Kevin O’Leary Net Worth (Money & Salary)
Title: Kevin O’Leary Net Worth (Money & Salary)
Last Updated: February 4, 2025
What is Kevin O’Leary’s Net Worth and Salary?
With a net worth of $400 million, Kevin O’Leary, the Canadian businessman, author, politician, and television personality, is famously known as “Mr. Wonderful.” His initial wealth came from the software company SoftKey International. He gained widespread recognition through his roles in the reality TV shows “Dragons’ Den” and “Shark Tank.” Additionally, as detailed later in this article, O’Leary was one of the many celebrities who backed the ill-fated crypto exchange FTX, despite previously being a notable critic of cryptocurrency.
Early Life
Born on July 9, 1954, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, Terence Thomas Kevin O’Leary has Lebanese roots from his mother and Irish ancestry from his father, which grants him Irish citizenship and a passport.
After his parents divorced and his father passed away not long after, O’Leary’s mother remarried economist Gorge Kanawaty. Due to his stepfather’s work with the UN’s International Labour Organization, O’Leary spent his childhood relocating globally, including stays in Cambodia, Tunisia, and Cyprus. His mother, an accomplished investor, imparted her knowledge, teaching him the importance of saving one-third of any earnings.
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Business Career
During his MBA studies, O’Leary completed an internship at Nabisco, where he served as an assistant brand manager for the cat food line. He attributes this experience as a pivotal moment that contributed to his future success. After his time at Nabisco, O’Leary briefly ventured into television production, co-founding Special Event Television (SET), an independent production company, with two fellow MBA students. Eventually, one of his partners bought out his share for $25,000.
Following the sale of his SET share, O’Leary launched SoftKey, a software company, in 1986 from a basement in Toronto with partners John Freeman and Gary Babcock. When a significant financial backer retracted their $250,000 commitment, O’Leary utilized his $25,000 from SET and a $10,000 loan from his mother to start the company, which focused on publishing and distributing CD-ROM software for both Windows and Macintosh computers.
SoftKey developed various educational software products and became a leading player in the educational software sector by 1993, acquiring competitors like WordStar and Spinnaker Software. In 1995, after purchasing The Learning Company (TLC) for $606 million, the company rebranded as TLC. In 1999, TLC was sold to Mattel for $4.2 billion. However, following a decline in sales and profits for Mattel, O’Leary left the company. Subsequently, both Mattel executives and O’Leary faced lawsuits from shareholders for allegedly misleading investors regarding TLC’s financial condition, a claim O’Leary contended against.
All charges were placed, attributing the acquisition’s failure to both a technological meltdown and a clash of the two companies’ management cultures.
In 2003, O’Leary became both a co-investor and a director at the company Storage Now, which is focused on developing climate-controlled storage facilities. Following a series of development projects and acquisitions, Storage Now emerged as Canada’s third-largest owner/operator of storage services. The company boasted facilities in eleven cities, catering to major clients such as Merck and Pfizer. March 2007 saw the acquisition of the company for $110 million.
(Photo by Mark Davis/Getty Images)
Shark Tank And Other Ventures
O’Leary published his first book, “Cold Hard Truth: On Business, Money & Life,” in September 2011, followed by two sequels in 2012 and 2013. His initial television debut occurred in 2006 on the CBC show “Dragons’ Den,” where he appeared as one of five venture capitalists. He crafted an on-screen character that was blunt and often bullying, a trait that the show’s producers encouraged. In 2009, he was invited to join the American version of the show, “Shark Tank,” where he stayed until departing “Dragons’ Den” in 2014.
His appearances on the two shows earned him the nickname “Mr. Wonderful,” simultaneously a playful nod to his mean reputation and an acknowledgment of his straightforward advice being beneficial to the misguided entrepreneurs on the program. O’Leary operates a holding company, Something Wonderful, to oversee his investments on the show. Notable deals he made on “Shark Tank” include investments in Talbott Teas (later acquired by Jamba Juice) and GrooveBook (later acquired by Shutterfly). His fellow Sharks include Daymond John, Mark Cuban, Barbara Corcoran, Lori Greiner, and Robert Herjavec.
