John Paul DeJoria: 5 Ways to Make Your First Million While Being Green

DeJoria, 74, has managed to build a multibillion-dollar empire while consistently ensuring that each business decision is in line with a philanthropic decision.

Though he’s faced many a critic along the way, he’s shown that doing good is good for business. One such example was the sale earlier this year of Patrón to Bacardi for $5.1 billion. He owned 70% of Patrón prior to the sale and in the deal, received $3.6 billion in cash. However, he says, he had very clear stipulations before he would agree to the sale.

“I would only sell under one condition: When the Bacardi deal was done, they had to agree to keep the same high standards I had.” With the distillery in Mexico, Bacardi had to agree that going forward, they’d maintain the same standards of sustainability to improve the planet and conditions for the people that work there and in surrounding areas. “Working together to help the planet and people was a part of the deal, or there’d be no deal.”  Read more here, from Forbes.com.