4 of Robert Herjavec’s best pieces financial wisdom

Known as the “nice Shark”  for his kind and easygoing personality, Shark Tank’s Robert Herjavec may have invested upwards of $20 million into the small businesses he believes in, but the renown he’s gained from his 17 seasons on the popular ABC TV show has added exponentially more to his net wealth.

You could say that his extensive experience as a successful tech entrepreneur made him a savvy investor—but Herjavec’s own rags-to-riches story as an immigrant has helped frame his career in very empathetic terms.

According to Entrepreneur, Herjavec would “much rather invest in a quality entrepreneur than a promising product,” and so he often goes out of his way to help small businesses long after the cameras stop rolling.

Herjavec, like his fellow Shark Tank panelists, has become somewhat of a popular authority on personal finance, career development, and investing. Below, we examine four of the most valuable insights he's shared with his fans about money and investing.

Robert Herjavec’s top 4 financial tips

Business smarts can easily translate into financial success, and Herjavec is a living testament to this. Known for his ability to foresee market trends, anticipate customer needs, and combat competitive forces, Herjavec has become a guidepost for younger investors.

Here are four of his most important financial insights:

1. Remember that change is constant

At the beginning of his investment career, Herjavec revealed to PC Mag, he used to recommend financial companies; now, he says, “every business is a tech business.” This proves the theory that change is a constant—in life, as well as finance.  

“What I always tell small businesses is: if you're not ready to change, you're going to die,” he said. “The only certainty in business is constant change. Those who can adapt are the ones that survive."

2. Invest in what you know

Herjavec consistently advises investors to avoid chasing trends. The smartest investors put their money into companies they understand, and if they don’t—then they shouldn’t invest in them.

This is sound advice from a man who built enormous wealth because he understood cybersecurity deeply and stayed within his realm of expertise.

In addition, time management makes the world of difference, both in business and the stock market. “Success is like a bank account,” Herjavec told a group of USC business students at the Annenberg Media Center, “The earlier you invest, the earlier you get your payback. If you can’t see the future, you’re stuck in the past.”

Related: Barbara Corcoran’s 4 best personal finance insights

3. Save aggressively

Growing up poor taught Herjavec the value of saving. He recommends that people live below their means until they’ve built a strong financial foundation. This includes creating a savings “safety net” before making big purchases and then investing extra money into assets that appreciate.

As Herjavec said in a LinkedIn post, “Save, but know that doing that alone won't make you rich. Real wealth is built by knowledge, leverage and experience.” He advises people to find their passion, even if that means forgoing immediate gratification, such as interning or working without compensation while you build your skills in your chosen field.

4. Use failure as a strategy

Ever witnessing life as a "glass half full," Herjavec views every setback and misstep as a chance to gain wisdom and build resilience. It's his lived experience—who else could turn being fired from a job into the start of a hundred-million dollar fortune?

As he stated on Facebook, "I'm successful because of all the times I've failed," and emphasized on LinkedIn that “I’m a big believer in falling down 7 times, but getting up 8,” Herjavec emphasizes that failure is a lesson that doesn’t have to define you.

Using the lessons the experience offered, failure could actually serve to catapult you to success.

More from savvy investors:

• How to read like Warren Buffett

• Dave Ramsey’s net worth: The personal finance pundit’s wealth in 2025

• Barbara Corcoran’s 4 best personal finance insights

What does Herjavec do outside of Shark Tank?

Herjavec uses his celebrity to educate aspiring business owners, and in 2016, along with Deluxe Corporation, he co-created the web series “Small Business Revolution,” which aims to not only revitalize small businesses but also the entire towns and communities they’re located in.

What is Robert Herjavec’s net worth in 2025?

There’s a reason Shark Tank execs asked Herjavec for his insights on smart startups: His own enterprises have made him very, very rich, with estimates of his wealth ranging from over $300 million to $600 million in 2025.

Related: Robert Herjavec’s net worth & biggest ‘Shark Tank’ deals

A pioneer in the internet security software sphere, Herjavec sold his first company, BRAK Systems, to AT&T Canada for more than $30 million in 2000. He then founded his eponymous firm, The Herjavec Group, which became one of the leading cybersecurity companies in North America. By 2017, Investor’s Business Daily reported it had estimated annual revenues of $200 million.

As one of the original “Sharks” on the hit ABC series, Herjavec’s empowering style and business acumen made him one of the show’s most popular angel investors—but he did more than just talk. He “put his money where his money is” by investing in nearly 60 companies.

His greatest ROI came from his $100,000 investment in Tipsy Elves, the holiday-themed apparel company, which went on to generate more than $100 million in sales by 2019, according to TheStreet. In addition to his appearances on Shark Tank, Herjavec has also appeared as a regular on the Canadian sister series Dragons’ Den as well as on Shark Tank Australia.

Befitting the motivational-minded maven, Herjavec also tours the country through speaking engagements and has authored three bestselling books: Driven (2010), The Will to Win: Leading, Competing, Succeeding (2013), and You Don’t Have to Be a Shark: Creating Your Own Success (2016).

Robert Herjavec’s rags-to-riches beginnings

Born on September 14, 1962, in Varaždin, Croatia (then part of Yugoslavia), Herjavec immigrated to Canada with his parents at the age of eight, fleeing their home in search of freedom. His father had been jailed numerous times for speaking out against the government, and Herjavec has long admired his father’s strength and courage.

The family arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia, with just $20 and a single suitcase to their name. They did not speak any English and were forced to start a new life from scratch.

Growing up poor, Herjavec worked a range of minimum-wage jobs, including waiting tables and delivering newspapers, to help his family make ends meet. However, his early hardships gave him grit and fueled his determination to build a better life.

Related: 3 things Mark Cuban & Dave Ramsey agree on about personal finance

His professional breakthrough actually came when he offered to work without pay. In 1985, he proposed working for free for six months at Logiquest to gain skills in their sales department. His plan worked, and he quickly rose through the company’s ranks to become general manager.

However, he was fired from the company in 1990—but in true Herjavec style, he saw the event as an opportunity in disguise. Shortly thereafter, Herjavec founded his own company, BRAK Systems, from his basement—and the rest was history.  

Robert Herjavec’s wife

After his 20-year marriage to optometrist Diane Plese ended in separation in 2014 and eventually in divorce in 2016, Herjavec had to pay his ex-wife a total of $25 million in alimony, but that did not stop the famed investor from giving love another go.

In fact, he met his second wife, Kym Johnson, on the set of ABC’s Dancing with the Stars in 2015, and their friendship quickly turned into romance. The couple married on July 31, 2016, and share two children together: fraternal twins Hudson and Haven. In addition, Herjavec has three children with Plese: daughters Caprice and Skye, and a son named Brandon.

How does Herjavec spend his money?

Herjavec has a taste for the finer things in life, including real estate and race cars. His property portfolio includes a $34.5 million condo in the One57 building in New York City and a $26 million mansion in Hidden Hills, California.

He also races sports cars as a way to unwind and owns rare and vintage Ferraris, Porsches, and Ford models. His 2014 Ferrari LaFerrari was one of just 700 made.

Related: Warren Buffett’s most insightful investing quotes as he celebrates retirement