Kevin O’Leary Net Worth (Money & Salary)

Kevin O’Leary Net Worth (Money & Salary)

Title: Kevin O’Leary Net Worth (Money & Salary)
Last Updated: February 5, 2025


What is Kevin O’Leary’s Net Worth and Salary?

With a net worth of $400 million, Kevin O’Leary is a Canadian businessman, author, politician, and television personality. Known as “Mr. Wonderful,” he initially amassed his wealth through the software firm SoftKey International. His fame rose significantly due to his participation in reality TV series like “Dragons’ Den” and “Shark Tank.” As discussed later in the article, he was among the many celebrities who promoted the now-defunct crypto exchange FTX, despite previously voicing his opposition to cryptocurrencies.

Early Life

Born on July 9, 1954, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, Terence Thomas Kevin O’Leary has a mother with Lebanese roots and a father of Irish descent, granting him Irish citizenship as well.

Following his parents’ divorce and his father’s early passing, O’Leary’s mother remarried economist Gorge Kanawaty. Because of his stepfather’s role with the UN’s International Labour Organization, O’Leary experienced a nomadic childhood, living in various countries such as Cambodia, Tunisia, and Cyprus. His mother, a savvy investor, imparted crucial financial lessons to him, including the importance of saving one-third of any income.

Heeding his stepfather’s guidance, O’Leary opted for university over his dream of becoming a photographer. This decision allowed him to cultivate his business interests during his studies. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Waterloo in 1977 and then completed an MBA at the Ivey Business School, University of Western Ontario, in 1980.

Kevin OLeary

Getty

Business Career

During his MBA studies, O’Leary interned at Nabisco as an assistant brand manager for their cat food line, a role he credits with shaping skills for his future endeavors. He briefly transitioned to television production, co-founding Special Event Television (SET) with two MBA classmates, although he eventually sold his stake for $25,000.

In 1986, O’Leary launched the software enterprise SoftKey from a Toronto basement alongside business partners John Freeman and Gary Babcock. After losing a $250,000 financial pledge from a major investor, he financed the startup using $25,000 from his SET sale and a $10,000 loan from his mother, establishing a company focused on publishing and distributing CD-ROM software for Windows and Macintosh systems.

The firm rolled out numerous educational software titles and, by 1993, evolved into a significant consolidator in the educational software sector, acquiring competitors like WordStar and Spinnaker Software. In 1995, after buying The Learning Company (TLC) for $606 million, SoftKey rebranded itself under the TLC name. Eventually, TLC was sold to Mattel for $4.2 billion in 1999. Following declining sales and profits at Mattel, O’Leary left the company amidst a lawsuit from shareholders who accused him and Mattel executives of misleading investors about TLC’s performance, a claim he contested.

all charges were laid, attributing the failure of the acquisition to a technology meltdown and a clash of management cultures between the two companies.

In 2003, O’Leary co-invested and became a director of the company Storage Now, which specializes in developing climate-controlled storage facilities. Following a series of development projects and acquisitions, Storage Now has emerged as Canada’s third-largest owner/operator of storage services, with facilities in eleven cities catering to major companies like Merck and Pfizer. The company was sold for $110 million in March 2007.  

Kevin OLeary Net WorthKevin OLeary Net Worth

(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 first television role was in 2006 on the CBC show “Dragons’ Den,” where he was one of five venture capitalists. Developed by the show’s producers, O’Leary created a character as a blunt, intimidating investor. He was invited to join “Shark Tank,” the U.S. version of “Dragons’ Den,” in 2009 and continued on both shows until departing “Dragons’ Den” in 2014.

Throughout his time on these shows, O’Leary earned the nickname “Mr. Wonderful,” a term that humorously reflects both his tough reputation and the constructive criticism he offers to entrepreneurs. He manages his investments through a holding company, Something Wonderful, created for his ventures on the show. Some of his notable investments include Talbott Teas (later acquired by Jamba Juice) and GrooveBook (later sold to Shutterfly). Fellow Sharks on the show include Daymond John, Mark Cuban, Barbara Corcoran, Lori Greiner, and Robert Herjavec.

Other media involvements of O’Leary include co-hosting the Discovery Channel’s “Discovery Project Earth” in 2008; a segment on CBC News Network titled “The Lang and O’Leary Exchange” with journalist Amanda Lang in 2009; and producing as well as hosting his own reality show, “Redemption Inc.”, in 2012, where he aimed to assist ex-convicts in launching their own businesses.

FTX Endorsement

For a considerable period, Kevin O’Leary expressed skepticism toward cryptocurrency. However, in August 2021, he shifted his stance and announced what he described as a “long-term” investment and spokesperson role. He accepted an equity stake and crypto as compensation. As we all now know, FTX collapsed in November 2022. Facing backlash for endorsing a company that ended up costing billions to more than a million investors, Kevin attempted to mend his image in December 2022 during a CNBC segment, stating that all the $15 million he gained from the partnership had become worthless. Ironically, when he initially announced his investment and partnership, he stated that it was FTX’s emphasis on compliance systems that changed his perspective on cryptocurrency.

1727538376 505 Kevin OLeary1727538376 505 Kevin OLeary

(Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)

Politics

O’Leary formally entered the Conservative leadership race on January 18, 2017, after several months of speculation in the public eye. Throughout his campaign, the media frequently drew parallels between him and U.S. President Donald Trump; both were affluent business figures who achieved broader fame via reality TV and favored platforms that focused on tax cuts and deregulation. O’Leary has pushed back against these comparisons, especially regarding their differing views on immigration, highlighting his heritage as a descendant of Irish and Lebanese immigrants and stating, “wouldn’t exist if Canada had walls.” Ultimately, he withdrew from the leadership race on April 26, 2017, citing a belief in his potential to win the leadership race but expressing that it would be “selfish” to proceed due to lacking support in Quebec, which complicated his chances against Justin Trudeau in 2019.

Personal Life

Since 1990, Kevin O’Leary has been married to Linda, although they experienced a short two-year separation in 2011. She holds the position of Vice President of Marketing at O’Leary Wines. The couple shares two children.

While his main home is in Toronto, he also owns a cottage in Muskoka, Ontario, along with properties located in Boston and Geneva, Switzerland. To facilitate investments with Emiratis, O’Leary acquired UAE citizenship.

 


Kevin O’Leary Net Worth (Money & Salary)

Thank you for taking the time to read this article titled: Kevin O’Leary Net Worth (Money & Salary)

Data has been gathered for 2023 and 2024, with projections extending to 2025 and 2026. Furthermore, we have also expanded the forecast data to include 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 5, 2025

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