Kevin O’Leary is a well-known Canadian businessman, investor, and television personality who rose to fame as one of the sharks on the hit TV show Shark Tank. However, before his success as a television personality, O’Leary was a successful startup founder with a wealth of experience and knowledge in the world of entrepreneurship.
O’Leary’s entrepreneurial journey began at a young age, as he sold Christmas trees at the age of 9 and later ran a successful frozen yogurt business during college. After completing his MBA, O’Leary co-founded Special Event Television, which eventually became SoftKey Software Products, a company that developed and sold educational software. Under O’Leary’s leadership, SoftKey grew into a multi-million dollar company, eventually acquiring The Learning Company for $606 million. This deal made O’Leary a millionaire and solidified his status as a successful startup founder.
After exiting SoftKey, O’Leary continued to invest in and launch numerous companies, including O’Leary Funds, a mutual fund company that has over $1 billion in assets. He also founded O’Leary Ventures, a private equity firm that invests in early-stage businesses. O’Leary’s experience and insights as a startup founder make him a sought-after mentor and advisor to entrepreneurs, and he often shares
