Daymond John // Shark Tank, FUBU & Blueprint + Co

Daymond John is a serial entrepreneur involved with more than 80 businesses & investments.   He’s a regular on the Emmy-winning TV show “Shark Tank”.

He’s published three books, including the NY Times bestseller: The Power of Broke & was a pioneer launching the lifestyle fashion brand, FUBU, in the 90s. The brand has brought in more than $6 billion in sales since then. 

President Obama named Daymond a “Presidential Ambassador for Global Entrepreneurship” and traveled with him on his historic trips to Cuba & Kenya.

In this conversation, we go into:

  • coming up with new business ideas
  • focusing on the most important opportunities
  • applying the “power of broke” to test out customer needs
  • his role as a leader in the current political climate
  • his latest venture, a co-working space in NYC called Blueprint + Co
  • using knowledge to combat fear

Time Stamps

  • Who is Daymond? [1m22s]
  • What is Blueprint + Co and similarities to FUBU: For Us By Us  [2m14s]
  • Where the idea came from & differentiating from WeWork / startup co-working spaces [3m41s]
  • Having a need yourself and turning it into a business [3m58s]
  • Members of blueprint + co include: Ashley Stewart & Leesa mattress [5m5s]
  • How to focus on the most important opportunities with a portfolio of 80 businesses & investments [7m37s]
  • Investing vs starting business himself [9m17s]
  • What he enjoys most: starting, investing or corporate? [10m31s]
  • What is the power of broke? [11m51s]
  • Problem for small businesses when they are overfunded [13m35s]
  • You cannot buy your customers & thoughts on customer acquisition [14m4s]
  • Selling one hat at a time, comparisons to Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook [14m27s]
  • Applying power of broke to blueprint + co [14m36s]
  • Finding product market fit for blueprint + co and thoughts on adapting product over time [17m6s]
  • What matters to him most and what keeps him going? [18m41s]
  • Current political climate and what he thinks his role is as and entrepreneur and leader [20m39]
  • Dealing with fear [23m44s]
  • Knowledge + Fear [25m21s]

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