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July 29, 2026Short & citedBlog
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Money & Work • Entrepreneur

Kevin O'Leary

Kevin O'Leary is a Canadian entrepreneur, investor, author, and television personality known for co-founding SoftKey Software Products and for his role on television business shows such as Dragons' Den and Shark Tank.

Updated July 29, 20261 min readCited sources

Kevin O'Leary is a Canadian entrepreneur, investor, and television personality known as "Mr. Wonderful" on Shark Tank. He co-founded SoftKey Software Products and first gained fame on CBC's Dragons' Den.

What it is

Kevin O'Leary is a Montreal-born businessman who built a career in software, investing, and media. He co-founded SoftKey Software Products in the 1980s, which later became The Learning Company, and now leads O'Leary Financial Group, O'Leary Ventures, and O'Shares Investment Advisers.

Why it matters

O'Leary is a key figure in Canadian business television, first appearing on Dragons' Den in 2006 and later joining Shark Tank in 2009. His blunt, profit-focused style made him a recognizable personality, and his ventures span finance, wine, and consumer products.

Key details

Born July 9, 1954, in Montreal, O'Leary is married to Linda O'Leary. He is also founder and chief sommelier of O'Leary Fine Wines. Public estimates place his net worth around US$400 million, though figures vary by source.

In short

  • Kevin O'Leary co-founded SoftKey Software Products and later became a TV investor on Dragons' Den and Shark Tank.
  • He is known as "Mr. Wonderful" for his direct, profit-driven approach.
  • His companies include O'Leary Financial Group, O'Leary Ventures, and O'Shares Investment Advisers.
  • O'Leary is a Canadian business figure from Montreal, first gaining fame on CBC.
Canadian angle

Kevin O'Leary is a prominent Canadian business figure from Montreal who first gained major public attention on CBC's Dragons' Den before joining Shark Tank in the United States.

Quick questions

Who is Kevin O'Leary?
Kevin O'Leary is a Canadian entrepreneur, investor, author, and television personality best known for SoftKey and for appearing on Dragons' Den and Shark Tank.
What companies does Kevin O'Leary own?
Sources identify O'Leary Financial Group, O'Leary Ventures, O'Shares Investment Advisers, O'Leary Fine Wines, and earlier companies such as SoftKey and O'Leary Funds.
Is Kevin O'Leary married?
Yes. The provided sources identify Linda O'Leary as his spouse.

Sources

  1. Britannica Money — https://www.britannica.com/money/Kevin-OLeary
    Supports: Birth date and place; Canadian entrepreneur; role on Dragons' Den and Shark Tank.
  2. ABC — https://abc.com/cast/683912da-1a73-47d9-9e0d-abed4028030a
    Supports: O'Leary Financial Group, O'Shares Investment Advisers, O'Leary Ventures, O'Leary Fine Wines, and Shark Tank role.
  3. Florida Atlantic University — https://www.business.fau.edu/images/business/centers/adams-center/files/Kevin-OLeary_Bio.pdf
    Supports: SoftKey founding; Dragons' Den and Shark Tank background; business roles and companies.
  4. Business Insider — https://www.businessinsider.com/shark-tank-investor-kevin-oleary-2015-2
    Supports: SoftKey/The Learning Company history and reported net worth estimate.
  5. IMDb — https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2891968/
    Supports: Birth date and reported net worth; television roles.
  6. Apple TV — https://tv.apple.com/us/person/kevin-oleary/umc.cpc.u8k01ddq78wcmw1lhj0p5kqp
    Supports: Business history and television career overview.
  7. YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQ_u_4h-ZBk
    Supports: Reported spouse and company list in biography video.