There has been no TV show in television history that has introduced concepts of investing, business, and entrepreneurship into the American psyche more thoroughly than hit reality TV show Shark Tank. The show premiered in 2009 on ABC and has been a smash five-time Emmy winner and ratings colossus ever since. The reality show features entrepreneurs pitching their various ideas and inventions to five angel investors (called “sharks” on the show) looking to invest in their fledgling businesses.
If you’ve ever been one of the millions who have watched an episode of Shark Tank, you’ve probably found yourself wondering: “How did the Sharks on Shark Tank make their money?” We all know that each of the five main investors have made a pretty penny of some of the start-ups featured on the show, but how did they initially accumulate the wealth necessary to make such investments? Sure, they toss around millions like it’s pocket change, but what’s the real story behind their bank accounts?
These Sharks didn’t just swim into fortune – they built it, often from scratch. Here, we’ll dive into the origin stories, businesses, big wins, and even a few stumbles of the five core Sharks: Daymond John, Barbara Corcoran, Robert Herjavec, Kevin O’Leary, and Mark Cuban.
So grab a coffee (or a calculator), and let’s break down how these self-made moguls earned the right to say, “I’m out.”
1. Daymond John: The Fashion Mogul Who Turned Thread into Gold
Net Worth: Approx. $350 million
Best Known For: Founder of FUBU (For Us, By Us)
From Queens to the Catwalk
Daymond John’s story is as American Dream as it gets. Born in Queens, New York, he was raised by a single mother who helped instill a tireless work ethic. In the early 1990s, Daymond began sewing hats and screen-printing T-shirts in his mom’s house – literally turning his home into a mini clothing factory. (Yes, he even mortgaged it to fund his vision.)
The brand he created? FUBU – An acronym for For Us, By Us, targeting urban and hip-hop culture and African American communities when the mainstream fashion world was still catching up.
Big Break: LL Cool J and the Power of Guerrilla Marketing
The real turning point? LL Cool J, a friend and early supporter, wore a FUBU hat in a Gap commercial – and even name-dropped FUBU in the ad. Free national exposure? Not bad for a guy making shirts in his living room.
FUBU eventually exploded into a $6 billion brand in global retail sales, and Daymond solidified his place in fashion history. His success led to speaking gigs, books, and a spot on Shark Tank – where he now mentors new entrepreneurs (and rocks one of the best suit games on TV).
How He Made His Money:
- Founded FUBU and scaled it into a global fashion brand
- Later diversified into branding, consulting, and investing
- Became a public speaker and author with bestsellers like The Power of Broke
Fun Fact: Daymond didn’t just sell clothes – he sold culture. FUBU was one of the first streetwear brands to claim space in mainstream fashion.
2. Barbara Corcoran: The Real Estate Rebel Who Turned $1,000 into $70 Million
Net Worth: Approx. $100 million
Best Known For: Founder of The Corcoran Group (Real Estate Brokerage)
From D’s in School to A’s in Business
Before being known for her stubborn insistence on not investing in a product, Barbara Corcoran was a classic underdog. She struggled in school due to undiagnosed dyslexia and cycled through over 20 jobs before finding her groove. But it only took one lucky break, and a $1,000 loan, to change her trajectory.
She co-founded The Corcoran Group in 1973 with her boyfriend at the time, building it into one of the most powerful real estate firms in New York City. After they split, he told her she’d never succeed without him.
Spoiler alert: She did just fine.
Big Payday: Selling The Corcoran Group
Barbara sold her company in 2001 for $66 million (roughly $100 million in today’s dollars), which earned her both freedom and financial independence. Not one to sit still, she went on to become a real estate commentator, bestselling author, and of course, one of Shark Tank’s most entertaining (and encouraging) voices.
How She Made Her Money:
- Turned a $1,000 loan into a multimillion-dollar real estate empire
- Sold The Corcoran Group for $66 million
- Built a media presence through books, TV appearances, and investing
Fun Fact: Barbara says she never invests in a “crybaby.” Her top trait in entrepreneurs? Grit.
Robert Herjavec: The Cybersecurity Expert Who Escaped Communism — Then Became a Capitalism Success Story
Net Worth: Approx. $200 million
Best Known For: Founder of The Herjavec Group (Cybersecurity)
From Refugee to Riches
Robert Herjavec was born in Croatia (then part of Yugoslavia) and moved to Canada with his family to escape communism. They arrived with a single suitcase and little money, and Robert worked odd jobs — including waiting tables and delivering newspapers — to help make ends meet.
After college, he landed a job at a tech company, eventually launching BRAK Systems, a cybersecurity firm, from his basement in 1990. He later sold it to AT&T Canada for $30 million in 2000.
But he wasn’t done yet.
He went on to found The Herjavec Group in 2003, which has become one of North America’s largest and fastest-growing cybersecurity firms.
How He Made His Money:
- Built and sold BRAK Systems for $30 million
- Founded The Herjavec Group, a major player in cybersecurity
- Now earns from speaking gigs, books, and of course, Shark Tank
Fun Fact: Robert races Ferraris in his spare time – because apparently, “speed” applies to both networks and cars.
Kevin O’Leary: “Mr. Wonderful” and the King of Licensing Deals
Net Worth: Approx. $400 million
Best Known For: Co-founder of SoftKey / The Learning Company
From TV Producer to Software Titan
Before he adopted his tough-as-nails personae Mr. Wonderful, Kevin O’Leary had a career in film and television production. But he didn’t find massive success until he co-founded a software company out of his basement in the 1980s called SoftKey.
SoftKey sold educational software and games for kids (think: Reader Rabbit, Math Blaster), and it became known for aggressive acquisition and distribution. By the 1990s, it had gobbled up most of its competition, rebranded as The Learning Company, and was acquired by Mattel for $4.2 billion in 1999.
