The Aspire Playbook: Mark Cuban’s Day-1 Blueprint for Startup Success and How AI is Changing Entrepreneurship Forever

Summary

Aspire Playbook: Mark Cuban’s Day-1 Blueprint for Startup Success and How AI is Changing Entrepreneurship Forever

Episode Release Date: July 15, 2025

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Introduction

In this compelling episode of Aspire with Emma Grede, the host sits down with Mark Cuban, a quintessential figure in modern entrepreneurship. Known for his roles as a billionaire tech founder, bold investor, and longtime owner of the Dallas Mavericks, Mark shares his rich tapestry of experiences, insights, and philosophies that have shaped his illustrious career. This conversation delves deep into Cuban's journey from selling garbage bags at twelve to orchestrating a $5.7 billion exit with Broadcast.com, his perspectives on artificial intelligence's transformative role in entrepreneurship, and his latest venture, Cost Plus Drugs, aimed at revolutionizing healthcare.

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Early Entrepreneurship

Mark Cuban's entrepreneurial spirit was evident from a young age. Growing up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Cuban was instilled with a strong work ethic by his parents. His father, an upholsterer who had sacrificed much for the family, taught him the value of earning what you desire. At twelve, Cuban began his first business venture—selling garbage bags door-to-door. Reflecting on this early experience, he remarked:

"Everybody needs garbage bags. I'll never forget, they cost me $3 a box. I sold them for six and I would drag them down to my neighbors." ([12:08])

This venture not only provided him with his first taste of business but also cultivated his confidence in sales and market understanding.

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Founding Broadcast.com

Transitioning from small-scale sales, Cuban ventured into the burgeoning tech landscape of the mid-1990s. Alongside his friend Todd Wagner, he founded Broadcast.com (originally Audionet) in 1995, pioneering the first streaming company. The idea originated from a simple need to listen to Indiana basketball games in Dallas, leading to the creation of a platform that allowed users to stream live radio and later video content online.

"If this works the way I think it will work, this company is worth $5 billion." ([24:57])

Broadcast.com's IPO in July 1998 marked a significant milestone, with the stock surging from $18 to $62.75 on its first day, making Cuban an instant billionaire. The company's innovative approach laid the groundwork for modern streaming services, although Cuban later expressed frustration over missed opportunities for patents and broader recognition of their technological advancements.

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Relationship with Money

Cuban's relationship with money has been shaped by his relentless pursuit of opportunity and his understanding of time's value. After selling Microsolutions and subsequently Broadcast.com, he navigated the complexities of wealth with pragmatism and strategic foresight.

"If you're happy when you're broke, you'll be happy when you're rich." ([32:26])

Cuban emphasizes that maintaining happiness irrespective of financial status is crucial. His approach to wealth involves valuing time over money, investing wisely, and ensuring that his financial decisions align with his personal values and life goals.

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Transition to AI and Entrepreneurship

A significant portion of the conversation centers on the transformative impact of artificial intelligence on entrepreneurship. Cuban underscores the necessity for modern entrepreneurs to embrace AI as an indispensable tool for business development and scalability.

"First thing you have to do is learn AI. You have, whether it's ChatGPT, Gemini, perplexity, clod, you've got to spend tons and tons and tons of time just learning how it works and how to ask your questions." ([42:14])

He likens the current AI revolution to the early days of the internet, emphasizing that understanding and leveraging AI can provide entrepreneurs with unprecedented advantages in efficiency, creativity, and competitive edge.

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Hiring and Team Building

Cuban shares his candid views on hiring, admitting his own shortcomings in this area. He stresses the importance of self-awareness and the ability to recognize one's weaknesses as a founder.

"They think there's a magic bullet, that if they raise money, they can go hire somebody to do A, B and C. And that's where I think most businesses fail." ([55:00])

He advocates for founders to take full ownership of their roles, especially in the early stages, and to gradually build teams that complement their skills. Trust and the ability to delegate effectively are highlighted as critical components of successful team building.

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Advice for Founders

Throughout the dialogue, Cuban imparts invaluable advice for aspiring entrepreneurs:

1. Sales Are Paramount: "Sales cures all. No sales, no company. No exceptions to that." ([65:21])

   Cuban emphasizes that no matter how brilliant a product or idea is, the ability to sell it is fundamental to a company's success.

2. Embrace Failure: "Doesn't matter how many times you fail. You only have to be right one time." ([71:02])

   He encourages founders to view failures as learning opportunities, essential for long-term success.

3. Leverage AI: Utilize AI as a mentor and a powerful tool to streamline business processes, from writing business plans to designing websites.

4. Focus on Transparency and Trust: Especially in ventures like Cost Plus Drugs, where transparency in pricing builds consumer trust and disrupts established industries.

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Cost Plus Drugs: Disrupting Healthcare

Cuban's latest venture, Cost Plus Drugs, aims to bring transparency to the opaque world of pharmaceutical pricing. By offering generic and brand-name medications at cost plus a minimal 15% markup, the platform challenges the traditional pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) that have long kept drug prices inflated.

"Trust equals transparency divided by self-interest." ([75:46])

Through Cost Plus Drugs, Cuban seeks to simplify healthcare costs, eliminate hidden premiums, and provide affordable medication options. This initiative not only reflects his commitment to disrupting flawed industries but also his dedication to making a tangible positive impact on consumers' lives.

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Personal Life and Prioritizing Family

Despite his extensive business commitments, Cuban places immense value on family. He discusses the challenges of balancing work with being present for his children, highlighting his decision to step away from Shark Tank to spend more quality time with his family.

"My only mission, because in my mind, I was retired, and my only mission was at 29. At 29." ([32:49])

Cuban's emphasis on family serves as a reminder that personal fulfillment is as crucial as professional success, reinforcing the show's theme of building a dream life holistically.

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Lessons from Failure

Cuban candidly shares his own failures, such as his ill-fated powdered milk company and the early setbacks with Broadcast.com. These experiences underscore the importance of resilience, adaptability, and the ability to pivot when necessary.

"It's okay to bang your head against the wall like that and learn." ([71:02])

He reiterates that failure is an integral part of the entrepreneurial journey, offering essential lessons that contribute to eventual success.

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Future Aspirations

Looking ahead, Cuban remains driven by his desire to disrupt industries and innovate. His focus on Cost Plus Drugs exemplifies his ongoing commitment to tackling systemic issues and improving consumer experiences.

"Personal life. Just more time with my kids, you know, just with them wanting me instead of me dragging it. And professional. Just fucking up the healthcare industry and really changing it in this country." ([94:18])

His aspirations highlight a blend of personal fulfillment and professional ambition, aiming to create meaningful change while maintaining a balanced life.

