I’m entrepreneur Daymond John. I’m a Shark on ABC’s Shark Tank, a Pisces, a Hot Sauce connoisseur, and an animal advocate. Today I’m talking about how you can RISE AND GRIND. Ask me anything!

I sat next to you on a flight from LAX to BOS last year. I didn't want to bother you because typically celebrities hate being bothered all the time. I had so many questions that day, but left you alone. Should I have just talked to you or do you prefer privacy when traveling?

Edit: Since this got some good responses, I'll add that I'm typically shy and a bit worried when dealing with celebs I look up to and happen to run into. I worry that they will say something to make me feel differently about them. Imagine if he was a complete a-hole to me, I probably would think of him entirely different. But I will admit u could have said hi, and read his reaction / response. Thanks for all the comments.

Thank you, but I remember that flight and was feeling talkative. You miss 100% of the shots you dont take.

Is Kevin O'leary really that much of a dick all the time, or does he save his best stuff for the show?

LOL.

Have you ever seen a pitch on shark tank that made you want to just buy their entire business or idea outright? If so, what was it?

Yes. I don't recall one because there were a lot of them. The hang up usually isn't the idea though, it's the entrepreneur.

Which product from Shark Tank, that you invested in, has been the most financially successful?

Bubba's Ribs.

How often do/did you film for the show? How many entrepreneurs would pitch in a single sitting?

We two weeks in June and two weeks in September. 100 during each block.

Hello,

As a Hot Saunce connoisseur, have you tried The Last Dab?

Also, do you think you would do well on the YouTube show Hot Ones?

Havent tried The Last Dab and I love Hot Ones and don't know if I would do well. I am gonna find out.

What do you think of Mark Cuban telling us all he goes commando?

He is not lying. What do you think about it is the real question...

What product do you most regret not investing in on shark tank?

None.

Do you not regret any of them because they’ve all been profitable, or do you not regret any of them because you’ve learned something every time?

The latter.

How do you plan and start your day so that it will be the most productive?

I could tell you, but then you wouldn't want to read the book. But quickly...I don't answer emails right away. I might send some, but I don't answer them. It's my way of staring on offense.

I’m not sure if you can say, but does everyone get along on the show? Sometimes I think there seems to be a lot of tension between the sharks

We are like a family that fights. But we are still a family. But if we go outside to play football, I am gonna crack your head open...

I’ve heard a lot of rumours that certain sharks won’t sit next to others, can you confirm or deny?

Total BS.

What is your advice to a high school student who aspires to be an entrepreneur? How do you get noticed by people and what did your high school career look like? Thank you!

Go to college and do the best you can there to learn the basics of business. Get internships in the areas you want to work in and out hustle the people around you.

Love the show! Can you elaborate on the hot sauce connoisseur bit?

I am expert. What else can I say...

What's the last nice thing you said to a stranger?

I forgave Daniel Cormier for being a poor sport on my Instagram story. I don't know him so I am going to say that counts.

How can an entrepreneur find a way to pitch their ideas, without fear of getting the ideas ripped off by the people they pitch?

It depends on the idea and if it is pattanable or trademarked.

What realistic steps can a youth from a lower income area take to separate themselves as a viable candidate for jobs and opportunities normally reserved for the more privileged in our society?

Start by not marginalizing yourself. Set your goals for what you want and then do whatever it takes to get them. Be willing to outwork your competition, no matter where you come from or where they come from. That's why I wrote this book. To show what it looks like to do what it takes to get ahead. To get beyond the catch phrases.

Have you ever suffered from depression and if so, what did you do to fight out if it and keep motivated?

Missing the close at Golden Corral can provoke a lot of emotions. I am human...

Have you ever worked with anyone who did not get a deal on the show, but had a good product?

I don't thing so. This many seasons in, I am just focusing on the companies I invested in from the show.

What is the weirdest trait of super-rich, old money people?

Not sure. I will let you know when I do my AMA and I am old.

What time do you get up in the morning/what is your morning routine?

I wake up. I dont read emails right away. It's a mindset of offense vs defense. Replying to emails starts your day on defense, forced to problem solve for others. I send out emails and start my day on offense. Then I work out and get the hard part done so I can be fresh and adrenalized for the day. The book speaks to that. What are people's methods in their first 90 mins and last 90 mins of the day.

How do I take the next step in an industry that seems "too big" to ever fully understand?

Find one area in that business that appeals to you and focus on it. Find another area of that business that feels hard and focus on that more.

Jobs or Woz?

Woz

Top 5 favorite hot sauces?

In no particular order...Franks, Tobasco, Red Hot, Scorned Woman and Hand Made from Trinidad.

How can I find business mentors that can help me build my career?

They are all around you. You don't need to have a mentor who is an old guy with a long white beard. Find classmates, business owners or anyone has something you aspire for in any way.

Look for people who have what you want. And then learn from them. They are everywhere. Classmates, friends, business owners and more.

I have maybe 4-5 good invention ideas, but no money to build them properly. How interested are investors in inventions, with good appeal, but no proof of concept?

You will have to work hard to make sure all the skeptics questions can be answered. And then make sure the investor wants to invest in you as much as you want them to invest in the product.

Is it your experience that people who earned their wealth are usually more down-to-earth and appreciate their employees, and people that inherited their wealth don't have the same humility and often see employees more like leeches who owe them?

I think that is a good assessment, but not 100 out of 100. I know lots of people who inherited money and then dedicated their lives to philanthropy and using that money to make lives better for others.

How did you venture into Bombas? I would imagine branded socks isn’t an exciting project.

They had a new concept on it that really worked for me and I loved that they were so focused on giving back.

How did you overcome the hardest challenge in your life?

Meeting it head on. Started by setting goals. And then read them every day to make sure I stuck to them.

Hottest hot sauce you've ever had?

Hand Made from Trinidad. But we dont call it hot sauce, we call it peppa.

Who are you cheering for in the Super Bowl?

As soon as I find out who is playing, I will let you know... Probably the Coors Light commercial to be better than the Pepsi commercial.

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I helped put them into business.

Do you have a person philosophy in life? If so, could you sum it up into a single sentence?

What's the best advice you've ever been given?

What's the lowest point you have ever been in your life, and how did you go about finding your way back to the top again?

What jobs/fields of study do you think have the most earning potential between now and the next 20 years?

Big fan. Hope you see this. Thanks for your time and consideration!

My philosophy is Rise and Grind. I feel strongly about that philosophy that I developed a book around it.

Lowest points have been the times I have had to close my businesses. But those also turned out to be inspirational moments where I could learn...not only in the moment but lessons I could use later in life.