Giving Compass' Take:

· In an interview conducted by Town & Country, John Paul Mitchell Systems founder John Paul DeJoria discusses how he built his empire and the influence his mother had on him in regards to philanthropy. DeJoria, now valued at about $3.4 billion, funds charities involved in animal and child welfare, sustainability, and social responsibility.

· DeJoria struggled as a child and faced many hardships throughout his life that made him the motivated philanthropist he is today. How do personal experiences influence the way people give back to the community?

· Learn more about the rise of celebrity philanthropy. 

Even $5.1 billion can’t hold John Paul DeJoria’s attention for long. Recently, Bacardi announced it was buying Patrón, the tequila maker (70 percent of which is owned by DeJoria), in a deal that valued the company just north of $5 billion—a staggering sum for a business that is essentially a side hustle for a man whose primary gig is running haircare giant John Paul Mitchell Systems.

But after a minute of reveling, DeJoria is already pitching his newest enterprise. “My next business will be bigger than both of them put together,” he says, blue eyes ablaze. The minders flanking DeJoria jump in to advise him that the details must remain top secret. “My partner is one of the most famous people in the world,” he teases. “We have something that’s one of the biggest breakthroughs ever!”

But his relentless positivity is almost Muppet-like. Josh Tickell, who co-directed the 2016 documentary "Good Fortune," which details DeJoria’s unlikely history, concurs. “At some stage he chose to be unstoppably positive,” Tickell says. “And to be someone who gives of himself and his time.”

Much of the energy he exerted in getting rich — building a shampoo empire out of nothing and convincing the world that tequila could be a top-shelf spirit — is now devoted to philanthropy. In 2011 he signed the Giving Pledge, joining the fraternity of billionaires committed to donating at least half their fortunes; he also launched JP’s Peace, Love, and Happiness Foundation to further divest himself of his wealth by funding charities involved in animal and child welfare, sustainability, and social responsibility.

When DeJoria started making money, he experimented with small acts of kindness. He once spotted a mother with her kids in a diner and noticed that she was scanning the menu for the cheapest meal. He picked up her tab, instructing the waiter to keep his identity a secret. “I walked out of there high as a kite,” he says. “The greatest high that you could ever have is when you do something for somebody else and ask nothing in return.

Read the full article about John Paul DeJoria by Andrew Goldman at Town & Country.