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Conclusion

Mark Cuban's conversation with Emma Grede offers a profound insight into the mind of a relentless entrepreneur who balances immense professional achievements with personal commitments. His journey from a young street seller to a tech mogul and healthcare innovator embodies the essence of the American entrepreneurial spirit. Cuban's emphasis on sales, resilience, continuous learning, and leveraging technology like AI provides actionable guidance for aspiring founders. Moreover, his dedication to family and ethical business practices sets a commendable example of holistic success. For listeners aspiring to build impactful and successful businesses, Cuban’s playbook serves as an inspiring blueprint.

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Notable Quotes

• "Sales cures all. No sales, no company." — Mark Cuban ([65:21])
• "Trust equals transparency divided by self-interest." — Mark Cuban ([75:46])
• "If you're happy when you're broke, you'll be happy when you're rich." — Mark Cuban ([32:26])

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Key Takeaways

1. Emphasize Sales: Mastering the art of sales is fundamental to any business success.
2. Leverage AI: Embrace artificial intelligence as a pivotal tool for innovation and efficiency.
3. Learn from Failure: View failures as learning opportunities critical for growth.
4. Prioritize Transparency: Building trust through transparency can disrupt entrenched industries.
5. Balance Work and Family: Strive for a harmonious balance between professional ambitions and personal life.

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By weaving together his entrepreneurial exploits, strategic insights, and personal philosophies, Mark Cuban provides a comprehensive guide for navigating the complex landscape of modern business. This episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to transform their dreams into reality with wisdom from one of the most successful entrepreneurs of our time.

Transcript

[Mark Cuban]

Foreign.

[Emma Grede]

Today's guest is a true icon of modern entrepreneurship, but not just for the reasons you think. You know Mark Cuban as the billionaire tech founder, bold investor and owner of the Dallas Mavericks and a beloved voice on Shark tank for over 15 seasons. But he's also someone who's always been laser focused on how things work, how to fix what's broken, and how to create better from the ground up. Mark's hustle began selling garbage bags at just 12 years old, and he worked his way to a $5.7 billion exit. He spent decades building businesses, investing in founders, disrupting everything from media to medicine, most recently founding Cost Plus Drugs to challenge Big Pharma and bring real transparency to health care. But now he stepped off the Shark Tank stage and and he sold his controlling stakes in the Mavs, rethinking what success, legacy and time actually mean. In this conversation, we go all the way back to his childhood, his first big business win, and the mindset that shaped him. We talk about what it really takes to start a business from day one, the myths about entrepreneurship and what he's teaching his three kids about ambition, money and meaning. I used to think I needed a full drawer of makeup and at least 20 minutes to look presentable in the morning. But then I tried Merit and now I'm done in five minutes. Merit is a minimalist beauty brand that's made to simplify your routine. It's for people who want to feel put together without spending a ton of time or energy. Their products are clean, vegan, and so easy to use you genuinely can't mess them up, even half asleep. Lately I've been reaching for Flush Balm every morning. It gives me the most natural looking flush and it blends like a dream. The Minimalist is another go to. It's part foundation, part concealer, and it evens out my skin in seconds without feeling heavy and great skin serum. My skin just looks better and more hydrated every time I use it. Merit has made my mornings feel less rushed and more effortless, which I didn't really think was possible. It's time to simplify your morning. Head to meritbeauty.com and get their signature makeup bag free with your first order. Calling all Sourdough Tamers, Souffle Whisperers Jammy Egg Savants Whether you're a pro, behind the line or just mastering your weeknight favorites, one brand can seriously uplevel your kitchen game. Hedley and Bennett. They make premium kitchen gear that's the perfect blend of style, durability and function. We're talking everything from aprons to super sharp Japanese steel knives. Tools that not only look great, but truly perform. They've sold over a million aprons and it shows. You've probably spotted them on top chefs, in your favorite restaurants and on your go to cooking shows. That's because every Headley and Bennett product is designed by chefs for chefs, using only the highest quality materials. And they're built to last. Literally every product comes with a lifetime guarantee. If you're looking for a standout gift, their new collabs with mlb, NFL, Star Wars, Disney, and more make Headley and Bennett the perfect gift for every cook and every fan. Check them out and see why pros and home cooks alike swear by them. Ready to upgrade your kitchen? Head over to hedleyandbennett.com and use code PODCAST15 at checkout for 15% off your order. That's podcast 15 for 15% off. Elevate your cooking experience with Hedley and Bennett today. All right, Mark, I'm so happy to have you here.

[Mark Cuban]

Thanks for having me. I'm excited.

[Emma Grede]

No, I'm excited, too. I couldn't be more excited. Obviously, you and I met on Shark Tank, which was, I don't know, a couple of years back. Now, I had the distinct pleasure of sitting next to you for three seasons.

[Mark Cuban]

Yeah, they always put the rookies next to me.

[Emma Grede]

Yes, they do. Well, I asked as well. I was like, oh, did you?

[Mark Cuban]

Oh, good.

[Emma Grede]

Well, it was just a very good use of my time if during the pitches or between the pitches, I could sit and quiz you on things, which I did. But obviously you've stepped away after so many years. What was it, 14 seasons?

[Mark Cuban]

15.

[Emma Grede]

15 seasons. I mean, that's kind of unbelievable. How did you even know that it was time to step away?

[Mark Cuban]

I mean, I'd been missing my son's birthdays every year. Cause we shot a pod right at his birthday. I missed them going back to school, finishing school. And it was always, okay, we can't do this till dad's done with Shark Tank. And it was just the time. You know, my kids are 15, 18, and 21. And, you know, my oldest is gonna graduate from college next year. I just don't wanna be in a position where like, okay, I'm going to Shark Tank and they're gone. And I missed a lot of it. And so that was one big piece. Just spending more time with family and just. It was just time. You know, you can only do the same thing so long.

[Emma Grede]

But it's interesting because you hear so many stories about women that Give up certain things in work for the family. But not so many men talk about that and the trade offs that come along with, like working in that way. So it's kind of interesting to hear you admit it in a way.

[Mark Cuban]

I guess. I guess I never really looked at it that way. It was just like, when I look at all the things in my life that are important to me, that's at the top. And that wasn't always the case. I wasn't one of these people who balanced work and home. I was still a grinder. And when I was trying to climb, it was just like, let's go, go, go, go, go. And let's get into the next chapter, let's get to the next level, whatever it was. And you know what it's like. You have young kids, right? And they're real people, but they're not real people. Right? They miss you, but they don't know that you're gone, really. And they're happy when you're home.

[Emma Grede]

It's harder as they get older.

[Mark Cuban]

As they get older, they have their own lives and they want to do their own thing. And it's harder to insert yourself. It's like, I don't want you there, dad. And then when that hits, that hits home.

[Emma Grede]

Why did you stay for so long?

[Mark Cuban]

Kind of habit. Because more importantly, it sent a message strictly to kids that the American dream was alive and well. That you saw all the people that came in. Erica from Limbits. It's like, how do you get from there to here? And the example that it sets, all these things we're talking about, when you get to see somebody who's doing it that went from just idea, didn't have anything, totally boom, and just got there.

