What’s up, Startup Investor?

Daymond here.

I’ve invested in some incredible startups through the years.

And I won’t sugarcoat it. They’ve made me good money.

But the most valuable part of those investments extends far beyond the extra dollars in my bank account.

To me, one of the best parts of every single angel investment I’ve made is the ability to pay it forward.

Here’s how I think about it:

As an angel investor, you’re using your own money to invest in not just a startup, but the passionate founder (or founding team) behind that startup.

I’ve met countless entrepreneurs in my life. Just about all of them created their companies because they wanted to make a change. They saw a problem and realized it was up to them to do something about it.

These founders work hard, with their noses to the grindstone day in and out, to bring their biggest dreams to life. In a startup’s earliest stages, many of these founders don’t even take a salary.

That’s how much they care.

And your money, advice, and resources (because remember- it’s not all about the cash), can help them do just that. As an investor, you are putting these founders one step closer to changing their own lives, taking care of their families, and hopefully, transforming the world one day.

Now, that’s a great feeling… whether you’re the angel investor or the entrepreneur making it all happen.

You know, when I think about what it means to pay it forward, I remember two people:

My mom and my buddy, LL Cool J.

My mom was my very first angel investor. She mortgaged our house in Queens so that I could have the money I needed to make FUBU a success.

And LL Cool J was FUBU’s first big spokesperson. I literally camped outside his house, trying to get him to wear the brand… And one day, he agreed. His endorsement changed the game for us.

Now that I’ve made it big, I want to do the same for the next generation of entrepreneurs.

That mission has defined more than a decade of my career.

And here’s the thing. So many people forget that you don’t need to be rolling in cash to help a founder and their team make a difference.

In the world of angel investing, you’re not an everyday, average Joe. You’re a superstar just for helping a founder out, even if you only have a couple of hundred dollars (or less) to invest.

Angel investing isn’t some kind of secret society. Far from it. You just need to have access to the right resources that’ll let you look behind the curtain… or even pull that curtain down completely.

That’s what I’m here to help you accomplish. This is my way of paying it forward – and by being a part of this community, you’re paying it forward, too.

Because together, we really can change the world, and I can’t wait to keep working with you on that journey.

We’ll talk soon,


Daymond John