Investors and the “Shark Tank” Personality Kevin O’Leary is no stranger to promoting hustle culture. Back in 2024, he posted on
He also said in a 2024 video that young entrepreneurs pursuing work-life balance are misguided. “No,” he said. “I’m just telling you the truth. You’re competing against people in Mumbai or Shanghai or wherever who are willing to work 24 hours a day, eight days a week. If you’re not willing to do that, they’re going to kick your ass.”
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But O’Leary’s message took a dramatic turn. He wrote in a recent post on
Young founders like to brag about working 18 hours a day. That’s stupid. If you want to make good decisions, you need sleep, good food, and exercise.
If you look half-dead, I won’t invest. You are not a hero, you are a liability. pic.twitter.com/CZZpLOQzRX
In the accompanying video, he goes even harder. “The worst advice I hear young founders talk about all the time is that they want to work 18 hours a day,” he said. “How stupid is that? You have to get some sleep. You have to eat well. You have to stay focused. That’s the secret to your success.”
He adds that big decisions should be made in the morning when you are well rested. “There is overwhelming evidence that you should make big decisions as soon as you wake up with energy and a clear mind,” he said in the video.
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O’Leary now thinks overworked entrepreneurs are poor choices. “When I see a guy who looks like he’s dead and I’m going to see the startup, I’m not going to invest. Is that guy an idiot or a woman. Same thing. You have to sleep.”
It’s unclear whether the remark was a mistake or an intentional joke that didn’t go over well.
