Kevin O’Leary’s Net Worth: How The Shark Became One of the Richest Canadians

He’s a Canadian entrepreneur, author, venture capitalist, and popular television personality who is among the richest Canadians in the world. In this guide, you’ll learn about Kevin O’Leary’s net worth, successful career as a Shark Tank investor, investment strategies, current portfolio, and how he has achieved his massive net worth. 

Perhaps most recognized as Mr. Wonderful from his presence on the hit reality television show Shark Tank, Kevin has been in the public eye for several years. On Shark Tank, he tends to be the investor viewers love to hate. His snarky and egotistical attitude has made him one of the harshest sharks, but he clearly knows what sells and how to make money. As a result, he now has an estimated net worth of $400 million. 

Who Is Kevin O’Leary?

Kevin O’Leary was born Terence Thomas Kevin O’Leary on July 9, 1954, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, to parents Georgette, an investor and small business owner of Lebanese descent, and Terry, a salesman and clothing manufacturer of Irish descent. After his father died when Kevin was seven years old, his mother took over the family business and eventually married economist George Kanawaty. 

Due to his stepfather’s international assignments with the UN International Labour Organization, Kevin often moved during his childhood, living in many different places, including Ethiopia, Cambodia, Cyprus, and Tunisia. Kevin attended Stanstead College and St. George’s School in Quebec. However, school didn’t always come easy for Kevin. He grew up with dyslexia (before it was a diagnosed condition), but an experimental program at McGill University helped him overcome the reading challenges.

Kevin attended Ontario’s University of Waterloo, receiving an honors bachelor’s degree in environmental studies and psychology in 1977. Kevin went on to receive an MBA in entrepreneurship from the Ivey Business School at the University of Western Ontario in 1980. 

While earning his MBA, Kevin had an internship at Nabisco in Toronto. He then worked as an assistant brand manager for Nabisco’s cat food brand.

What is Kevin O’Leary’s net worth?

Curious about the net worth of Kevin O’Leary? Prepare to be impressed. Kevin O’Leary net worth 2022 was a jaw-dropping $400 million.

How did Kevin O’Leary make his money?

After Kevin left Nabisco, he partnered with two former classmates to found Special Event Television (SET), an independent television production company focused on sports programming. Unfortunately, SET experienced limited success, and Kevin eventually sold his share of the venture to a partner for $25,000.

SET wasn’t the success Kevin had hoped it would be. Still, the skills he developed and the pay-out he received (as well as seed money he borrowed from his mother) led him to his next project: Softkey Software Products, Inc. He started the company, a publisher and distributor of CD-ROM-based personal computer software for Macintosh and Windows computers, in a Toronto basement in 1986 with two business partners. During the early 1990s, Softkey became one of Canada’s fastest-growing companies.

After 13 years of ups and downs running Softkey, Kevin and his partners sold to Mattel for $4.2 billion, which is the point where Kevin became a multi-millionaire, financially free, and on the road to massive net worth. 

In the next several years, Kevin focused on investing, eventually co-founding O’Leary Funds Inc., a mutual fund company focused on global investing, and later O’Leary Ventures, a private early-stage venture capital investment company. New companies O’Leary Mortgages, O’Leary Books, and O’Leary Fine Wines followed. In 2021, Kevin took the leap into cryptocurrency investing and owns coins in Ether, SOL, Polygon, Pawthereum, Bitcoin, and more. 

Shark Tank

It was Kevin’s move into reality television that gave a major boost to his income and made him a household name. In 2006, he joined a panel of venture capitalists and hopeful entrepreneurs on CBC’s Dragons’ Den. He took the same role on ABC’s Shark Tank in 2009. As a shark, he makes an estimated $1.2 million per year.

During season one of Shark Tank, Kevin got his nickname “Mr. Wonderful,” a sarcastic reference to his mean reputation and blunt critiques of the show’s entrepreneurial contestants. The nickname stuck, and he claims people often call out to him on the street by using the term.

