Post SummaryJohn Paul DeJoria is a self-made billionaire who co-founded the John Paul Mitchell System. John had a difficult childhood when his parents divorced. He was forced into foster care before returning to live with his mother. He sold newspapers and Christmas cards with his older brother to support their family. DeJoria lived through homelessness while working various jobs, including door-to-door sales. He joined Redken Laboratories as a sales representative for hair care items without experiencing long-term success. Later he co-founded John Paul Mitchell Systems with his friend, Paul Mitchell.DeJoria’s life story shows that even someone not born into hardship could change their life with hard work and perseverance. DeJoria is also a philanthropist who founded the Eloise House and invested in “The Other Ones Foundation” and the “Love & Happiness Foundation.” He became a founding partner of the nightclub “Chain House of Blues” and a major supporter of environmental causes. |
Biography of John Paul DeJoria
John Paul DeJoria is a man of many talents. As an American entrepreneur, he is known for establishing The Patrón Spirits Company and co-founding the John Paul Mitchell System.
A self-made billionaire, he had to go through various struggles, including homelessness, until he reached a point of wealth.
Many people see John Paul DeJoria as a living example of the American dream. He rose from selling shampoo from door to door to being one of the most successful billionaires.
This article will discuss every decision and life event that led to John Paul DeJoria becoming a billionaire.
Early Life and Career
John Paul Jones DeJoria was born on April 13th, 1944, in Echo Park, Los Angeles, California. As the second son of a Greek immigrant mother and an Italian immigrant father, he didn’t have a wealthy childhood.
Things only became worse when he was two, and his parents got a divorce.
At that time, his single mother could not financially support her children. As a result, she sent them to a foster home in East Los Angeles, where they would stay during the week.
He would return to his mother with his older brother when he was nine years old, as she was finally able to financially care for them.
To help support their mother, DeJoria and his older brother began selling newspapers and Christmas cards. He spent most of his childhood on Garden Avenue in Atwater Village, after which he moved to Revere.
He received his education at Atwater Elementary School and later at John Marshall High School, which he graduated from in 1962.
John Paul DeJoria joined a street gang as a teen with no direction. During that time, his high school math teacher told him he would never succeed unless he gave up that life. That’s why he decided to mend his ways after that.
“I could go insane if I obsessed over every little detail of all of my companies. My management philosophy is to pay attention to the vital few and ignore the trivial many.” ~ John Paul DeJoria
When he was 17, DeJoria joined the US Navy, stationed on the USS Hornet. He would fill that role for two years until 1964, when the Navy honorably discharged him.
After getting out, he wanted to go to college, but his financial situation did not allow him.
He began working for Collier’s Encyclopedia as a salesman. Still, he needed more money, so he took on many jobs, from caretaker to door-to-door shampoo salesman and insurance salesman.
John also went through times of being homeless, sleeping in his car to make ends meet. He would do these jobs for the next few years.
In 1971, he joined Redken Laboratories as a sales representative for hair care items.
That was when he began polishing his knowledge about hair care. He was responsible for two company divisions one and a half years later. However, in 1975, he was let go from the company due to business strategy disagreements.
“When you start with next to nothing, all you’ve got is a lot of thought, a lot of innovation, figuring new ways to do things without using a lot of money.” ~ John Paul DeJoria
His next job was at Fermodyl Hair Care, where he would train the sales force and management to sell products. The sales increased by 50%, but DeJoria was fired because he didn’t fit in with the company.
He would join the Institute of Trichology, where he earned $3,000 a month, plus a 6% commission. One year later, he was fired again, as the company could not afford to pay him anymore.
Success with John Paul Mitchell Systems
In 1980, DeJoria and his hairdresser friend, Paul Mitchell, struggled financially.
They had no luck getting jobs, continuously getting fired for various reasons. As a result, they decided to take out a $700 loan and start their own business. This marked the start of John Paul Mitchell Systems.
Their idea was to create professional styling products that would reduce the time needed to do someone’s hair. Their first products were a single-application shampoo along with a leave-in conditioner.
“By loving yourself, you’re going to be a happy person. A lot of people don’t like themselves for whatever reason.” ~ John Paul DeJoria
The first two years of business were challenging, as they did not profit much.
The tides changed in the third year, and John Paul Mitchel Systems turned $1 million in gross revenue. Their products became more and more successful, eventually reaching thousands of salons.
In 2014, he received the Legend of Beauty Award from Beauty Industry West for innovating.
His commitment, thinking, and practices were highly acknowledged as they changed the direction of the beauty industry.
