Patron Tequila is listed as the most popular kind of tequila in the United States, but it is because of its sales, not because of its flavors. This tequila basically invented the elite tequila category and it was founded nearly 20 years ago. Instead of drinking tequila to forget, the Patron brand wanted to create a drink that was social and classy. The inventor, John Paul Jones DeJoria, is worth about $2.5 billion today and remarkably, most people actually think his name is something else.
DeJoria was born in 1944 in the Echo Park area of Los Angeles. He was even the member of a street gang while growing up, but met a math teacher in high school who showed him that the gang kind of life wouldn’t help him succeed. DeJoria spent two years in the US Navy and then worked as a janitor and even as an insurance salesman. Here are some of his other career endeavors to consider as well.
1. Paul Mitchell Hair Systems
When people see DeJoria, many of them believe that he is actually Paul Mitchel, but that isn’t the case. Mitchell actually passed away in 1989. DeJoria helped form the Paul Mitchell Hair Systems in 1980 with his partner for a loan of just $700. Using his experience as an employee of Redken Laboratories, the systems helped to revolutionize how the hair care business is approached today.
2. House of Blues
It’s hard to find a good blues club. You either have good music with poor service and lousy liquor or lousy music with good liquor and food that helps you tune out the bad melodies. DeJoria is a founding partner of the House of Blues nightclub chain, which is essentially the combination of a live music hall and a restaurant. The first was opened in Harvard Square at Cambridge in 1992 and since then, 12 other locations have opened up around the country.
3. Food4Africa
Although he didn’t create this charity, he has been a long-time supporter of helping to provide life-saving meals to children on the African continent. In 2008, his companies provided over 400k meals to children and DeJoria even traveled to Africa to work with Nelson Mandela to improve the lives of over 17,000 local orphans.
4. Other Interests
DeJoria has investment interests in a number of different organizations and has a wide range of diversity in his portfolio. He has his own branded diamond company, two solar companies, and has fingers in the natural gas and oil development arenas as well. DeJoria also owns a Harley Davidson dealership, has additional rum and vodka interests, and is part of the John Paul Pet company that does personal grooming for animals.
DeJoria is also known for his desire to support what is right. At one point, Captain Paul Watson was detained in Germany for trying to stop shark finning operations, which harvest just the fin of a shark and leave the rest of the animal behind to bleed out. Watson is currently wanted for whaling interference by Interpol, but is not being extradited, perhaps partially because of DeJoria’s influence.
Strong proponent of individual liberty and free speech. My goal is to present information that expands our awareness of crucial issues and exposes the manufactured illusion of freedom that we are sold in America. Question everything because nothing is what it seems.
