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'Nice Makes You More Money': Mark Cuban Says This Is the Major Mistake New Entrepreneurs Often Make The billionaire appeared on "Good Morning America" this week.

By Emily Rella

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Billionaire Mark Cuban knows a thing or two about what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur — and this week, the Mavericks owner appeared on "Good Morning America" to tell the world.

The "Shark Tank" star took viewer questions ranging from how to run a small business to what business advice he'd give to newbies who are just getting started.

Related: 'You're Not Old Until You Act Old': Mark Cuban's Advice on How to Stay Entrepreneurial Even When Considering Retiring

One viewer asked: "What are some of the mistakes you wish you could have avoided as an entrepreneur, and what are some of the biggest mistakes that first-time entrepreneurs fall victim to?"

Cuban responded with something that most of us are taught early on in life — to treat others the way you want to be treated.

"I was 25 when I started my first company after I got fired, and I always thought I had to be mean because I was younger than everybody else — and that was wrong," Cuban said. "What I've learned over the years is being nice really helps. Nice sells, nice makes you more money."

He followed up with a simple philosophy, and something he looks for when investing in entrepreneurs — make sure you're focused on the right things.

Related: Mark Cuban's Grocery Store Hack Will Help You Score Cheaper Produce

"I was all excited about generating sales when I should have been more excited about generating profits," Cuban said, emphasizing that there is a "big difference" between the two.

Last month, the "Shark Tank" star spoke with GQ about his early entrepreneurial days, crediting much of his success to a combination of luck, timing, and of course, hard work.

"I always tell people life is half random. And that's just a reality for everybody," he said candidly. "I got lucky … You gotta have timing. I was really lucky in that."

According to Bloomberg, Cuban has an estimated net worth of $6.27 billion.

Emily Rella

Senior News Writer

Emily Rella is a Senior News Writer at Entrepreneur.com. Previously, she was an editor at Verizon Media. Her coverage spans features, business, lifestyle, tech, entertainment, and lifestyle. She is a 2015 graduate of Boston College and a Ridgefield, CT native. Find her on Twitter at @EmilyKRella.

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