As Gen Z navigates a volatile job market transformed by AI, Shark Tank investor Robert Herjavec offers advice rooted in his own journey from an immigrant family living in a basement to becoming a tech mogul. He urges young professionals to master a single, differentiating skill—a strategy that propelled him to millionaire status by age 26.
Herjavec’s path was far from certain. After immigrating to Canada from the former Yugoslavia with his parents, who had only $50 and a single suitcase, his family lived in a basement for 18 months. Upon graduating college with an English degree in 1984, he faced his own career uncertainty, taking on various jobs from waiting tables to working at the Olympics before realizing that general versatility wouldn’t set him apart.
Instead, he focused on mastering communication. “Be great at one thing,” Herjavec advises. “The world does not reward general talent.”
While an English degree might seem counterintuitive for a cybersecurity career, Herjavec found it gave him a unique advantage. “I didn’t understand the technology initially,” he explains, “but I was good at understanding people who understood the technology.” This ability to communicate complex ideas and identify talent became his key to building a global tech empire.
This intense drive is fueled by a desire to honor his parents’ sacrifices. “I felt if I didn’t make it, if I didn’t make something of myself, it didn’t justify their sacrifice,” he reflects. Even after achieving financial security, his ambition continued to grow, shifting from material success to a relentless pursuit of personal potential. “How much can I push myself to really wring out every opportunity in this life?” he asks. “My whole goal is on my deathbed, the last words under my mouth I want them to be ‘I’m tired.’”
This focus on people over products defines his investment strategy on Shark Tank. A prime example is his investment in Tipsy Elves, a holiday apparel company he initially found silly. However, the founders’ passion and business acumen convinced him to invest $100,000 for a 10% stake. That investment has since become his most successful on the show, with the company generating over $300 million in lifetime revenue.
For Herjavec, this success story underscores a fundamental belief he shares with aspiring entrepreneurs. “The great thing about being an entrepreneur is you can write your own story of greatness,” he says. “It’s all up to you.”
