And Outhustle Your Way to a More Successful and Rewarding Life

I purchased this book thinking it would a good tool on how a beginner like myself can start a business. It turned out not to be what I expect. I am thinking The Power of Broke would be what I should've got. I need a book on how CPN and Shelf Corporations work and does one get started in owning their own business.

this book reminds me of those fancy layered coffee drinks. Underneath the fluff and foam there is some good, solid advice. nothing new- hard work, perseverance,- but worthwhile nonetheless. to sweeten the grind, they add interviews with sixteen "achievers" including celebrities like Wendy Williams. My interest in the interviews depended on who they were more than on what they had to say. again the takeaways were basic. Many had the "day in the life of" feel ". The takeaways reminded me of women's magazines where they ask great beauties their secret. Inevitably it is "drink lots of water". valid, true but a good habit is not exactly a secret. And perhaps that is the point. Anyone can make it if they are true to themselves and willing to put in the work to attain their goals. a basic book that is a light and easy read. if you are looking for novel insight and an earth shaking secret, you will not find it here. You will however find reinforcement in the way of proof positive that all the things you already know can work if put into action.

This book is borderline terrible if you have moderate expectations for it. Everything in it is a cliche re-worded with essentially zero original content. If you’re interested in reading a book about how to become motivated to really Rise & Grind, look elsewhere. I couldn’t even make it through 50 pages it was so bad.

The subtitle of the book prepares you for the theme of every page you’re about to turn—Outperform, Outwork and Outhustle Your Way to a More Successful and Rewarding Life. You’ve heard this promise before on dozens of other book spines, but in this case, John delivers in full. Woven throughout his own story of hustle are the lives of other entrepreneurs who have developed their own unique patterns of life and work that led to success for them. The benefit of moving beyond Mr. John’s life is that you see that the ‘grind’ doesn’t have a single, invariable path. Some will rise from bed before the sun to make notes in their journal, others will lie quietly and yet others will admit to the less-noble answering of the call of nature. The takeaway? Forge a path that works for you but keep moving.

Much of Daymon’s personality comes through the text. If you have seen him on the television show Shark Tank, you see him as thoughtful and considerate when dealing with the entrepreneurs as they make their pitch. After reading a couple of his books, the humble desire to see others succeed seems to be the genuine article, rooted in his personal grind. There aren’t any ‘previously hidden’ business secrets in these pages but there is a sense that if Mr. John can hustle and succeed, so can I. Now get at it!

I loved Rise and Grind and meeting Daymond John at Live Talks LA in Los Angeles.
I wrote about the book for Wharton Magazine.

Shark Tank Star’s Secrets to Business Success
February 15, 2018
In his new book, Rise and Grind, Daymond John reveals how to become a better entrepreneur.

The television show, Shark Tank, has been teaching America about business. I have been on a mission to read the books by all of the “Sharks.” Daymond John, CEO and president of the Shark Group, recently spoke at Live Talks Los Angeles about his new book, Rise and Grind, which is about how to be a better entrepreneur.

My favorite part of his conversation was when he talked personally about his journey. One of the most important things, John says, “is to take care of yourself. For Valentine’s Day, show how much you love yourself and take yourself to the doctor.” Many entrepreneurs do not make time for self-care but it is crucial.

John followed a recommendation to have an executive physical. He said it seemed steep at upwards of $7,000 but it saved his life. The discovery and early detection of his stage two thyroid cancer meant he is now cancer-free after treatment.

John said, “Be selfish. Be the best you can be so you can help those around you. It seems like selfish is a bad word but it is important. If you are not around, who will take care of your family?” The first thing on John’s personal priority list is to exercise and eat right. He schedules time to see his family and spend time with his daughters. If you do not set your priorities, other people will. Another great tip—don’t answer emails or look at social media when you wake up.

Sam Rubin from KTLA-TV was a marvelous moderator, taking John through topics of his personal life and some of the highlights from the 16 entrepreneurs featured in the book. John said, “We need methods and techniques to be more successful.” He initially began interviewing entrepreneurs as a means to find a smarter way to work. In the book, John shares the lessons he has learned and the answers to his questions about how to balance life. As he said, “Don’t major in minor. Delegate to amazing individuals on your team.” Make sure you are working on the most important projects that really need your focus each day, he said.

John spoke about how you have to find your own way to make things work. He personally reads his 10 goals every morning and night to make sure he stays on track. Fellow “Shark” Barbara Corcoran has different sets of goals, with an A and B track. Grammy-winning musician Carlos Santana reads from several inspiring books every morning when he wakes up and at night before going to bed.

