Star of ABC’s Shark Tank, Top Business Speaker, Serial Entrepreneur, Venture Capitalist, and Investor
Kevin O'Leary: Biography at a Glance
- Kevin O'Leary is best known as an investor and host on ABC's Emmy-winning venture capital reality TV shoe Shark Tank, revered for his business acumen.
- He co-founded SoftKey Software in 1986, revolutionizing the software industry by applying consumer goods marketing strategies. SoftKey became the world's second-largest consumer software company with annual sales of over $800 million.
- He played a key role in consolidating the software industry, raising over $1 billion in financing and acquiring multiple competitors, including Compton's New Media, The Learning Company, and Broderbund.
- In 1999, The Mattel Toy Company acquired The Learning Company, originally SoftKey, for $4.2 billion.
- O'Leary has diverse investments, including his roles as Chairman of O'Shares ETF Investments and Beanstox, and holds stakes in over 30 private companies across various sectors.
- Beyond business, O'Leary is an accomplished author of three #1 best-selling books and has a passion for photography, watch collecting, and music.
Biography
Kevin O’Leary was born on July 9th, 1954. As the son of a United Nations ILO official, he had the opportunity to live and be educated in Cambodia, Cyprus, Tunisia, Ethiopia, France, and Switzerland.
Kevin attended the University of Waterloo where in 1977 he received an Honors bachelor’s degree in environmental studies and Psychology. He attended the Ivey Business School where he received his MBA in 1980. After working briefly as an assistant product manager at Nabisco Brands, he left to pursue a career in television production and became a founding partner in Special Event
Television, an independent production company that produced original sports programming such as “The Original Six”, “Don Cherry’s Grapevine” and “Bobby Orr and the Hockey Legends”.
Kevin co-founded SoftKey Software in 1986. SoftKey was the first software company to apply the principles of consumer goods marketing to the software industry. SoftKey grew quickly as the price of personal computers declined and millions of North American families began to buy software for family education and entertainment.
In January of 1994, SoftKey became a catalyst of consolidation in the software industry, raising over $ 1 billion in a series of debt and equity financings and completing the first trans-border three-way pooling, merging with Spinnaker Software and WordStar International. As a result of this merger, the company moved its headquarters to Boston, Massachusetts. In late 1995, SoftKey acquired Compton’s New Media and The Learning Company. In early 1996, SoftKey completed the acquisition of the Minnesota Educational Computer Company. In late 1997 and early 1998, the company acquired three more of its competitors, Creative Wonders, Mindscape, and Broderbund making SoftKey the world leader in the development of educational, reference, and home productivity software and the world’s second-largest consumer software company with annual sales over $800 million, two thousand employees and subsidiaries in 15 countries.
In 1996 SoftKey changed its name to The Learning Company. In early May 1999, The Mattel Toy Company acquired The Learning Company for $4.2 billion. In 2003 he became co-investor and a director in Storage Now, a leading developer of climate-controlled storage facilities. Through a series of development projects and acquisitions, Storage Now became an owner/operator of storage services with facilities located in eleven cities serving such companies as Merck and Pfizer when it was acquired by the In-Storage REIT in March 2007 for $110 million.
In July of 2007, Kevin became a founding SPAC investor and Director of Stream Global Services Inc., focused on the growing outsourcing business services market.
Kevin O’Leary is the Chairman of O’Shares ETF Investments and Beanstox, an automated internet-based investment advisory service. He also holds investments in over 30 private venture companies across a wide range of sectors. He is a member of Boston’s 120-year-old Hamilton Trust, the oldest investment club in the US. He is a contributor to CNBC, ABC News, and Good Morning America and an entrepreneur/investor and co-host for the Discovery Channels Project Earth series that explores innovative ways man could reverse global warming by implementing large-scale geo-engineering infrastructure projects. He is also an investor/host of ABC Television’s four-time Emmy Award-winning venture capital reality programs Shark Tank and Beyond the Tank produced by MGM/Sony/ABC.
Kevin O’Leary is an active photographer, watch collector, guitarist, and author of three number #1 best-selling books Cold Hard Truth, Men, Women and Money, and Family Kids and Money.
