Don’t Pitch the Media. Do This to Get Big Stages + a Real Brand in 2026 with Jason Feifer

I sat down with Daymond John — FUBU founder, Shark Tank investor, and one of the first CEOs to build a real personal brand in front of the camera — and we went straight at the thing I care about most: visibility. Daymond put it bluntly: if you're invisible, you're vulnerable, and if you're vulnerable, you're replaceable. We talk about how he learned to control the narrative from FUBU through Shark Tank, why follower counts don't impress him without conversion, how he documents his life in "silos," what changed after his thyroid cancer diagnosis, and the "power of broke" lesson every founder needs before they hire someone to fix their problems. This conversation matters if you're building a business or a personal brand and still waiting for someone else to make you visible. Daymond and I both land on the same idea: visibility is your responsibility. Every day you stay quiet is another day the people you could help hire someone who cares less and isn't as good as you. If you want to raise capital, grow an audience, or just stop getting boxed into one version of yourself, this episode gives you the practical why — and a lot of the how. Click the link in the show notes for CEOAccess.com if you're a larger CEO looking to get vetted for Daymond's team — and follow him at The Shark Daymond on Instagram, LinkedIn, and the rest of his platforms. Jen Quote: "Visibility is your responsibility. Because every day that goes by that you're not making yourself visible to the people that you can help is another day that those people are going to go hire someone else that's not as good as you and doesn't care as much as you." ~Jen Gottlieb In This Episode: • How Daymond built multiple brand stories for FUBU so he wasn't relying on one celebrity or one narrative • Why authenticity beats trying to fit a box — and what happens when social media exposes the gap • The three questions every business has to answer: Why me? Why now? Why this? • Why a million Instagram followers don't automatically make a founder more investable • Daymond's content strategy across investing, empowering people, biohacking, and dad jokes • His biohacking origin story after stage two thyroid cancer — and daily habits that cost little to nothing • Keynote tips: tell them what you're going to tell them, pause on purpose, never apologize for what you forgot • The "power of broke," learning your business yourself, and why AI makes your real history and legacy matter more About Daymond John Daymond is a world-renowned marketing and branding expert. As the Founder and CEO of FUBU, Daymond John led his company to more than $6 billion in global sales and revolutionized the fashion industry in the process. After continuing to dominate the fashion world, Daymond's success and vision expanded into many other industries and opportunities. Today, he is one of the most sought-after keynote speakers and consultants and a co-star on ABC's five-time Emmy Award-winning show, Shark Tank. Daymond continues to share his experience, expertise, and entrepreneurial insight to help others build businesses, brands, and lasting success. Where to Find Daymond John Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesharkdaymond/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheSharkDaymond/ CEO Access: https://www.ceoaccess.com/ Website: https://daymondjohn.com/ Where to Find Me Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jen_gottlieb/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jen_gottlieb Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Jenleahgottlieb Website: https://jengottlieb.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@jen_gottlieb?sub_confirmation=1 Chapters 00:00:53 — Daymond John joins the show (Culver City / Shark Tank fun fact) 00:02:10 — Building a personal brand as a CEO 00:03:03 — FUBU, LL Cool J, and stacking multiple brand stories 00:05:31 — Authenticity vs. performing for the algorithm 00:09:19 — Why founders need a personal brand (Why me? Why now? Why this?) 00:11:28 — Do follower counts matter when Daymond invests? 00:14:14 — Daymond's con

Before Solidcore had a single studio open, Anne Mahlum turned down $75,000 from an investor who wanted 30% of the company. She knew that money would become a crutch, so she walked away and risked everything on her own terms. Anne is a fascinating person. She started her first business with nothing but a running route past a homeless shelter in Philadelphia. Then she built another studio. This is a replay of one of my favorite conversations on the show, and it is one I keep coming back to.

A few weeks ago, I was on a tiny island in the Keys with my husband, phone off, and nowhere to be. A $25K speaking deal came in while I was lying on a lounge chair watching fish jump out of the water. That moment got me thinking. There is a fine line between putting in the work and pushing so hard that you start repelling the very things you want. I had crossed that line without even realizing it, and the vacation snapped me back. This solo episode covers what that taught me about building a personal brand that works even when you are not. Sometimes the best thing you can do for your business is nothing at all.

I'm revisiting one of my favorite conversations with bestselling author Steven Pressfield, whose wisdom on fear, resistance, and creativity has inspired millions. If you've been sitting on an idea, delaying your next move, or wondering why the work that matters most feels the hardest to begin, this episode will give you the perspective—and the push—you need. When Steven Pressfield published The Legend of Bagger Vance, many called him an overnight success. What they didn't see were the 30 years of failed novels, unproduced screenplays, and stretches of homelessness that came before it.

Leanne Lopez Mosley once stood at the bottom of her neighbors' driveways, talking herself out of knocking on their doors to sell $35 event tickets. A toddler at home, a corporate job she was desperate to leave, and zero customers to speak of. Who knew just a few years later she would be making a million per month? Well, Leanne did. She made $500,000 in her first full year, then had a baby, quit live launching, and crossed a million dollars in the same year. The secret was not working harder. It was getting obsessively specific about who she was talking to and what she was selling them.