[Emma Grede]

I say this all the time. It's like, you cannot be what you don't see. And for me, that's a great line. To me, it's so true because you have, you have to be able to have a representation of people that feel similar to you that you can see yourself in. And every time I did that show.

[Mark Cuban]

You see what you don't see.

[Emma Grede]

But isn't it so true?

[Mark Cuban]

That should be the tagline for Shark Tank. It really should be. It really should be.

[Emma Grede]

Do you feel like you made a lot of sacrifices? Have you been able to kind of, I guess, level with yourself on the sacrifices that you have made?

[Mark Cuban]

Yeah, I mean, I don't look at them as sacrifices along the way. Cause I love what I do, I love what I did, I love the path that I took. But at Some point, I had to be honest with myself that my kids are smart. They're going to do their own thing. We raised them to be independent and they're going to leave the house and they're not going to give a shit.

[Emma Grede]

That's it.

[Mark Cuban]

They'll go home for holidays then. That'll kill me. And so I want to catch as many of those moments as I can. Maybe when they're all gone, living their own lives, have their own kids and all that, things will change. But for now, that was the path.

[Emma Grede]

It's a really good decision. It feels like a sound one. I want to go back to the beginning, I think.

[Mark Cuban]

Are you okay with it?

[Emma Grede]

I'm at ease with it. I mean, I will miss you from my TV screen. That's right. I feel like you were the reason that people watch that show, like in. So, I mean, you're one of the big reasons. You must know that about yourself. You were a huge draw on the show. I don't feel like anyone gives as good a honest advice as you do. And so I feel like you're a massive draw on that.

[Mark Cuban]

Yeah, I appreciate that. But I always thought it was the entrepreneurs, right. Everybody played the game. What are the, you know, would I buy that company? Would I invest? You know, what do I think about the company? Will I buy the product? And then, you know, I would talk my talk and do my thing, which. Which I had fun doing.

[Emma Grede]

Right.

[Mark Cuban]

But, yeah, I still think, you know, the show will go on because it's about the entrepreneur.

[Emma Grede]

No doubt. No doubt. I just feel like the advice that you gave was the stuff that people was writing down.

[Mark Cuban]

Yeah. You know, I always give good advice. Right. Because I wanted, you know, their whole life. You know what it's like. Right. You start with nothing and it's just like it's constant fear, you know, you might be fired up about your business and you might love it and you might, you know, in your mind you have that path you're taking, but you're scared shitless half the time.

[Emma Grede]

Yeah.

[Mark Cuban]

You know, one mistake and it's over. And so when they get to that carpet and they're one of, you know, the thousands of people who applied and they get there, you know, if I have experience that could help them, I'm.

[Emma Grede]

Going to give it to them 100%. I always felt the same, like that if somebody has made it here, the very least I could do was be honest.

[Mark Cuban]

Yes.

[Emma Grede]

And tell them what my actual opinion is. Yeah. And they. And they can at least leave with something even if they don't leave with an investment.

[Mark Cuban]

Because that's the goal, Right. Even if it's not a check. Right. Because that's the thing about a shark investing in you. It's not just the check. You know, there's other value and other value add that you can bring. And you were always really good about that. When they brought somebody that was in your wheelhouse, I was like, I'm ready. I'm out. Just let Emma do her thing. Right?

[Emma Grede]

You always, like, do this one. Mark said I should do it.

[Mark Cuban]

I know, because you're good, right? It's just like, I can see the look on the face and they're staring right at you, right?

[Emma Grede]

No, they do. When they want you, they're like, right in your ears, and you're like, oh, it's me. I'm the chosen one.

[Mark Cuban]

Come on. Yeah, you want.

[Emma Grede]

And then sometimes you're like, I ain't doing this. I don't care how much you eyeball me. I'm like, this thing, Mark, you doing this, Anything.

[Mark Cuban]

Because that's the hardest part of Shark Tank is going out.

[Emma Grede]

I know it's the hardest part. It really is. And also, you feel, you know, I'm such an emotional girl, but I really felt you can see how nervous they are, how much they've prepared, and to walk out with seemingly nothing. Like, it's a lot.

[Mark Cuban]

Well, you know, the visibility is always good, and some of the companies end up better. Right. Because someone else comes in and makes them a better deal or buys them, whatever. But, yeah, you always had this vibe, which was like, I know your business. You know, I could help you.

[Emma Grede]

Yes.

[Mark Cuban]

The question is, will I?

[Emma Grede]

Will I? Will I. I mean, you helped a lot of people. We're going to get into that. But before we talk anymore about Shark Tank, I have to go back to the beginning because you are such a fascinating person. And while I was doing the research for this particular episode, I mean, I learned a lot about. I thought I was a fan and I knew everything. No apologies needed. I was like, wow, he has done a lot. The most. But I really want to understand a little bit more about your upbringing and where you were from. And also just to understand, like, what. What gave you the entrepreneurial bug. Like, who did you learn that from?

[Mark Cuban]

Yeah, I mean, I don't. I didn't learn it from anybody. It was more my dad in particular, and my mom just saying, look, if you want something, you got to earn it. You got to go do it. From the time I was a kid, I grew up In Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. My dad did upholstery on cars. So if you had a rip in your car seat, that's where you'd take it. My mom did odd jobs. Never had the same job for very long. Good middle class family. But it was always like, you want a new pair of basketball shoes, you go get a job. So I would like to buy and sell trading cards. I was Michael Rubin before Michael Rubin was Michael Rubin.

[Emma Grede]

You know I had Michael Rubin on the show.

[Mark Cuban]

I know, I saw it.

[Emma Grede]

Yeah, it was like an attack. But it's interesting that you say you were Michael Rubin before Michael Rubin, because you have a very similar path in so many ways.

[Mark Cuban]

Yeah, no, he has ordered. He did his own thing, right?

[Emma Grede]

Yes.

[Mark Cuban]

That's why I respect Michael. But anyway, so I would buy and sell trading cards to all my neighbors and everything. And then one day my dad and his buddies were playing poker, probably drunk out of their mind, right? And I came in and I was like, dad, I want to get a new pair of basketball shoes. He looks at me, says, those shoes on your feet work. When you have a job, you can get whatever you want. I'm like, I'm 12 years old, how am I going to get a job? And one of his buddies pops up and goes, hey, I've got all these garbage bags and you can sell them. They're boxes of garbage bags. They got hundreds of them. Why don't you go sell them? I'm like, can I, dad? He's like, cool. And so I just went door to door selling garbage bags. And it was like, hi, my name is Mark. Do you use garbage bags?

[Emma Grede]

And everybody does.

[Mark Cuban]

Everybody needs garbage bags. I'll never forget, they cost me $3 a box. I sold them for six and I would drag them down to my neighbors. The world's first garbage bag route for a year or whatever. And I got my tennis shoes and I was happy. But once you learn that you can sell and once you learn you have confidence in talking to people, you always have the ability to make money.

