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The Brand Within: The Power of Branding from Birth to the Boardroom
Examines the loyalty of relationships companies seek to establish by attaching celebrities to their brands and the instantaneous impulses consumers exhibit when purchasing a product.
245 pages, Paperback
First published February 23, 2010
42 people are currently reading
627 people want to read
About the author
Daymond John
16 books216 followersA young entrepreneur, an industry pioneer, a highly regarded marketing expert, and a man who has surpassed new heights of commercial and financial success are just a few ways people have described Daymond John. Over the last 20 years, Daymond has evolved from one of the most successful fashion icons of his generation to one of the most sought after branding experts, business, and motivational speakers in the country.
Daymond’s creative vision and strong knowledge of the marketplace helped him create one of the most iconic fashion brands in recent years. FUBU, standing for “For Us By Us”, represented a lifestyle that was neglected by other clothing companies. Realizing this need in the marketplace, Daymond created the untapped urban apparel space and laid the groundwork for other companies to compete in this newly established market.
Daymond grew up in the community of Hollis, Queens, quickly becoming known as the birthplace of the new genre of music called Hip-Hop, with acts like RUN DMC and Salt-N-Peppa rapidly making names for themselves. Being surrounded in this influential neighborhood helped spur the inspiration for his clothing line that would ultimately change the fashion world.
His first foray into the apparel market came when he wanted a tie-top hat he had seen in a popular music video but could not find one for a good price. With the sewing skills he had learned from his mother, Daymond started making the hats for himself and his friends. Realizing he was on to something, Daymond made a sizeable order of the tie-top hats, sold them on the streets of Queens one day, and made $800 in just a few hours. There was a buzz about Daymond’s products that simply could not be ignored.
Based on that early success, Daymond recruited some of his neighborhood friends and FUBU was born. They created a distinctive logo and began sewing the FUBU logo on all sorts of apparel, including hockey jerseys, sweatshirts and t-shirts. The brand hit a tipping point when Daymond convinced Hollis native and Hip-Hop superstar, LL Cool J, to wear FUBU for a promotional campaign. This was the catalyst behind the entire Hip-Hop community supporting the new brand and instantly giving it credibility. In need of start-up capital to keep up with demand, Daymond and his mother mortgaged the home they collectively owned for $100,000. Soon, the home was turned into a makeshift factory and office space.
FUBU gained even more nationwide exposure when Daymond and his partners traveled to the industry trade show Magic in Las Vegas. Despite not being able to afford a booth at the event, the FUBU team showed buyers the distinctively cut, vibrantly colored sportswear in their hotel room. The company came back to Queens with over $300,000 worth of orders. FUBU soon had a contract with the New York City-based department store chain Macy's, and it began expanding its line to include jeans and outerwear. A distribution deal with Korean electronics manufacturer Samsung allowed their designs to be manufactured and delivered on a massive scale. With the brand transcending into the mainstream markets, FUBU recorded annual sales of $350 million, placing it in the same stratosphere as designer sportswear labels such as Donna Karan New York and Tommy Hilfiger.
In 2009, John joined the cast of the ABC entrepreneurial business show, Shark Tank, produced by acclaimed TV producer Mark Burnett. As one of the “Sharks”, Daymond and four other prominent executives listen to business pitches from everyday people hoping to launch their company or product to new heights. Investing his own money in every project, Daymond becomes partners with the entrepreneurs helping turn their dreams into a reality. Millions of viewers tune into the show as Daymond demonstrates his marketing prowess and entrepreneurial insights.
Due to the increasing amount of requests from major companies, Shark Branding was formed to provide companies with the marketing insights that have made D
Daymond’s creative vision and strong knowledge of the marketplace helped him create one of the most iconic fashion brands in recent years. FUBU, standing for “For Us By Us”, represented a lifestyle that was neglected by other clothing companies. Realizing this need in the marketplace, Daymond created the untapped urban apparel space and laid the groundwork for other companies to compete in this newly established market.