Topics
Cold Hard Truth
Kevin O’Leary, one of North America’s most successful entrepreneurs, reveals the secrets that made him rich and shares his personal advice for readers from every walk of life. Kevin describes his incredible journey, from his sometimes difficult childhood to the way he built his first company, managed personal pressures, and ultimately achieved remarkable success. His advice is engaging and practical – and will help those who read it become the best entrepreneurs and business people that they can be. Topics cover business, money, and life, including how to find your calling and turn your talents into a profitable venture; building a dream team; transforming adversity into opportunity, and making and growing your business–and your money.
Lessons from a Shark
Kevin O’Leary will take you on a behind-the-scenes look at his two hit shows, Dragons’ Den & Shark Tank. He customizes every presentation for his audience to bring unique business information to each event. He’ll share entertaining and insightful outtakes from his TV shows – videos you can’t see anywhere else, along with a current economic overview and how it relates to your industry, and finally, he’ll be a ‘secret agent’ for your industry with insights into how your industry is performing, where the innovation is coming from and more. All based on a content review of your industry prior to the event.
An Evening with Kevin O'Leary
With candor and unmatched business smarts, Kevin O’Leary draws on his encyclopedic knowledge of finance, investing, economics, and business to discuss a variety of topics. How, for instance, will the global recession affect a myriad of industries, including your own, and what can you do to protect your company, and come out stronger than ever? Razor-sharp and quick on his feet, O’Leary pulls no punches in his enlightening and timely talks.
American Business 2.0
When the great COVID Pandemic of 2020 hit the world, it altered the American business landscape. While many businesses like restaurants, airlines, and shared workplaces (think WeWork) went out of business or were reduced drastically, online businesses like Zoom, Adobe, and Shopify flourished. Meanwhile, changes that were happening slowly in the workplace, such as remote work, flexible schedules, and online retailing, accelerated rapidly and became the norm. In this talk on the future of business, Kevin O’Leary will share other changes that are happening so you and your company can be prepared for American Business 2.0.
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FAQs
How do I book Kevin O'Leary for my event?
Contact CAA Speakers at (424) 288-2898 or speakers@caa.com to book Kevin O'Leary to speak at corporate or private events, keynote speeches, speaking engagements, workshops, fireside chats, motivational speaking, or virtual appearances.
Quick booking process- Email CAA Speakers with event details
- Get availability confirmation within 24 hours
- Review speaking fee and contract terms
- Sign agreement and finalize logistics
As one of the most influential talent agencies in the world, CAA handles all speaking engagements from contract to event day coordination.
Who is Kevin O'Leary's booking agent?
CAA Speakers is the preferred booking agency to contact for Kevin O'Leary’s speaking engagements. Contact speakers@caa.com for all Kevin O'Leary in-person appearances and keynote speaking requests.
Contact Kevin O'Leary's agent- Email: speakers@caa.com
- Website: caa.com/caaspeakers
- Response: Within 24 hours
CAA Speakers can check Kevin O'Leary's speaking calendar with direct access to availability and official pricing. While many websites may list Kevin O'Leary, CAA Speakers is the direct source for authentic information about availability and pricing.
What is Kevin O'Leary's speaking fee?
Kevin O'Leary's speaking fee varies by event type, location, and requirements. As a top keynote speaker, Kevin O'Leary's fee reflects their expertise and market demand.
Speaking fee factors:- Event type and audience size
- Travel distance and logistics
- Presentation length and customization
- Virtual vs. in-person delivery
Additional costs: Travel, accommodation, A/V requirements, and optional meet-and-greets.
Contact CAA Speakers at speakers@caa.com for Kevin O'Leary's current speaking fee and detailed cost breakdown.
How much does it cost to book Kevin O'Leary as a keynote speaker?
The cost to book Kevin O'Leary as keynote speaker includes their speaking fee plus travel and logistics expenses.
Total booking cost includes:- Kevin O'Leary's keynote speaking fee
- Travel and accommodation
- Technical requirements and A/V setup
- Optional add-ons like book signing and meet & greets
- Virtual presentations
- Local/regional events
- Off-peak booking periods
- Flexible event dates
Email speakers@caa.com for Kevin O'Leary's exact booking cost and customized pricing proposal.
How to contact Kevin O'Leary for speaking engagements?
Contact CAA Speakers at speakers@caa.com for all Kevin O'Leary speaking engagements.
