Saunders College hosts ‘Shark Tank’ judge

‌

Daymond John

“If you’re going to doubt something, doubt your limits.
You have no idea just what you’re capable of until you do it.

—Daymond John, ABC’s Shark Tank

Daymond John is the personification of the entrepreneurial American Dream as the founder of apparel brand FUBU (“For Us By Us”) and one of the savvy investors on ABC’s reality television series Shark Tank. He will be headlining Saunders College of Business Gasser Lecture Series at Rochester Institute of Technology during the 2013 RIT Brick City Homecoming & Family Weekend.

John’s lecture, “The Brand Within: Branding Yourself from Birth to the Boardroom,” is based on his recent book and will be held from 3 to 4:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 11, at RIT’s Ingle Auditorium in the Student Alumni Union. The event will be followed by a booksigning in Saunders College atrium, Lowenthal Hall.

John says there’s a fundamental concept entrepreneurs should take to heart: “Always remember that YOU are the brand. The questions is, are you in control of your brand or are you leaving it up to others to interpret what you represent?”

From humble beginnings to a self-made millionaire with more than $4 billion to date in product sales and a starring role with the “Sharks,” John is equally committed to business pitches from everyday people as well as motivating and energizing youth about entrepreneurship. His lecture at RIT on branding techniques and marketing insights will resonate with everyone from students and entry-level employees to small-business owners and corporate CEOs.

Saunders College of Business Dean dt ogilvie calls John a charismatic and knowledgeable motivator. “I had the pleasure to have him attend my White House Summit on Urban Entrepreneurship luncheon a few years ago, then heard him speak at the National Black MBA Association meeting.

“Daymond’s story of tenacity and overcoming obstacles was inspiring and compelling. He’s a good storyteller and does not come across as sternly as he sometimes seems on Shark Tank.”

The William D. Gasser lecture series is hosted annually by Saunders College of Business and designed to advance interaction and dialogue between business and academic communities. It is made possible by a gift from the late John Wiley Jones, former honorary member of the RIT Board of Trustees and founder of Jones Chemicals Inc., in memory of William D. Gasser. Gasser taught accounting at RIT from 1967 until his death in 1977.

Tickets for the Saunders College Gasser Lecture Series with Daymond John are $5 for students, $15 for RIT parents/guardian/guests, alumni, faculty/staff, and $25 for the public. To register, go to the RIT University Arenas website. For more information, contact Dana Pierce at 585-475-2199 or dpierce@saunders.rit.edu.