As an entrepreneur, Daymond John, founder and CEO of FUBU and investor/star of Shark Tank, is a serious inspiration to me. He had a vision to start a clothing company for young men in his neighborhood of Hollis, Queens, because he believed the knit ski caps that were so popular at the time were overpriced. His mother taught him to sew and he started making his own caps, using their house as the company’s home base.
Hip hop apparel company FUBU, which stands for “For Us, By Us,” got lift-off when he and his mother mortgaged their home to come up with $100K in startup capital. To date, FUBU has generated more than $6B in sales around the globe.
In 2009, Daymond was asked to star on a new ABC reality TV show called Shark Tank, where entrepreneurs are given the opportunity to pitch their startups to investors like Daymond for their chance to receive an investment and serious rocket fuel for their businesses. Through the success of Shark Tank, Daymond has invested more than $8M of his own money into companies he connected with on the show. He’s also a motivational speaker and the author of four books.
I had the pleasure of meeting Daymond when I served as a media correspondent for Capital One‘s Future Edge initiative. Daymond was an ambassador for the event, which included his giving advice to the participants of the Future Founders U.Pitch competition.
I was fortunate to have a sit-down interview with Daymond, where we discussed all things entrepreneurship. When I asked him for his No. 1 tip for entrepreneurs’ success, I was not surprised by what he told me:
“Do something you absolutely love!” he said, noting that his current passion is inspiring others. “I would address people for free for the rest of my life if I could.”
But does doing something you love ensure success? “Now, I can’t guarantee that you’re gonna be successful, in regards to what ‘people’ think is successful, but you’re going to have a blast doing it,” he said.
What else should entrepreneurs keep in mind? “No matter what, surround yourself with like-minded people,” he said. “But make sure you do something you love!”
And from a recent tweet of his: “The people you surround yourself with should be the ones who lift you up and support you throughout your journey, not bring you down and criticize you. Keep shining your light.”
I couldn’t agree more with Daymond. I have always made sure that I love what I’m doing, and that makes work feel less like work and more like a calling. I have found it’s very true that when you feel passionate about your purpose, you’ll never “work” a day in your life.
Daymond’s advice is spot on whether you’re starting your own business, or simply working your way up the corporate ladder. Be passionate about what you do – and find others who feel the same way – then success will more easily follow.
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As an entrepreneur, Daymond John, founder and CEO of FUBU and investor/star of Shark Tank, is a serious inspiration to me. He had a vision to start a clothing company for young men in his neighborhood of Hollis, Queens, because he believed the knit ski caps that were so popular at the time were overpriced. His mother taught him to sew and he started making his own caps, using their house as the company’s home base.
Hip hop apparel company FUBU, which stands for “For Us, By Us,” got lift-off when he and his mother mortgaged their home to come up with $100K in startup capital. To date, FUBU has generated more than $6B in sales around the globe.
In 2009, Daymond was asked to star on a new ABC reality TV show called Shark Tank, where entrepreneurs are given the opportunity to pitch their startups to investors like Daymond for their chance to receive an investment and serious rocket fuel for their businesses. Through the success of Shark Tank, Daymond has invested more than $8M of his own money into companies he connected with on the show. He’s also a motivational speaker and the author of four books.
I had the pleasure of meeting Daymond when I served as a media correspondent for Capital One‘s Future Edge initiative. Daymond was an ambassador for the event, which included his giving advice to the participants of the Future Founders U.Pitch competition.
I was fortunate to have a sit-down interview with Daymond, where we discussed all things entrepreneurship. When I asked him for his No. 1 tip for entrepreneurs’ success, I was not surprised by what he told me:
“Do something you absolutely love!” he said, noting that his current passion is inspiring others. “I would address people for free for the rest of my life if I could.”
But does doing something you love ensure success? “Now, I can’t guarantee that you’re gonna be successful, in regards to what ‘people’ think is successful, but you’re going to have a blast doing it,” he said.
What else should entrepreneurs keep in mind? “No matter what, surround yourself with like-minded people,” he said. “But make sure you do something you love!”
And from a recent tweet of his: “The people you surround yourself with should be the ones who lift you up and support you throughout your journey, not bring you down and criticize you. Keep shining your light.”
I couldn’t agree more with Daymond. I have always made sure that I love what I’m doing, and that makes work feel less like work and more like a calling. I have found it’s very true that when you feel passionate about your purpose, you’ll never “work” a day in your life.
Daymond’s advice is spot on whether you’re starting your own business, or simply working your way up the corporate ladder. Be passionate about what you do – and find others who feel the same way – then success will more easily follow.