"You have to be of service to them" — Shark Tank mentor Daymond John reveals the importance of customer relationships

In this exclusive sit-down at Global Alts Miami on March 7, 2025, Shark Tank mentor Daymond John shared insights from his journey, highlighting his approach to building successful businesses.

Known for establishing the clothing brand FUBU and mentoring entrepreneurs on the television show Shark Tank, Daymond reflected on his experiences and talked about the role of customer service. He recounted how his love for hip-hop in the mid-1980s led him to fashion, describing hip-hop as the communication platform of his community, similar to today's social media.

Daymond discussed that branding and marketing, rather than design alone, was the reason behind FUBU’s initial success. He shared that placing shirts on rappers during video shoots and taking them back from them afterward provided critical marketing exposure, establishing FUBU's presence in the market. Reflecting on his journey,

"The greatest lesson I think that I took away from establishing fuboo is that the culture of the person that you are selling to, you have to be of service to them," he shared.

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Shark Tank mentor Daymond John on building customer relationships

When asked how he successfully raised significant funds, Daymond talked about the importance of relationship-building,

"Relationships right that's all it is how do you make them feel so special have an edge care about them speak to them listen to them," he shared.

Shark Tank mentor Daymond John shared one of the lessons he learned from establishing FUBU was providing a good service for his customers,

"You have to wake up every morning and say how can I be a better person of service to them and every single day that they'll wake up and they'll talk about you when you're not in the room," he explained.

He underscored the importance of serving customers, sharing it as the foundational principle behind successful entrepreneurship.

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Daymond John on his early life and family

Shark Tank mentor Daymond John spoke about his early childhood days,

"I'm a little, little brown dyslexic boy who didn't have a great education. I mean, the only thing notable I did in school is that I liked the seventh grade so much, I took it twice," he said.

Daymond John further stated that genuine connections and attentiveness toward people are essential. He discussed that the only skill he needed was knowing how to live longer, healthier, and achieve longevity by "biohacking" his body, ensuring he would be around to walk his three little girls down the aisle.

Shark Tank star also expressed the importance of finding time for himself, his family, his faith, and his wife, regardless of his interests or commitments. As the interview continued, Daymond John mentioned that he's a "huge prepper," something people might not know about him.

"Twenty years ago, I believed disruptions could happen from fires, hurricanes, snowstorms, strikes, or even accidents like a ship running into a bridge, causing two weeks to a month of chaos," he shared.

John discussed the importance of preparedness for such situations, given the vulnerability of society to various disruptions. He clarified that his approach to preparedness wasn't extreme. He meant ensuring access to basic essentials like food, shelter, internet, and a satellite phone in case of emergencies. He jokingly added that if anyone had beef jerky, he'd be interested in buying it.

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Watch Daymond John in the recent season of Shark Tank, airing every Friday on ABC.