Date of Birth | Nationality | Residence | Education | Occupation |
---|---|---|---|---|
July 31, 1958 | American | Dallas | Indiana University | Investor and Entrepreneur |
Mark Cuban is an American investor, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. He is the owner of the NBA's Dallas Mavericks, co-owner of 2929 Entertainment, and chairman of AXS TV. He is also one of the main "shark" investors on the ABC reality television series, Shark Tank.
Cuban was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and grew up in the suburb of Mount Lebanon. He attended Indiana University, where he studied business administration. After graduating in 1981, he moved to Dallas, Texas, where he launched his first business, MicroSolutions. In 1990, Cuban sold MicroSolutions to CompuServe and used the proceeds to start his own company, Broadcast.com. In 1999, Broadcast.com was sold to Yahoo! for $5.7 billion in Yahoo! stock.
Cuban has since become a major investor in a variety of businesses, including the film production company Magnolia Pictures, the search engine company Mamma.com, and the voice recognition company VoiceStar. He is also a major investor in the HDTV cable network HDNet. In addition, Cuban has invested in a number of start-up companies, including the social networking site, Cyber Dust.
Cuban is also an active philanthropist, donating to a variety of causes, including the Fallen Patriot Fund, which provides financial assistance to families of U.S. military personnel killed or injured in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Cuban was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on July 31, 1958. He grew up in the suburb of Mount Lebanon, where he attended Mount Lebanon High School. After graduating in 1977, he attended Indiana University, where he studied business administration. After graduating in 1981, he moved to Dallas, Texas, where he launched his first business, MicroSolutions.
In 1990, Cuban sold MicroSolutions to CompuServe and used the proceeds to start his own company, Broadcast.com. Broadcast.com quickly became a leader in streaming audio and video over the Internet. In 1999, Broadcast.com was sold to Yahoo! for $5.7 billion in Yahoo! stock.
After the sale of Broadcast.com, Cuban became a major investor in a variety of businesses, including the film production company Magnolia Pictures, the search engine company Mamma.com, and the voice recognition company VoiceStar. He is also a major investor in the HDTV cable network HDNet. In addition, Cuban has invested in a number of start-up companies, including the social networking site, Cyber Dust.
Cuban is also an active philanthropist, donating to a variety of causes, including the Fallen Patriot Fund, which provides financial assistance to families of U.S. military personnel killed or injured in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Cuban is also a regular on the ABC reality television series, Shark Tank. On the show, Cuban and other investors evaluate business pitches from aspiring entrepreneurs and decide whether or not to invest in their businesses.
Cuban is a close friend of fellow investor and Shark Tank co-star, Robert Herjavec. He is also close friends with actor and comedian, George Lopez. Cuban has also been spotted with a number of celebrities, including rapper Snoop Dogg and actor Ashton Kutcher.
Cuban is known for his outspoken nature and his willingness to speak his mind. He is often quoted as saying:
"It's not about money or connections, it's the willingness to outwork and outlearn everyone when it comes to your business. And if it fails, you learn from what happened and do a better job next time."
"Sweat equity is the most valuable equity there is. Know your business and industry better than anyone else in the world. Love what you do or don't do it."
"If you're prepared and you know what it takes, it's not a risk. You just have to figure out how to get there. There is always a way to get there."
Cuban has been criticized for his outspoken nature and his willingness to speak his mind. He has also been criticized for his involvement in the NBA's Dallas Mavericks, which has been accused of having a hostile work environment.
In 2011, Cuban was fined $2.5 million by the SEC for insider trading. Cuban was accused of trading on non-public information regarding the sale of Mamma.com. Cuban denied the charges and appealed the decision, but the fine was upheld.
Cuban is an avid sports fan and is a regular at Dallas Mavericks games. He is also a fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Cuban is also an avid reader and has written a number of books, including How to Win at the Sport of Business and Let's Go, Mavs!
Cuban is a frequent guest on a variety of talk shows, including The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, and The Late Show with David Letterman. He is also a regular on the Fox News Channel show, The O'Reilly Factor.