GlassBuild America: The Glass Window & Door Expo kicked off today with a keynote presentation by Daymond John, entrepreneur, founder and CEO of FUBU, and star of ABC's "Shark Tank." John's address opened three days of programming at the show's new Keynote Theater.
In his presentation, "5 S.H.A.R.K. Points: Fundamentals for Success in Business and Life," John began with a theme familiar to the glass and glazing industry. "Change will always be at our forefront," he told attendees.
John stressed the importance of setting goals and doing one's business "homework" to lay the groundwork for success. He pointed to his own start: with the support and business acumen of his mother, he founded hip-hop fashion brand FUBU in the 1980s. "I want to create the uniform for this hip-hop community!" he recalled saying at the time.
He urged business owners to understand their value proposition. "There is nothing new in this world — you might make it lighter, faster, stronger," John said. He encouraged attendees to learn from their own mistakes as well as those of others who have tried to succeed in business before them.
Keynote Theater programming continues through Sept. 25, with presentations by Senior economist Connor Lokar of ITR Economics, and Barbara Bouza, FAIA, former president, Walt Disney Imagineering.