Kevin’s numerous revenue streams coming from his television contracts, book deals, wealth management services, and company sales have all contributed to his wealth.

Shark Tank investments and advice from Kevin O’Leary

Over the two decades since Kevin joined Shark Tank, he has invested more than $8.5 million on air and made over 40 deals with entrepreneurs pitching for investors. And, as anyone who has ever watched the television show knows, Mr. Wonderful is not shy about sharing his insight and giving advice! 

Here are some of Kevin’s top tips and advice you can take into your investment journey.

1. Invest in assets, not in companies

Focus on the asset’s value and choose to invest in that rather than just looking at the company. Kevin suggests considering companies with assets that enable them to raise prices without consumer pushback because they need the assets to live, even during inflation. For example, assets like healthcare, automotive, and energy fit the bill. 

2. Look for growth companies

According to Kevin, diversifying a portfolio by investing in growth companies can provide a lot of potential. Emerging growth companies can achieve high earnings. As a shareholder of and strategic advisor for StartEngine, an equity crowdfunding platform, Kevin believes this platform is an excellent way for anyone to invest in start-ups. StartEngine offers a method for diversifying outside the stock market for as little as a $100 investment in start-up companies that could be the next Google.

3. Do your research

Any investment can be risky, so Kevin says it’s crucial to do your research and due diligence to ensure it’s the right move. Researching can help you to assess the risks and know what you are getting into. The information is out there; it’s just a matter of putting in the time and effort to become your own investment and stock analyst. But, with research, you can avoid a bad investment.

4. Only invest what you can afford to lose

The quickest way to go broke is to invest more than you can afford. Only investing what you can afford to lose will protect you against financial disaster. How much to invest must be based on your existing net worth and wealth plan. If you cannot withstand the total loss of your investment, you cannot afford the risk of investing that amount.

5. Don’t be afraid to walk away

Not every business Kevin has invested in–on his own or as a shark–has panned out. Kevin says that losses are just part of investing, but knowing when to cut your losses is crucial. It’s far better to admit an investment didn’t work out and move on than to stick with an asset that’s losing money. According to Kevin, if you realize you can’t make money after 36 months and there’s no clear path to make money, it’s time to let it go.

As Kevin says, “You just have to take it behind the barn and shoot it.”  

6. Find synergies with your existing holdings

Building a portfolio to create and enhance synergies with your existing holdings can improve your returns and minimize risk. The Modern Portfolio Theory from American Economist Harry S. Markowitz states that a properly constructed portfolio of individual securities creates synergies through which the output of the combination is greater than the sum of its parts. Kevin says rather than holding a disparate collection of investments, it’s better to construct portfolios within the context of how well new securities fit in with the existing holdings. 

7. Think outside the box

Kevin has become the master of thinking “outside the box” regarding deals on Shark Tank. He says the same applies to your investing. Look for new approaches and creative solutions to consumers’ problems, and then go after investment opportunities that align with them. When it comes to investing and thinking outside the box, Kevin says it’s all about diversifying your investment opportunities. Strive for a combination of safe investments that yield a lower return with a more aggressive risk-reward mix. 

8. Leverage your network

Your professional and social network are other forms of capital–some refer to it as “social capital.” If you see the potential for a partnership, don’t hesitate to ask. Focus on building meaningful relationships within your network so when you are ready to make the ask, you are more likely to get a positive response. 

If you don’t have a great network, build one. Or find a group of like-minded professionals. (Not-So-Subtle Plug: Check out our community at Capitalism.com!) 

9. Stay in the game

Investing and entrepreneurship can be challenging. It’s common to suffer strings of failures between successes. Kevin points out that he went through difficult times when several business ventures failed. It’s crucial to be dedicated and not to give up. 

“I just got to keep getting up every day and stay in the race,” says Kevin. “It’s very hard. But I’m glad I did what I did. I wouldn’t change a thing.”