Santana explains in the book: “It’s like when you get in the car, and you make sure the mirrors are all set. You check the driver-side mirror, the passenger-side mirror, the rearview mirror. You make sure they’re set just right for you, so you can see what’s coming from the back, from the left, from the right. It’s all aligned for you so you can protect yourself. What do they say when you’re learning to drive, that you should know what’s going on seven cars ahead of you, and seven cars behind you?” I love this metaphor about being prepared and on the road for success.

John said you need to set goals and see your path of execution. If your goal is seven new accounts a week, you need one per day. “It is like a plane on autopilot,” he said. “We know where we are going but we have to keep course correcting.”

In his book, John details his GRIND plan:

Get on it. Get moving.

Repeat. Build a meaningful routine and then stick to it.

Insist on your very best. Life isn’t what you accept, it’s what you negotiate.

Navigate. The key is navigating those larger journeys in life and moving with speed and precision, like a killer shark in the water. Keep your eyes on where you want to get to in life—your goals, your passions, your dreams—and keep moving in that direction with fury and purpose when necessary.

Desire, drive, determination to accomplish the outcomes you set out in front of them. What choices will you make to fill your 86,400 seconds each day in a meaningful way?

John also writes, “If you want to succeed, you have to put in the work. Remember, these ultra-successful people get the same 1,440 minutes in every day as you do, and there’s plenty you can learn from how they use them…The dream is free. The hustle is sold separately.”

In his latest book, Rise and Grind: Outperform, Outwork, and Outhustle Your Way To A More Successful and Rewarding Life, Daymond John has sought to write an inspirational book about how to succeed in life.

John explains the purpose of this book is to help the reader so that they could learn and understand the day to day rituals and habits of some of the more successful people in the world.

There are 8 chapters, totalling about 300 pages in this book. John interviewed 16 people, such as talk show host Wendy Williams, actress Catherine Zeta-Jones, musician Carlos Santana and Pastor Joel Osteen. John asked each person to share what their daily habits and routines look like so the rest of the world can learn from them.

This is a good book, but not a great book. At times, I felt like I was reading an infomercial as a great deal of time was spent on explaining who each individual was. There were times the book did not have a good flow to it, and that made an easy book, more difficult to read.

What John is attempting to do is great, but I think there were better ways to accomplish his task. I appreciated learning more about each person, including John, but was left wanting more.

Overall, I would say this is a good book, and worth reading.

I received this book from bloggingforbooks in exchange for an honest review.

I can't get past the first celebrity interview which is Catherine Zeta-Jones. As soon as they plugged her new venture before even getting into her "grind," I knew I was in for of a lot of promo disguised as helpful information. I'm very disappointed in this but I understand the game and know not every motivational book is for everyone and/or certain things resonate at certain times in one's life (ie if you're ready to receive it). I guess I'm not ready because I find this book to be filler BS and promo and I can't go further.

My family and I used to enjoy watching Shark Tank on TV. Of all anchor and guest Sharks, Daymond was my least favorite. To me, he seemed pompous, rude, and sometimes right out bully (I was bullied in school, so I don’t like bullies). For that reason, to fulfill my plan of reading one book written by each Shark each year, I kept pushing Daymond’s book down the waiting list. I though I had nothing to learn from a guy like him. I was wrong.

So far I’ve read Mark Cuban’s How To Win At The Sport Of Business, and Robert Herjavec’s You Don’t Have To Be A Shark, but both left me a little disappointed. I wanted to read Barbara Corcoran’s Use What You’ve Got, but while searching for it, Daymond’s book keep showing up, so I though I might as well get it over with and bought it.

My son Pato is a movie expert. A few years ago I wanted to see Pixar’s animated movie Up and I asked for his opinion. He said that the movie was okay, but it had the best first 10 minutes of a movie ever. According to Pato, the Director was able to compress a life long love story in a descriptive, elegant, and emotional manner in just a few minutes at the starting of the movie, so that the real story could begin. Well, I feel the same way about Daymond’s book.

The book’s title, Raise And Grind has been, and still is, my work motto. I rather be in the company of people who try and fail, and try again, than people who don’t like to work. Against people who don’t want to work, there is no defense. The first few chapters are all about the necessity to get up and work hard, without quitting. Personally, I think that is the only way to make it, unless you are planning to win the lottery or to receive a big inheritance (non of which apply to me). Of course, grinding all day does not guarantee success, but it is the mandatory first step.

