GS03 Harnessing Entrepreneurial Ingenuity in Talent Development
8:30 AM - 10:00 AM
Wednesday, April 24
Professionals in learning and HR departments often grapple with the challenge of fostering an environment that encourages creativity and innovation while simultaneously maintaining the structure, efficiency, and compliance many organizations require. This delicate balance is crucial in a rapidly evolving business landscape where traditional approaches may no longer suffice. Today’s talent development professionals face the challenge of nurturing an entrepreneurial mindset that fosters growth, promotes resourcefulness, and embracing change while adhering to corporate objectives and culture. Additionally, the evolving role of professionals in talent development and business strategy requires new insights into effective leadership and team dynamics.
In this keynote session, Daymond John, a renowned entrepreneur, business expert, and star of Shark Tank, will share his invaluable insights drawn from his own rags-to-riches journey, demonstrating how the principles of entrepreneurial thinking can be effectively integrated into corporate settings. You will learn about the “Power of Broke” philosophy and how it cultivates resourcefulness and innovation. John will provide practical strategies for applying entrepreneurial thinking to both individual and team development, offering key takeaways in leadership, creativity, and adapting to change. This session promises to equip HR and learning professionals with the tools and perspectives needed to drive their organizations toward greater innovation and success, while also addressing the unique challenges of corporate environments.
Daymond John
Star of ABC’s Shark Tank
An entrepreneur in every sense of the word, Daymond John has come a long way from taking out a $100,000 mortgage on his mother’s house and moving his business operation into its basement. John is CEO and Founder of FUBU, a much-celebrated global lifestyle brand, and a pioneer in the fashion industry with billions in product sales worldwide. Former President Barack Obama appointed Daymond John as a Presidential Ambassador for Global Entrepreneurship (PAGE) to harness his energy, ideas, and experience to help develop the next generation of entrepreneurs both at home and abroad.
John is an award-winning entrepreneur and has received 100s of awards including the Brand Week Marketer of the Year, Advertising Age Marketing 1000 Award for Outstanding Ad Campaign, Ernst & Young’s New York Entrepreneur of the Year Award, and was named #2 on LinkedIn’s Top 20 Voices, a list of the top influencers, who are using their voice to help us analyze today’s changing world of work, navigate our industries, and find balance. Most recently, Real Leaders Magazine named Daymond John one of the Top 50 Keynote Speakers in the World in 2023, a list of “real teachers — people who speak from experience.”
His marketing strategies and ability to build successful brands have made him a highly influential consultant and motivational speaker today. His marketing firm The Shark Group offers advice on how to effectively communicate to consumers through innovative means and connects brands with the world’s top celebrities for everything from endorsements to product extensions.
John is also an author of 6 best-selling books including his latest New York Times best-seller, The Power of Broke (2016) and Rise and Grind (2018). In 2020, John released his fifth book, Powershift, that walks through his tried-and-true process of how to transform any situation, close any deal, and achieve any outcome. John’s most recent book, Little Daymond Learns to Earn (2023), is his first for kids, and reached the New York Times and Amazon best-seller list the first week of its release. The book addresses the current void of educating our children about money in a fun and engaging story for parents and kids to connect. John’s mission is to continue challenging the status quo and leave a lasting legacy of inspiring other leaders to do the same.
Finally, John is celebrating his 14th season on ABC TV’s critically acclaimed business reality show Shark Tank by renowned producer Mark Burnett, which has reinvigorated entrepreneurship around the world. Shark Tank has now gone on to win five Emmy® in the US and millions of weekly viewers worldwide tune into the show as John demonstrates his marketing prowess and entrepreneurial insights.