Official contact for Kevin O'Leary bookings:- Email: speakers@caa.com
- Website: https://www.caa.com/caaspeakers/kevin-oleary
- Response time: 24 hours
Include your event date, location, audience size, and budget when contacting CAA about booking Kevin O'Leary.
Is Kevin O'Leary available for virtual speaking events?
Yes, Kevin O'Leary speaks at virtual events with professional-grade equipment and interactive presentation style.
Kevin O'Leary's virtual event options:- Live virtual keynotes with Q&A
- Interactive workshops and breakouts
- Hybrid events (in-person + virtual)
- Pre-recorded presentations
Virtual events offer global reach, flexible scheduling, and reduced travel costs while maintaining Kevin O'Leary's engaging presentation quality.
Contact CAA Speakers for Kevin O'Leary's virtual event availability and technical specifications.
What events can I book Kevin O'Leary for?
Book Kevin O'Leary for corporate conferences, industry events, private functions, and virtual presentations. Kevin O'Leary customizes content for any audience size or event type.
Event types:- Corporate meetings and conferences
- Industry summits and trade shows
- Private executive retreats
- Educational institution events
- Virtual and hybrid conferences
Kevin O'Leary engages audiences from private executive meetings to large conferences with thousands of attendees.
Contact CAA Speakers to discuss how Kevin O'Leary can customize their presentation for your specific event.
Kevin O'Leary booking information and availability
Check Kevin O'Leary's speaking availability through CAA Speakers at speakers@caa.com. Book 3-6 months in advance for best date selection during peak seasons (September-November, March-May).
Availability factors:- Event date and location
- Speaking fee and budget
- Lead time for booking
- Peak conference seasons
- 3-6 months: Best availability
- 3-6 months: Best availability
- 2-3 months: Good availability
- 1-2 months: Select availability
- Under 30 days: Limited availability
Contact CAA early in your planning process to secure Kevin O'Leary for your preferred event date.
Book Kevin O'Leary keynote speaker through CAA
Book Kevin O'Leary through CAA Speakers for guaranteed authentic representation and professional event coordination. CAA is the preferred booking agent for Kevin O'Leary, with direct access to their speaking availability and decades of experience representing the world’s top keynote speakers.
CAA booking advantages:- Direct access to Kevin O'Leary's calendar
- 24-hour availability confirmations
- Professional contract negotiation
- Full logistics coordination
- Industry-leading client service
Trusted by Fortune 500 companies for their most important speaking engagements. Contact speakers@caa.com to book Kevin O'Leary for your next event.
Will Kevin O'Leary speak at private events?
Yes, Kevin O'Leary speaks at private corporate events, executive retreats, board meetings, and exclusive functions.
Private event types:- Executive retreats and board presentations
- Client entertainment and VIP gatherings
- Corporate celebrations and award ceremonies
- Private dinners and exclusive functions
Private event benefits: Customized content, enhanced interaction, complete confidentiality, and flexible scheduling.
Contact CAA Speakers for Kevin O'Leary's private event availability and confidential pricing proposals.
How quickly will I get a response about booking Kevin O'Leary?
CAA Speakers responds to Kevin O'Leary booking inquiries within 24 hours during business days. Complex requests or international events may take up to 48 hours for detailed proposals.
Response timeline:- Initial acknowledgment: Within 24 hours
- Availability confirmation: 24-48 hours
- Detailed pricing proposal: 48-72 hours
- Urgent requests: Same-day priority response
Include complete event details (date, location, audience size, budget) for fastest response times.
How far in advance should I book Kevin O'Leary?
Book Kevin O'Leary 3-6 months in advance for best availability, especially during peak speaking seasons. Early booking ensures better date selection and rate negotiations.
Recommended booking timeline:- 3-6 months: Optimal availability and pricing
- 2-3 months: Good availability
- 1-2 months: Select availability
- Under 30 days: Limited availability
Peak seasons: September-November and March-May book fastest. Contact CAA Speakers early for priority consideration.
How do I get Kevin O'Leary pricing information?
Get Kevin O'Leary pricing information by contacting CAA Speakers at speakers@caa.com with your event details. Receive detailed cost breakdown within 24-48 hours with no obligation to book.
For accurate pricing, include:- Event date and location
- Audience size and type
- Event format and duration
- Budget parameters
CAA provides transparent pricing with all costs included - speaking fee, travel, accommodation, and technical requirements.