Thursday, Sep 3, 2026 · 1 hr 8 min

Kevin O'Leary: America Loses to China if We Regulate AI

Show Notes

Kevin O'Leary opens up about the $12.9M card he wore to the Oscars, what he did that almost ended his engagement, and the moment his stepfather told him he'd never make it.

Before Shark Tank, before "Mr. Wonderful," Kevin O'Leary was a kid getting told by his stepfather that he wasn't good enough to be a photographer. In this episode of Build or Break, Kevin sits down with Daniel Lubetzky for a conversation that goes far past the TV persona — the $12.9M sports card he bought on a hunch (and turned down $21M for), the night he had to tell his fiancée he cheated, firing his best friend in the early days of his first company, and the "signal vs. noise" framework he learned from Steve Jobs that still runs his entire day.

You’ve never seen Mr. Wonderful like this. I’VE never seen him like this. This is Kevin without the edit — brutal honesty about business, marriage, grief, and the stepfather he says made him who he is.

Thank you for coming, Kevin!
https://www.instagram.com/kevinolearytv/
https://www.youtube.com/@kevinoleary
https://www.tiktok.com/@kevinolearytv
https://x.com/kevinolearytv
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinolearytv/

Personal site: https://kevinoleary.com
O'Leary Ventures: https://olearyventures.com
Shark Tank profile: https://sharktankgroup.com/kevin-oleary.html

Show Notes: