"Timing and luck": When Shark Tank's Robert Herjavec asked Jane Lu if great entrepreneurs were born or made

Shark Tank Australia's Jane Lu had Robert Herjavec as a guest on her November 5, 2024, podcast episode. While on the podcast, Robert shared various insights and his struggles with Jane Lu. They discussed being an immigrant, starting their own businesses, and more.

Fellow Shark Tank investor Robert Herjavec asked Jane Lu her views on whether "great entrepreneurs" are "born" or "made," and she replied:

"I think made. 'Coz I don't like the idea that people think, even if it's, I don't even know if that's true or not. I just don't like the idea that they are born. Because then it doesn't feel like anyone can be an entrepreneur. And I think anyone can, depending on, if they have the drive which I think is made and also if they find the right situation. There is timing and luck involved."

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Shark Tank's Jane Lu and Robert Herjavec share their views on whether "great entrepreneurs" are born or made

When Robert asked the question, Jane Lu mentioned it was about "timing and luck." She mentioned that anyone with the "drive" and the right situation can be a great entrepreneurial person with time and luck. She added that there was "luck" in the timing.

Listening to that, Shark Tank mentor Robert shared an incident from when he used to live in Toronto.

"I used to live in an area in Toronto. I used to live in a 35,000-square-foot house. It was the most expensive house in Canada and there's a lot of very wealthy people around. There was a guy named Aubrey Dan who lived across the street from me. He had just sold this company for $4 billion. Started from nothing. Immigrant from Israel...blah blah blah... He used to host a quarterly dinner for all the rich guys. There was no women at the time in the neighborhood."

One time, during the dinner, Robert asked Aubrey if a hundred people walked in a room, could he tell which ones would be worth a million dollars, 100 million dollars, or a billion dollars?

Listening to Robert, Aubrey replied that he could tell, without a doubt, which one would be worth millions. However, he couldn't tell which one would be worth a hundred million or a billion because macro factors include "luck."

Robert then recalled something that Mark Cuban always says:

"Someone is going to get lucky. Why not you?"

Agreeing with that, podcast host Jane Lu asked why not do everything and set everything up so that you're ready to "take that luck."

Robert responded that to be lucky, one needs to stay in the game.

"You can't be lucky unless you are in the game. So you got to play the game. But whether you make 100 million, 500 million, a billion, or 10 million. Well, 10 to 100, you can control. But I think above that it just depends on the market."

Further in the podcast, when Shark Tank investor Jane Lu asked Robert the same question, he answered that they are "absolutely made." He added that people are "more naturally" inclined at it. He then mentioned Mark Cuban and Daymond John from the ABC reality series. He referred to them as "natural hustlers."

Robert shared a positive outlook on his question and mentioned that anybody listening and watching can do it.

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Fans can stream Shark Tank Season 16 on ABC Network and enjoy the released and upcoming episodes.