What Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary Actually Does With His Money

Kevin O’Leary (aka ‘Mr. Wonderful’) built a $400M fortune on a few core principles—and they’re surprisingly simple.

Rule 1: Emotions Will Wreck You

According to O’Leary, 90% of people make financial decisions emotionally rather than logically. That new car? Probably bought with your gut, not your brain. His hard rule: if emotions are driving the decision, pause. Logic beats feelings every single time when it comes to building wealth.

Rule 2: Kill Your Debt Aggressively

High-interest debt is the enemy. O’Leary doesn’t mince words—pay off student loans, credit cards, anything with interest FIRST. Don’t even buy takeout coffee until your debt is gone. It sounds harsh, but the math is simple: you can’t get ahead while bleeding money to interest payments.

Rule 3: Save Like Your Life Depends On It

Once debt is gone, split your savings:

• 5% to emergency fund (aim for 3 months of expenses)
• 10% to specific goals (car, house)
• Rest to long-term investments

His pitch? If you average 6-8% annual returns and let it compound, you’ll hit $1M-$1.5M by 65. That’s the formula he swears by.

The common thread: discipline beats luck. Always.