Ordinary People, Extraordinary Founders

What does it really take to build something meaningful? Not fairy tales. Not meteoric rises. The stories that follow are lived reality—full of hardship, hope, risk, and heart. Written for anyone who dreams of building a business that matters, they show that where you come from doesn’t determine where you can go.

In this post, you’ll meet:

1. John Paul DeJoria – from foster care and homelessness to billion-dollar brands

2. Kathryn Minshew – rejected 148 times before The Muse changed careers forever

3. Richard Montañez – a janitor who sparked a snack revolution
   …plus, deeper insights: lessons every founder should know, and how you can start today.

John Paul DeJoria’s Story: From Poverty to Billion-dollar brands

John Paul DeJoria’s roots were rocky. Born in Los Angeles in 1944, he bounced between foster homes and poverty. As a child, he sold Christmas cards and newspapers, not just for pocket money but out of pride—he learned early that persistence matters more than privilege.

As a young adult, he survived on menial jobs—janitor, encyclopedia salesman, and tow truck driver. When he reached senior roles at Redken Laboratories, it felt like a breakthrough. But in 1980, at the age of 36, he was fired again. With no job and no prospects, he found himself living out of his car, a Rolls-Royce that had once been a symbol of prestige, now just a shell.

Rolling the Dice

That same year, a haircut changed his life. He met Paul Mitchell, a hairstylist with a vision to revolutionize the hair care industry. With just $700 ($350 from his mother, $350 from himself), they founded John Paul Mitchell Systems. Without marketing teams or investors, they bottled samples, knocked on salon doors, and even shampooed clients personally.

The Turning Point

Two years in, they were barely scraping by. However, they then received their first meaningful order, which finally cleared enough to pay suppliers and cover rent. That’s when everything shifted. With grit, celebrity endorsements, and hands-on consistency, they scaled into a global brand.

And in 1989, DeJoria launched Patrón Tequila—built the same way: painstaking attention to product, pricing it as a premium spirit, and a strategy that spoke tasting louder than marketing.

Giving Back with Purpose

Success didn’t alter his humility. DeJoria founded the Peace, Love & Happiness Foundation, supports environmental causes, stands for cruelty‑free beauty, and fights poverty in Africa. His mantra: “Success unshared is failure.” That’s a hero’s legacy.

Kathryn Minshew’s Story: From 148 “Nos” to Building a Platform Empowering Millions

Comfort in the Wrong Place

Kathryn Minshew had the qualifications: McKinsey, Clinton Health Access Initiative. But she felt like she was building someone else’s goals, not her own. That’s when she found her calling: career advice rooted in empathy and reality.

The Brutal Rejections

When she launched The Daily Muse, investors responded 148 times with: “No.” The sting of rejection nearly stopped her—fear of failure loomed larger than ever. But Kathryn listened to her heart, and to the stories of people who craved purpose, not just a paycheck.

A Breakthrough at YC

Their entry into Y Combinator in 2012 became a turning point. Pitching with emotion and conviction, Kathryn convinced investors not only of her idea but of her resolve. Funding followed. Credibility followed. And the Muse grew to over a million monthly users.

The Power of Persistence

Today, Kathryn speaks the truth: entrepreneurship is messy, emotional, and extremely non-linear. But every setback was part of the journey. Her brand stands not on Excel sheets, but on purpose—and that, she says, is what moves people.

Richard Montañez’s: From Overnight Custodian to Snack Legend

Laying Floors, Laying Foundations

Richard Montañez was born in 1958 in Ontario, California, to a family so large that they shared a kitchen with dozens of others. He dropped out in fourth grade, working from an early age to help support his family. His grandfather taught him early: “If you work, make it shine.”

In 1976, he began working at a Frito-Lay plant as a janitor. He witnessed the company’s factory and decided to treat every floor, every machine, as if it were his own. When a memo arrived saying “act like an owner,” he took it as a personal challenge.

A Flavorful Spark

He began making trips with truck drivers. Years later, he trotted into the CEO’s office carrying bags of home-dusted Cheetos, spiced with chili powder from his kitchen. They were snacks infused with passion, and he demanded they meet the company’s national lineup.

From Test Runs to Tactical Growth

The test run in Southern California became a full-scale rollout. Flamin’ Hot Cheetos became a cultural sensation—nascent flavor trend, slammed social content, red-cheek visuals. Montañez climbed to Vice-President of Multicultural Sales & Community Promotion.

Controversy, Clarified, and Committed

In 2021, Frito-Lay acknowledged that part of the concept had come from an internal product team, but also emphasized Montañez’s role in brand expansion. He responded humbly:

“I don’t care. I know the story.”

By 2024, he’d published memoirs, become a motivational speaker, and even filed a lawsuit to protect his version of the truth—mirroring his lifelong drive: to be heard, to be seen, and to inspire.

Key lessons

Remember;

These lessons aren’t just theoretical—they were paid for in sweat, setbacks, and second chances. What unites DeJoria, Minshew, and Montañez isn’t genius or resources. It’s the mindset to keep going, keep learning, and keep leading with meaning.

You don’t need to have it all figured out.

You just need to start from where you are, tell your truth, and take one brave step every day, especially when it’s hard.

Because what it truly takes to build something big… is already inside you.

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