3rd Richest Shark Tank Judge After Mark Cuban, Kevin O’Leary Was Convinced It Was a ‘Failure’, Only Said Yes to Meet the Producer

Kevin O’Leary almost missed out on Shark Tank. The man now sitting as the third richest judge (right behind Mark Cuban) initially thought the show was destined for the TV graveyard. Yes, Mr. Wonderful himself called it a “failure” before it even aired.

Fast forward, and Shark Tank became a juggernaut, minting deals and drama by the minute. 

From skeptic to success: Daymond John’s Unlikely Shark Tank journey

Kevin O’Leary wasn’t the only Shark Tank star who doubted the show’s potential. Daymond John, founder of FUBU, also bet against it, calling it a flop before cameras even rolled. However, John only agreed to film season one for a shot at pitching legendary producer Mark Burnett, the mind behind The Apprentice and Survivor.

But he figured, why not try to sell Burnett on three of his “ground-breaking” TV ideas? He quipped at Yahoo Finance’s All Markets Summit:

Nobody wants to listen to five business men and women talk! Who wants to watch that? … I said, ‘Okay, I will go out there and shoot the show, but I need to be able to pitch Mark Burnett three of my ground-breaking television ideas if I do.’

Spoiler alert: Burnett wasn’t impressed. Over a plate of eggs and bacon, he shot down all three pitches before the meal was done. John joked,

I pitch Mark Burnett my ideas. We had eggs and bacon. Before he finishes his eggs, he shot down all three of my ideas. Now that I think of it, they were crappy.

Then, something unexpected happened. Shark Tank thrived. Audiences couldn’t get enough of the grit, hustle, and “American Dreams being made” on-screen. John explained,

But then the show starts to last. And it starts to grow. And it starts to grow because, honestly, because of the men and women and kids who are watching the show. … 

It’s all the American Dreams being made and people were going on to all these other channels and networks going, ‘Yeah, I really got the money. And yes, I am really in business.’ And it started to grow these tentacles. And now eight years in, it’s still doing amazing.

John, now affectionately known as the People’s Shark, became part of a phenomenon that sparked a new wave of entrepreneurial passion. Eight years in, Shark Tank’s still thriving, having inspired countless innovators and hit milestones like its hundred-millionth dollar invested.

“I am really proud to be part of it,” John reflected, proving sometimes even skeptics can end up swimming with success.

Mark Cuban shrugs off TikTok ban

Mark Cuban isn’t sweating the TikTok ban and its impact on big sports leagues. With the deadline looming on January 19, TikTok’s days in the U.S. are numbered unless ByteDance sells up. But Cuban’s cool with it. In an email to Sportico, he said, 

What will the impact be on sports as a whole? Nothing…Content creators who make a living… They would have a right to be angry.

For him, it’s simple: sports leagues will just find new places to drop their content. The NBA, with its 23M TikTok followers, is a prime example. Sure, losing the platform might sting for smaller creators, but Cuban’s not concerned: They would’ve a right to be angry. TikTok gone? No problem for the big leagues.

Watch Shark Tank on Hulu & Apple TV.

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