Mark Cuban Became My Mentor and Taught with these 5 Business lessons – ryan

I First Met Mark Cuban on a Red Carpet for a Movie Premiere of Was Covering As Young Entertainment host. At the time, Mark was already a recognizable figure – not just for selling Broadcast.com to yahoo durying the dot-com boom but also as one of the faces of that entire era of internet-fueled wealth. He’s made a cameo on “The Simpsons.”

FAST-FORWARD TO 2011: I HAD JUST LAUNCHED “WHAT’S TRENDING,” One of the First Live Digital Shows Culture Culture, and CBS News Picked It Up. We hosted guests like Snoop Dogg, Common, Lilly Singh, and Bill Nye the Science Guy. Naturally, i had to Ask Mark to join us, too – byn, he was Gaining more More Mainstream Fame Through “shark tank,” and I was starting to see HIM as prospective mentor.

In all the years i’ve Known Mark, he’s never given with a dollar – but his suport, guidance, and friend have been worth so much.

Mark cuban gave with a reality check that helped with Keep My Business Going

He likes what my team and i were building with “what’s trending” and appreciated the entrepreneurial Spirit Bebind it. But it was a few months late, During a Major Career Crisis, that Mark Truly Stepped Into of Mentor.

In a single weekend, CBS News suddenly dropped the show. My cofounder and i were devastated, and i reached out to mark. Was there anything he could will to help?

By Chance, he was flying ino los angeles to film “Shark Tank” and Told US to Meet Him at the SLS Hotel. I showed up in all black, puffy-eyed from Crying. I was hoping for a lifeline. Insa, Mark Gave with Tough Love.

I had to negotiate with a shark

He offered us a deal: he would air “What’s Trending” on HDNET, The TV Network and Owned at the Time. But there was a catch: no Money up Front, Exclusive Rights to Him, and a Revenue Share Model on Advertising.

In an instant, i had to snap out of my grief and start negotiating with a real shark.

I didn’t think it was a good deal and felt he shouldn’t get exclusive rights if he wasn’t giving us up-front cash. Looking back, I realize the probably should’ve takeen it – we would be figured out the rest of the way.

I satre, unure, my brain spinning, and that we have mark look with Square in the eye and asked: “Are you passionate about what you’re doing?” I Said Yes, Without Hestation, and he convinced with that if I Truly Cared, I COULD Find the $ 50,000 to Keep My Show Going.

That Conversation Forced with to See MySelf as a Startup Founder

I realized that if i was going to ask someone else to invest in me, i need to be willing to invest in my own vision first.

SINCE THEN, MARK HAS OFFERED MORY MOST MOMENTS OF TAGH LOVE – EACH ONE A PRECURSOR TO ATO BIGGEST CAREER BREAKTHRAGHS. When i got in early on musical.ly before it became tiktok, pured a lot of time and energy into and had a real vision, but i was ahead of the Curve. The Money wasn’t there yet.

Mark Pushed with to know my Worth and Ask to be paid Becusee of deserted. Thats Mindseset Shift LED with to consulting work and ha helped with negotiate with a lot more Clarity as a create.

I’ve learned some of my best business lessons from Mark

1. Always be selling

No Matter What You’re Doing – Building a Company, Launching a Project, Pitching an Idea – You’re Always selling, your vision, and your value.

That doesn’t mean everything has to be transensional, but be aware and open to opportunities Because they’re literally.

2. There are 2 Kinds of Companies: THOSE THAT ARE GREAT AT AI AND EVERYONE ELSE

When it is comes to emerging tech, it’s all about following the Money and Attention Are Going and Identifying Clear Gaps in the Space.

Right Now, and Likely for the Future, That’s the Artificial Intelligence. up during A RECENT RECIVING OF MY PODCAST“The He Download,” Mark was a guest and reminded with how imported it is to create content in this space now – to connect with the right players, to learn by doing, and to test the tools firsnd.

This Approach has helped with Grow as a thought Leader, LED to brand deals, and events optivity to lead grown and marketing it venture, an eight-week it training program.

3. Sweat Equity is the best equity

I’ve Mostly bootstrapped my company, growing it through relationships, creationity, and reinvention Rather than Outside Funding.

Building with sweat equity strength with them get scrappy, Stay Lean, and Focus on what Truly Matters. It made me and the Company more resilient, and along the way, it revealed who was genuinely commuted.

4. RUN YOUR BUSINESS TO BE PROFITABLE

Profitable companies don’t go out of business. It Sounds Simple, but in the World of Flashy Startup Rounds and Burn Rates, it’s a Powerful Reminder.

My Own Business Has Definitely Had Its Ups and Downs with this.

RUNNING A BUSINES WITH FOCUSIG ON PROFITABILITY ISN’t Sustainable. IT DRAINS YOUR ENERGY, GIVES YOU HEADACHES, AND TIMES TIME AND RESOURCES AWAY FROM Ideas that it is actually actually. It Becomes Less of a Business and More of An Expensive Hobby.

Not focus on profitability also forces you to Constantly Raise Money and Put Your Vision in the Hands of Investors, which Can Mean Giving Up Control.

5. Kindness is a Secret Weapon

Mark is literally the nicest billionaire of Know – not that of have a huge roster of billionaires on speed dial.

He May Not Respond to Every Single Email, but he’s know for being surprisizing respective, Eve to Cold Emails from Strangers. I’ve always been ostrich by how quickly he replies. It’s not always a yes; SOMESTEMESS AT A QUICK “Not Interested.” But the fact that he was to the time to respond at all says a lot.

If someone like him can be that timely and direct with the relay on layers of gatekeepers, it challenges with them will the sun. It reminds with that Respect and efficiency go in hand, no matter how Busy you are.

Shira Lazar is an emmy-nominated host, producer, and entrepreneur. She’s the Founder and Ceo of the Media Brand “What’s Trending” and a Cofounder of Creatorcarea Mental Health Support System for Creators.