Daymond grew up in the community of Hollis, Queens, quickly becoming known as the birthplace of the new genre of music called Hip-Hop, with acts like RUN DMC and Salt-N-Peppa rapidly making names for themselves. Being surrounded in this influential neighborhood helped spur the inspiration for his clothing line that would ultimately change the fashion world.
His first foray into the apparel market came when he wanted a tie-top hat he had seen in a popular music video but could not find one for a good price. With the sewing skills he had learned from his mother, Daymond started making the hats for himself and his friends. Realizing he was on to something, Daymond made a sizeable order of the tie-top hats, sold them on the streets of Queens one day, and made $800 in just a few hours. There was a buzz about Daymond’s products that simply could not be ignored.
Based on that early success, Daymond recruited some of his neighborhood friends and FUBU was born. They created a distinctive logo and began sewing the FUBU logo on all sorts of apparel, including hockey jerseys, sweatshirts and t-shirts. The brand hit a tipping point when Daymond convinced Hollis native and Hip-Hop superstar, LL Cool J, to wear FUBU for a promotional campaign. This was the catalyst behind the entire Hip-Hop community supporting the new brand and instantly giving it credibility. In need of start-up capital to keep up with demand, Daymond and his mother mortgaged the home they collectively owned for $100,000. Soon, the home was turned into a makeshift factory and office space.
FUBU gained even more nationwide exposure when Daymond and his partners traveled to the industry trade show Magic in Las Vegas. Despite not being able to afford a booth at the event, the FUBU team showed buyers the distinctively cut, vibrantly colored sportswear in their hotel room. The company came back to Queens with over $300,000 worth of orders. FUBU soon had a contract with the New York City-based department store chain Macy's, and it began expanding its line to include jeans and outerwear. A distribution deal with Korean electronics manufacturer Samsung allowed their designs to be manufactured and delivered on a massive scale. With the brand transcending into the mainstream markets, FUBU recorded annual sales of $350 million, placing it in the same stratosphere as designer sportswear labels such as Donna Karan New York and Tommy Hilfiger.
In 2009, John joined the cast of the ABC entrepreneurial business show, Shark Tank, produced by acclaimed TV producer Mark Burnett. As one of the “Sharks”, Daymond and four other prominent executives listen to business pitches from everyday people hoping to launch their company or product to new heights. Investing his own money in every project, Daymond becomes partners with the entrepreneurs helping turn their dreams into a reality. Millions of viewers tune into the show as Daymond demonstrates his marketing prowess and entrepreneurial insights.
Due to the increasing amount of requests from major companies, Shark Branding was formed to provide companies with the marketing insights that have made D
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
February 6, 2012
I purchased Daymond John's book, The Brand Within, after watching him on Shark Tank. I had to learn more from this shark who appears soft spoken on the show, yet holds an infinite amount of wisdom for young entrepreneurs, which is obvious when he speaks with that sparkle of understanding in his eyes. I was blown away with this book!
Not only did I learn step by step "how-to's" for me in the area of branding but he reinforced the basics of business and how to take your idea and make it a success NOW. I don't want to give away his secrets, but he shares them ALL in this book! His does so with humor, making me laugh out loud as I learned what I knew was true. He related branding analogies to those we can all understand (Barack Obama and Michael Jackson are examples) to further hit home his insights so that his message is impossible to miss.
I enjoyed how he explained that his "branding smarts" were engrained into his mind as a young man, with messages his mother taught him. If only we all could teach our children to "think big" I can only dream of the world we all will live in. If you are a young entrenpreneur and want to learn how to get started with your business or idea, READ THIS BOOK TODAY! You will be thankful you did.
Not only did I learn step by step "how-to's" for me in the area of branding but he reinforced the basics of business and how to take your idea and make it a success NOW. I don't want to give away his secrets, but he shares them ALL in this book! His does so with humor, making me laugh out loud as I learned what I knew was true. He related branding analogies to those we can all understand (Barack Obama and Michael Jackson are examples) to further hit home his insights so that his message is impossible to miss.
