The cast of the reality show Shark Tank might have pumped millions into helping budding entrepreneurs launch their dream businesses, but how did they earn their own fortunes, and just how much are they each worth? Let’s take a closer look at the figures (all sourced from Celebrity New Worth and correct at the time of publication).
Mark Cuban – US$4.5 billion
Cuban has been a wealthy businessman for a long time – he started selling garbage bags at the age of 12, and after investments in multimedia platforms, he became a billionaire in 1999, the same year his broadcast.com streaming service sold to Yahoo.
Perhaps best known for being the owner of the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks team, which he bought in 2000, this basketball boss also co-owns Landmark Theaters and Magnolia Pictures – making this shark the biggest name in the entertainment industry.
Kevin O’Leary – US$400 million
Selling his SoftKey International company (now The Learning Company) to Mattel for US$4.2 billion in 1999, after founding it in 1986, isn’t the only thing that has made O’Leary the second-wealthiest shark. The Canadian entrepreneur co-founded Storage Now in 2003, which provides temperature-controlled storage to companies including Pfizer. Under his diverse roster of companies, there’s also O’Shares ETFs, O’Leary Publishing, and O’Leary Fine Wines.
Daymond John – US$350 million
John created sportswear brand FUBU 20 years ago and since then has channeled his efforts into connecting entrepreneurs. He founded co-working space Blueprint and Co and created his Daymond On Demand video training service. In 2016, John was Barack Obama’s presidential ambassador for global entrepreneurship and traveled to Kenya and Cuba with the US leader to help create opportunities for small businesses and to promote entrepreneurship.
Robert Herjavec – US$200 million
Canadian businessman and television personality Robert Herjavec was born in Croatia and emigrated to Nova Scotia with his family at a young age. The family later moved to Toronto, where he sold newspapers and waited tables to earn money. He ended up creating a computer company in his basement and went on to launch and sell several IT businesses. He’s recognized as a global leader in information security and is a member of the US Chamber of Commerce Task Force for Cybersecurity.
Lori Greiner – US$150 million
Greiner has created more than 500 products and is regarded as a patent expert, holding over 120 to her name. So it’s no surprise she’s figured out the formula for successful brands. In fact, Greiner’s so good at selling things on TV that she’s nicknamed the Queen of QVC. Her most successful items include the Squatty Potty and Scrub Daddy but she also makes money as a motivational speaker.
Barbara Corcoran – US$100 million
Before she started the Corcoran Group real estate company with a loan of just US$1,000, Barbara had 20 jobs by the time she was 23 and was a waitress before she launched the business that changed her life forever. The company was worth US$5 billion after 25 years when she sold it, and now she rakes in additional cash through inspirational speaker gigs.
Note: This story was originally published on SCMP and has been republished on this website.
