Shark Tank Superstar Daymond John Urges ASI's Chicago Audience To "Keep Swimming"

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Jul 14, 2017, 12:45 ET

CHICAGO, July 14, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Reality TV co-host and FUBU founder Daymond John delivered a rousing motivational keynote on Thursday at a trade show hosted by the Advertising Specialty Institute^®, urging a standing-room-only audience of entrepreneurs to "just keep swimming."

Throughout his fast-paced presentation during ASI Show^® Chicago at the McCormick Place convention center, John challenged suppliers and distributors in the $23 billion promotional products industry to follow his five "Shark Points" to achieve success in both life and business. But in the end, he said, "It all comes down to love."

John punctuated his talk – which was funny, poignant and jam-packed with inspiration – with videos, sound effects, funky music and personal photos of celebrity friends like Michael Jackson, Muhammad Ali and Prince. "Never forget that you are the brand," he said, advising the audience to choose a handful of precise words to describe themselves, adding, "When you know that, then you can master the pitch. On Shark Tank, we do not invest in companies, we invest in people."

Raised by a single mom in Queens, New York, John got his entrepreneurial start selling hats, marketing his fledgling brand by spray-painting "FUBU" throughout the city. After achieving phenomenal success, he transitioned to TV, co-hosting the Emmy Award-winning Shark Tank, in which budding entrepreneurs compete for the chance to make their dreams reality.

"The keynote with Daymond John was very inspirational and definitely gave me fuel to go back and kick my own brand to a new level," said Brian Stout, of Go Earn It. "The biggest thing by far I got from him was that you need to represent the brand – you are the brand."

ASI's annual three-day Chicago trade show for the buyers and sellers of branded and logoed items traditionally given away to market companies, brands and organizations or to thank employees or clients, was attended by 615 exhibitors and 3,776 distributors from 44 states and 13 countries, including 541 companies from Illinois, 242 women-owned companies and 215 minority-owned companies.

Go to www.asicentral.com and www.asishow.com for complete coverage of the show.

About ASI
The Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI^®) serves a network of 23,500 suppliers, distributors and decorators in the $23 billion promotional products industry.

SOURCE Advertising Specialty Institute