I enjoyed how he explained that his "branding smarts" were engrained into his mind as a young man, with messages his mother taught him. If only we all could teach our children to "think big" I can only dream of the world we all will live in. If you are a young entrenpreneur and want to learn how to get started with your business or idea, READ THIS BOOK TODAY! You will be thankful you did.
February 2, 2021
A Good Book On Product Development, Marketing And Branding. John Daymond Has Been Successful Multiple Times In Doing All Of That, That's Why It Only Makes Scene To Get Hold Of This Book, Immersive Your Self And Invest Your Time Into It.
June 21, 2017
Interesting story. revels some strong facts about brand loyalty and consumer relationship.
December 28, 2021
It was a very vague book and didn't actually have a lot of advice. They also needed a better editor.
December 11, 2012
Worth taking a look at, with some amusing personal stories and a few good business lessons. The part I found confusing, though, was the disconnect between the constant reinforcement about how important your personal brand is but yet his book was full of constant and distracting typos. No book will ever get to market without at least a few, but this book was full of so many typos of different types that it became a bit of a joke as I was reading (random letters in a word, lack of spacings, repeated phrases, etc.)
May 22, 2011
This book is interesting because Daymond doesn't articulate very well the usage of new media, but he does have an excellent grasp on what it takes to propel a brand forward. The writing in the book left a lot to be desired and seemed to be repetitive at times, but the message was spot on. It was especially timely because I have been thinking a lot about what makes a brand success for the companies I am involved with as well as for my own personal brand.
April 10, 2015
Good, but not great. Really liked the branding part, the real life examples and the FUBU stories. The book is easy to read, but the case study with the "Thick n sweet" syrup wasn't that great.
Some great guerrilla marketing examples.
Really liked this part:
"Step back from the series of unexpected roadblocks. Chill. Re-evaluate. Brush your shoulders off and come back to it in an entirely new way".
Some great guerrilla marketing examples.
Really liked this part:
"Step back from the series of unexpected roadblocks. Chill. Re-evaluate. Brush your shoulders off and come back to it in an entirely new way".
April 21, 2015
Heard Daymond speak a couple weeks ago. He's a terrific speaker with an inspirational success story. The book, though, rambles a bit and is full of grammar errors and slang. I understand his intent to keep it genuine, but I think some judicious editing could have preserved the authenticity of his story and also portrayed the professionalism with which he carries himself. Ironically it affects his brand.
July 2, 2014
Good, but not necessarily a great book. Daymond John, fashion mogul and successful entrepreneur, tells his success story about how he became a successful entrepreneur. He also breaks the down the concepts on the importance of branding. Overall, good book, but I expected more about branding, rather than his success story. It's still a great, informative read.
February 12, 2011
This book was only good in the sense that it was interesting to read the author's personal success story. The book really focuses on how to present yourself "your brand" to the world. Some gems inside, but not a hard core business book.
February 2, 2015
Τέλειος στο κομμάτι του branding, μέτριος στην συγγραφική του ικανότητα. Οσο πάω τον Daymond, άλλο τόσο δεν με ικανοποίησε το βιβλίο του. Φαινόταν να έχει χρυσό στην αρχή, με την ιδέα του για την εξέλικη ενός brand, αλλά άρχισε να το χάνει με ιστορίες και γενικές αναφορές.
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August 26, 2011Great
March 29, 2013
How he shows up on Shark Tank makes more sense having read his book.
January 9, 2013
A really interesting book about branding, Shark Tank, and the rise of FUBU.
February 2, 2013
A good book about personal & business branding. Food for thought. And an inside look at FUBU, a story which has always fascinated me.
April 6, 2013
An easy to read, easy to relate to marketing and branding playbook for the small business start up.
January 7, 2016
Great book for motivation
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews