America is within the midst of a startup increase. Greater than 5 million companies had been shaped in 2022 — a 42 p.c improve from pre-pandemic ranges — and the U.S. Census Bureau just lately reported continued power in enterprise creation by means of the primary 9 months of 2023.

Throughout a time of unprecedented enterprise creation, what does it take for a founder to develop a services or products, increase capital from buyers, and develop from a small enterprise into a bigger enterprise?

In an occasion co-hosted by Harvard Enterprise College and the Harvard Innovation Labs, celeb entrepreneur, investor, and “shark” on ABC’s “Shark Tank” Kevin O’Leary answered these questions in entrance of a full viewers at Klarman Corridor. As O’Leary spoke with Reza Satchu, senior lecturer in entrepreneurship administration at HBS, he touched on a variety of matters, from how he constructed his private model to the weather of a profitable pitch. All through the dialog, O’Leary inspired the viewers to pursue entrepreneurship.

“The toughest factor [about entrepreneurship] isn’t the failing, as a result of you’ll fail. Most entrepreneurs fail a number of instances earlier than they obtain success. It’s to take step one … You’ll be making selections of consequence each day and you’ll hone your managerial and executional abilities. And that turns into very beneficial,” mentioned O’Leary.

O’Leary additionally shared that as a startup investor or founder, setbacks are inevitable. He famous his dealings with FTX, a multi-billion-dollar cryptocurrency trade that collapsed in 2022. O’Leary recalled an interview he did with CNBC shortly after FTX failed, the place he provided a enterprise capitalist’s perspective on startup failure.

“He [Sam Bankman-Fried] paid me $16 million on the FTX trade, and I used to be worn out … However what I mentioned [to CNBC] was I’m a enterprise investor. Eight out of 10 offers I do go to zero for numerous causes: market adjustments, execution excellence not there, typically fraud, which is being alleged right here and … being tried this week as we sit right here. All of those causes take offers to zero. It doesn’t change something for me. I’m nonetheless going to speculate the following morning,” mentioned O’Leary.

Whereas O’Leary doesn’t count on all of his startup investments to succeed, he confused the significance of questioning founders earlier than investing. When evaluating entrepreneurs who seem on “Shark Tank,” O’Leary defined that he aggressively challenges founders’ enterprise plans as a result of, in doing so, he’s searching for his or her greatest monetary pursuits. O’Leary introduced this similar strategy to judging eight Harvard pupil entrepreneurs who pitched him through the Klarman occasion:

“How does anyone know you even exist?” O’Leary questioned in response to at least one pupil pitch.

“How are you getting individuals to desert big manufacturers like Nike and take a look at one thing they’ve by no means heard of?” he requested one other.

O’Leary awarded the highest prize to Crop Diagnostix, a enterprise centered on constructing an AI platform to assist farmers perceive plant well being. The prize included a $100,000 funding from Searchlight Capital Companions, in addition to an advising session with O’Leary.

“Are you prepared to maneuver to North Dakota?” O’Leary requested when questioning Crop Diagnostix co-founder and CEO Brandon Chi, M.B.A. ’24, on the corporate’s give attention to the state. “In case you give me $100,000, I’ll be there tomorrow,” Chi replied, with out hesitation.