Talk about an accidental bite. Who would’ve thought that ABC’s Shark Tank would be so popular, but it’s still raking in the ratings and handing out the dough. It starts another season in October with the Sharks ready to help wannabe entrepreneurs with their latest and greatest ideas. They’re also ready to abuse the contestants, which is probably the real reason why the show is so popular. Who’s your favorite Shark? Here’s a list of the regular Sharks and a few popular Guest Sharks from which to choose.
Barbara Corcoran
Perhaps Barbara Corcoran is your favorite Shark because she turned water into wine, figuratively speaking that. A horrible student in high school and college, Corcoran blew through 20 different jobs “by the time she turned 23,” according to her bio on ABC.com. Done with being an employee, Corcoran convinced someone to lend her $1,000 and opened a real estate business in The Big Apple. She turned that business into a $5 billion venture. Now that’s impressive.
Mark Cuban
If you’re a Dallas Mavericks fan, then Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is likely your favorite Shark. He led the team to the NBA’s 2011 World Championships, which it won, and has also written the bestselling motivational book How to Win at the Sport of Business. At 12, Cuban put his entrepreneurial spirit to work and sold garbage bags door-to-door. His fierce determination has led him to become one of the most successful business investors in the world today.
Lori Greiner
If you decide to become a contestant on Shark Tank, Lori Greiner is your Shark. She has a 90-percent success rate with the products she launches – 90 percent! — and it is said she can determine whether a proposed idea is a “hero or a zero” right away. With this instinct, you can’t lose! Greiner owns 120-plus patents in the U.S. and abroad, and she achieved her fame and fortune on QVC-TV, where she has created and sold over 500 products in 18 years.
Robert Herjavec
According to his bio on ABC.com, “Robert Herjavec is one of North America’s most recognizable and respected business leaders.” That’s quite a compliment. Herjavec escaped communist Yugoslavia when he was a child, and turned his life into the very definition of the American Dream. From delivering newspapers to building and selling IT companies, Herjavec turned rags into a net worth of approximately $200 million. You could live off that, right? He was also in Sharknado: The 4th Awakens.
Daymond John
Founder and CEO of FUBU, a lifestyle brand that has raked in more than $6 billion worldwide, Daymond John has been a Shark on Shark Tank for nine seasons. John is the New York Times best-selling author of The Power of Broke, and he has a commitment to supporting global entrepreneurship that is second-to-none. His commitment is so resolute, President Barack Obama named him the 2015 Presidential Ambassador for Global Entrepreneurship.
Kevin O’Leary
Kevin O’Leary’s travels made him the Shark he is today. His father’s job took the family all over the world. O’Leary received his education in Cambodia, Cyprus, Ethiopia, France, Switzerland, and Tunisia, and upon graduation, he founded Special Event Television. O’Leary also founded what is now called The Learning Company and aggressively acquired multiple learning software companies for consolidation leading up to a famed (and often-mentioned by O’Leary) deal with Mattel. His acquisitions have earned him a net worth of $400 million.
Guest Shark A-Rod
If you’re a baseball fan, Alex Rodriguez just may be your favorite Guest Shark. You know what he during his career in Major League Baseball, bud did you also know he is the CEO of AROD Corp, which according to his ABC.com bio is, “a multi-faceted business conglomeration boasting coast to coast…” Included in this conglomeration is an auto dealership, fitness clubs around the world, and real estate. AROD employs over 200 people and A-Rod shows no sign of slowing down.
Guest Shark Chris Sacca
Perhaps your favorite Guest Shark is Chris Sacca because you love all things venture capital. Although a lawyer, Sacca has made most of his $1.2 billion in venture capital investments. He put seed money into Instagram, Twitter, and Uber – talk about making great investment choices! – and also seeded many other successful companies. Prior to venture capital investing, Sacca held numerous positions at Google, Inc., after which he founded Lowercase Capital. Sacca retired in 2017.
Guest Shark Jamie Siminoff
During Shark Tank’s 2013 season, Jamie Siminoff pitched what eventually became a successful business. The Sharks passed on what is now called Ring, and Mark Cuban says he’d still pass on it. Perhaps Cuban should have his head examined. Siminoff not only turned Ring into a hit, he sold it to Amazon in 2018 for over $1 billion. This Guest Shark certainly knows his way around ideas and business ventures, and Ring is one of the most popular home security systems today.
The new season brings back fan favorites, including Sarah Blakely, Bethenny Frankel, Rohan Oza and A-Rod, while new other new Sharks in addition to Siminoff include Charles Barkley and Matt Higgins.
So, who is your favorite Shark? Is it a regular or Guest Shark – maybe someone not listed? No matter who you think is the best, ABC scored a hit with Shark Tank and turned its investment into gold. That seems fitting, doesn’t it?
Shark Tank returns for its 10th season on ABC, SUNDAY, OCT. 7 at 10 p.m. EDT, before moving to its regular timeslot the following SUNDAY, OCT. 14 at 9 p.m. EDT
Top Photo: SHARK TANK – Barbara Corcoran, Daymond John, Mark Cuban, Kevin O’Leary, Robert Herjavec and Lori Greiner are the “Sharks” on ABC’s “Shark Tank.” (ABC/Patrick Ecclesine)
