LWCC Speaker Series: Discovering the Power of Purpose-Driven Business with Daymond John

Seth Irby, LWCC’s Chief Marketing and Customer Experience Officer, opened the event by connecting Daymond’s narrative to LWCC’s mission of bettering Louisiana one business and one worker at a time. He highlighted the work of two Champions of Louisiana—Young Entrepreneurs Academy and 4Sisters Rice—as examples of purpose-driven businesses using their resources to drive positive change. Daymond’s story of purpose and empowerment echoed LWCC’s own dedication to building a brighter future for Louisiana, making the event a celebration of shared values.

Sustaining success is an entirely different challenge from achieving it, and Daymond John attributes his longevity to a purpose-driven approach. He emphasized that success grounded in mission and passion transcends mere financial gains. For him, it was never just about the bottom line—it was about creating meaningful change and feeling proud of his work. Daymond’s mission was to celebrate and elevate his community and the culture of hip hop. He wanted the music that defined his Queens neighborhood and punctuated the days of his childhood to prosper and be accessible to others, regardless of location, race, or gender. Despite what many seemed to believe, he is quick to point out that the “For Us, By Us” tagline of FUBU was “not about a color. It was about a culture.”

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Daymond’s deep, innate understanding of the value of mission and power of purpose is what ultimately led him to sell $800 worth of homemade hats in front of his local mall, then $300,000 worth of clothing at a Las Vegas trade show, and finally to partner with Samsung Textiles to sell $30 million worth of merchandise in a matter of months. It was what led him to tirelessly pursue his vision and never stop learning and evolving. Today, it is also what leads him to help launch the dreams of other entrepreneurs, perhaps ones that remind him of himself all those years ago.

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As he wrapped his presentation, Daymond spoke of the importance of a purpose-driven business. He reminded the audience that consumers can buy from anywhere today. With limitless options at their fingertips, buyers are now looking for other ways to determine the businesses they will or will not support, and in many cases, that decision comes down to the underlying purpose. More than ever, our society wants to feel good about their spending power and how they wield it.

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By investing in and partnering with companies like Bombas socks, the top-performing “Shark Tank” investment, Daymond is supporting a clear cut mission and purpose. With Louisiana Loyal, LWCC is doing the same. In the end, when we find our purpose and seek to help others prosper, we all win.