Daymon’s book features the stories of many of the entrepreneurs that have made deals with him on Shark Tank, but most of them sound more like a promotional pitch for their products. Only for that reason, I took one star in my rating. But even then, you always have something to learn from everybody.

Reading Daymond’s life story, and his work ethic has given me a new perspective and appreciation of him. I don’t watch TV that much, but if I catch another episode of Shark Tank, I will be rooting for him to strike a deal.

If you are a hard worker and are always looking for spare time to turn it into grinding sessions, I highly recommend this book. If you are not, I recommend this book even more.

Before reading this book, I was, of course, well familiar with Daymond John from "Shark Tank", but the book gave me an entirely different perspective of him as a person and a businessman. His philosophies and positions do not always align with what I have read in other books, but this is where his personality and approach to reaching his key clients can be found.
I found the book to be an interesting and surprising read, full of good advice, some of it immediately applicable to my own business, some of it less so, but thoughtworthy nevertheless.
A book, I truly enjoyed reading.

Daymond John is a recharger. He motivates by the dynamic way in which he writes, the strength he conveys in the words, and the real life bios of people who made it despite sometimes HUGE odds.

He uses some Acronyms in the book to motivate (such as SHARK) and speaks to us with sincerity, conviction and strength. We may not agree with everything he says (I for one, DO) but he certainly opens up part of the inquisitive mind heart and soul -- and can continue to open it up to possibilities, including those not even considered.

At the end of each paragraph is a link that takes the reader into the world of others whose motivation (and achievement) inspires and sometimes awes. Anecdotes abound, and the style in which Daymond John delivers his message throughout the book is one of friendliness and oppenness.

The book is long, every word matters -- this is not something that vou can easily "skim over" but the message does not fade or lose the reader's interest. Truly, one will feel more empowered and equipped to "Rise and Shine" once they have read this book.

Most Inspiring! The hard work Daymond John put into the world from a very young age till this very day has resulted into a successful & fulfilling life that Daymond is willing to share with us through this book.

"What you put in.., is what you get out." Daymond "The People's Shark" gives back to "us.., the people," with the legacies, interviews, motivations, and inspiring stories of people who took their Rise & Grind to the most impressive, successfully rewarding & celebrity outcomes, that gives us the answer to a "Rise & Grind" meaning of life.

You'll enjoy the hard-charging challenges and journeys of everyone listed, from Actors to Artists & from Pastors to Performers, and Everyone in between. Rise & Grind is the new metaphor, motivator, movement, and most of all "A Mindset"

Get this book & maybe.., You Will Be Part of The Next One!

- Joe the Lawn Dawg

Agree with others. Very cliche. No new revelations. I stopped listening after a few chapters. I can't tolerate a narrator who isn't even literate. It's like nails on a chalkboard. Seriously Damon? You couldn't find someone to read your book who knows how to say the word "ask" instead of "ax"? Or better yet, don' be so lazy. Grind out the narration yourself. Yeesh.

Damon's thinly veiled pimping of CZJ (and their new company) was cringe-worthy. He says she demonstrated her grit by picking up the phone to call someone she didn't even know (Damon, of course) to talk to him about a possible partnership in a home design company. Wow, what do you know. Her tenacity and hard work paid off and they have collaborated. LOL. Can the average Joe with tenacity and grit (but without CJZ's celebrity and money that can open literally ANY door) pick up the phone and call Damon to get a sweet deal? *snort*

Relatively quick and easy read that constantly reinforces the principle that success is built on sweat and effort (the 'grind') and those who consistently put in the work will increase their chances of finding their footing on the long road toward personal success. The book is a mix of anecdote and exposition from Daymond John himself mixed in with personal advice narratives from a mix of business leaders and celebrities sharing their wisdom.

Great read! This book is inspirational and motivating. Every person interviewed in this book are amazing. Every entrepreneur should read this book as motivation to continue the course no matter how difficult it may be. I love the details regarding the process the successful entrepreneurs endured to achieve their goals. I especially liked their transparency in sharing their failures and how they creatively found a solution to overcome their obstacles. This one is a must for my library to read again.

This book is amazing and just what every person needs who wants to get motivated! Learn from people who wouldn't accept words like "can't" and "no". Applying these tactics to your everyday life will surely guarantee a successful one! I'm about to read it all over again!

Absolutely inspirational! This is one book that'll definitely listen to again. I enjoyed each and every story that Daymond brought to the readers. I could relate to each of them in different ways. The narrative will make you think and want to do better in your everyday life.

