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Daymond John

Daymond John

Daymond John is the founder and CEO of FUBU, a Shark Tank investor, and entrepreneur who co-hosted the 2024 How I Built This Advice Line episode to advise early-stage founders.

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Daymond John's Bio

Daymond John is a globally recognized entrepreneur, investor, and media personality best known as a mainstay investor on ABC's hit show Shark Tank. He is the founder of FUBU, the pioneering streetwear brand that reshaped global fashion, and a best-selling author, speaker, and advocate for small business owners and underrepresented founders. His work spans venture capital, brand consulting, and philanthropic efforts aimed at empowering the next generation of entrepreneurs.

Born and raised in Hollis, Queens, New York, John launched his first business venture as a teenager, selling custom-sewn hats and clothing to local friends and community members. In 1992, he co-founded FUBU with a $40,000 seed investment, operating out of his small apartment and selling products door-to-door, at local flea markets, and out of the trunk of his car to build initial demand for the brand's hip-hop inspired apparel.

The FUBU founding story is defined by relentless grassroots hustle: John and his co-founders identified a glaring gap in the fashion market for streetwear that authentically represented the Black and hip-hop communities, and spent years building the brand through personal connections and community-focused marketing. Their big break came when they secured a $300,000 order from Macy's, which catapulted FUBU to national prominence and grew the brand into a $6 billion global enterprise over the next decade.

Today, John continues to invest in early-stage companies on Shark Tank, where…

Career Timeline

  • 1992Founder, FUBU

    Launched the streetwear brand FUBU (For Us By Us) by selling hand-sewn hats and apparel on the streets of Queens, New York, growing the concept from a small local side hustle into a globally recognized fashion label centered on representing urban Black culture.

  • 1998CEO, FUBU

    Led FUBU as Chief Executive Officer during the brand's peak commercial success, when the company generated over $350 million in annual global revenue and became one of the most successful Black-owned fashion brands in the world.

  • 2009Core Investor ('Shark'), *Shark Tank* at ABC

    Joined the main cast of the ABC reality business competition series *Shark Tank* as one of the show's core investor 'Sharks,' providing seed funding, operational mentorship, and strategic business guidance to hundreds of early-stage entrepreneurs across the series' run.

  • 2016Bestselling Business Author

    Published the New York Times bestselling book *The Power of Broke: How Empty Pockets, a Tight Budget, and a Hunger for Success Can Become Your Greatest Competitive Advantage*, which chronicled his entrepreneurial journey and offered actionable frameworks for building successful businesses with limited initial resources.

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