In 1997, we were introduced to the sibling trio of Teri, Maxine, and Bird — the Joseph sisters. Like many families, they were a tight-knit group that navigated life’s challenges and moments in what they believed were the most appropriate ways. With spouses, children, and close friends all a part of the ecosystem around the siblings — their mom was at the center, holding them all together.

If you haven’t figured it out yet, “Soul Food” is the story, and it’s a “blassic” (Black classic) about the power and influence of Mama Joe and how the lessons she gave her girls served as generational wisdom that was deeply rooted in tradition.

Familial relationships range in closeness and health, but moms frequently have a special place in the hearts of children. When growing up, your mom’s advice may seem nerve-racking and annoying, but when the perils of adulting start to kick in, her wisdom is always clutch. Millionaire Daymond John is a testament to such wisdom and support.

John is likely most known as the CEO of FUBU and standing judge on ABC’s “Shark Tank,” but his story starts long before his days as a millionaire, and his mom is a big piece of the puzzle.

More Than Cheddar Bay Biscuits

Daymond John started FUBU in 1992 while working as an employee for Red Lobster. According to a report from Insider, the fashion mogul wanted to create a hat he’d seen in a music video using the sewing skills his mother taught him as a child.

Hustle Culture Paid Off

Once mastering the hat design, John put his entrepreneurial skills to the test and sold his product for $20 in front of a local shopping mall.

Those hats were a big hit, as he and his starting team sold out in just a few hours. From there, the concept of FUBU (For Us By Us) was born and headquartered out of his mom’s home.

Residual Life Lessons

This level of dedication was not only attributed to John’s vision but also based on the life lessons his mother instilled in him at an early age. From her lessons on the necessity of studying and homework to her unconventional way of teaching him about the danger of drug use, Mama John was consistently dropping gems that had immeasurable value.

"I could've been a crackhead all by myself, but she ruined that for me," John jokingly told Insider.

Mom's Wisdom Paid Off

At its peak, FUBU had reached revenue earning of $350 million, and guess who played a big part in that success? You got it, Daymond John’s mother.

As previously reported by AfroTech, John’s mom took out a $100,000 loan on their house to become the first investor in FUBU.

“I go to my mother and tell her I got turned down from 27 banks, and she says, ‘Daymond, you’ve been trying to contribute to this house as long as you were a kid. I wouldn’t do this if you didn’t have the money. Let’s take all of the money we can out of the house. You manufacture and deliver the clothes and put the money back into the house.’ And that’s how she gave me the money,” he told Shannon Sharpe in an April 2022 interview.

“My mother went out and got a $100,000 loan on my house, and I have no idea how because the houses were $75,000. To this day, I haven’t asked her what she did for the rest of the money, but shout out to moms,” he continued.