Robert Herjavec

Probably around 12 because it was just such a crappy environment and we had no money and at that point I'd been poor in my mind for four years. We constantly moved schools so you know when you're an immigrant you make a little bit of money, you live in a crappy apartment, you make a little bit of money, you live in a better apartment. And so on.

Probably around 12 because it was just such a crappy environment and we had no money and at that point I'd been poor in my mind for four years. We constantly moved schools so you know when you're an immigrant you make a little bit of money, you live in a crappy apartment, you make a little bit of money, you live in a better apartment. And so on.

So by 12, I'd gone to like three different high schools. And my dad worked an unbelievable amount of hours, like two shifts. Manual labor, I'm going to say. Yeah, blue collar, factory, swept floors. I mean, eventually he became a millwright, taught it himself. Somebody gave him an opportunity. And, you know, they paid off their house, which was, you know, the immigrant dream. Right. But...

So by 12, I'd gone to like three different high schools. And my dad worked an unbelievable amount of hours, like two shifts. Manual labor, I'm going to say. Yeah, blue collar, factory, swept floors. I mean, eventually he became a millwright, taught it himself. Somebody gave him an opportunity. And, you know, they paid off their house, which was, you know, the immigrant dream. Right. But...

I think at 12, I'd been living like that for four years and we went to a better high school. And every time we went to a better school, the kids around me had more. The richer. Yeah. You're like, I've got a little more, but they've got a lot more. So I'd be like, I'd be in this high school and we'd make a little bit of money and I was poor, but the other kids weren't that much better off.

I think at 12, I'd been living like that for four years and we went to a better high school. And every time we went to a better school, the kids around me had more. The richer. Yeah. You're like, I've got a little more, but they've got a lot more. So I'd be like, I'd be in this high school and we'd make a little bit of money and I was poor, but the other kids weren't that much better off.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. And then we moved to a better house and now the kids were way better off. And I was just like, wow, I'm never going to get out of this cycle. How do you get out of this cycle?

Yeah, yeah, yeah. And then we moved to a better house and now the kids were way better off. And I was just like, wow, I'm never going to get out of this cycle. How do you get out of this cycle?

Very, very true. What's the saying? You are the net result of five people you hang out with. And I think it's really true. I think that you are It's very, very, very rare and hard to raise yourself up on your own. I think if your environment, your parents, your friends are constantly pulling you back, it's hard to keep going. I think back and I think,

Very, very true. What's the saying? You are the net result of five people you hang out with. And I think it's really true. I think that you are It's very, very, very rare and hard to raise yourself up on your own. I think if your environment, your parents, your friends are constantly pulling you back, it's hard to keep going. I think back and I think,

none of my friends I grew up with ever made it. And it would have been so easy to stay there. But I think as you do more and you get more, your circle influence and your friends becomes wider.

none of my friends I grew up with ever made it. And it would have been so easy to stay there. But I think as you do more and you get more, your circle influence and your friends becomes wider.

For me, it was an energy shift. Now, I've always been pretty high energy, right? So I've always been like, go, go, go, go. What I didn't realize at the time was I was looking for external things to make me better. It took me a long time to realize I can't take external things to make me better until I become better. I always say, show me a small business in trouble

For me, it was an energy shift. Now, I've always been pretty high energy, right? So I've always been like, go, go, go, go. What I didn't realize at the time was I was looking for external things to make me better. It took me a long time to realize I can't take external things to make me better until I become better. I always say, show me a small business in trouble

and I'll show you an entrepreneur in trouble. Wow. It's very, very difficult to disassociate a lazy, unmotivated entrepreneur with a highly successful business and vice versa. And that was me at 12. I was just pure energy, bouncing off the walls. Like we talked about, I wanted to be a detective. I wanted to join the FBI. I wanted to be an actor because immigrants think,

and I'll show you an entrepreneur in trouble. Wow. It's very, very difficult to disassociate a lazy, unmotivated entrepreneur with a highly successful business and vice versa. And that was me at 12. I was just pure energy, bouncing off the walls. Like we talked about, I wanted to be a detective. I wanted to join the FBI. I wanted to be an actor because immigrants think,

If you're on TV, you're rich. You're making money, yeah. Like I just wanted not to be poor. But I didn't know how to be rich. Interesting. And I didn't understand that mindset. And as corny as it sounds, it always starts with you. It always starts with discipline. It starts with habit. It starts with learning.

If you're on TV, you're rich. You're making money, yeah. Like I just wanted not to be poor. But I didn't know how to be rich. Interesting. And I didn't understand that mindset. And as corny as it sounds, it always starts with you. It always starts with discipline. It starts with habit. It starts with learning.

Sales. People always think I'm wealthy because I'm really good at computers. And I am. I'm probably one of a handful of the top cyber people in the world. But I'm not wealthy because of my knowledge of a task. I'm wealthy because of my knowledge of sales. and how to sell what I'm doing to other people.

Sales. People always think I'm wealthy because I'm really good at computers. And I am. I'm probably one of a handful of the top cyber people in the world. But I'm not wealthy because of my knowledge of a task. I'm wealthy because of my knowledge of sales. and how to sell what I'm doing to other people.