After 14 years, Mark Cuban has officially closed his final deal on Shark Tank.
On Friday’s episode of the ABC reality series, the billionaire reflected on the businesses he’s invested in and the entrepreneurs he’s mentored since joining the show as a guest during Season 2 back in 2011.
“I remember literally thinking, ‘This show is not gonna last. Just go on there, just tear it up, raise hell, cause trouble,’” he said at the end of the episode. “I really didn’t expect there to be a third season, and then, boom. It just blew up.”
Cuban added, “I think I just brought a little bit of an edge, where I tried to make it not so much about an academic investment show, but more a show that is about people trying to reach their goals, trying to have their dreams come true. I’ve been in their shoes. I’ve been broke, I’ve been sleeping on the floor. I can put myself in the shoes of pretty much anybody who’s standing on the carpet.”
After several of the entrepreneurs he’s funded returned to show their appreciation, Cuban thanked “everybody who took a chance on me, all the entrepreneurs who said yes to me.”
“Who knows how many millionaires we’ve created, and their employees, how many people we’ve inspired? I’m proud of what we’ve done,” he added.
Cuban’s fellow Sharks also paid tribute to him before his departure, to which he responded, “You guys are amazing. I mean, I’ve learned so much from all of you. We’ve had such an impact. And to Shark Tank, to the people who supported us, to the people who love us, I love you guys like family. Thank you.”
“This show changed me,” added Cuban. “I think I changed the show. And I think we all together as Sharks changed America.”
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