[Emma Grede]

Yes, you do. I mean, and obviously understanding that from your parents for a young age must have been pretty formative. What else did they teach you?

[Mark Cuban]

You know, my dad was gone at 7am and home at 6 and you know, he didn't want me to follow his path. Basically, you know, he would take me where he worked and, you know, I'd get five bucks for sweeping the floor and cleaning things. Not because he wanted me to make some money or whatever, but it was more he wanted me to see how backbreaking it was, you know, he lost his eye in an accident. He did, yeah. You know, and just. It was backbreaking work. And he wanted me to go to college. I mean, neither of my parents had gone to. Even though my mom, when she was 50, went back. But neither of my parents had gone to college. My mom was 20 when I was born. I mean, it was just the prototypical.

[Emma Grede]

Different times.

[Mark Cuban]

Yeah, it was different times. And from that moment on, I was a hustler. I was the whole prototypical, grinding all my life. Whether it was selling baseball cards, garbage bags, magazines, door to door, coins, stamps are red. I would go to a stamp show, right? Start with 50 cents and leave with $50.

[Emma Grede]

Amazing.

[Mark Cuban]

Once you figure out, you know, this is how markets work and you can.

[Emma Grede]

Sell, but you had it, right? It's like, when did the hustle turn into a thirst for entrepreneurialism?

[Mark Cuban]

After I realized I was a lousy employee and I was getting fired or couldn't stand it, you know, then I had no choice.

[Emma Grede]

It was a signal, isn't it? You're like, okay.

[Mark Cuban]

They're like, see ya, right? You know, when it really hit, I moved down to Dallas. I was living six guys in a three bedroom apartment, sleeping on the floor. I gotten a job first as a bartender, Then I got a day job working at a company called you'd business software, selling technology. I didn't really know technology at the time, but I was like, I'll read the manuals, I'll do whatever. It was going along great. I was making money, relatively speaking. Then I had a chance to get a big commission. So I had a chance to pick.

[Emma Grede]

Up what was a big commission back then?

[Mark Cuban]

1500 bucks. Because that was enough for me to move out of the shithole I lived in. Because I was sleeping on the floor.

[Emma Grede]

Yeah, wait for the six other guys.

[Mark Cuban]

Three bedroom apartment, right. And so I was like, okay, this will get me out. And so I call my boss and I'm like, okay, I'm going to go pick up this check. Because I'm supposed to, you know, sweep the floor, open up the retail store. He's like, no, I need you at the store. I'm like, michael. Michael Yumeki was his name. I got you covered, right? And he goes, no, I need you to be in the store. So I'm like, okay, I need this commission check. If I go pick up a check for 15 grand, the store needed it, he needed it. I show up, he fires me. Yeah. So I'm done there, almost. I'm like, okay, I got to control my own destiny. I know I can sell. I know I can do this stuff. So I had a prospect, a company called Architectural Lighting. And I went to them and I said, look, I'm broke, right? I don't have the money for this project.

[Emma Grede]

How old are you at this point?

[Mark Cuban]

I'm 24.

[Emma Grede]

Okay.

[Mark Cuban]

So I've been through jobs and bouncing and so it's 24, almost 24. And so I went to this company, Architectural Lighting, and said, the software that you want costs $250 if you give me $500, so I have something to live off for a couple of weeks. If it doesn't work, I'll walk your dog, I'll sweep your floor, I'll wash your car.

[Emma Grede]

Whatever it takes.

[Mark Cuban]

Whatever it takes. And it worked. And then I went same, did something similar for the next one and the next one and the next one. And that was the company, Microsolutions. And I went seven years without a vacation. But eighth year in, we sold it to H and R Block. And that was my first exit.

[Emma Grede]

That's so crazy. Was that your first big. Yes. Was that the moment you're like, I understand that I am good at something and I have a path here?

[Mark Cuban]

Yes. Yeah. Because then once I got into tech, that was it. It was over. Because I loved learning it, because the way I looked at it, because I didn't take computer science. So I was like, okay, I get this because I like to learn this stuff. And even to this minute, like putting in time to learn technology, it's fun to me. To me, my brain just clicks with it and I get excited about it. Okay. I'm learning this new. When you're learning stuff like that and you have a sales background and a process background, you can start applying everything that you know to, like, Shark Tank Company, Right? Shark Tank Company walks in in a minute. I know exactly how they make money and what they do and what technology works and doesn't. That allowed me to be successful at microsolutions. After that, I bought and sold stocks, started a hedge fund and sold it. Within nine months. We were just killing it. And so that's when I knew that I was on a path.

[Emma Grede]

And what did you learn from microsolutions? Because that was like a different time from a technology perspective. It was brand new and almost kind of like a wild, wild west in a way. Right. Like, what did you actually figure out that no one else had figured out.

[Mark Cuban]

At that point what separated us? I figured out really early on that it was one thing to sell a computer, it was another thing, even to write software. And I taught myself how to code, to put on.

[Emma Grede]

You taught yourself how to code? How did you do that?

[Mark Cuban]

I would spend hours, I remember I would walk into a company and say, okay, this will help you become more profitable, more productive, more profitable, better competitive advantage, the whole field. And I'll write the software for you and it'll cost you X amount of dollars. No matter how long it takes me, it'll be X amount of dollars. And so the pressure was on me. And I would find myself, you know, I'd look up and I literally would have a bucket of ribs. It was gross. A bucket of ribs and like towels. And I was just like, I gained like 20 pounds, chomp on these ribs. But I look up and it'd be 20 hours later, 25 hours later, because I was concentrating so hard, I lost track of time. And you know, and so I was able to take all that I learned. And then what I realized that really separated US was connecting PCs together with brand new, you know, and back then people would have a floppy disk and they'd walk around, right? You know, or they couldn't even connect their printers. Now that seems insane, but I would go into these companies, I'm gonna, I'm gonna show you how I can connect all these printers and all these computers together. You can share data, become more profitable, more. And I'll write software to make it easier. And then I knew I won.

[Emma Grede]

Have you always had that ability to like take, you know, to really concentrate and focus and double down and take in and absorb information? Were you that type of student?

[Mark Cuban]

Yeah. Yes and no. Depends on the topic. You know, if it was sports. Yeah.

[Emma Grede]

If it's something you enjoyed, you could do it.

[Mark Cuban]

And once I realized I liked tech because I had no idea. I had literally no idea.

[Emma Grede]

But it's interesting that you say it was fun. Like did you know, it's like, it's something just like sports that you enjoyed. You were just gobbling up with the ribs all the information, right?

[Mark Cuban]

But that's it.

[Emma Grede]

You were like, it was fun for you. You were like, I'm doing it day.

[Mark Cuban]

Like to this minute. Like if I have an extra minute, like now I'm learning all I can about AI because there's some 15 year old kid that's just glomming onto this like it's second nature. And if I don't know it, he's going to kick my ass or she's going to kick my ass. And if I do know it I'm going to kick their ass, right?

