"I can't" — Shark Tank investor Kevin O'Leary on keeping work and personal life separate

Modified Apr 19, 2025 08:36 GMT

In an April 18 post uploaded on Instagram by Shark Tank investor Kevin O'Leary, the entrepreneur discussed the topic of keeping his personal and public life separate. He said it's hard to keep boundaries between these two aspects of life because social media follows him everywhere.

"The answer is, I don't. I can't. I follow my life on social media, it follows me. And I'm happy to communicate with people on my own network. It's great and I listen to their feedback," expressed Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary.

Further in the video, he stated that he enjoys interacting with his network and listening to people's opinions. Kevin noted that many people try to separate their personal and public lives, but it's not easy. He added that despite some challenges that social media communication brings, he values the connections he's made with his fans over the years.

Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary talks about work-life balance in an interview

On his YouTube channel, Kevin O’Leary sat down with Scarritt Group’s CEO, Adrienne Williams, on February 21, 2025. Kevin reflected on his work-life balance, acknowledging that his family might wish he had more time for personal life. However, Kevin found his current activities enjoyable and fulfilling.

He said the opportunities that came his way were a result of his hard work, and he saw no reason to stop. Kevin credited his wife for raising their family while he focused on his career. He said considered himself a "good provider," doing his best for his family despite not being the most present family man.

"I wouldn't say I'm the best family man, but I'm a good provider, and I tried the best I can," stated Shark Tank's Kevin.

Kevin emphasized the sentiment that had no regrets in his life when it came to choosing work over family sometimes. He believed that dwelling on mistakes was pointless and instead focused on learning from them.

With a large following on social media, he got a team that did the work of monitoring comments to stay informed about relevant topics. Occasionally, Kevin would engage with comments, especially if they were about topics that interested him, such as watches or music. He believed that criticism was a natural part of success and didn't let it hold him back from achieving his goals.

"I'm not gonna let somebody who's my critic get in the way of success. Why would I do that? There's not even revenge. It's just, you got to get to what you started. You have to finish it," said Kevin O'Leary.

Adrienne then asked Kevin about his involvement in Shark Tank, where he had been for the past 16 years. Kevin recalled getting his start on TV after selling one of his companies, The Learning Company. He then worked in private equity and was tasked with bidding on digital licenses in Canada.

Kevin further mentioned that he pursued these licenses, which led to a heated on-air exchange with a reporter, Janis Mackey Frayer. The confrontation sparked interest from producers, and Kevin's TV appearances grew from there, eventually leading to his role on Shark Tank.

Fans of Kevin O'Leary can watch the popular entrepreneur on Shark Tank's season 16 on ABC. The latest season will be Mark Cuban's last season on the show.

About the author

Amijeet Singh is a reality TV writer at Sportskeeda who completed his master’s degree in Mass Communication and Journalism. A true jack of all trades, Amijeet has more than 6 years of work experience under his belt. He loves reporting on reality TV particularly for its transparent depiction of real emotions, conflicts, and stories that resonate with viewers. This motivates him to offer fresh insights and perspectives to foster empathy and understanding among readers.

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Amijeet’s favorite celebrities are Gordon Ramsay, Frank Lampard, and Hayao Miyazaki, who honed their crafts by working on them constantly. Their creative journeys and dedication to their craft he admires. When not closely following his favorite actors and icons, Amijeet likes to write sci-fi stories, watch horror films, and play team sports. In his free time, he also plays the guitar and drums.

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