John Paul DeJoria , ranked by Forbes magazine as the 66th richest man in America with a net worth of $4.6 billion, did not start off with very much at all.  He explained to me that he started off living out of his car with his 2-year-old son, collecting cans and bottles for the deposit money in order to feed themselves but he never gave up hope.

“Just because you’re homeless doesn’t mean your hopeless in this country,” he explains.

DeJoria is the co-founder of John Paul Mitchell Systems line of beauty salon haircare products in the distinct black and white bottles.  That color scheme was chosen because when they started out, printing things in black and white was cheaper and they couldn’t afford color.  He is also co-founder of Patron Spirits Company, maker of quality tequilla.

He explains in this episode what it takes to succeed in America, and what the value of the American Dream meant to him.

“Remember, when we started in 1980, the economic conditions were even worse than they are today, if you can imagine such a thing.  People forget that unemployment was over 10%, interest rates were over 14%, and inflation was 18%.  That’s the economic environment in which we started our business.”

He continued:  “If you really want to succeed in America, there are two things you have do….”

Click here to find out what those two things are.