[Emma Grede]

And I have no doubt with my busy work and travel schedule, I've recently found myself hitting a wall. Not a massive crash, just a slow, steady fade. Less energy, more brain fog. And I just couldn't figure out why. That's when I chose Function. It's the only health platform that gives you access to the kind of data most people never see and the insights to actually take action. With function, you can test over 160 biomarkers from hormones and heart health to toxins, inflammation and stress. You can even add MRI and CT scans, all tracked in one secure place. Over time, It's a near 360 degree view of your body and and that's why experts like Dr. Mark Hyman, Dr. Andrew Huberman and Dr. Jeremy London stand behind Function Health this time of year can look bright and busy on the outside, but inside, so many of us are running on fumes. Function helps put a name to what you're feeling. Low testosterone or DHEAS might be draining your drive. Cortisol could be throwing off your mood. And if your vitamin D or magnesium is low, your immune and nervous systems are taking a hit too. The symptoms are real and now so are the answers. Learn more and join using our link. The first thousand get $100 credit towards their membership. Visit functionhealth.com aspire or use gift code ASPIRE100 at signup to own your health. I don't know about you, but I have serious protein goals and finding protein filled snacks is a challenge when you're always on the go like me. Life moves fast, work, kids, errands, it never stops. And yet somehow you're supposed to eat well in the middle of all that. That's where great tasting Bavarian meats little Lan Jaeger Snack sticks come in. They're naturally fermented, slow smoked for bold flavor, packed with 9 grams of protein per serving and they have zero sugar and zero carbs. It's a snack that keeps up with your day. Whether you're racing between meetings, school drop off, or just trying to finish your to do list, take a moment to savor something delicious for you. And did I mention they're portable? Toss a few in your gym bag, your glove box or wherever. Pick up a pack today at your local grocer or stock [e-mail] podcast Bavarian meats snack sticks great taste, zero sugar I used to think making amazing and healthy meals at home meant spending a ton of money or even worse, a ton of time in the kitchen, which can Be difficult when you're juggling work and being a mum to four. But everyplate proved me wrong. Their meals are not only quick and easy, but they also taste so good. I just made their crispy buffalo ranch chicken with roasted potatoes and it honestly tasted like something I'd order out, except it cost way less and I made it in under 30 minutes. Every plate makes it easy to switch things up with a rotating menu of delicious recipes like Cheesy Mexican Street Corn Hash or Sweet Soy Chicken Stir Fry. The instructions are clear. Everything shows up right at your door and you end up spending less than you would on your normal grocery haul or a single takeout order. Everyplate is the easiest way to up your dinner game without blowing your budget. What are you waiting for? Dig into these flavor packed meals your household will love. New customers can enjoy this special offer of only £1.99ameal. Go to everyplate.com podcast and use emma199 to get started. Applied as a discount on the first box. Limited time only. I want to talk about broadcast.com. obviously it was an early Internet radio startup, which feels like a total oxymoron now. I'm like, yeah, early Internet radio startup.

[Mark Cuban]

It was the first streaming company, period.

[Emma Grede]

But that was a massive turning point for you in your business life, career.

[Mark Cuban]

Like, you know, my buddy Todd Wagner from Indiana, we were having lunch at California Pizza Kitchen and he was like, there's gotta be a way we can listen to Indiana basketball down here in Dallas.

[Emma Grede]

Because at the time, always solving for sports, Mark.

[Mark Cuban]

Yeah, right. Yeah, because at the time, somebody in Bloomington, Indiana had to put a radio next to a speakerphone in their office and then we would have a speakerphone dial in Dallas and that's how we listen to games.

[Emma Grede]

Oh, why? It was not.

[Mark Cuban]

Yes. You know, and now the Internet was happening and Mr. Geek here was like, okay, I know what networking's all about because that's what microsolutions did. Let me figure something out. Because if it works, you know, there's no distance, there's no time. You can watch anything or listen to anything anywhere. So we started as a company called audionet in 1995 and nobody back then we called it Internet broadcasting and nobody was streaming. Nobody. And we're like, oh, shit. Okay, let's see what we can do. So I went to a local radio station, KLIF, and literally we connected a 8 hour VCR to their board and took the output of their radio and recorded it on eight hour VCR tapes, took it back to my house, encoded it then put it on our website, audionet.com and I would go on all these forums and Prodigy and CompuServe and the Internet and I would say, hey, if you live in Dallas, and if you're from Dallas and you want to know about Dallas sports and Dallas News, you have to do all these five steps, but then you can do it. And then first day 10 people, next day 100 people, next month, 1,000 people. And then we started adding more and more radio stations. And then probably six months later, we were able to do live.

[Emma Grede]

Did you know that that was going to change your life? Were you like, this is the beginning?

[Mark Cuban]

Yes, because I remember having a meeting with everybody and saying, if this works the way I think it will work, this company is worth $5 billion.

[Emma Grede]

You knew that?

[Mark Cuban]

Without any doubt in my mind. Because it changed everything. And everybody thought I was a moron. Right? Dude, we'll turn on the television. Dude, I just have to turn on the radio. But I'm like in an office, you can't just do that. There's no televisions here. There's no radios. Well, it's different now, but back then there weren't. And so it was the only media device on your desktop and they had more bandwidth. So like people would listen to Cubs games, people would listen to soccer, football from overseas. Right. It was the only way they can get it. And back then the laws were different. So I could just walk into Best buy and buy 200 CDs and encode them and just put it on our jukebox and people could listen to everything. We had 400 plus radio stations. We played Christmas music on loop all year long. I mean, just all the stuff that you see on Spotify and then we got to video all the stuff you see on YouTube. We were doing in 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, until we sold to Yahoo.

[Emma Grede]

In 2000, which is insane. I mean, the idea that you sold that company to Yahoo for how much?

[Mark Cuban]

$5.7 billion.

[Emma Grede]

So you were right. This is worth $5 billion. It really was.

[Mark Cuban]

It turned out. Yeah.

[Emma Grede]

You like Ka Ching?

[Mark Cuban]

Yeah. Amazing.

[Emma Grede]

Did you have a bunch of partners at that point?

[Mark Cuban]

Well, we had gone public.

[Emma Grede]

Right.

[Mark Cuban]

And so we went public in July of 1998. And at the time, the Broadcast.com IPO was the biggest first day leap in the history of the stock market, which was so cool.

[Emma Grede]

That's so cool.

[Mark Cuban]

Cause like the minute we went public and then the stock market closed and it went from $18 up to 72 and then finished at 62.75. And all of a sudden, like, I was worth $300 million. So we went straight to a bar and we turned on. Oh, yeah. And so we had them turn on like CNN and all the networks. And every time they mentioned Broadcast.com and the IPO, we took a shot and we couldn't see. Completely smashed. Oh, my God.

