Kevin O’Leary is known for his no-nonsense attitude on Shark Tank and his blunt responses when it comes to political issues in the outside world. It’s because of this demeanor of his that many times he’s also been hailed as the most hated judge on the reality show. However, O’Leary is least bothered about the same and is good as far as his friends and family are happy with him.
In an interview, the venture capitalist talked more about the ‘hate’ status he faces every now and then. Further, he also shared a crazy Shark Tank fan story that’s definitely hard to believe.
Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary Doesn’t Care if People Hate Him
Kevin O’Leary has never shied away from expressing his opinions, whether it be about finances or politics. On Shark Tank as well, he can be the strictest out of the lot when it comes to assessing the psyche of the entrepreneurs. While some take his constructive criticism in a good way, others do not so much. But this definitely doesn’t bother O’Leary as he could not care less about what people think about him.
During an appearance on the Full Send podcast, O’Leary talked about how Shark Tank fans are all over the world and also shared an anecdote when he was in Austria. He added that a couple came up to him and asked for a picture. Before he could click one, they also told him that he was the “most hated man in Austria” as he is so mean on Shark Tank.
To this, the venture capitalist playfully asked them why they wanted a picture with him in the first place. To this the newly married duo replied, “We Love Shark Tank,” this also highlighted the level of reach the brand had on everybody.
After this story, the host asked O’Leary what were his thoughts about his “most hated” status on the show. To this, he added:
That is the real me and I can’t change it and I can’t fake it and you know I actually don’t care. I care what my family and friends think about me but how can I take care of you know 100 million people who watch Shark Tank.
He also emphasized that millions of people watch Shark Tank all over the world, so it’s nearly impossible to keep everyone happy. He added “I don’t care if you like me, I just want you to respect me” also adding that he doesn’t lie to anyone. While he always tries to give good advice to others, if they don’t want to listen to the same, he simply cannot help them.
Kevin O’Leary’s Worst Shark Tank Investment
Kevin O’Leary aka Mr. Wonderful has always emphasized that running a business is not as easy as it seems. So, his tough approach to the entrepreneurs is a way of testing them to make sure they are ready for the cutthroat competition of the real world. While many think the venture capitalist is bullying the young participants, in reality, he’s the one presenting the true nature of the business world to them.
O’Leary is also the perfect person to do the same as according to Sharkalytics, he has invested more than $8.5 million across 40 deals on the show. However, while he’s always careful about the businesses he invests in, one of his worst Shark Tank deals costs him about half a million dollars.
During an interview via CNBC, he added that only a small percentage of deals he invests in makes him good revenue. He also talked about his worst deal on Shark Tank, without naming the company for obvious legal issues. O’Leary added:
You put $250,000 on a deal. And then the guy calls you up four months later saying, ‘Look, I burned through all the cash. But, I know what I did wrong. I need another [$250,000]. My gut said ‘No,’ But because I knew the guy and I liked him, and he was a friend … I gave him another.
Though he gave the company more money, he also added that he’s still angry about the same. But losing is part of investing, and that sometimes one deal can make a whole lot of money, others can simply be a huge failure.
You can watch Shark Tank on Hulu.