Philanthropy
Given his early start in life, DeJoria knew what it felt like to have almost nothing to build on. As a result, he also became a philanthropist.
John put down a multi-million-dollar fund at the University of Texas to help those homeless or medically disadvantaged. He also invested in The Other Ones Foundation (TOOF), which would offer community housing for people experiencing homelessness.
DeJoria founded the Eloise House in Austin with his wife, Eloise. This one-stop center for abused children and women offered housing, medical care, and advocate support.
“I remember once in junior high school, on a Friday, my mom came home from work and said to my brother and I, ‘You know, between us, we have only 27 cents, but we have food in the refrigerator, we have our little garden out back, and we’re happy, so we are rich.’ ” ~ John Paul DeJoria
In 2011, John signed the Giving Pledge document by Bill Gates, Melinda Gates, and Warren Buffet. In addition, he made various investments through the Love & Happiness Foundation, focusing on entrepreneurship, food insecurity, and homelessness.
Other Business Ventures
Aside from his hair product company, DeJoria founded several other companies. After Paul Mitchell passed away in 1989, DeJoria partnered with his friend, Martin Crowley, to create Patrón Spirits Co.
They aimed to make smooth tequila and create a more enjoyable product for enthusiasts. A bottle turned out to be $37, but even though it was more expensive than the average tequila, he knew it would attract the high-end category.
By the time 2011 turned a corner, Patrón Spirits Co. sold around 2,450,000 cases. DeJoria owned about 70% of the company, bringing him a massive yearly income.
“Being able to communicate with a loved one that you haven’t talked to in a while because of some communication break makes their life and your life in a much better place.” ~ John Paul DeJoria
John also became a founding partner for the nightclub chain House of Blues, with interests in various companies.
Moreover, DeJoria was a major supporter of environmental problems. In 1986, after being asked by Michael Gustin, he sponsored a company exploring gas and oil with ecology in mind.
The company would later be known as Gustin Energy Cos. He applied the same principles to John Paul Mitchel System in the 1980s, becoming the first professional hair care business to stand against animal tests.
Personal Life and Legacy
DeJoria did not have an easy personal life like his professional life. His first wife walked out on him and their two-year-old son, taking all the money and his car.
The action left him unable to pay his rent, causing him to be evicted from their home and live on the streets with his son. He was too proud to ask his parents for help, but luckily, he had a friend willing to take them in.
He met his second wife, Eloise, on a blind date, which he married in 1993. They lived together for 30 years, which was DeJoria’s longest relationship. DeJoria had six children, three of which were from Eloise.
Eloise, a woman with great compassion, significantly influenced DeJoria in his philanthropic endeavors. In addition, she supported her husband through his business decisions, watching him influence the beauty and hair care industry.
Conclusion
John Paul DeJoria started at the bottom and rose to the top, becoming a self-made billionaire.
DeJoria’s actions showed that even a person that wasn’t born in wealth and was constantly fired could make his way through life.
He believed that the American dream was there and that he only needed to put forward the energy and effort to get where he wanted.
Timeline of John Paul DeJoria
Timeline of John Paul DeJoria1944:
John Paul Jones DeJoria is born on April 13th in Echo Park, Los Angeles, California.
1962:
DeJoria graduates from John Marshall High School.
1964:
DeJoria is honorably discharged from the US Navy after serving for two years.
1971:
DeJoria begins working for Redken Laboratories as a sales representative for hair care items.
1980:
DeJoria and his friend, Paul Mitchell, start their own business, John Paul Mitchell Systems, after taking out a $700 loan.
1986:
DeJoria sponsors a company exploring gas and oil with ecology in mind, which later becomes known as Gustin Energy Cos.
1989:
After Paul Mitchell passes away, DeJoria partners with Martin Crowley to create Patrón Spirits Co.
1993:
DeJoria marries Eloise, his second wife.
2011:
DeJoria signs the Giving Pledge document and makes various investments through the Love & Happiness Foundation.
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Lessons From The Life of John Paul DeJoria
There are numerous lessons we can take from John Paul’s experience. But, for this post, I want to focus on one lesson: The Past Does Not Equal the Future.
John had a hard start to life. His parents’ divorce resulted in him being put into foster care and taking on meaningless jobs. As this became a trend, he became a door-to-door salesman, sometimes leading him to live in his car.
It wasn’t until he was over 40 that he started to experience lasting success.
If John Paul DeJoria had believed he was destined to struggle, would he have become a billionaire? I can answer that with a hard no! Your actions are based on your thinking. If your thinking is negative, your actions will follow.