[Emma Grede]

It was completely smashed.

[Mark Cuban]

And then we had to get back to work. Like I told everybody, you got to.

[Emma Grede]

Keep that stock price rising.

[Mark Cuban]

All these people trusted us, you know, they. They put our heart, their hard earned money and they. It worked out. Yeah.

[Emma Grede]

So take me inside that Yahoo deal. Like, what did you learn? What did it teach you?

[Mark Cuban]

Well, there's a bunch of pieces there, right. We brought them in as an investor for only a million dollars. Like right after the ipo.

[Emma Grede]

A million dollars.

[Mark Cuban]

That was a tiny. Yeah, it was a tiny smidgen. But the company. But we wanted access to the Yahoo website and we just wanted the connection.

[Emma Grede]

So that was like a valuable part. It wasn't necessarily about the finance.

[Mark Cuban]

It wasn't a finance investor. It was just strategic.

[Emma Grede]

Strategic.

[Mark Cuban]

Yeah. And so they were strategic investor. And then all of a sudden people that. Oh, they just did Internet radio. No. We invented all these things that were different. And I wish I'd gotten patents. Yeah. It just kills me because it's so funny because I posted it on social media. I found an old letter that our patent attorney had written, said, here's all the patents you can apply for. And back then I'm like, we're too busy. We're getting ready to sell the company. And everything happens.

[Emma Grede]

Which is so crazy because whenever I hear this story about you, you only think about the success. You only think about he built this company, tied these things and saw things nobody else told me.

[Mark Cuban]

It probably is worth $10 trillion. Like the whole.

[Emma Grede]

Does that haunt you? Does that bother you at all?

[Mark Cuban]

Because I'm really well off. So I'm okay.

[Emma Grede]

You're like, I'm good.

[Mark Cuban]

There's a lot of shit I've missed along the way that I have more money and I'm good. You're good. In some respects, it pisses me off because people just think it was Internet radio.

[Emma Grede]

Yeah, right.

[Mark Cuban]

And if I'd gotten well.

[Emma Grede]

Yeah, you don't get. You don't get the credit that you should have for everything that came out of that. Yeah.

[Mark Cuban]

We started the whole thing. I mean, like, literally, if Yahoo hadn't screwed it up, there'd be no prod, there'd be no Spotify there'd be no YouTube.

[Emma Grede]

But Mark, was it really about the time, like you not being able to actually, like go out and get those patterns or did you actually understand what you were creating at that point?

[Mark Cuban]

I knew exactly what we were creating and the value.

[Emma Grede]

You just couldn't go out there.

[Mark Cuban]

We were different than everybody else. We were kicking everybody's ass. I mean, we were a top 10 website, literally. Yeah. I mean, we had millions of users. Millions of people were streaming, like, you know, we were, you know, doing video online that nobody else could do or had done. It was fun.

[Emma Grede]

And how big was the company? How many people at that point?

[Mark Cuban]

330.

[Emma Grede]

Yeah, but you have to focus, right? Even with 300 people, it's like you've got your things that you're trying to achieve and you have to focus and double down on those things. You didn't have time to go out and think.

[Mark Cuban]

No, it wasn't about all the escape stuff. Yeah, right. It was like, we have to win. It's a competitive business and so we have to stay focused on being the best streamer, you know, whatever the type of content. But things like, you know, inserted ads, things like pop up video ads in front of content, all these things that people do today, we were doing. And it's been 30 fucking years. It's insane.

[Emma Grede]

It actually is insane to even think about. So you actually, like. There's so much of what we take for granted now that you guys just invented at that point. I can't even believe that. I wonder, so when you get this Yahoo deal, did it turn out as you had expected?

[Mark Cuban]

No. I mean, so two pieces. One we sold in stock, right. Which is not cash, as you know. And so.

[Emma Grede]

I know it's not.

[Mark Cuban]

No, it's not. Because back then in the Internet stock market, stocks going up, stocks were going down. So I went up and I'm like, I'm a billionaire, you know, I like it and I don't want to risk it. I don't need more money. I need to protect what I got. And so I did this thing called a collar where I sold out of the money calls on the stock that we got from Yahoo on Yahoo stock. And I bought puts to protect the downside from the money I got.

[Emma Grede]

Okay, explain that for. Explain that really slowly for us that might not understand it.

[Mark Cuban]

So a share stock.

[Emma Grede]

Yeah, okay, share stock.

[Mark Cuban]

We got Yahoo stock and we sold what are known as calls. Call on a share of stock gives somebody that you sell it to the right to buy that share of stock at whatever the Price at, like, a.

[Emma Grede]

Predetermined price down the road.

[Mark Cuban]

So if yahoo. Stock was 100 and I sold it, you can buy this at 120 and you pay me some amount of money for that. That's selling a call. And I took that money and I bought a put, which is the opposite side. It protects the downside. It says if Yahoo.

[Emma Grede]

Stock falls, that's mod ass over there.

[Mark Cuban]

Oh, yeah. So if Yahoo. Stock falls below the level I bought, you have to buy it from me at that price, you know? And I was like, you're such a Kevin Dick. Yeah, it crashed.

[Emma Grede]

Of course it crashed. This is it.

[Mark Cuban]

The whole Internet stopped.

[Emma Grede]

Wow.

[Mark Cuban]

Bubble burst. And so I actually ended up making some more money on that. So that was part one. That worked out fine. But then Yahoo, you know, when that Internet stock bubble burst, Yahoo's board of directors just freaked out because their stock had gone from hundreds to tens or less. And they're like, okay, we got to cut expenses. And so the streaming side was huge mistake, but that's part of what they cut.

[Emma Grede]

Wow. Talk to me about your relationship to money as a founder. Because you. I just feel like a founder's journey is so uneven. It's like you've got nothing, you've got nothing, you've got nothing. Then hopefully you get something and maybe it's too much and you don't know what to do with it.

[Mark Cuban]

Yeah, I mean, that's a great question. Like, my attitude is, if you're happy when you're broke, you'll be happy when you're rich. If you were miserable when you were broke, there's no amount of money that's going to change you from being miserable. And so, you know, when I was sleeping on the floor, I still was having fun.

[Emma Grede]

You know, you strike me as the type of guy that was broke and happy.

[Mark Cuban]

Yes, I was.

[Emma Grede]

I was just happier. Now, I wasn't happy to be broke.

[Mark Cuban]

Right. But I was going to have fun no matter what. And so when I sold microsolutions, I ended up with, like, $2 million, and I was 29 years old, give or take. And so I bought a lifetime pass on American Airlines for $125,000.

[Emma Grede]

That's a great deal. Oh, my God, It's a great deal.

[Mark Cuban]

My only mission, because in my mind, I was retired, and my only mission was at 29. At 29. Yeah. My only mission in life was to party like a rock star, because all I had to do, I had this card that I could walk up to American Airlines and just show it. And I was actually living in LA not far from here, and I was like, okay, I'd go out to the clubs and find a new friend. Let's go to, let's go to Vegas, let's go to London, let's go wherever.

