeled as a hip hop apparel company that sells sportswear, casual clothes, and suits. The name FUBU stands for For Us By Us. The clothing company was popular amongst the hip hop scene in the ’90s and early 2000s.
John started FUBU in his mother’s house, located in Queens, New York. In 1992 he noticed a particular style of hat taking over the fashion scene. With his neighbor, he sewed almost 100 hats in the same style, sold them for half the price on a street corner, and made 800 dollars in one day! In 1994 he received an offer to participate in MAGIC, a fashion trade show held twice a year in Las Vegas! John went through many hurdles to get FUBU off the ground in its early years, but the company has now made over 6 billion dollars in sales!
Now that we have covered his early days with FUBU; Let us go ahead and jump on into his role on Shark Tank!
Shark Tank is a reality television show that allows promising entrepreneurs to pitch their ideas to potential investors, John being one of them! The show is a huge hit and currently has 12 seasons!
On August 9th, 2009, John appeared on the premiere episode of Shark Tank! Since appearing in the first episode, John has made over 60 deals with promising entrepreneurs! Some of the noteworthy brands he has invested in include,
- Bubba’s Q (Boneless Ribs Brand)
- YER Brands Inc. – Formerly Soy-Yer Dough (Kids Play Dough Brand)
- Combat Flip Flops (Footwear Brand)
- Mission Belt (Men’s Belt Brand)
- Sun-Staches (Costume Glasses Brand)
These are some awesome products!
John has published a multitude of books, the most recent being Powershift: Transform Any Situation, Close Any Deal, and Achieve Any Outcome! It is a self-help book that discusses how to handle any situation and produce the outcome you desire!
Daymond John is a down to earth and inspiring businessman; who has helped many people with investments! His role on Shark Tank is crucial to balance out the otherwise harsh climate of the show. We cannot wait to see what product he invests in next!