Daymond John didn’t build his $350 million Shark Tank empire by playing it safe—or by taking shortcuts. The FUBU founder transitioned from flipping used cars and waiting tables at Red Lobster to backing successes like Bombas, one of the show’s most profitable investments to date—and he credits a mantra from Ice-T about cutting corners as a silent guide through every step.
“Here’s the reality: If you keep taking shortcuts…you only wind up going in circles,” John wrote on X last week. “Each shortcut you take creates an issue you’ll eventually have to return to and resolve. The time you believe you’ve saved today turns into the obstacle blocking your path tomorrow. True progress comes from completing the full journey.”
“Since Ice-T shared this with me, I’m passing it on to you: ‘Taking shortcuts doesn’t propel you forward. It only keeps you stuck in a cycle.’”
Relying on his own team is one method John mentioned he uses to apply that lesson in practice.
“There are only two ways to run a business: cut costs or boost sales,” he said in 2024. “Taking shortcuts on team training isn’t the right approach, and investing in your team yields some of the highest returns you can achieve.”
The risks are significant for those who try to speed through the process: Just one-third of small businesses last longer than 10 years, based on data from the U.S. Department of Labor.
Work-life balance does not exist, according to Daymond John—and Mark Cuban and Barack Obama agree
John has also been direct about the level of dedication needed to overcome those odds, asserting that traditional ideas of work-life balance often don’t match the demands of building a successful business—or career.
“Work-life balance doesn’t exist,” John said.
Instead, he recommends focusing on meticulously structured time and pursuing what he terms “work-life harmony.”
“My top tip for all of you on attaining work-life harmony is to plan out your entire day,” he added. “Ask yourself what you’ll allocate your time to and how you’ll carve out moments for yourself.”
For John, this can involve merging personal time with productivity. For instance, when he goes for a walk to exercise, he takes phone calls, and rather than dining out, he frequently eats at home to get back to work faster.
He isn’t the only business leader to caution that getting ahead often demands a level of focus that extends beyond the standard 9-to-5 schedule.
His former Shark Tank co-star Mark Cuban has said that ambitious people can’t afford to lose sight of their goals.
“If you want a nine-to-five schedule, you can have work-life balance,” Cuban told Sports Illustrated last year. “If you want to dominate in your field, whatever that field is, there’s someone out there working around the clock to outperform you.”
Even former President Barack Obama has acknowledged that intense focus is often part of exceptional achievement.
“If you aim to excel at anything—sports, music, business, politics—there will be periods in your life when you’re out of balance, when you’re solely focused on working toward that goal,” he said on The Pivot Podcast.
Shark Tank’s Daymond John 3-step path to wealth
Ultimately, building wealth doesn’t require a large sudden gain—those with limited means simply need to make small, disciplined financial choices, John notes.
His key principle begins with dividing every dollar into three categories.
“Whether you have $3, $3 million, or $3 trillion, the first portion goes toward what you must pay for,” John previously told in an interview. This covers essential living costs such as rent, medical bills, utilities, and any debts or loan payments.
The second portion—or the second million or trillion—should be invested, though this doesn’t have to be limited to the stock market.
“Investments can go toward a book, a business, or public markets,” John added.
The third portion, or whatever remains, can be used for enjoyment.
“Purchase what you desire but don’t necessarily need,” John said. “If you don’t want it, put that money back into the second category. Over time, the second category will start feeding into the third and first categories. That’s the simple way to view it.”