Daymond John, widely known as the sharp-dressed, well-spoken investor and co-star of ABC‘s four-time Emmy award-winning show Shark Tank is in many respects the face of Black entrepreneurship.
Named by President Obama as the Global Ambassador of Entrepreneurship, John is managing a multi-million dollar empire that includes fashion, media, and philanthropy.
John founded FUBU in 1992, and the brand became a cultural sensation with the biggest names in Hip-Hop sporting the line. FUBU’s impact has lasted over 30 years. At its apex, the New York City-based company operated as many as 200 stores globally and achieved more than $350 million in sales.
The 30th anniversary of FUBU coincides with the upcoming third annual Black Entrepreneurs Day curated by John, presented by Chase, and held at the world-famous Apollo Theatre. The CEO of FUBU spoke to BLACK ENTERPRISE ahead of the anticipated event.
“Money purely is simple. It goes from the uninformed to the informed,”
John told black enterprise.
In speaking about the problems he wishes to solve, the investor and TV personality said, “It has never been about making money. It has always been about being a part of something bigger. It is information that makes the difference in anything you are successful in. Whether it be health, relationships, or learning on Black Entrepreneurs Day about mistakes successful people made, it is important to get the information.”
Building off the success of last year’s event, Black Entrepreneurs Day will bring together iconic Black business celebrities and cultural icons to inspire, educate, and entertain.
“The driving force of educating people to excel, grow and make change is what matters, and it generally works out when done for the right reasons,” John said.
“The feeling of beginning something from the bottom always comes back to me when taking on an endeavor like Black Entrepreneurs Day.”
In 2021 the event brought in nearly 7 million views, gave away $250,000 via 10 NAACP grants, and took home two Webby Awards. New to this year’s event are “Game Changer Conversations” with Spike Lee, Tracee Ellis Ross, Venus Williams, Killer Mike, Shaquille O’Neal, and a live pitch competition from the Apollo in front of a panel of three judges.
John gave advice on the importance of setting goals and getting exposure for entrepreneurs.
“As a dyslexic kid from Queens, N.Y. I did not have access to life-changing conferences.”
“My advice is to go to as many events as you can virtually or physically to see successful people who look just like you. Make sure you go to events like BED [Black Entrepreneurs Day] to see more people achieving high levels.”
“…and learn to pitch!”
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As BLACK ENTERPRISE previously reported, John announced Black Entrepreneurs Day presented by Chase will return for its third year, streaming live from Harlem’s World Famous Apollo Theater on Oct. 27 at 7 p.m. ET on BlackEntrepreneursday.com, Facebook, and more.
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