Get hooked on success with these business tycoons and entrepreneurial icons
Each season, the popular business reality show Shark Tank receives around 40,000 to 50,000 applications from aspiring entrepreneurs and business hopefuls. From those massive applications, about 100 aspiring entrepreneurs are invited to pitch their revolutionary new product or idea in front of the investment capital legends, dubbed The Sharks.
Thousands of business owners and innovators have presented their ideas seeking mentorship and investment from the selected panel of Sharks, inherently bringing trust to their product and guidance of the business landscape in the process. But the question remains: what makes these individuals the best of the best in the world of business?
In the 15 seasons since its inception in 2010, Shark Tank has featured nearly 40 business leaders, including guest appearances from star athletes like Maria Sharapova and Alex Rodriguez, to celebrity investors such as Ashton Kutcher and Gwyneth Paltrow. What some might not know is that many of these industry icons also bring their wisdom and insight to the professional speaking circuit as well.
Here’s why organizations like yours should book one of the hosts or guest hosts of Shark Tank for your event, bringing their answers, advice, and expertise directly to your audience.
The Stars of Shark Tank
Daymond John
Daymond John has been a well-recognized shark on “Shark Tank” since its inception. Known for his keen business acumen and expertise in branding, John has made numerous successful investments on the show, offering valuable mentorship to entrepreneurs. While his involvement has been pivotal in helping others grow their small business, John himself has launched numerous profitable industries. He has grossed over $6 billion in sales from his lifestyle brand FUBU, signed on as a brand ambassador to companies like Shopify and Audible, and authored five best-selling books aimed at his journey from start-up to success story.
“Working with Daymond was an exceptional experience. Daymond demonstrated extensive knowledge of our industry while being kind, funny, and highly professional.” – Hayley R Curtiss, Cambridge Mobile Telemetrics
Robert Herjavec
While some claim to be lifelong Sharks, Robert Herjavec can also call himself a Dragon. Herjavec helped launch the Canadian equivalent of Shark Tank, Dragon’s Den in Canada in 2006. After the success of Dragon’s Den, he brought the idea to the US and created Shark Tank four years later. Herjavec embodies a true “rags to riches” tale as he and his parents were forced to flee from their native Yugoslavia to Canada, where he would take odd jobs delivering papers and waiting tables. He quickly turned a passion for cybersecurity into a full career and eventually launched a billion-dollar computer company from his basement. Herjavec excels at speaking to audiences about cybersecurity, how to ignite the drive to succeed, and the importance of excellent leadership.
Barbara Corcoran
Another inaugural Shark, Barbara Corcoran knows the value of a dollar more than most… well, maybe $1,000. Corcoran, author of the best-selling memoir “How I Turned $1,000 into a Billion Dollar Business!” took a small loan when she was only 23 and started a real estate business that would blossom into a $5 billion empire in New York City. As a motivational speaker, Corcoran details her stories and strategies, inspiring teams to transform from within and uncovering how to generate new, fresh ideas and solutions to help companies reach their highest potential.
“Our audience loved Barbara, her story, her personality, and her insight.” – Sharon Schenk, CCA Global Partners, Inc.
Kevin O’Leary
Affectionately nicknamed “Mr. Wonderful,” Kevin O’Leary was another driving force behind the inception of Dragon’s Den and the migration to the US adaptation of Shark Tank. However, his entrepreneurial endeavors can be traced back to 2000 and the foundation of O’Leary Ventures, a venture capital investment platform that has helped numerous startups grow and thrive. O’Leary, a well-known supporter of start-up businesses for over two decades, is a firm believer in turning perceived weaknesses into superpowers and identifying opportunities for innovation in the workplace.
Mark Cuban
An entrepreneur, investor, philanthropist, basketball aficionado, and star TV personality – one might describe Mark Cuban as the closest living embodiment of Iron Man (without the super suit of course). Cuban has always had a knack for business, from selling garbage bags as a child to founding MicroSolutions and Broadcast.net in his older years (both of which have been sold for substantial profits). Cuban joined the Shark Tank cast as a guest in season 2, but was so adored he came back as a regular beginning in season 3. Cuban is an expert speaker on business topics, but also frequently discusses his philanthropic efforts and the importance of giving back to our communities.
Kevin Harrington
While he hasn’t been featured on Shark Tank since season 2, Kevin Harrington remains one of the most successful entrepreneurs the show has ever featured. An Original Shark, Harrington was initially handpicked to guide new startup hopefuls due to his incredible resume of launching over 20 businesses that have each grown to over $100 million in sales. Harrington is also known as the inventor of the modern infomercial and has served as CEO and President of the Home Shopping Network. Harrington brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to any presentation and excels at speaking on business leadership topics, as well as growth strategies and innovation in sales and marketing.
