Kevin O'Leary

Topics

Presentations

Kevin O'Leary will take you on a behind the scenes look at his two hit shows, Dragons' Den & Shark Tank

Economics of Global Warming

Building a Successful Business

Money and Investing

Summary Profile

"Capitalism creates freedom. I can think of no higher calling than that."

He's opinionated, he's ruthless, he hungers for big deals and loves to take control, yet he made his millions helping children learn how to read. Kevin O'Leary is one of North America's most successful entrepreneurs and is helping others realize their dreams through the hit TV shows, Shark Tank and Dragons' Den.

O'Leary's success story starts where most entrepreneurs begin: with a big idea and zero cash. From his Toronto basement, he launched SoftKey Software Products in 1986. Sales grew quickly as the price of computers declined and millions of North American families began to buy software for family education and entertainment. O'Leary then moved the company's headquarters to Cambridge, Mass., and went on an industry consolidating acquisition binge. From 1995 to 1999, he bought almost every one of his competitors. In 1999, he sold his company to the Mattel Toy Company for $3.7 billion, one of the largest deals ever done in the consumer software industry.

To keep his money working hard, the Montreal native took control of his wealth from his lackluster money managers and founded his own mutual fund company, O'Leary Funds. He raised hundreds of millions of dollars from investors who share his "get paid while you wait" yield-oriented value investing philosophy.

As a self-proclaimed "eco-preneur," O'Leary looks hardest for investments that make money and are environmentally friendly. He is also a founding investor and director of Stream Global, an international business outsourcing company.

Launching a new business takes hard work and cash. O'Leary understands this better than anyone and is sharing his advice - along with his own money - with others in Canada and the U.S. via ABC's Shark Tank and CBC's Dragons' Den. The popular TV shows give budding entrepreneurs a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to present their business concepts in hopes of convincing powerful business people like O'Leary to invest in their ideas. O'Leary also co-anchors CBC Newsworld's new show, The Lang and O'Leary Exchange. O'Leary can add author to his long list of accomplishments since publishing The Cold Hard Truth on Business, Money & Life. This is O'Leary's first book and it's a brutally honest business memoir, where he provides engaging, practical advice and lessons that will give anyone a distinct competitive edge.

Kevin O'Leary will share with audiences his winning philosophy for success and how to realize their own entrepreneurial dreams.