Who is Kevin O’Leary – AKA “Mr. Wonderful” of Shark Take Fame?

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The legendary businessman, author, and television personality, Kevin O’Leary (and the self-described “Mr. Wonderful”) is no stranger to the world of finance. You may have seen him on the hit ABC show Shark Tank, where hopeful business owners pitch their ideas to a panel of Sharks. You can meet Kevin O’Leary and learn how he makes money.

The first time you meet Kevin O’Leary, you’re probably thinking about the ego-centric and sarcastic nature of his remarks. That’s a reasonable perspective. The Sharks’ attitude toward entrepreneur’s ideas isn’t always the most supportive. Many times, they dismiss them or try to sabotage them by making vague comments about licensing deals and other issues. There are Sharks that place “nice” as a higher value. O’Leary is not one of those Sharks. 

A former entertainment software entrepreneur, Kevin O’Leary has a wealth of entrepreneurial experience. Before he joined the Shark Tank venture, he co-founded a successful entertainment software company. His firm, SoftKey Software Products, was bought by Mattel in 1999, and was later sold to another major corporation, Storage Now Holdings, for $3.7 billion. This experience taught him the importance of a strong business plan and hard work.

He has also started his own investment firm, O’Leary Funds, and a winery. Although he’s not the richest Shark Tank star, he holds his own with a net worth of $400 million

Although known for providing sharp criticism to weary entrepreneurs that visit the show, he does offer some sage advice at times. Here are a few examples:

“It pains me to see good entrepreneurs chase bad opportunities.”

“I like to take risks. That’s how I make money. But they are calculated risks.”

“People are very aware what I stand for on TV. Nobody gets rich on television, but a chance to build their brand. That’s what I’m attempting to do.”

He loves to fight for the attention of the camera and entrepreneurs that come looking for a deal.  But his harsh and discouraging approach often leads to him being the last option for those who couldn’t get a deal with the warmer sharks. 

 

O’Leary Provides Examples of Why People are Reluctant to Work With Him

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