John Paul DeJoria

John Paul DeJoria Photo

John Paul Jones DeJoria is an entrepreneur and philanthropist; who is well known for his Paul Mitchell hair products. He is also the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of The Patron Spirits Company. The billionaire has a net worth of $4 billion.

DeJoria was born on 13th April 1944 in Echo Park, Los Angeles, California. His parents got divorced when he was two and at nine years of age he was selling newspapers and cards in order to support his family. DeJoria attended Atwater Elementary and then John Marshall High School. His mother could not support both her children so she had to send them to a foster home. As a teenager he got involved in some street gang activities but he decided to change his path after being advised by a teacher at school. In 1962 after he graduated from high school, he joined the Navy where he spent two years.

To make ends meet DeJoria did many jobs including being a janitor to selling insurance. He got a job at Redken Laboratories and this was the beginning of his entrepreneurial success. He was eventually fired from this job after a disagreement over some of the business policies. He co-founded John Paul Mitchell Systems with the hairdresser Paul Mitchell in 1980. He took a loan of 700 dollars for the start-up. John Paul DeJoria also owns seventy percent of The Patrons Spirits Company which is a world famous tequila brand. He co-founded the company in 1989. It sold more than 2,450,000 cases in 2011. He is also a founding member of the nightclub chain House of Blues and has interests in Ultimat Vodka, Pyrat Rum, Sun King Solar, Solar Utility, Three Star Energy, Touchstone Natural Gas, Diamond Audio, ROK AMERICAS, John Paul Pet, a diamond company, J&D Acquisitions LLC, Larson’s parent company, Triumph, Striper, a Harley-Davidson dealership, Carver and Marquis Yachts.

John Paul DeJoria is also an actor and producer in the film industry. He made an appearance in the 2008 comedy movie ‘You Don’t Mess with the Zohan’ and in ‘The Big Tease’ in which he played his former business partner Paul Mitchell. He also made an appearance in the season two of the TV series ‘Weeds’. He also acted and narrated in the television commercial of Patron in 2011. In 2012 he displayed his support of Captain Paul Watson of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society through a video release. DeJoria also supports Food4Africa. He joined Nelson Mandela in Africa to help feed more than seventeen thousand orphan children. His company Paul Mitchell also provided food for more than 400000 poor children.

This once homeless billionaire is today inducted in the esteemed Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans.  His rule of life is ‘Success unshared is failure’ and this policy can be seen throughout his company. His employees are very happy to work with him. He has maintained such a friendly work environment and paychecks far more than what the market normally offers. Today the hero of this ‘rags to riches story’ has come a long way. He lives with his wife and six children in their Austin home.