[Emma Grede]

And you used it. Oh, did you get your money's worth out there, 125?

[Mark Cuban]

Yes, I did. And it was lifetime pass.

[Emma Grede]

Please tell me you can't just. You can't still use that now.

[Mark Cuban]

I could, but I gave it to my dad and when my dad passed, I gave it to a friend.

[Emma Grede]

Oh, that's so lovely. That's so you mark to do that. But I'm sure you got your use out of it in the interim.

[Mark Cuban]

Oh my God.

[Emma Grede]

So back to the money. So you get $2 million when you're about 29. The next big chunk of money doesn't come until you've sold.

[Mark Cuban]

Well, no, not right. So I took that $2 million and initially I told my stockbroker who was a buddy of mine, I want you to invest like a 60 year old. I want you to put it in bonds because I want to live off of this. Interest rates were higher. I want to live off of this for a while.

[Emma Grede]

You had a sense though, that 2 million bucks, you'd kind of made it at that point.

[Mark Cuban]

Well, yes.

[Emma Grede]

Or you knew you were going to make loads of money in your mind.

[Mark Cuban]

No, I didn't, I didn't. I was willing to live like a student for a long time. But what came along was I talked to my broker and he would ask me all these questions about stuff I knew because of microsolutions. And then I'd see these people who worked. It was Goldman Sachs, worked for Goldman Sachs, go on CNBC or whatever it was back then and say exactly what I said. And the stock would go up or down. And my buddy was like, you know this stuff better than our guys do. You should be buying and selling these stocks. So I'm like, okay, I will. And I just crushed it. I mean, crushed it. I turned that 2 million. I don't even know what it ended up being. 15, 20 million. Right. And it was just like, okay. And then we started broadcast and that allowed me to keep going.

[Emma Grede]

How do you think that your relationship with money shaped your early decisions as an entrepreneur?

[Mark Cuban]

Oh, 100%. Right. I mean, I was that kid that drove around and looked at the big houses and listened to motivational tapes in the car. Yeah, I used to drive around looking.

[Emma Grede]

At all the big houses. That was such A thing for me?

[Mark Cuban]

Yes, 100%. I'm like, what do these people do? How did they get there? What is it that they have that I don't? What is their motivation? And that was my motivation. And so I always wanted to make more money, but I always wanted to use my time. First time was the most valuable asset. That's kind of what my dad and my parents taught me. Because if you're grinding the same job and not really making money, my dad never made more than $40,000 and you're stuck. You can live a great life. It's not like you can't really enjoy your life and have a great family like we did. But there were things we couldn't do. Things that, hey, dad, can we do this or can I. No, no, sorry, no, it doesn't work that way. And you get a job and you can do it. And so I wanted to really value my time first. And then as I started earning more money, and then it was like, okay, what is it that I can use this for? And it was, have fun, you know, but it was still like, okay, I need to save this forevermore. And then when we hit it with the billions, then everything changed because it was like, okay, what will change my life immediately? So it was like I bought a house, sight unseen. It was a $25 million house.

[Emma Grede]

No, you didn't. Honestly, who spends 25 million?

[Mark Cuban]

I didn't spend 25. So what the deal was was, of course you didn't.

[Emma Grede]

You did a deal.

[Mark Cuban]

I did a deal, right? So this guy, Damn, how I remember this dude's name? I don't know, right? But he owned this company. Never sold a share of stock. It was a public company, never sold a share of stock. And then the company cratered. And so he spent three years and $25 million building this house. More than three years, lived there eight months. And my friend said, look, it's going to go to bankruptcy and you can get it for $12 million. And he showed me a picture. I'm like, fuck it.

[Emma Grede]

Done.

[Mark Cuban]

You know? Done, Done. I still live in that house.

[Emma Grede]

That's the deal. No, you don't live in that house.

[Mark Cuban]

I live in that same house. 25 years out of it, seven years later on.

[Emma Grede]

What a fantastic investment. That was your house. That was your house meant to be.

[Mark Cuban]

That was because that's what it was, just an amazing house, right? Like, literally until I got married and had kids, there were rooms I had never been in.

[Emma Grede]

There are still rooms you couldn't even make your way around. It.

[Mark Cuban]

There were still rooms.

[Emma Grede]

That says a lot about you and who you are though, because I feel like you are just so comfortable in who you are that once you've got your thing, that's it. You're just going to stay and sit there.

[Mark Cuban]

Yeah, it was just like, like until I got married, I had no furniture. I had like one couch and a big screen TV and it was so big, like we would play football and wiffle ball like in the ballroom and I literally had a basketball hoop in the ballroom of the house and so I could just get some shots up.

[Emma Grede]

It was amazing.

[Mark Cuban]

It was so much fun.

[Emma Grede]

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[Mark Cuban]

So if you would have asked me this question six months ago, I would given you a completely different answer.

[Emma Grede]

But I'm so glad I got you now.

[Mark Cuban]

Yeah, right. Because of AI. Like literally this morning I got a question from a kid in high school and I get so many emails and.

[Emma Grede]

Every now and then you are unbelievable at answering.

[Mark Cuban]

Well, somebody I like, right? I'm going to respond immediately, but every now and then I'll be, okay, it's from a kid, let's see what the question is. And he said, well, same question. How do you get started? And I was like, okay, first thing you have to do is learn AI. You have, whether it's ChatGPT, Gemini, perplexity, clod, you've got to spend tons and tons and tons of time just learning how it works and how to ask your questions.

[Emma Grede]

Is that what you're doing at the moment? You're spending time? So talk me through that. What does that look like? If you're a Founder right now. And you want to just learn AI? What are you doing?

[Mark Cuban]

Just asking IT questions?

[Emma Grede]

Just asking IT questions and trying everything.

[Mark Cuban]

That comes out that's new. It's like the early days when I first got started. Every day there was a new technology. Every day there was new software. Every day the PCs and the networks were getting faster and bandwidth was getting faster. So it was just a constant. Oh, my God. Oh, my God. And AI is the same way now.

[Emma Grede]

What do you say to someone who says, yeah, but I don't like AI, I don't want any more technology in my life. What is the answer?

[Mark Cuban]

You're fucked.

[Emma Grede]

Basically, that's it. It's like do or die.

[Mark Cuban]

Yeah. That's like saying, I don't, you know, back in the day, people, I don't need to use a PC, I don't need to use the Internet, I don't need a cell phone, WI fi.

[Emma Grede]

And those businesses died.

[Mark Cuban]

Done.

[Emma Grede]

And there's so many examples of that, right? Brands that just didn't transition, didn't update, didn't do what they needed to do.

[Mark Cuban]

And bob onto the Internet. Didn't figure out. It's just like all the stuff you have to learn, right? For Great American skims, it's never ending. It's a never ending competition. And now your business is harder than it's ever been.

