The Remarkable Biography of John Paul DeJoria: From Homelessness to Billionaire

John Paul DeJoria’s rags-to-riches story is a testament to the American dream. From humble beginnings, facing homelessness and adversity, he rose to become a successful entrepreneur, philanthropist, and a respected figure in the business world. His journey is filled with valuable lessons about perseverance, giving back, and the true meaning of success.

Early Life and Hardships

John Paul Jones DeJoria was born on April 13, 1944, in the Echo Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, to immigrant parents of Italian and Greek descent. His parents divorced when he was just two years old, leaving his mother to raise him and his brother. To help make ends meet, DeJoria began selling Christmas cards and newspapers at the young age of nine.

By 1962, his mother was no longer able to care for them, and he and his brother were placed in a foster home. After high school, DeJoria served in the Navy for two years before entering the world of hair care as an entry-level employee at Redken Laboratories. However, he was later fired from this position due to disagreements over business strategies. He then joined Fermodyl Hair Care, where he trained management and sales force, but despite rising sales figures, he was again fired.

One day, when John Paul was a child, his mother gave him and his brother a dime to donate to the Salvation Army, teaching them the importance of sharing and giving back. This lesson remained with John Paul throughout his life, shaping his philanthropic endeavors.

Building an Empire: John Paul Mitchell Systems

Despite facing numerous setbacks, DeJoria never lost hope or his determination to succeed. In 1980, with a partially borrowed $700, he partnered with hairstylist Paul Mitchell to create John Paul Mitchell Systems. Their vision was to provide hair care professionals with the tools they needed to succeed, benefiting salons and the entire beauty industry.

Their first products were a single-application shampoo and a leave-in conditioner. Today, John Paul Mitchell Systems is the largest privately held salon hair care line, producing over 100 products and operating in more than 95 countries. John Paul revolutionized the professional salon industry by banning animal testing for Paul Mitchell products.

Tequila and Beyond: Patrón and Other Ventures

DeJoria's entrepreneurial spirit extended beyond hair care. In 1989, driven by his love for tequila, he co-founded Patrón, the first ultra-premium tequila. Patrón Spirits International produced 1,000 cases of Patrón in its first year. It has since grown to become the world’s number one ultra-premium tequila, with production approaching 3 million cases of all their products today. In 2018, he sold Patrón to Bacardi in a deal that valued the tequila company at $5.1 billion.

In addition to Patrón tequilas and liqueurs, the company’s portfolio included Pyrat ultra-premium Caribbean rum and Ultimat vodka from Poland. The Patron Spirits Co. and its staff joined the St. John Paul went on to co-found John Paul Pet, Aubio, ROK Mobile and Marquis Yachts-like his previous ventures; they are privately held companies with high ethical standards and reputations for integrity. John Paul Pet shampoos and conditioners don’t irritate sensitive pet skin, and the entire line is “tested on humans first” to ensure effectiveness and safety for all pets. His latest revolutionary venture, ROK Mobile provides consumers a no-contract, mobile carrier that provides nationwide 4G LTE coverage and unlimited voice, text, data and music for $49.99/month.

DeJoria also owns the Patrón Tequila Express, a historic private railroad car built in 1927, previously used by the Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Railroad as Car No. 1925.

Overcoming Homelessness

DeJoria faced homelessness not once, but twice in his life. The first time was at the age of 22, after his wife left him, taking all their money and leaving him with their two-year-old son. He was left with no car and no money to pay the rent, resulting in their eviction. DeJoria and his son were forced to live in a 1951 Caddy with a broken water pump, relying on collecting soda pop bottles for money.

The second time he faced homelessness was when he started Paul Mitchell. They needed a half a million dollars. As a result, John Paul DeJoria couldn’t pay rent of his apartment, and was forced to evict it and live on the street with his infant son.

Philanthropy: Giving Back to the World

Throughout his successful career, DeJoria has remained committed to philanthropy. In 2011, he signed Bill Gates and Warren Buffett’s “The Giving Pledge,” formally promising to continue giving back.

