Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary Bites Back at Critics of His Controversial Tweet. 'If You Don't Get It, You Don't Fit the Entrepreneurial Mold.'

Many thought Mr. Wonderful's comment over the weekend wasn't so wonderful.

learn more about Jonathan Small

By Jonathan Small

Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary has found himself swimming in shark-infested hot water after making a controversial statement on Twitter over the weekend.

But Mr. Wonderful refuses to back down. On the contrary, he's appeared on various news shows in the past few days, defending his statement and snapping back at his critics.

The brouhaha started on Saturday morning when O'Leary tweeted: "You may lose your wife, you may lose your dog, your mother may hate you. None of those things matter. What matters is that you achieve success and become free. Then you can do whatever you like."

The tweet did not go over well with Twitter users, who found O'Leary's no-holds-barred position lacking compassion and humanity.

A Twitter user named @MasonVersluis tweeted: "Kevin, this is a soulless tweet! Being soulless has brought you massive success, however, you now need to tap into your inner higher self and stop focusing on the money! Hopefully, you know self and have not gotten your brand mixed up with the human!"

@AlexKerner tweeted that O'Leary was too materialistic.

Others took to tweeting adorable pictures of their dogs.

Related: Kevin O'Leary Says This Is the 'Safest Place on Earth' to Keep Your Money After FTX Crypto Crash

O'Leary responds

O'Leary, who never met a controversy he couldn't publicize, took to the airwaves this week to defend his position.

He told CNN that he stands by his tweet "100 percent," arguing that being an entrepreneur takes tremendous sacrifice.

"If you're an entrepreneur, you know exactly what I'm talking about because you need to sacrifice. You have to work 25 hours a day, eight days a week, because your competitors in Mumbai or Shanghai — they want to kick your butt. You have to win when you're young and sacrifice everything so that you achieve freedom for your whole family later in life," he said.

O'Leary blasted his critics as not understanding the nature of entrepreneurship. "If you don't get it, don't worry about it cause you don't fit the entrepreneurial mold," he said. "If you're not ready to work your ass off, you're not an entrepreneur, get over it if that makes you uncomfortable. I couldn't care less."

On Fox News, O'Leary doubled down, saying, "If that statement makes you uncomfortable, you are not an entrepreneur. Don't even try."

Jonathan Small

Entrepreneur Staff

Editor in Chief of Green Entrepreneur

Jonathan Small is editor-in-chief of Green Entrepreneur, a vertical from Entrepreneur Media focused on the intersection of sustainability and business. He is also an award-winning journalist, producer, and podcast host of the upcoming True Crime series, Dirty Money, and Write About Now podcasts. Jonathan is the founder of Strike Fire Productions, a premium podcast production company. He had held editing positions at Glamour, Stuff, Fitness, and Twist Magazines. His stories have appeared in The New York Times, TV Guide, Cosmo, Details, and Good Housekeeping. Previously, Jonathan served as VP of Content for the GSN (the Game Show Network), where he produced original digital video series.

Related Topics

Editor's Pick

Everyone Wants to Get Close to Their Favorite Artist. Here's the Technology Making It a Reality — But Better.
The Highest-Paid, Highest-Profile People in Every Field Know This Communication Strategy
After Early Rejection From Publishers, This Author Self-Published Her Book and Sold More Than 500,000 Copies. Here's How She Did It.
Having Trouble Speaking Up in Meetings? Try This Strategy.
He Names Brands for Amazon, Meta and Forever 21, and Says This Is the Big Blank Space in the Naming Game
Business News

I Live on a Cruise Ship for Half of the Year. Look Inside My 336-Square-Foot Cabin with Wraparound Balcony.

I live on a cruise ship with my husband, who works on it, for six months out of the year. Life at "home" can be tight. Here's what it's really like living on a cruise ship.

Thought Leaders

The Collapse of Credit Suisse: A Cautionary Tale of Resistance to Hybrid Work

This cautionary tale serves as a reminder for business leaders to adapt to the changing world of work and prioritize their workforce's needs and preferences.

Business News

These Are the Most and Least Affordable Places to Retire in The U.S.

The Northeast and West Coast are the least affordable, while areas in the Mountain State region tend to be ideal for retirees on a budget.

Business Solutions

Learn to Build a ChatGPT Bot for Only $30

If you want to see what AI can do for your business, grab this course bundle today.

Health & Wellness

5 Essential Steps to Expand Your Vision and Start Living Your Dream Life

It's time to break free from your comfort zone and expand your vision. When you refuse to settle for a mediocre life, you can start building a life you love.