Fun Fact: The Mattel acquisition was later labeled a disaster by many analysts. But Kevin? He walked away with hundreds of millions.
How He Made His Money:
- Built and sold The Learning Company for $4.2 billion
- Became a licensing expert and financial commentator
- Launched O’Shares ETFs, a line of dividend-focused ETFs
Fun Fact: He insists on being called “Mr. Wonderful.” No one is really sure why… but it kind of stuck.
Mark Cuban: The Maverick Billionaire Who Bet Big on the Internet
Net Worth: Approx. $5.4 billion
Best Known For: Co-founder of Broadcast.com, Owner of the Dallas Mavericks
Hustler from the Start
As by far the most wealthy shark on the show (having a net worth 10x larger than the next richest shark, Kevin O’Leary) Mark Cuban started out as the kid selling garbage bags door-to-door – no, really. Born in Pittsburgh to a working-class family, he was entrepreneurial from the jump. After college, he moved to Dallas and started MicroSolutions, a computer systems company, which he later sold for $6 million.
But his real windfall came with Broadcast.com.
In the late 1990s, Cuban co-founded Broadcast.com, a pioneering internet radio company that streamed audio over the web. Yahoo bought it in 1999 for $5.7 billion — at the peak of the dot-com boom.
Mark famously hedged his entire Yahoo stock position and preserved nearly all his fortune when the bubble burst.
NBA, Shark Tank, and Everything Else
Post-billionaire life has been anything but quiet. Cuban bought the Dallas Mavericks in 2000, turned the struggling team into an NBA champion in 2011, and continues to be a major tech investor, crypto advocate, and outspoken figure in politics and healthcare reform.
How He Made His Money:
- Sold computer systems start-up MicroSolutions for $6 million
- Sold Broadcast.com to Yahoo for $5.7 billion
- Invested in startups, sports, tech, and crypto
- Regularly reinvests in Shark Tank companies (and sometimes roasts them too)
Fun Fact: Mark Cuban acquired the flailing Dallas Mavericks for $285 million in 2000. After turning around poor franchise performances and low fan attendance cumulating in a NBA championship win in 2014, Cuban was able to sell the team to the Adelson family – Israeli media barons and Law Vegas casino owners for $3.5 billion in 2023. Not a bad chunk of change especially considering he was able to maintain a 27.7% minority ownership in the team.
So… How Did the Sharks on Shark Tank Make Their Money?
Let’s recap:
| Shark | Primary Source of Wealth | Estimated Net Worth |
|---|---|---|
| Daymond John | FUBU fashion brand | $350 million |
| Barbara Corcoran | Real estate brokerage | $100 million |
| Robert Herjavec | Cybersecurity | $200 million |
| Kevin O’Leary | Educational software (sold to Mattel) | $400 million |
| Mark Cuban | Sold Broadcast.com to Yahoo | $5.4 billion |
While their industries vary – fashion, real estate, tech, software, and sports – they all share one thing in common: they took big risks and built empires from the ground up.
They’re not just reality TV stars. They’re proof that hustle, timing, and a little bit of luck can go a long way.
The Next Shark: Daniel Lubetsky
Net Worth: $2.3 billion
The most recent addition to Shark Tank would be Mexican-American businessman Daniel Lubetzky. The son of a holocaust survivor, Lubetsky was born in Mexico City, Mexico and is best known as the founder and chairmen of snack food company KIND LLC which he was able to sell to snack-giant Mars for $5 billion in November of 2020. This will be his second season on the show as he looks to become another mainstay on the television classic
Other Notable Shark Tank Guest Investors
In addition to its core cast of angel investors, Shark Tank has had a steady stream of prolific investors and businesspeople grace its set to give advice and financial support to the would-be entrepreneurs. Some of the more notable examples who have made an appearance (and their net worth) include:
John Paul DeJoria: $2.9 billion (Paul Mitchell Systems, Patron Tequila)
Jeff Foxworthy: $100 million (Comedian, Actor)
Sara Blakely: $1.1 billion (Spanx, Sneex)
Ashton Kutcher: $200 million (Actor, Model)
Richard Branson: $2.8 billion (Virgin Group, Virgin Galactic)
Charles Barkley: $90 million (Basketball, Sports Analyst)
Maria Sharapova: $285 million (Tennis, Sugarpova)
Todd Graves: $17.2 billion (Raising Cane’s, Investor)
International Versions
While Shark Tank is a mainstay in reality television here in the United States, it is actually a reboot of an international show that traces its roots back to a 2001 Japanese show entitled The Tigers of Money. Shark Tank has been reinvented numerous times around the world with members of the Shark Tank family including: The Lion’s Den in Denmark and Germany, Among Sharks in Hungary, The Sharks in Israel, Den D in the Czech Republic, and Dragon’s Den in Canada, Ireland, Greece, and the U.K. Famous investors on international versions of the show include the likes of: Steven Bartlett ($50 million), Peter Jones ($1.3 billion), and Steve Baxter ($100 million).
What Can You Learn From the Sharks?
Beyond the entertainment, Shark Tank offers real lessons for aspiring entrepreneurs:
- Start small — Several of the Sharks began with just a few hundred or thousand dollars.
- Think long-term — Building a business takes time, strategy, and resilience.
- Know your numbers — Seriously. If you walk into the Tank with fuzzy math, you’re toast.
- Invest in yourself — Every Shark did. Before they put their money behind other people’s ideas, they put everything on the line for their own.
So next time you ask yourself, “How did the Sharks on Shark Tank make their money?” — remember, they didn’t just jump into the deep end. They swam there, one bold stroke at a time.
And with the right mindset? You might just join them.