As a Shark Tank co-star and co-founder of iconic hip hop clothing brand FUBU, Daymond John has a hustler’s spirit. “I don’t even know what day it is today, and I won’t know what day it is today. Some people have to remind me of what day it is. I’m so busy grinding,” said the respected entrepreneur, as he discussed his latest hustle, Rise and Grind: Outperform, Outwork, and Outhustle Your Way to a More Successful and Rewarding Life. Released last month, the book, John tells Charlamagne tha God, Angela Yee and DJ Envy, is about “being overproductive and out-hustling the competition.” He also spoke on the new FUBU collab with Puma, why it’s important to be liked at work and what keeps him motivated during his sit down with The Breakfast Club.
On FUBU: “For the 25 year anniversary, we have FUBU and Puma. Charlamagne came over and helped us launch it with Foot Locker. So we have that out in stores now for black history month. It’s the 50th anniversary of the Puma Suede and the 25th anniversary of us launching FUBU, so that’s out in the stores right now.”
On what he looks for when investing: “The bottom line is if I like the person.”
On the importance of being likable in the workspace: “This goes for if you are going for a job interview or an investment, it’s going to be, do they like you personally. You can come out of college and give somebody your resume all you want, but if I’m going to sit next to you for eight hours a day, five days a week for the next five years, I want to know can I deal with you. Do I like you?”
“So anybody putting their headphones on in the office, not speaking to anybody, being unsocial – times go up and times goes down. When times go down and there’s five people in your division. If nobody likes you guess who is getting cut first.”
On millennials being hustlers: “I think some millennials get a bad rap. I think that a lot of millennials are told about these kids who just feel entitled, but if you really look at when I grew up, the phone cut off. The phone was only on from 9 to 5 when I was in the office. With digital devices they can use their entire 24 hours. They’re answering it at all times of the night. They also don’t support companies that don’t do stuff for others.”
On what motivates him now: “We’re talking black history month, and back in 1989 I stood on the corner of the Coliseum Mall and I made a couple of bucks. Now I can try to encourage people that they don’t have to be able to sing, dance or shoot a basketball. If I, myself, can get to this point, anybody else can.”
Daymond John’s full chat with Charlamagne tha God, Angela Yee and DJ Envy can be viewed above.