Kevin O’Leary also known as “Mr. Wonderful” is a Canadian businessman, television personality, investor and politician who gained fame through his appearance in the business reality TV series, “Shark Tank”. He had a prosperous business and financial career before he entered the world of television. He co-founded SoftKey Software Products, a technology company that eventually acquired ‘The Learning Company’, a leading educational software company, in 1999. The combined entity was then sold to Mattel for $4.2 billion.
Bio/Wiki
| Other Names | Mr. Wonderful Uncle Kevin Maple Man |
| Birthplace | Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
| Nationality | Canada United Arab Emirates Ireland |
| Residence | Miami Beach and Toronto |
| Date of birth | 9 July 1954 |
| Age | 68 (as of 2023) |
| School | St. George’s School |
| College | University of Waterloo (1977) Ivey Business School (1980) |
| Educational Qualifications | Bachelor’s degree in environmental studies and psychology from University of Waterloo (1977) MBA in entrepreneurship from Ivey Business School (1980) |
| Occupation(s) | Businessman Investor Journalist Television personality |
| TV Shows | Discovery Channel’s Discovery Project Earth (2008) Redemption Inc. (2013) Dragons’ Den (2014) The Lang and O’Leary Exchange (2012-2015) Shark Tank (2015-present) |
| Businesses | Softkey (1986) StorageNow Holdings (2003) O’Leary Funds (2008) O’Leary Ventures (2014) O’Leary Fine Wines (2015) O’Leary Capital (2017) |
| Net worth | $400 Million |
| Political Parties | Liberal (Before 2004) Conservative (2004-Present) |
| Website | kevinoleary.com |
Wife, Parents and Family
| Father | Terry O’Leary |
| Mother | Georgette (née Bukalam) |
| Marital status | Married |
| Spouse | Linda O’Leary (1990) |
| Children | Savannah O’Leary Trevor O’Leary |
| Sibling | Shane O’Leary |
Portfolio
- McDonald’s Corporation (MCD) – 3.24%
- T. Rowe Price Group (TROW) – 3.53%
- Apple (AAPL) – 3.55%
- Pfizer Inc. (PFE) – 3.59%
- Marsh & McLennan Companies (MMC) – 3.76%
- Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) – 3.94%
- Merck & Company (MRK) – 3.96%
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Books written
- Cold Hard Truth: On Business, Money & Life (2011)
- Cold Hard Truth on Men, Women, and Money: 50 Common Money Mistakes and How to Fix Them (2012)
- Cold Hard Truth on Family, Kids and Money (2015)
- Cold Hard Truth on Marriage and Money: Part Two of Cold Hard Truth on Family, Kids and Money (2015)
- Digital Pivot or Bust In a Post COVID-19 World: Why Small Businesses Must Re-Think Everything to Survive and Thrive! (2020)
Awards
- Order of Canada, one of the country’s highest civilian honours (2019)
- Canada’s Most Admired CEOs by Waterstone Human Capital (2017)
- Investor of the Year by Globe and Mail’s Report on Business (2015)
- Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award for Ontario, Canada (2011)
- Canada’s Best Business Newsmaker of the Year by Canadian Business Magazine (2009)
- Top 100 Most Powerful People in Canada by Canadian Business Magazine (2005)
Book Recommendations
- How to Win Friends and Influence People, Dale Carnegie
- Competitive Advantage, Michael Porter
- The Art of the Deal, Donald Trump
- Secrets of Closing the Sale, Zig Ziglar
- The Psychology of Selling, Brian Tracey
Quotes
- “Business is war. I go out there, I want to kill the competitors. I want to make their lives miserable. I want to steal their market share. I want them to fear me and I want everyone on my team thinking we’re going to win.”
- “Business opportunities are like buses, there’s always another one coming.”
- “Entrepreneurs are the backbone of capitalism.”
- “Don’t cry about money; it never cries for you.”
- “The difference between successful people and others is how long they spend time feeling sorry for themselves.”
Less known facts
- Before delving into the business world, O’Leary pursued a passion for music. He played the guitar in a band called “The Solids” during his college years.
- O’Leary holds a Guinness World Record for the fastest time sailing around the world on a monohull sailboat. He achieved this feat in 2008 as part of a crew aboard the sailboat “SAP Extreme.”
- Apart from his involvement in various businesses, O’Leary has also invested in real estate. He owns properties in various locations, including Toronto, New York City, and Geneva.
- In 2017, Kevin O’Leary briefly ran as a candidate for the leadership of the Conservative Party of Canada. However, he withdrew from the race before the party’s election, citing a lack of support in Quebec.
- O’Leary is fluent in both English and French. He grew up in Montreal, Quebec, where French is widely spoken, and he conducted much of his early business in French-speaking Canada.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What companies does Kevin O Leary own?
Softkey, StorageNow Holdings, O’Leary Funds, O’Leary Ventures, O’Leary Fine Wines, O’Leary Capital.
How did Kevin o leary become Mr Wonderful?
Kevin O’Leary got his nickname as Mr Wonderful by fellow judges and entrepreneur Barbara Corcoran in the first season of the shark tank when someone tried to sell a music publishing deal, and he proposed an aggressive deal of 51% to take control of the company.
What software did Kevin O Leary create?
Kevin O’ Leary didn’t create any software by himself, but he co-founded a software company called ‘SoftKey Software Products’ which specialise in development and distribution of educational and reference softwares.
Kevin O’Leary’s best shark tank investment?
His one of the best shark tank investments is his $75,000 investment in Boston-based baked goods company Wicked Good Cupcakes.
What is Kevin O’Leary net worth?
Currently, Kevin O’Leary net worth is $400 Million.