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Daymond John: The fashion marketing guru talks about LL Cool J, Bethenny Frankel and the secret to branding success.
by Jonathan Soroff
Clothing mogul Daymond John is the founder of FUBU and a pioneer in marketing hip-hop culture. A native of Hollis, Queens, he entered the apparel business when he wanted a hat he’d seen in a music video but couldn’t find one at an affordable price. Having picked up sewing from his mother, he started making his own. Broadening the line to include jerseys, sweatshirts and T-shirts, his business reached a tipping point when LL Cool J wore FUBU for a promotional campaign. Two years ago, John signed on with the ABC show Shark Tank, on which he and four other prominent businesspeople hear pitches from contestants hoping to launch their brands. John is a consultant, speaker and the author of Display of Power and The Brand Within. This fall, he’ll serve as Babson College’s “Entrepreneur in Residence.”
