Robert Herjavec on Shark Tank (Image Source: IMDB)
Highlights
- Robert Herjavec opens up about the foundation of his success, and he learned crucial lessons while working at the first job
- Mentors like Harry Rosen played a vital role in shaping his business mindset and approach to selling.
- Robert’s incredible transition from selling suits in his first job to becoming a cybersecurity leader is truly inspiring.
Robert Herjavec, a popular Shark Tank investor and cybersecurity industry leader, has carved out an impressive career in technology. But it wasn’t always that way. The Canadian entrepreneur began at the bottom, mastering the art of sales before entering the technology and cybersecurity industry.
During a recent conversation with Lewis Howes, Robert shared about his early days and how he worked through tough challenges to be able to enjoy present-day success. His incessant desire for wisdom and need to work harder convinced him to take knowledge from whomever he could find, as long as they would take the time to share with him. For Robert, without having such an expansive understanding of selling, he confesses his experience wouldn’t be possible.
A Life-Changing Lesson in Sales
Robert told the interviewer a moving anecdote of his first authentic lesson in selling, which was imparted by Harry Rosen, the great salesman and founder of the famous retailing chain Harry Rosen Inc. Not only did this teach him the value of salesmanship but also altered the direction of his career.
Robert remembered a time during his early days when he had traveled to purchase a suit but gained great insights on selling instead. He described: “I went there to purchase a suit, and this was a long time ago—it cost like $1,200. I thought, ‘Oh my God, I cannot afford this. This is more than I will make this month.’ Then, the salesman said to me, ‘If you work here, you can purchase one suit every six months at 50% off.’ So, I thought, ‘Great!’ and I took a part-time job there.”
What started out as a way to purchase a suit turned into an eye-opening learning experience. Robert learned the art of salesmanship, the art of dealing with people, and the psychology of selling through working at Harry Rosen Inc.—skills that would prove essential to his later entrepreneurial success.
Learning from the Best: The Impact of Role Models
Robert attributes his success to the phenomenal role models he had early in his business career. Specifically, he credited Harry Rosen and Warren Avis, both of whom imparted to him very important life lessons that influenced his business philosophy.
Talking about Harry Rosen, Robert liked the way he instructed the art of dressing and selling. He was amazed by Rosen’s expertise that he acknowledged: “I would have paid him to teach me.” One of the most important things that he learned from Rosen was how to spot a person with money from seeing them, something that later proved useful in business deals.
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The Strength of Honesty and Perseverance
Looking back, Robert accepted that being true to himself and what he was looking for benefited him in getting amazing opportunities at companies such as Harry Rosen Inc. and Avis Rent a Car. Those experiences, added to his tenacious work ethic, paved the way for his subsequent success in cybersecurity and business.
Robert Herjavec is now a successful businessman, investor, and mentor, but his journey is an example that success is not only about talent, it’s about learning, adjusting, and taking knowledge from the best. His path from a young man selling suits to a cybersecurity giant is an example of the strength of perseverance, the right mentors, and the ability to take every learning experience.
Entrepreneur, auteur, raconteur. Rob Merlino is a blogger and writer who enjoys the Shark Tank TV show and Hot Dogs. A father of five who freelances in a variety of publications, Rob has a stable of websites including Shark Tank Blog, Hot Dog Stories, Rob Merlino.com and more.
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