The moment
The chapter opens on Mulholland Drive in 1980, where John Paul DeJoria sleeps in his car with only a few hundred dollars. Pride keeps him from asking for help, yet alongside Paul Mitchell he still has an idea, a partner, and roughly $700 with which to begin.
The response
The turning point comes when promised outside funding disappears as DeJoria’s marriage ends, leaving him homeless and the new company nearly penniless. Rather than abandon the venture, he accepts a friend’s temporary room, spends $15 on a post-office box and uses business cards to create credibility. He then sells shampoo and conditioner salon by salon, doing every job himself and meeting rejection with the persistence learned at door sixteen.
What to carry forward
The chapter presents persistence not as bravado but as repeated, practical action: keep showing up, learn the work, and let resourcefulness substitute for resources. DeJoria’s later generosity also reframes success; remembering scarcity, he treats opportunity and giving as responsibilities to pass forward.
A question for your own story
When resources and confidence are both scarce, what small, practical act could help you keep moving toward a worthwhile goal?
Sources cited in the chapter
- John Paul DeJoria: Adventures of a serial entrepreneur
- You can go from absolute zero to millions, says hair-care mogul John Paul Jones De Joria
Continue with the complete story in Adversity’s Gift.
A concise chapter adaptation from Adversity’s Gift by Lawrence Colbert. Read the complete story and source list in the book. Featured subjects’ inclusion is separate from endorsement.