Talks at GS Turning $700 into a Billion-Dollar Brand: John Paul DeJoria
Jan 12, 2026
John Paul DeJoria, co-founder of John Paul Mitchell Systems and Patrón Spirits, shares insights on his inspiring journey from homelessness to billionaire entrepreneur. He discusses how his mother's teachings on kindness shaped his leadership style and how the Navy instilled teamwork principles in him. John recounts the grit learned from door-to-door sales and the creative strategies he used to launch his beauty brand with just $700. With a focus on impactful philanthropy, he highlights his commitment to fighting homelessness and food insecurity.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Mother's Lesson On Giving
- John Paul DeJoria recounts his mother teaching generosity despite poverty, giving him a lifelong ethic of sharing.
- He remembers giving a dime as a child and being taught to help those worse off than you.
Lead With Kindness
- Treat employees as partners and friends and manage with kindness to reduce turnover and build cohesive teams.
- Ask how you'd want to be treated and build collaboration from that perspective.
Door-to-Door Sales Bootcamp
- DeJoria describes selling Collier's encyclopedias door-to-door and surviving rejection until persistence paid off.
- He credits cold-calling experience with teaching resilience and sales fundamentals.