Why Daymond John's 'Overnight Success' Took Years to Accomplish The FUBU founder worked at Red Lobster while creating his clothing company.

By Thuzio Executive Club

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Entrepreneur Network

Daymond John planned on being a millionaire by the time he was 21 years old. Instead, at 21 he was working at Red Lobster, serving classmates he had once looked down on.

In order to get out of the restaurant service industry, John planned to work six hours per week on his own business, FUBU, and if he reached certain goals, he would double that after a few months. So he did, then doubled it again after he reached more goals, building his business slowly while also running out of capital multiple times.

Even so, he kept at it, knowing that he was onto something he was passionate about, and eventually he broke through with a major deal, becoming an "overnight success." It just took him years to get there.

Related Video: Employees at This Company Believed It Was Stuck at No. 3 in the Industry, but This Business Leader Showed Them How to Think Bigger

Thuzio Executive Club is a revolutionary client entertainment platform, setting a new standard by hosting the most talked-about business events of the year. Executives attend Thuzio events to gain unparalleled access to powerful storytelling and honest insights from legends of the sports, entertainment, culinary and business worlds, as well as for the opportunity to learn from and connect with one another. For more information visit club.thuzio.com

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Money & Finance

How Much Money Do You Need to Retire Comfortably in Your State? Here's the Breakdown.

Regardless of where you spend your golden years, it pays to be realistic about the cost of living.

Buying / Investing in Business

Former Zillow Execs Target $1.3T Market

Co-ownership is creating big opportunities for entrepreneurs.

Money & Finance

Turn Simple Ideas Into Never-Ending Paychecks With This Low-Effort Passive Income Strategy

A micro-hustle lets you build once, sell forever and earn money while you sleep.

Marketing

How to Choose the Right Influencer and Maximize Your Brand's Reach

If you've been wondering how to approach influencer marketing, this guide breaks it all down.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

Business Solutions

Why Entrepreneurs Are Ditching Individual AI Tools for This All-in-One Lifetime Deal

Get lifetime access to GPT-4o, Midjourney, Gemini, and more—with no recurring fees.