Robert Herjavec, the charismatic investor from Shark Tank, is more than just a television personality. He’s a self-made titan who built a cybersecurity empire from nothing, fleeing communism and overcoming immense odds to achieve a net worth in the hundreds of millions. In a rare, in-depth interview, Herjavec lays out the raw, unfiltered principles that guided his journey and offers a powerful blueprint for the next generation of entrepreneurs.
From Rags to Riches: The Motivation of Not Wanting to Be Poor
Herjavec’s story is a classic rags-to-riches tale. His family arrived in Canada with nothing after escaping communism. Unlike many entrepreneurs driven by a desire to be rich, his motivation came from the opposite end of the spectrum.
"When I was 12 years old, I didn't want to be poor. That was my motivation... Nothing changes unless you change. If you're not willing to do something different today, you're going to lead the life you had yesterday."
This powerful mindset—that change must start from within—became the catalyst for his entire career. He realized he had a choice: accept his life or fundamentally change it.
Building a Fortune: Why "What You Know" Beats "Who You Know"
A common adage in business is "it's not what you know, it's who you know." Herjavec vehemently disagrees, calling it "absolute bullsh*t." When he started at 23 with no money and no connections, that advice would have been a death sentence.
"My mom was a receptionist, my dad swept floors in a factory," he recalls. His counter-philosophy is a game-changer for anyone starting from scratch:
"If you don't know anybody, you got to become the person other people want to know. When you provide something of value, build your own brand, other people will come to you."
The Herjavec Sales Method: Sell Joy and Understand the Need
With multiple nine-figure company sales under his belt, Herjavec is a master salesman. His approach is rooted in emotional intelligence and deep customer understanding.
- Understand the Need First: "The biggest mistake people make in sales is they have a pitch and they apply that pitch to every single person. Before I open my mouth... I got to know who you are. I got to know your need."
- Sell Joy: Especially when he had nothing else to offer, Herjavec focused on being memorable. "I filled their day with joy and happiness. So whoever dealt with me always remembered me as the nice, fun guy." He emphasizes that it's not what you say, but how you make people feel.
The Billionaire Mindset: Obsession, Resilience, and "The Man in the T-Shirt"
What separates the good from the great? According to Herjavec, it's one word: obsession.
"Motivation is easy, passion is easy, but all that stuff fades. Obsession lasts," he says. This obsession fuels the resilience needed to survive entrepreneurship's brutal realities. After a key employee was caught stealing from him, he allowed himself five minutes to "wallow in misery" before getting back up.
He also shared a powerful observation about wealth and status, inspired by Mark Cuban:
"You walk into a room and there's 10 guys with a suit and one guy in the back with a t-shirt. Beware the man in the t-shirt. Because that guy... worked his ass off to get to a point that he or she can wear whatever they want."
The Next Frontier: Why AI is the Greatest Opportunity of Our Lifetime
When asked what he would do if he lost everything and had to start over, Herjavec didn’t hesitate: "I would start an AI company. AI is the greatest opportunity in our lifetime." He advises entrepreneurs to get into the data infrastructure side of AI and, crucially, to train their AI models to reflect their unique way of working and communicating.
His final message is one of human connection and faith: "You'll never find anything in life as fascinating as another human being." It's this deep curiosity and ability to sell joy that remains the foundation of his half-billion-dollar empire.
罗伯特·赫贾维克5亿美元的蓝图：从逃离共产主义到《创智赢家》的明星
罗伯特·赫贾维克（Robert Herjavec），这位来自《创智赢家》（Shark Tank）的魅力投资者，不仅仅是一个电视名人。他是一位白手起家的巨头，从零开始建立了一个网络安全帝国，逃离共产主义并克服了巨大的困难，最终实现了数亿美元的净资产。在一次罕见的深度访谈中，赫贾维克阐述了指导他人生旅程的原始、未经过滤的原则，并为下一代企业家提供了强有力的蓝图。
从赤贫到巨富：不想贫穷的动力
赫贾维克的故事是一个经典的白手起家的传奇。他的家人在逃离共产主义后，一无所有地来到了加拿大。与许多被致富欲望驱动的企业家不同，他的动力来自于光谱的另一端。
“当我12岁的时候，我不想贫穷。那就是我的动力……除非你改变，否则什么都不会改变。如果你今天不愿意做些不同的事情，你将过着和昨天一样的生活。”
这种强大的心态——改变必须从内心开始——成为了他整个职业生涯的催化剂。他意识到他有一个选择：要么接受他的生活，要么从根本上改变它。
建立财富：为什么“你所知道的”胜过“你所认识的”
商界有句老话：“重要的不是你知道什么，而是你认识谁。” 赫贾维克强烈反对这一点，称之为“彻头彻尾的胡说八道”。当他23岁，没有钱也没有人脉时，这条建议对他来说就是死刑。
“我妈妈是接待员，我爸爸在工厂扫地，”他回忆道。他的反向哲学对于任何从零开始的人来说都是改变游戏规则的：
“如果你不认识任何人，你就必须成为别人想认识的那个人。当你提供有价值的东西，建立你自己的品牌，其他人就会来找你。”
赫贾维克的销售方法：销售快乐并理解需求
赫贾维克曾成功出售多家价值九位数的公司，是一位销售大师。他的方法植根于情商和对客户的深刻理解。
- 首先理解需求： “人们在销售中犯的最大错误是他们有一个固定的说辞，并把这个说辞应用到每一个人身上。在我开口之前……我必须知道你是谁。我必须知道你的需求。”
- 销售快乐： 尤其是在他一无所有的时候，赫贾维克专注于让自己令人难忘。“我让他们的日子充满快乐和幸福。所以任何与我打交道的人都会记得我是一个友善、有趣的人。” 他强调，重要的不是你说了什么，而是你给别人的感觉。
亿万富翁的心态：痴迷、韧性和“穿T恤的男人”
优秀与卓越的区别是什么？根据赫贾维克的说法，只有一个词：痴迷。
“动力很容易，激情也很容易，但那些东西都会褪色。痴迷才会持久，”他说。这种痴迷为在残酷的创业现实中生存下来提供了必要的韧性。在他发现一名核心员工偷窃公司财产后，他只给了自己五分钟“沉浸在痛苦中”，然后就重新振作起来。
他还在分享了一个受马克·库班（Mark Cuban）启发的关于财富和地位的深刻观察：
“你走进一个房间，有10个穿西装的男人，还有一个在后面穿T恤的男人。要小心那个穿T恤的男人。因为那个家伙……拼命工作，才达到了可以随心所欲穿着的境界。”
下一个前沿：为什么人工智能是我们一生中最大的机遇
当被问及如果他失去一切必须从头再来时会做什么，赫贾维克毫不犹豫地回答：“我会创办一家人工智能公司。人工智能是我们一生中最大的机遇。” 他建议企业家进入人工智能的数据基础设施领域，并且至关重要的是，训练他们的人工智能模型以反映他们独特的工作和沟通方式。
他的最后寄语是关于人际联系和信念的：“你永远不会在生活中找到比另一个人更有趣的东西了。” 正是这种深刻的好奇心和销售快乐的能力，构成了他五亿美元帝国的基础。