Beyond these shows, O’Leary has undertaken other television and media endeavors, such as co-hosting Discovery Channel’s “Discovery Project Earth” in 2008, featuring on CBC News Network alongside journalist Amanda Lang in “The Lang and O’Leary Exchange” in 2009, and creating his own reality show in 2012 titled “Redemption Inc.,” where he aimed to assist ex-convicts in launching their own businesses.
FTX Endorsement
For a significant part of cryptocurrency history, Kevin O’Leary remained a prominent skeptic. However, in August 2021, he shifted his stance by announcing a planned “long-term” investment and partnership as a spokesperson. He accepted an equity stake and cryptocurrency as payment. Following FTX’s collapse in November 2022, O’Leary faced substantial backlash for advocating a company that erased billions for over a million investors. In December 2022, during a CNBC appearance, he attempted to salvage his image by admitting that the total value of the $15 million received from the partnership dropped to zero. Ironically, he previously claimed that FTX’s commitment to compliance systems was what initially persuaded him to embrace cryptocurrency.
(Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)
Politics
O’Leary officially entered the Conservative leadership race on January 18, 2017, after months of public speculation. The media frequently drew parallels between him and U.S. President Donald Trump, highlighting their status as wealthy businessmen known through reality television and their shared platforms advocating for lower taxes and reduced regulations. O’Leary has rejected these comparisons, specifically pointing out his differing views from Trump regarding immigration, emphasizing his heritage as a descendant of Irish and Lebanese immigrants and stating that he “wouldn’t exist if Canada had walls.” He exited the leadership contest on April 26, 2017, citing that despite his belief in his capability to win, it would be “selfish” to remain in the race due to his lack of support in Quebec, which he felt would impede his chances against Justin Trudeau in the 2019 election.
Personal Life
Since 1990, Kevin O’Leary has been married to Linda, though they experienced a brief two-year separation in 2011. Linda holds the position of VP of Marketing at O’Leary Wines. Together, they have two children.
His main residence is in Toronto, but he also owns a cottage in Muskoka, Ontario, in addition to properties located in Boston and Geneva, Switzerland. To facilitate investments with Emiratis, O’Leary acquired UAE citizenship.
Kevin O’Leary Net Worth (Money & Salary)
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Data is from 2023 and 2024, with forecast data extending to 2025 and 2026. We also expand the forecast data to encompass 2027 and 2028.
* This information was taken from various sources around the world, including these countries:
Australia, Canada, USA, UK, UAE, India, Pakistan, Philippines, Indonesia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Kenya, US, United Kingdom, United States of America, Malaysia, U.S., South Africa, New Zealand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates.
Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, American Samoa, Andorra, Angola, Anguilla, Antarctica, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan.
Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Bouvet Island, Brazil, British Indian Ocean Territory, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi.
Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling Islands), Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote D’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Croatia (Hrvatska), Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic.
Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Falkland Islands (Malvinas), Faroe Islands, Fiji, Finland, France, Metropolitan, French Guiana, French Polynesia, French Southern Territories.
Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Gibraltar, Greece, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Heard and McDonald Islands, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy.
Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg.
Macau, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Martinique, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mayotte, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montserrat, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar.
Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, New Caledonia, New Zealand (NZ), Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Norfolk Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Norway.
Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Pitcairn, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Reunion, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and The Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe.
Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands, Spain, Sri Lanka, St. Helena, St. Pierre and Miquelon, Sudan, Suriname, Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria.
Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tokelau, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates (UAE), UK (United Kingdom), USA (United States of America, U.S.), US Minor Outlying Islands.
Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vatican City State (Holy See), Venezuela, Vietnam, Virgin Islands (British), Virgin Islands (US), Wallis and Futuna Islands, Western Sahara, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Post Title: Kevin O’Leary Net Worth (Money & Salary)
Last Updated: February 4, 2025