“He went far above and beyond to make sure that our messaging was included in his keynote. His messaging was spot on, and we definitely heard from the attendees that they liked what he had to say.” – AAE client, Microsoft
The Guest Sharks
Ashton Kutcher
If you stopped viewing Ashton Kutcher’s work after his appearances in “The 70’s Show” and “Dude, Where’s My Car,” you would be surprised to learn that he has become one of the leading faces in celebrity investment and entrepreneurship. His drive for investment was so recognized that it landed him a guest spot on Shark Tank in Season 7. When Kutcher is not acting and/or producing, he is a respected philanthropist and environmentalist, launching companies like THORN: Digital Defenders of Children, a non-profit that specializes in preventing human trafficking and exploitation of children. He has also been named to the Forbes list of “World’s Most Powerful Celebrities” multiple times. While the “Jobs” star certainly brings celebrity power to a speaking event, Kutcher also delivers powerful keynotes around social activism, finance, and technology.
Sara Blakely
Sara Blakely is the founder and Chairwoman of SPANX, is featured in TIME magazine’s “Top 100 Most Influential People,” and was on the cover of Forbes, which declared her the youngest self-made female billionaire. With those accolades on her resume, it’s easy to see why she was tabbed as a guest judge on Shark Tank during both seasons 9 and 10. Blakely is the embodiment of female empowerment in the workplace, investing millions of dollars in programs that help elevate women through education and entrepreneurial training. Blakely has also pledged millions to support female-run small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Blakely makes an ideal speaker for any business-related event and truly thrives when speaking on women’s rights or gender equality issues.
“I can honestly say I’ve never seen an event with so much engagement both in the chat function, as well as the virtual networking environment we set up. Our guest comments reflected Sara was a PERFECT fit for our program. Her authentic approach to leading had the entire audience wanting to work for her/Spanx, which is a testament to her vision and execution. Thank you for helping us make this happen!” – Jill Taksey, ADP
Bethenny Frankel
Bethenny Frankel has been surrounded by celebrity investors her entire life. Upon moving to Los Angeles in 1992, she worked as a nanny for Paris Hilton and was a personal assistant to Linda and Jerry Bruckheimer. Frankel tried, and failed, at launching her own business many times before finally focusing on BethennyBakes, a healthy-alternative cookie and meal delivery service. That business would feature her on The Apprentice: Martha Stewart, ultimately finishing as a runner-up. Eventually, Frankel would found Skinnygirl, a lifestyle brand focused on low-calorie alternatives to traditionally indulgent products. The combination of entrepreneurship and reality TV stardom eventually landed Frankel a guest Shark spot in seasons 9 and 10. Her diverse background makes Bethenny Frankel a terrific professional speaker who specializes in entrepreneurship, overcoming adversity, and nutrition.
“Fantastic! The audience loved her! I thought she came off very much as who she is: a straight shooter who says what’s on her mind…staying five steps ahead of things before they happen—good anticipation skills—being honest with yourself—and getting eight hours of sleep—comments and thoughts like that went over very well the audience.” – Brad Dubow, Townsquare Media
Alex Rodriguez
Booking an iconic athlete like Alex Rodriguez usually ensures a grand slam of an event! Ok, the obvious pun had to be made, but in all seriousness, Alex “A-Rod” Rodriguez is the model of how a professional athlete can transition into a business mogul post-playing career. After retiring from professional baseball, where he was a 3-time MVP and World Series Champion, Rodriguez founded the A-Rod Corp, an investment company that partners with aspiring startups in real estate, sports, and entertainment. This endeavor has helped build the net worth of over 30 companies. A-Rod accepted a guest spot on seasons 9 and 10 of Shark Tank and even came back in season 12 due to popular demand. As someone who is no stranger to the power of teamwork, both on and off the diamond, Rodriguez delivers powerful keynote speeches on business leadership, growth, and capital investing.
Michael Rubin
Michael Rubin isn’t just the CEO of Fanatics, a leading sports apparel company with official licenses across the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB, he is also a noted philanthropist and social entrepreneur. Rubin has built numerous successful direct-to-consumer companies and is often named one of the prominent people in the sports business. Fanatics, now the official supplier of MLB and NHL merchandise, has been named one of the “50 Most Innovative Companies in the World” by Fast Company and “Sports Business of the Year” by Yahoo! Finance. Rubin is also extremely passionate about criminal justice reform and is the co-chair of REFORM Alliance, an organization dedicated to eliminating antiquated probation laws that perpetuate injustice in the legal system. Rubin’s entrepreneurial prowess can also be seen as a guest Shark in the most recent season 15 of Shark Tank. Bringing a powerful knowledge of sports, business, and politics to the speaking circuit, Michael Rubin is certainly an excellent speaker choice for your next event.
Hiring the right speaker can always be a challenge. Booking a Shark Tank speaker offers a unique blend of entrepreneurial wisdom, real-world business acumen, and inspirational storytelling. From personal tales of overcoming adversity to financial advice from a real-world savant, these titans of industry known as The Sharks are sure to reel in any audience’s attention and ensure your next event goes swimmingly.
