Daymond John facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Daymond John
John in 2023
Born	Daymond Garfield John (1969-02-23) February 23, 1969 (age 56) New York City, U.S.
Occupation	Businessman investor television personality author
Known for	founder and CEO of FUBU
Spouse(s)	Heather Taras ​ (m. 2018)​
Children	3

Daymond Garfield John, born on February 23, 1969, is an American businessman, investor, and TV star. He is famous for being an investor on the TV show Shark Tank. Daymond John also started and is the CEO of a popular clothing brand called FUBU. He also founded The Shark Group, which helps other businesses.

Early Life and First Steps

Daymond John grew up in Queens, New York City. He started working when he was just 10 years old. One of his first jobs was handing out flyers. In high school, he had a special program that let him work full-time and go to school on different weeks. This helped him learn a lot about business. After high school, he started a van service and worked at a restaurant called Red Lobster. A mentor helped him learn even more about business.

Building a Business Empire

Starting FUBU: For Us, By Us

Daymond John started his clothing company, FUBU, right from his mother's house in Queens. His mom even taught him how to sew!

He noticed that wool ski hats were popular but expensive. So, he and his neighbor sewed about 90 hats themselves. They sold them for $10 each and made $800 in one day in 1992. After hats, they started selling screen-printed T-shirts. To get their clothes known, they sold them at big events. Daymond also kept his job at Red Lobster to earn money while building FUBU.

Daymond brought his friends J. Alexander Martin and Keith Perrin into the business. They started sewing the FUBU logo onto hockey jerseys, sweatshirts, and T-shirts. They even loaned their clothes to famous rappers for their music videos. This made FUBU look like a big brand, and stores started asking for their products. In 1993, the famous rapper LL Cool J, who was a friend from the neighborhood, wore a FUBU T-shirt for a promotion. He even wore a FUBU hat in a commercial for another company and said "for us, by us" in his rap!

In 1994, Daymond and his partners got $300,000 in orders from stores at a fashion show. To make the clothes, Daymond and his mom took out a second mortgage on their house. This was a big risk! After many banks said no to a loan, his mom used their last money for an ad in The New York Times. This ad helped FUBU make a deal with Samsung Textiles, which allowed them to make all their orders. FUBU has now made over $6 billion in sales around the world. You can even see FUBU at the Smithsonian's National Museum of African-American History and Culture.

Investing on Shark Tank

Daymond John and the other investors on Shark Tank in 2024.

In 2009, Daymond John was asked to join a new TV show called Shark Tank. On this show, business owners pitch their ideas to investors, called "Sharks," hoping to get money for their businesses. Shark Tank has been on for 16 seasons as of early 2025. Daymond has invested millions of dollars of his own money in companies from the show. Some of his favorite investments include Al "Bubba" Baker's boneless ribs and Bombas socks. Shark Tank has won many awards, including 5 Emmy Awards.

One company Daymond invested in was Bubba's-Q Boneless Ribs. He helped them grow from $154,000 in sales to $16 million in just three years! They even partnered with Carl's Jr. to make a special burger. There was a disagreement later between the company owners and Daymond's team, which was settled.

Daymond also helped a young entrepreneur named Moziah "Mo" Bridges, who owned Mo's Bows. Instead of investing money, Daymond decided to mentor Mo. Mo's company later made a big deal with the NBA to create bow ties with team logos.

Another successful investment was Bombas socks. For every pair sold, Bombas donates a pair to someone in need. After Daymond's investment, their sales grew from $450,000 to $12 million. As of May 2023, Bombas is the best-selling Shark Tank product ever, with over $1.3 billion in sales!

The Shark Group

Daymond John is also the CEO and founder of The Shark Group. This company helps other businesses manage their brands and offers advice. The Shark Group has won several awards for its work.

Helping Others Learn and Grow

Daymond John is a popular public speaker. He also works with Shopify, an online company that helps people sell things on the internet. In 2015, he started a program called Daymond John's Success Formula, which later became Next Level Success. This program teaches business owners how to start and grow their companies. It also works with the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE), an organization that teaches young people about business. The program even offers scholarships to students to inspire new entrepreneurs.

Black Entrepreneurs Day

Daymond John at Black Entrepreneurs Day in 2023.

In 2020, Daymond John created Black Entrepreneurs Day. This event celebrates and encourages business owners, especially those who are Black. He wanted to help create positive change and celebrate Black business owners. The event is held at the Apollo Theater in Harlem and features many Black business owners and celebrities. It partners with the NAACP and other companies.

Other Appearances

Daymond John has appeared on many TV shows. In 2022, he was on The Masked Singer as "Fortune Teller." He has also been a guest narrator at Disney's Candlelight Processional.

Awards and Achievements

Daymond John is a best-selling author. He has received many awards for his business success, including the NAACP Entrepreneurs of the Year Award (twice!) and the Ernst & Young's New York Entrepreneur of the Year Award. In 2015, President Obama chose Daymond to be a Presidential Ambassador for Global Entrepreneurship. This role helps promote entrepreneurs who might not have many opportunities.

Personal Life and Giving Back

Daymond John is married to Heather Taras, and they have a daughter together. He also has two daughters from his first marriage. Daymond has Dyslexia, which means he learns differently. In 2017, he had surgery for thyroid cancer and recovered well.

Daymond is very involved in helping others. He volunteers with the NFTE, an organization that teaches business skills to students in areas with lower incomes. He also supports efforts to encourage Black entrepreneurship and was involved in Michelle Obama's college initiative, which celebrated high school students going to college.

In 2021, Daymond John posted a message on Twitter about a speech he heard. He later apologized and removed the tweet, explaining that he did not know about the speaker's past views and would never support any hateful comments.

Film and Television Appearances