“Successful ones are very vulnerable” — Shark Tank mentor Daymond John advises entrepreneurs to never stop learning

In a conversation with Justin McClure on February 27, 2025, Shark Tank mentor Daymond John discussed entrepreneurship and the importance of continuous learning and vulnerability.

John highlighted these qualities as critical for business success, stating, “successful ones are very vulnerable,” talking about the need for entrepreneurs to openly admit when they don't know about something and are willing to learn about it.

“A lot of people don't realize that as an entrepreneur, you know the really truly successful ones are very vulnerable. They walk into rooms—I say it all the time—and they say, ‘I know a lot about this, but I don't know about that.’”

During the conversation in Atlanta, John met local entrepreneurs and influencers, facilitated by Justin McClure, to discuss business challenges, opportunities, and the mindset needed to achieve success.

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Shark Tank mentor Daymond John's perspective on being humble

Shark Tank mentor Daymond John talked about how admitting when you don’t know something helps you grow. He said that successful entrepreneurs are those who know their limits and are willing to learn from others. John also shared that it is important to stay humble and open to learning from different experiences.

“If you know about that and you can teach me about that I'm going to teach you about this and that's truly how you grow a business and grow personally," he shared.

John shared that some of his biggest mistakes happened when he let his ego get in the way. When he thought he already knew everything, he missed out on learning important lessons. He said it is important to stay open to learning from others and their experiences.

Justin McClure added to this, saying that John had helped him learn about manufacturing and business by introducing him to the right people and sharing opportunities. He said John’s support and openness made a big difference.

"Just being in his world, what I know about manufacturing now and other things that I never would have known about, it's only because he's let me into his world," Justin shared.

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Daymond John discusses about continuous learning and adapting to challenges

Shark Tank mentor Daymond John spoke about how entrepreneurship is a continuous journey of learning and solving problems. He explained that fixing one problem in business often leads to facing another. He shared that balance is a challenge in both business and personal life.

John further added that there are only two things in life that one can control: the way they view a situation and the action they take. Believing that you've "arrived" at a point of complete success can be misleading, as each solved problem often creates another.

Shark Tank mentor discussed this by saying that the things one can do in their youth, like eating unhealthy food and still feeling fine, don't apply later in life. Similarly, in business, growth leads to more complex challenges.

"When you solve a problem you create another one," he shared.

For example, scaling a business from 1 million to 10 million customers means dealing with more complaints, requiring better customer service, handling product returns, and managing larger warehouses. Every solution introduces new problems that need to be managed carefully.

"Work-life balance and balance itself is always going to be the biggest challenge," John shared

Throughout the podcast, Daymond John encouraged entrepreneurs to stay open to learning, keep adapting, and stay humble. He said that success comes from facing challenges and learning new things along the way.

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