| John Paul Jones DeJoria | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 13, 1944
Echo Park, Los Angeles, California, United States |
| Nationality |  United States |
| Years active | 1980-present |
| Known for | John Paul Mitchell Systems |
| Spouse(s) | Eloise Broady (June 13, 1993 - present)[1] |
| Children | 6 |
John Paul Jones DeJoria (born April 13, 1944) is famous as a former homeless person who went on to become a billionaire businessman. According to Forbes magazine, he is worth US$4 billion.[2]
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John Paul Jones DeJoria[3] was born the second son of an Italian immigrant father and Greek immigrant mother[4] on April 13, 1944[5] in the Echo Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. His parents divorced by the time he was two years old, and at nine he began selling Christmas cards and newspapers with his older brother to support his family. When his single mother proved unable to support both children, they were sent to an East Los Angeles foster home.[6][7]
DeJoria spent much of his youth in a street gang in East Los Angeles, but changed when he was told that he would "never, ever succeed at anything in life" by a math teacher at John Marshall High School. He graduated in 1962 and spent two years in the United States Navy,[6] after which he floated through a series of jobs ranging from janitor to insurance salesman.[8]
DeJoria entered the world of hair care as an employee of Redken Laboratories. He was fired from this position, he claims over a disagreement on business strategies. In 1980, he formed John Paul Mitchell Systems with hairdresser Paul Mitchell and a loan for $700.[6]
Dejoria is involved in a variety of business ventures. Primary is John Paul Mitchell Systems, founded in 1980 and, according to reports, having revenues in excess of $1 billion annually. The Patron Spirits Company he co-founded in 1992 with business partner Martin Crowley also produces more than $1 billion revenues annually. He was a founding partner of the House of Blues nightclub chain, subsequently sold to Live Nation for $350 million in 2006, and has interests in Pyrat Rum, Ultimat Vodka, Solar Utility, Sun King Solar, Touchstone Natural Gas, Three Star Energy, Diamond Audio, a Harley Davidson dealership, a diamond company (Dejoria), mobile technology developer ROK Entertainment Group and the John Paul Pet company, which does hair and personal grooming for animals.[9]
To commemorate his 20th anniversary of being homeless he purchased a seat on the New York Stock exchange. He is married to Miss April 1988 Playboy Playmate Eloise Broady, has six children, and lives mainly in Las Vegas, Nevada and Austin, Texas.
DeJoria made a cameo appearance as his own former business partner, Paul Mitchell, in the 2008 comedy You Don't Mess with the Zohan, trying to convince Zohan to join his salon and also in The Big Tease as the fictional John Paul Mitchell, who acted as a judge in the Platinum Scissors competition in which Craig Ferguson's character, Crawford, was competing.
He currently appears on The Grind Show Online, an online television show focused on success strategies.
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