Ending Soon! Save 33% on All Access

The Best Investment the 'Shark Tank' Judges Ever Made for Under $100 Sometimes it's the little things that make a big difference in your business.

By Jonathan Small

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Matt Petit | Getty Images

Kevin O'Leary, the opinionated and ruthless Shark Tank judge, may jet around the world in gulf streams and throw millions of dollars at risky startups (Toygaroo, anyone?), but he says one of the wisest investments he's ever made was a stack of Post-It Notes and a pencil.

"I use them at night, before I go to sleep, to write down the three goals I need to get accomplished before I take my first call in the morning," he tells Entrepreneur.

Related: 'Shark Tank' Judges Say Successful Entrepreneurs Share These 5 Traits

While his fellow sharks may disagree with him on many things, they call can proudly list similar products they've spent little on that have reaped great rewards in return.

Bettheny Frankel

"The best thing I ever bought was a cellphone cover with an extra battery. Because my battery dies all the time, and my phone is my business."

Daymond John

"A pen. Someone wise once said: 'The dullest pencil will always remember more than the sharpest mind.' Stop thinking you know it all, stop just listening to things. Especially today where people don't even write things down because they have these phones. A pen will change your life. I write everything down."

Rohan Oza

"The car service to go meet 50 Cent to close the Vitaminwater deal."

That deal, which made 50 Cent the face of the company, ultimately resulted in a $4.1 billion buyout by Coca Cola.

Related: The Biggest Risk 4 Judges on 'Shark Tank' Ever Took

Barbara Corcoran

"A copy of How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie. The biggest misnomer in business is that it's about money, and I don't know shit about money. I still don't read a financial sheet, and I haven't signed a check in my business for almost 25 years. I let other people sign them. I don't know about money, but what I know a lot about is people. That book puts the finger right on how you develop people talents. I think it's the best book in the field."

Jonathan Small

Entrepreneur Leadership Network® VIP

Founder, Write About Now Media

Jonathan Small is an award-winning author, journalist, producer, and podcast host. For 25 years, he has worked as a sought-after storyteller for top media companies such as The New York Times, Hearst, Entrepreneur, and Condé Nast. He has held executive roles at Glamour, Fitness, and Entrepreneur and regularly contributes to The New York Times, TV Guide, Cosmo, Details, Maxim, and Good Housekeeping. He is the former “Jake” advice columnist for Glamour magazine and the “Guy Guru” at Cosmo.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Business News

Now that OpenAI's Superalignment Team Has Been Disbanded, Who's Preventing AI from Going Rogue?

We spoke to an AI expert who says safety and innovation are not separate things that must be balanced; they go hand in hand.

Franchise

What Franchising Can Teach The NFL About The Impact of Private Equity

The NFL is smart to take a thoughtful approach before approving institutional capital's investment in teams.

Employee Experience & Recruiting

Beyond the Great Resignation — How to Attract Freelancers and Independent Talent Back to Traditional Work

Discussing the recent workplace exit of employees in search of more meaningful work and ways companies can attract that talent back.

Business News

Scarlett Johansson 'Shocked' That OpenAI Used a Voice 'So Eerily Similar' to Hers After Already Telling the Company 'No'

Johansson asked OpenAI how they created the AI voice that her "closest friends and news outlets could not tell the difference."

Business Ideas

Struggling to Balance Your Business and Your Relationship? This Company Says It Has a Solution.

Jessica Holton, co-founder and CEO of Ours, says her company is on a mission to destigmatize couples therapy so that people can be proactive about relationship health.

Marketing

Marketing Campaigns Must Do More than Drive Clicks — Here's How to Craft Landing Pages That Convert Clicks into Customers

Following fundamental design principles will ensure that your landing pages lead potential customers from clicking on an ad to completing a purchase.