"Your story is incredible": When Shark Tank investor Robert Herjavec reacted to Jane Lu's journey as "remarkable"

Shark Tank mentor Robert Herjavec appeared on Jane Lu's The Lazy CEO Podcast aired on November 5, 2024. In discussion with fellow Shark Jane Lu, Robert shared his experiences and business insights throughout the episode.

Fans who follow the reality show and both Sharks must know they were immigrants as children. As Robert Herjavec asked Jane Lu about the same, he told her:

"We came here when I was eight just like you. Your story is incredible by the way...I know I know your story and it's from where you started to your path to become an accountant to go into a creative field like yours is remarkable."

He added:

"But it's really because somebody loved you enough to give you that opportunity when you came here. And so my mom and dad did the same thing. They left a communist country. My dad used to say he escaped communism."

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Shark Tank investor Robert Herjavec in discussion with Shark Tank Australia's Jane Lu

Robert appeared on Jane Lu's podcast episode Robert Herjavec: "We Lived in a Friend's Basement for 18 Months." which premiered on November 5, 2024. The female Shark told Robert to go "all the way" back and initiate the discussion from "where it all started."

They discussed how both of them were immigrants. Soon, they learned about each other's age, at the time, which was the same - eight. After learning how Jane Lu made a career and became an accountant after many hardships, Robert told her that her journey was "remarkable."

Recalling their journey as an immigrant, Shark Tank's Robert revealed:

"We crossed the border of Italy and we came on a boat and the boat was called the Christophero Colombo. And I have this amazing picture when I got on dragon's den in Canada, the lady who was in charge of the museum where all immigrants land in Canada by boat is called Pier 21. She was a big fan of the show and she found a picture of the actual boat docking with my mom and dad on it and me landing in Halifax."

When she stated that it was amazing, and how it was "within the generation," Robert replied that it could happen anywhere. He called it the "power of democracy."

Show host Jane Lu recalled how her family's application kept on being rejected, and later, somehow, they managed. She stated they had two family members there, while Robert stated they had no one.

"We landed and my mom, I think we had like $50 or $20 and my mom was like, we didn't speak a word of English," said Robert.

Unaware of anything around them, Robert and his family took the train from Halifax to Toronto. At the time, they didn't know how long the journey was.

"And we lived in a friend that my mom knew that also left, we lived in their basement for 18 months," shared Robert.

Shark Tank investor stated that looking back, it comes off as "really incredible." He also recalled before immigration, he had never been outside the country, on a boat, or never seen Canada.

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Fans can watch Shark Tank Season 16 on ABC.