Kevin O’Leary is the founder of O’Leary Financial Group and the chairman of O’Shares Investments, O’Leary Ventures, and Beanstox. Most people know him for his role on the hit ABC show “Shark Tank,” though.
Most people also know that O’Leary is very wealthy. In fact, his net worth is estimated to be somewhere in the range of $400 million, with his wealth acquired through his television career, the sale of his software company, SoftKey, and his skillful investments.
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O’Leary shared some blunt advice on X on July 14, 2025, aimed at helping others build great wealth like he did. O’Leary explained that this is advice that he routinely gives to his children, but it is a tip anyone and everyone should listen to and strongly consider.
If you want to maximize your own chances of getting rich, and you’re ready to listen to a multi-millionaire who wants to help you, let’s hear what O’Leary said to do.
Kevin O’Leary has some advice on getting rich.
Image source: Bloomberg/Getty Images
This is O’Leary’s blunt three-word strategy to get rich
O’Leary provided just three simple words that he says are the key to growing wealth. In a post on X on July 14, 2025, O’Leary said bluntly: “Save. Invest. Compound.”
In the video accompanying the X post, O’Leary also went into a little more detail about this advice, stating: “What’s the first piece of advice I give my kids about money, and the last piece of advice, and the advice I always give them? Don’t spend it. Save it. Invest it. Let it compound.”
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O’Leary said that building wealth is “that simple,” and you only need to do these three things because “the market gives you 8% to 10%.” With those returns, your money can work for you and make building wealth really easy, even if you don’t make a lot of money – or sell a software company like he did.
The investing guru also had some advice on exactly how much you should be saving.
“Take 15% of every paycheck, I don’t care how big it is, or any gift granny gives you, or anything you get on a side hustle and invest it,” O’Leary said. “Then, by the time you’re 65, you’ll have millions in the bank even if you only have a salary of $65,000, the average salary. This is what the market gives you. Just don’t buy crap you don’t need.”
O’Leary is right – and you can follow his advice
O’Leary is absolutely correct in his suggestion about wealth building, which isn’t a surprise because, like most investors, he knows just how powerful compounding can be.
When you invest in the stock market, especially at a young age and consistently over time, the money you are saving works for you. It earns you 8% to 10% average annual returns very consistently if you have sound investments that you invest in for the long haul. You don’t need to be an investing guru to earn this money, either.
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Anyone can put their money into an S&P 500 index fund and pay very minimal fees and can reasonably expect those 8% to 10% average annual returns. Once you get that money invested, your returns will be reinvested, so your principal balance is constantly growing without any help from you.
The more time you have for returns to be invested, the more powerful compounding can be and, as O’Leary said, millionaire status is within reach for everyone. In fact, if you invest an average of $500 per month from age 25 to age 65 and earn 10% average annual returns, your nest egg will grow to $2.6 million.
More on personal finance:
- Dave Ramsey offers urgent thoughts about Medicare
- Jean Chatzky shares major statement on Social Security
- Tony Robbins has blunt words on IRAs, 401(k)s
Of course, if you start later, you’ll have to put in a little more, but most people should be able to consistently invest 15% of their income. While it may require sacrifice, it is well worth it.
As O’Leary said, saving and investing to become a millionaire is a much surer path to becoming rich than buying crap you don’t need. Redirect some of the money you spend on unnecessary things today to build a much wealthier tomorrow.
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