John surprises a young entrepreneur with an invitation to be his personal guest at a taping of Shark Tank
ABC’s ‘Shark Tank’ investor and successful businessman Daymond John left an aspiring young entrepreneur speechless when he surprised the student Saturday during Disney Dreamers Academy at Walt Disney World Resort with a personal invitation to join him on the set for a taping of ‘Shark Tank.’
Te’Lario Watkins II, 16, from Blacklick, OH, thought he was in the middle of a media interview Saturday morning during Disney Dreamers Academy when John made a surprise appearance and delivered the personal invitation to visit the ABC show set in Los Angeles. For Watkins, it was a magical dream come true moment.
Since he was 7 years old, Watkins has run his own small business, Tiger Mushroom Farms, which cultivates gourmet mushrooms and sells dry mushroom products. Additionally, he is the founder of a non-profit called the Garden Club Project, which addresses food insecurities in his community.
John is one of several celebrities taking part in Disney Dreamers Academy, the Walt Disney World Resort mentoring program that runs through Sunday. Olympian Sanya Richards-Ross, Hollywood veteran actor Lance Gross, Disney actress Dara Renee and other TV and movie stars are serving as mentors and speakers.
This is the 17th year of Disney Dreamers Academy, a five-day event designed to broaden career awareness and create opportunities for 100 Black high school students and teens from underrepresented communities across America.