Daymond John

Daymond John talks 'Shark Tank', Black Entrepreneurs Day and more!

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is on with Mario Lopez. Ron Mario Lopez right
now on Zoom from ABC Shark Tank, the CEO of
Food Boot Damon John. Welcome to the show man. How
you doing. I am doing well, man. It's great to
see you. Well, you're still in a screen. But you know,
I'm in a lot of hotels, so so so goes.
I see you all the time. I'm sorry you have

(00:21):
to see me when you check in right there. But hey,
it's like a homie greeting you, telling you what's up right.
Check out this movie. I appreciate it. Why are you
traveling so much? You're out doing like a speaking circuit
or business, you know, speaking, um, promoting the show God,
dealing with you know, working with my entrepreneurs, got it okay,
So they're so even at your level, you still choose

(00:43):
to be on the road as much, um, as much
as you seem as much as you deem it necessary. Yeah,
you know being out there, you know, you gotta you gotta.
You know, there's one thing I'm having the knowledge, but
you know, pressing palms and learning right in front of
people and seeing how witnessing how things are going. Need
your finger in the pulse no matter what. Yeah, much
like comics they say they got to be out there

(01:04):
man to stay sharp and stuff. I like that. Um.
Coming coming up on October two, the third Annual Black
Entrepreneurs Day. What is in store for this year celebrations? Well,
I'm not sure if I heard you correct the right?
October twenty seven, October correct, October, yes, sir, So this, yes,
this is the third Annual Black entrepreneurs That started when

(01:26):
we were all just watching people burning businesses instead of
building businesses. And I was frustrated and angry like many people,
and I kept thinking, Who's ever going to help? And
hopefully you know people in power than I help. And
it didn't seem to work out quite like that. So
I did, like, make me entrepreneurs do? I said, let
me gather what am I asks? What do I have?
And I know a lot of great people that have

(01:49):
made it in a life do adversity that happened, you know,
happened to be black. I know a lot of brands
that want to support this community and give away money
and give away information to empower people. Let's get together
put it together. UM did great year one from my home. Uh,
decided to do it again? Got to got to take

(02:09):
over the Apollo Theater, the one of the most famous
theaters in the world, and that I used to stand
in front of selling hats, and now I'm on that
stage with great brands, you know, like Ali Baba, Chason
Pepsi in the general and giving away money to those
who are now going to hopefully become bigger and better
Damon John's. So it comes full circle. It's the American dream.
I love it. I love it. You're exactly right man.

(02:31):
Good for you. I'm I'm all about this, you know.
Being a child immigrants myself and obviously a minority, my
dad ever said, always said no excuses for anything. You're
not oppressed if you're living in this country. Work hard
enough and you'll achieve what you want to achieve. So
good for you to have that platform. Thank you. Yeah.
Speaking of giving away many a hundred and fifty thousand
and grants, that's awesome. What makes an application stand out

(02:54):
in your eyes? Ambition? Experience, Well, I mean it's experience
that much, just wanting to be people who want to
solve the problem. And that's just this year. I mean,
we've already won four webbings and we've given away already
half a million dollars in grants. And the beautiful thing
when people here grants is, remember you're on a Shark Tank.
You get this money, you're giving up a percentage of
your company. When you get these grants, you don't have

(03:17):
to give up anything. You get to make mistakes, but
more importantly learn and grow your business. So so it's
absolutely amazing to be able to give money to those
who really really need it. That's feeling in the world
giving money away when you can. Um, yeah, you mentioned
Shark Tank. What's the biggest mistake people make when they
pitch you on the show? Um, you know, I think

(03:40):
the biggest mistake they make is thinking that money is
going to solve their problems. Um, and that money is
a crutch you know, Um, it's not because I share
the people often six A lot of winners and athletes
are bankrupt three years after winning the Lotto or leaving
the league. So money is obviously not a tool that
is definitely going to help you. And six of the

(04:02):
wealthiest people in the world started off as self made
men and women, and that means they didn't have anything.
So that's the biggest problem. You know that people have
one shark tank. Um um. But you know, for the
most part, most people come up one shart tank and
what they want is mentorship and information and uh you
know and and uh you know, I think that's that's
the solution. That's really not all with money. It's really

(04:23):
how do you create a community, how do you serve
that community, and how do you solve problem with the
information you have around you. Absolutely, that's priceless. That's that's
nothing money can't buy. Um. Let's talk fubout anniversary. Can't
believe it's been thirty years man. Um. I saw a
documentary that's awesome about how l Okoloo hat in a
gap bad? Were you involved in making that happen? No,

(04:47):
you know l L is truly uh you know, he
is an always will be a rock star. He this
He felt that the gap at the time didn't respect
and value him and or our community. Um. And he
based sickally used the gap add as a fooboo ad
um and he rebelled within the system. Um. And and

(05:07):
and that's that's that's the story. And LLL, you know,
is a person that you can't stop him. Uh. And
if he said on something, he said on something so
it was a great opportunity for us, and and it
helped bring me to you today. And because because of
the history of that, Yeah, that's awesome. Takes me back
right there. And you got how many kids you got, damny?
So I have I have three girls, twenty nine, twenty

(05:29):
four and now I'm on, I have a new baby
girl in my second marriage, and well not know she's
six years old, but you know they'll all be babies.
Oh good for you. So, so three girls, huh um,
what are they? What are they into? Um? My oldest
daughter works for her cousin. She handles her social media

(05:50):
Layla Fernandez, one of the top ranking tennis players in
the world. My older daughter is uh getting her master's
and architectural design. And my six year old is you know,
just you know, bossing me around everything I got. I
got one of those, I know what you mean right there.
That's awesome. Congrats all I got twelve, just turned twelve

(06:13):
nine and three nice Those are those are the sweetest ages? Yeah,
I know there's the twelve year old to already keep
me on my toes. So we'll see, let's see how
that works out right there. Um, congrats on everything, and
and looking forward to uh checking out the show is
always just go to all Mario dot com for all
the info on Black Entrepreneurs Day, October seven at the

(06:34):
Apollo David, thanks so much for hanging out. Thank you brother.
All right, take care. On with Mario Lopez