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Terence Thomas Kevin O'Leary is a Canadian businessman, author, politician, and television personality. From 2004 to 2014, he appeared on various Canadian television shows, including the business news programmes SqueezePlay and The Lang and O'Leary Exchange, as well as the reality television shows Dragons' Den and Redemption Inc. In 2008, he appeared on Discovery Channel's Project Earth. Since 2009, he has appeared on Shark Tank, the American version of Dragons' Den.

Early Life and Education[]

O'Leary's early life was marked by diversity and challenges. He was born to a Lebanese mother, Georgette, a skilled investor and businesswoman, and an Irish father, Terry. His childhood was spent in different parts of the world, including Cambodia, Ethiopia, Tunisia, and Cyprus, due to his stepfather's work with the UN's International Labour Organization. This international upbringing played a crucial role in shaping his global perspective.

O'Leary's academic journey began with an honours bachelor's degree in environmental studies and psychology from the University of Waterloo, followed by an MBA in entrepreneurship from the Ivey Business School at the University of Western Ontario.

Business Ventures[]

Kevin co-founded Softkey Software Products in a Toronto basement in 1986. The company, which focused on educational software, eventually became a major player in the industry, acquiring several competitors like WordStar and Spinnaker Software. In 1995, Softkey acquired The Learning Company (TLC) for $606 million[1] and adopted its name. However, after its acquisition by Mattel in 1999 for $4.2 billion[2], the company faced significant losses, leading to O'Leary's departure.

Credits[]

This page contains information originally on Wikipedia and/or sharktankblog.com.

Reference List[]

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