10. Have a growth mindset

A growth mindset is about believing you can develop your abilities through dedication and hard work. Kevin was born into a middle-class family. But he took his abilities and ran with them, developed them, and learned from the challenges and failures. The truth is, failure is not quite as threatening when you are willing to embrace challenges. Take any failure or setback as a learning opportunity and inspiration to keep improving and moving forward.

FAQ

How much is Kevin O’Leary’s net worth?

Kevin O’Leary has an estimated net worth of $400 million.

What is the composition of Kevin O’Leary’s investment portfolio?

Kevin’s top 10 holdings from his O’Shares FTSE U.S. Quality Dividend ETF are as follows:

• UnitedHealth Group Inc.
• Lockheed Martin Corporation
• McDonald’s Corporation
• Apple Inc.
• Pfizer Inc.
• Verizon Communications
• Home Depot
• Microsoft Corporation
• Procter & Gamble
• Johnson & Johnson

Kevin’s public crypto holdings include the following:

• FTX Token
• Helium
• Solana
• Hedera
• Ethereum
• Polygon
• Avalanche
• Bitcoin

On Shark Tank, Kevin has also invested more than $8.5 million on air and made over 40 deals with entrepreneurs.

How did Kevin O’Leary become successful?

Kevin became successful and achieved his $400 million net worth because he was dedicated and persevered through challenges and failures in business and life. Kevin credits his successes to skills he developed during his early marketing days at Nabisco as well as to the business intuition he received from his mother during his childhood. She taught him key business and financial insights that became his core philosophies and the foundation for amassing his wealth.

What are some of the companies Kevin O’Leary has invested in?

As a Shark Tank investor, Kevin has invested in over 40 companies, including (but not limited to):

• Zipz
• How Do You Roll?
• Honeyfund
• xCraft
• Lovepop
• GreenBox
• Jump Forward
• VerbalizeIt
• Talbott Teas
• First Defense Nasal Screen
• GeekMyTree
• PittMoss

How has Kevin O’Leary’s Shark Tank career contributed to his wealth?

Kevin’s salary for Shark Tank is an estimated $1.2 million per year. His role on the reality television series has also led to other income streams through contracts and book deals. 

How does Kevin O’Leary’s real estate portfolio contribute to his net worth?

There is no public listing of Kevin’s real estate portfolio. However, in 2021, he stated that he sold most of his commercial real estate, taking it from 31% of his portfolio down to a mere 8%. He expressed a desire to get out of commercial real estate, so he could take the capital and invest in healthcare technology and consumer stocks with a focus on mental health.

How does Kevin O’Leary diversify his portfolio?

Kevin says that diversification is key to investment success. He has approximately 20% of his portfolio in crypto and blockchain products with 32 different coins and tokens. So whether it’s stocks or cryptocurrency, his strategy is always to diversify as much as possible. 

What is Kevin O’Leary’s dividend yield?

Kevin’s dividend yield varies from investment to investment. For Johnson & Johnson, he has 5.03% of total holdings, with a 3.03% current dividend yield. His current dividend yield for his investment in Apple Inc. is 1.80%, with 4.71% of total holdings. 

What is Kevin O’Leary’s citizenship?

Kevin has citizenship in Canada, Ireland, and the United Arab Emirates. 

Takeaway

Although Kevin O’Leary is one of the wealthiest Canadians in 2022, he didn’t make it rich overnight and had some bumps along the path to riches. Mr. Wonderful’s story of perseverance and success is a testament to how one can achieve financial success and freedom with the right business model, strategies, skill development, and guidance. 

At Capitalism.com, we understand the key to achieving life-changing wealth is having access to a vast array of resources and mentorship opportunities. Our platform offers an array of tools, resources, and free content to help you move closer to your goal of becoming a millionaire. The Capitalism.com community is here to help you achieve Kevin O’Leary net worth-type wealth. 

If you are an entrepreneur who wants to build an exciting brand that makes the world a better place (while making you really rich), we can help! Take the first step on the path to financial freedom by watching this free video series to help you find your million-dollar idea.