In 2009, he launched Grow Appalachia, an organization that empowers people in Appalachia by providing them with the skills and resources to grow organic, nutritious food. In its first year, Grow Appalachia participants grew 120,000 pounds of food, feeding more than 2,800 people. Last year, the program fed over 30,000 people, growing over 1,151,000 pounds of food, while additionally creating 100 jobs in central Appalachia through gardening projects.

DeJoria is also a major contributor to Food for Africa, an organization dedicated to protecting the lives of children affected by AIDS. His charitable work extends worldwide, as he supports various global organizations and works with world leaders and celebrities. He had aligned with Nelson Mandela and 46664 to help raise awareness of the global HIV/AIDS epidemic, supports Robert Kennedy, Jr.

Fitness and Diet

At 75 years old, DeJoria maintains an active and healthy lifestyle. He credits his fitness to a combination of exercise and a primarily vegetarian diet. He enjoys activities like Navy SEAL pushups and light weightlifting.

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DeJoria's diet is 90 to 95 percent vegetarian, with occasional fish, shrimp, and organic chicken. He starts his day with oatmeal cooked with chopped apples and a little honey. He also takes Daily Restore, a probiotic supplement, to support his immune system.

Success and the Importance of Giving

For DeJoria, success is not about money or power, but about how well you do what you do when no one else is watching. He believes in working hard and striving for excellence, regardless of the circumstances.

DeJoria emphasizes the importance of having a giving heart and making a positive impact on the lives of others. He believes that true wealth lies in happiness and health, and that giving back is essential for a fulfilling life.

As he sums it up: “I have been so down and out in my life. It makes me feel really good to be financially blessed and give back. I get great joy and a great high out of it. Through his foundation, he has raised millions of dollars to support more than 160 charities around the world.

DeJoria's Rules for Success

Throughout your career you are going to run across rejection, John Paul DeJoria points out. “You will knock on doors, and many will close on you. There will be people who don’t like your product, your company - or you.” It’s important you realize this from the day you launch your business. “To be successful, you must remain as confident and enthusiastic on door No. 59 as you were on door No. 1.” If you realize this is going to happen, the rejection won’t hit you so hard.

John Paul DeJoria is adamant: “Always remember you don’t want to be in the product business. You want to be in the reorder business.” As he explains, Work hard to develop a world-class product consumers want.

“If a business wants to stay in business, it cannot just think of today’s bottom line,” says John Paul DeJoria. It must make a company commitment to help others immediately. “By helping others, you are creating future customers and inspiring employee loyalty,” he explains.

John Paul DeJoria said he always focuses on his future. “When you’re down, most people think about the past and what got them there. That’s not going to get you anywhere. Think about what your next step is. “I have time to think,” he says.

Personal Life

DeJoria has been married four times. He married his current wife, Eloise Broady DeJoria, in 1993. They have one child, John Anthony. He also has three children from previous relationships: John Paul II (or Jr.), Alexis Jones (with former wife Jamie Briggs), and Michaeline.

In 2018, when DeJoria finalized the purchase of Taymouth Castle, he gave £10 million to his lawyer, Stephen Jones, for the transaction. Jones absconded with the funds, leaving DeJoria and his fellow investors to pay for the property a second time. Seeking restitution, DeJoria eventually got Jones's professional indemnity insurers, Axis Specialty, to pay him $7 million via a Court of Appeal order.

In 2019, he purchased the 80-acre (32 ha) campus that once housed McDonald's global headquarters.

Film Industry

DeJoria has been active in the film industry as an executive producer and actor. He made a cameo appearance as himself in the 2008 comedy You Don't Mess with the Zohan, and also in The Big Tease as the fictional John Paul Mitchell. DeJoria also made a cameo appearance in the Showtime series Weeds season 2. He narrated and appeared in television commercials for Patron in November 2011. He appeared on the November 1, 2013, broadcast of the ABC reality series Shark Tank as a guest investor, replacing series regular Robert Herjavec.

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