It took DeJoria 40 years to see a shift in his success. Not many people will wait 40 years. Instead, they will believe I’m always going to be like this; if things were going to change, they would have by now!
Shift Your Thinking
For example, if you are thinking, “I will always live paycheck to paycheck,” stop yourself immediately.
Instead, say something like I have lived paycheck to paycheck most of my life, BUT the past doesn’t equal the future. Repeat, “The past doesn’t equal the future until you feel a shift in how you feel.
Next, ask yourself what you can do to change.
You can approach this by listing everything you can do to improve your situation.
Commit to listing 20 things, and don’t stop the exercise unless you have a complete list. This will cause you to dig deep. Instead, start by listing items without restrictions and write any idea that comes to mind.
Let go; allow the ideas to be anything, even if they seem stupid to you or unattainable. This allows your creativity to flow without judgment.
Something from your list may jump out at you, or you’ll get an idea in a few days while your mind processes your list in the background.
You are now taking control and not simply following the steps and routine that keeps you living paycheck to paycheck.
Is this an immediate solution, and tomorrow everything will change? No, it will take time. However, if you feel a shift in your feelings and start thinking differently while looking for a better way to reach your goal, a change has occurred, and that’s a start!
Your feelings lead to how you think and affect your actions.
It’s simple but powerful!
8 Facts Related to John Paul DeJoria
1. John Paul DeJoria is an American entrepreneur famous for creating The Patrón Spirits Company and co-founding the John Paul Mitchell System. He’s a real success story!
2. DeJoria had a tough childhood and dealt with things like homelessness. But he didn’t let that hold him back.
3. When he was a young man, DeJoria joined the US Navy. Still, after he left, he struggled to find work and did all sorts of jobs to make ends meet, like selling shampoo door-to-door and working as an insurance salesman.
4. In the 1980s, DeJoria teamed up with his hairdresser pal Paul Mitchell to start a new business called John Paul Mitchell Systems, which was a massive success.
5. DeJoria is also a philanthropist and has done lots of good work, like setting up a fund to help people who are homeless or medically disadvantaged.
6. Like John Paul Mitchell Systems, DeJoria has found many other companies, including Patrón Spirits Co. and House of Blues.
7. DeJoria is committed to environmental issues and was the first professional hair care company to oppose animal testing.
8. DeJoria has had some tough times in his personal life, like facing homelessness with his son and going through a divorce. But he’s been happily married to his second wife, Eloise, for 30 years, and they have six kids together.
Frequently Asked Questions About John Paul DeJoria
The information in this post answers many of the questions about John Paul DeJoria. In addition, this section provides a summary and any further information.
1. What happened to John Paul DeJoria’s parents when he was two years old?
His parents divorced, and the family spiraled downward.
2. What was John Paul DeJoria’s education background?
John received his education at Atwater Elementary School and later at John Marshall High School, where he graduated in 1962.
3. What did John Paul DeJoria do after high school?
He joined the US Navy when he was 17 years old and was stationed on the USS Hornet for two years until 1964, when he was honorably discharged.
4. What struggles did John Paul DeJoria face before becoming wealthy?
John faced various struggles, including homelessness. In addition, he had to work multiple jobs, from caretaker to door-to-door shampoo and insurance salesman.
5. Why is John Paul DeJoria considered a living example of the American dream?
DeJoria is seen as a living example of the American dream because he rose from selling shampoo from door to door to becoming a successful billionaire.
6. What was John Paul DeJoria’s first job after leaving the Navy?
John Paul began working for Collier’s Encyclopedia as a salesman.
7. What was John Paul DeJoria’s first job in the hair care industry?
Redken Laboratories in 1971 as a sales representative for hair care items.
8. What was the idea behind John Paul Mitchell Systems?
The idea behind John Paul Mitchell Systems was to create professional styling products that would reduce the time needed to do someone’s hair.
9. What philanthropic endeavors has John Paul DeJoria pursued?
DeJoria has pursued several philanthropic endeavors, including investing in The Other Ones Foundation (TOOF) and founding the Eloise House in Austin with his wife, Eloise.
He has also signed the Giving Pledge document and made various investments through the Love & Happiness Foundation.
10. What other business ventures has John Paul DeJoria pursued?
John Paul pursued several other business ventures, including founding the Patrón Spirits Company with his friend, Martin Crowley, and becoming a founding partner for the nightclub chain House of Blues. He has also been a major supporter of environmental problems.