Reading the last two chapters of this book after seeing Daymond live a few weeks ago. It is very interesting to know how others get their day going and a very inspirational read! Daymond, thank you for taking the time to interview all of these people and to share it with those of us interested in learning from everyone’s wisdom. And, thank you for coming to Austin Texas with Tony Robbins, Pitbull, and the rest of the team

This book is great! I bought the audio book beacuase i have a toddler. What parent has time to read a book cover to cover? I love Sway's delivery, he's easy to follow. I don't zone out thinking about other things while I'm listening. Powerful tips in the book. My favorite quote from the book, "Use what works for you".

This book is amazing! The energy you feel when reading this book about Daymond John and 15 entrepreneurs is simply motivating. This book is a must read for anyone who wants to take that next step whether you’re a entrepreneur or not.

This book is awesome! Highly successful people telling Daymond John there daily, “Rise and Grind”! We all have the same 24hrs, but what do they do differently than you and I to get the most out of it? Read the book to find out!

Another great book for Entrepreneurs and really anyone wanting to be successful in business and life. Great success stories are provided to learn from and implement what works well for your own success. A must read!

These are special rise and grind stories, that tells you about outperform, outwork, and outhustle what you think is not possible for your next level(personal or business). There will be a story that you can relate to and implement it to your daily rise and grind.

Rise and Grind isn't all about yourself, its also about helping others rise and grind for a better productive day. This book is a phenomenal read, please inspire someone else to read it, knowledge is power. #ambassador for DJ

I learned about this book while watching Daymond John on the morning radio talk show The Breakfast Club with Charlemagne The God. On this show John described his book as a guide for readers so that they may learn the morning rituals and activities of some of the most successful people in the business world. As a woman on a journey to becoming her best, this book sounded like something I would really be interested in reading. So I purchased the book the next day.

As much as I would like to say Rise And Grind is a must read for anyone looking to take their grind to a higher lever...I cannot. Instead, Rise and Grind read to me like a book of bios detailing the life and accomplishments of the author’s business partners and associates.

With a total of eight chapters, there are fifteen different people interviewed in the book. Some of these individuals include television talk show host Wendy Williams, actress Catherine Zeta-Jones, Grammy award winning artist Carlos Santana and Pastor Joel Osteen. Each person was asked to share their day-to-day habits and routines so that the reader may see how some of the world's most successful people make the most out of a 24 hour day.

In theory this is an awesome concept. However, I believe John failed in the execution. I would have enjoyed the book much more if he did not spend so much time providing background information of each of the individuals featured. John spent more than half of each person's section telling the life story of the featured individual. Then he spent even more time detailing his relationship with that individual. After all of this information was given he finally provided a few quotes from the interviewee, giving the reader a glimpse into his or her day-to-day habits and rituals. The disconnect I experienced with this book came from the author providing so much background information, that I began to lose interest with each story.

Of all the chapters in the book my favorite was Chapter Six: Grind All Night. In this chapter John discussed the importance of business owners putting themselves in the environments that exposes them to as many different people, brands, and trends as possible. He uses himself as an example by explaining why he continues to frequent nightclubs at the age of 48. In this chapter he also stresses the importance of putting, "yourself where the deals happen". Meaning, if you are on your grind, you should always network where your market lives and breaths. This is how you learn what the latest trends are within your industry. It's how you get a leg up on the competition and stay connected to the consumers in your market.

In summary, yes...there are some sections within Rise and Grind that contains insightful words of wisdom. And yes, some of the stories in the book are inspiring. But overall, there were not enough aha moments for me to give this book my stamp of approval.

But as I always say, if you are considering reading this book, please continue to do so. It is my belief that every book has a purpose. Maybe there is a message for you within these pages that was not meant for me.

Daymond breaks down the work ethics of several key players into just a few pages while going deep into his own work ethic. I read a little bit of Daymond's book every day. Since reading it, I've been getting up before 4 am each day to start pursuing my grind. I also implement what I've learned in the book (i.e. I read a little bit of five, now eight, books every day when I wake up).

Rise and Grind by Daymond John has been an awesome read! Each page is filled with so much motivation to really help keep the rise and grind in our own lives going!

I try to read at least 2 books per month geared to entrepreneurs and notice some get lost in repetitive babble or just rewording other popular theories. Rise and Grind took the points of view on entrepreneurship and what the rise and grind means to many different successful entrepreneurs to create a fresh remix on the topic. It was nice to hear from so many different thinkers in one easy read.