About

 Daymond John - Founder

A young entrepreneur. An industry pioneer. A highly regarded marketing expert. Daymond John is a man who has surpassed new heights of commercial and financial  success. Over the past 20 years, Daymond has evolved from one of the most successful fashion icons of his generation to one of the most sought after business and branding experts as well as motivational  speakers in the country.

Daymond’s creative vision and strong knowledge of the marketplace helped him create one of the most iconic fashion brands known to date. FUBU, standing for “For Us By Us," represented a lifestyle that was neglected by other clothing companies. Realizing this need in the marketplace, Daymond created the untapped urban apparel space and paved the way for other companies to compete in this newly established market. At its height, FUBU recorded annual sales of $350 million, placing it in the same stratosphere as designer sportswear labels such as Donna Karan New York and Tommy Hilfiger.

In 2009, Daymond joined the cast of the ABC entrepreneurial business show, Shark Tank, produced by acclaimed TV producer Mark Burnett. As one of the “Sharks," Daymond and four other prominent executives listen to business pitches from everyday people hoping to launch their company or product to the next level. Every project that Daymond invests in, he becomes partners with entrepreneurs helping them turn their dreams into a reality. Millions of viewers tune into the show as Daymond demonstrates his marketing prowess and entrepreneurial insights.

In recognition of his contributions to fashion and the face of American business, Daymond has been honored with some of the most prestigious awards including: Brandweek Marketer of the Year, Advertising Age Marketing 1000 Award for Outstanding Ad Campaign, Crain's Business of New York Forty Under Forty Award, and Ernst & Young’s New York Entrepreneur of the Year Award.

Visit DaymondJohn.com to read more about Daymond. 

 David Borish – Co-founder

 Gregg Smith - Co-founder

Gregg has been a Partner and Chief Investment Officer of Edison Nation (EdisonNation.com) since 2011. Edison Nation operates an online community of independent inventors focused on consumer and medical products. They also produce the Emmy-award winning PBS television show on innovation called Everyday Edisons.

Gregg began his career in 1992 as an investment banker at Bear, Stearns & Co. in New York. He has completed over 100 equity and equity-linked private  placements; as well as various total investment banking transactions, across many industries, in excess of $4 billion. From 2000 to 2005, Gregg was a Principal in the Private Equity Placements Group at Bank of America Securities and from 2005 to 2007, Gregg was the Managing Director and Head of the Private Equity Group at Cowen and Company, until he founded Evolution Corporate Advisors in 2007.  Evolution was a capital markets consultant to private and public companies and institutional investors' portfolio companies and provided advice on strategic business issues in the capital markets and made direct investments in growth companies.

Gregg was an angel and founding investor of PetCareRx.com, Inc., a leading online pet pharmacy, and served as Chairman and Director from 1999-2008. PetCareRx.com provides prescription and non-prescription pet medications, health and nutritional supplements and accessories directly to the pet owner at significant savings and is a Goldman Sachs Investment Partners Company.

Gregg is also the managing partner of GS Venture Partners LLC which makes stage-agnostic direct investments in growth companies.  Gregg received a B.S. in Business from Skidmore College.

 AXCESS WORLDWIDE - PARTNER

Axcess Worldwide is a partnership development company that creates inspired ideas and connects extraordinary brands and people. Axcess conceives and executes partnerships on behalf of many of the world’s leading companies in three industries:  Luxury and Lifestyle, Hospitality and Travel, and Mass Consumer Brands. From heritage brands that serve the most discerning consumers to retail brands that reach the masses, Axcess has been entrusted with developing growth strategies for hundreds of companies for over 15 years.

Widely credited as the leader in the growing field of partnership development, Axcess creates co-dependent partnerships between organizations in order to accomplish goals that neither one would be able to achieve alone. The Company’s work on behalf of its clients includes: the pursuit of new products, customer acquisition strategies, customer engagement and retention activity, collaborative marketing initiatives, and merger and acquisition opportunities. In addition to its history in growing established brands, Axcess is known for launching and accelerating the growth of innovative ideas and products.

Current and former clients include Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, Graff Diamonds, Sentient Jet, The Venetian | The Palazzo Resort & Casino, Hertz, Delta Airlines, Dunkin’ Donuts, HSN, and Jamba Juice, among many others. 

Axcess is headquartered in the heart of New York on Madison Avenue.

Visit AxcessWorldwide.com to read more about Axcess.

SHARK BRANDING - PARTNER

Shark Branding’s team of expert communicators, strategic analysts, and creative heavyweights excels in transforming businesses into iconic brands. At our helm is business and branding expert Daymond John, CEO and Founder of FUBU, a $6 billion global fashion game-changer. As he demonstrates on ABC’s hit reality series Shark Tank and from behind the scenes of countless business success stories, Daymond possesses a singular talent for tapping into the heart of a brand and positioning it for wild success. Having transformed a single, handmade product into a global fashion juggernaut, Daymond’s entrepreneurialism and trend-moving influence are key to our cultivation of great brands.

Putting products in the hands of influencers and trendsetters is Shark Branding’s core practice. Our relationships with celebrity tastemakers go beyond business, representing a media residency that actually lasts, not drying up with the passage of trends.

Our clients benefit from a 360° approach to the growth of a healthy, successful brand with services ranging from brand strategy, design, and licensing; event development; celebrity affiliation and media; digital marketing; and the fundamentals of business leadership.

Visit SharkBranding.com to read more about Shark Branding. 

EDISON NATION - PARTNER

Edison Nation operates the largest open innovation community in the world matching the ideas of independent inventors in the consumer and healthcare categories with manufacturers, retailers and brands seeking to acquire the intellectual capital of its members.   

Edison Nation also produces Everyday Edisons, an Emmy® Award-winning series on public television, and publishes Inventors Digest, a top trade publication dedicated to the study of business and innovation.

Visit EdisonNation.com to read more about Edison Nation.