[Emma Grede]

The hardest. The hardest. And changes every day, every millisecond.

[Mark Cuban]

You know, if you saw the stuff that came from Google, right, Where people are just typing in things and creating like great content.

[Emma Grede]

Unreal. I mean, I was at the Google Summit last week where they were launching.

[Mark Cuban]

They showed you all this, right?

[Emma Grede]

I mean, it was.

[Mark Cuban]

They wanted you to see all this.

[Emma Grede]

You can't even fathom that what you're looking at isn't real. I'm like, wait a minute, what is so good about this? And they're like, well, it's not like.

[Mark Cuban]

They have six figures anymore. It is like the realest stuff ever. Now. Now the good news. So there's multiple parts to all this, right? If you're an entrepreneur or want to be an entrepreneur and you start playing with it to get a sense for how it works, how to prompt, it becomes like a mentor. It becomes like having an entire staff of a thousand business professors.

[Emma Grede]

That's how you're thinking about it.

[Mark Cuban]

Yeah. Because you still have to be smart to do it. Like if you would say to me, mark, I need a commercial for skims, like, I can, I know how to use all the technology. I can type in prompts, but I don't have the creative side of it. I don't know. Like, okay, you know, if you're using a 35 millimeter camera and this type of light, you need this type of aperture and you need this type of angle and you need to, you know, you want these.

[Emma Grede]

So, like, nuance of expertise is still really important.

[Mark Cuban]

More important.

[Emma Grede]

And the more you give in AI, the more you're getting out of it, right? Like, that's my limited understanding. It's as good as what you give it, correct.

[Mark Cuban]

Now it's going to come up with stuff that you couldn't even fathom. It's that good. And it's the ultimate time hack. Because now, okay, edit that together. Let's see what it looks like. And then you look at the dailies and you're like, okay, that looks good. Okay, let's shoot a little bit more and see what we get. Now, you don't got to shoot shit.

[Emma Grede]

You ain't got to do anything, right?

[Mark Cuban]

But you still got to be able to know how to edit it. You still got to know how to tell a story. And your ability to tell a story now changes dramatically. So before it'd be like, okay, here's my 15 second, here's my 30s, here's my 60s, right? Maybe we'll do something long form. We'll see. Because on TikTok, people like this or don't like that, and let's see where the fit is and what the algorithm supports. Now you just crank out 50 different things in six minutes and then you get to ABC, test it and see, or run it through. But you still need to have quality, quality qualified people to say, that's good, that's not good.

[Emma Grede]

So there's no substitute for actual humans. But you're just like, it's much less. So you're thinking about AI, as in, this is a replacement for some level of creative output, for some level of the number of staff that you might need. So it's almost like shrinking everything that's needed in the beginning.

[Mark Cuban]

It's no different than like CGI has changed over the last 30 years. You know, using digital, you went from analog cameras to digital cameras to, you can use your phone and it's 4K and then it'll be 8K, right? So there's things that you don't do now that you did five years ago to create content. And so it's just one more move forward. But for starting a business, you can say, okay, here's what I want to do. I have this idea where I want to sell these cups that say Aspire by Emma Greed. I want to do a business around this. Write me a business plan, and then you get it in a minute and you say, this is wrong, this is wrong, this is wrong. Update this, this, this, this, this. Okay. All right. Now that you've read my business plan, ChatGPT or Gemini put together a website design. Boom. Minute later, you're looking at the first proof of your website. I mean, to me right now, there's no better time to be a startup entrepreneur because you have an expert in your pocket. You go to ChatGPT or whatever, Gemini, and just ask it.

[Emma Grede]

But I love that this stage of your journey, Mark, you are using that, like, as accomplished as you are, as successful as you are, even you are starting over.

[Mark Cuban]

And it gets weird sometimes, too.

[Emma Grede]

Like, I'm gonna take a picture of your phone. Like, what apps do you have that I don't?

[Mark Cuban]

Oh, I've got everything.

[Emma Grede]

It's all on there. Who's teaching you about it? Like, are you. Is it all self discovery or are you, like, engaging with.

[Mark Cuban]

I need a.

[Emma Grede]

Is Sam Altman on speed dial?

[Mark Cuban]

No, no, no. Just myself.

[Emma Grede]

Okay.

[Mark Cuban]

I don't. You know, it's fun. More fun to learn. Okay. I need a business plan for a mug that says Aspire on it that I want to sell through Skims. Write me a business plan and the best approach to take it to them. Okay.

[Emma Grede]

All right, let's map this out.

[Mark Cuban]

First off, the main idea is a sleek, stylish mug branded with the word Aspire. Sold in collaboration with Skims, leveraging their brand power and audience. One executive summary. You're launching a premium mug line that complements Skims lifestyle brand. The mug embodies motivation and minimalism, aligning with Skim's aesthetic and. Okay, that's not for right now. Just write it up for me and I'll read it later. Okay.

[Emma Grede]

Unbelievable. All of these things. It used to take weeks and weeks and weeks and copywriters and editors and graphic designers and specialists.

[Mark Cuban]

And you're meeting with your team, going through. What do you think? What do you think? And some. Everybody's always got to give their opinion because otherwise they don't feel valued. Right.

[Emma Grede]

And that takes time, that takes energy. Yeah.

[Mark Cuban]

And so if you can consolidate now, do you still need people who can copyright? But yes, but those people. Yes.

[Emma Grede]

You need far less.

[Mark Cuban]

Right? Well, it's just. You need fewer, but maybe not. Right. Maybe you just those. But those copywriters have to learn how to use prompts in AI and they have to know which AI will take those prompts and give you better output that's suitable for your businesses. And then the editors would be able to take that video that it creates or the script for the video first and know how to use it within an AI structure like veo, which is the video creation. Right. And so, because if you don't know how to translate the script into what VEO uses, and it's changing every day now, whatever comes next, next, next, next, next, then you won't have a job. But if you have those skills as an editor and a copywriter and you know how to translate them into AI so that your prompts are really, really good and quick and efficient, you'll have a job for life.

[Emma Grede]

Of course. So someone starting a business now needs to learn AI.

[Mark Cuban]

All of it.

[Emma Grede]

All of it.

[Mark Cuban]

All of it.

[Emma Grede]

Gobble all the information up, day one.

[Mark Cuban]

Learn everything about AI. And like I told this kid this morning, read books about entrepreneurs because there's still the heart. The AI isn't going to deal with your heart and mind, because knowing what the grind is and the work and the fear, because I can get AI to write business plan for this or anything for that matter. But if I'm not willing to do the work, if I don't understand that, I might be broke for a long time, if I don't understand that now it's easier for anybody to start a business. So now there's more competition, not less. If I don't understand that, then it doesn't matter what the AI tells you.

[Emma Grede]

Because you read a lot, right?

[Mark Cuban]

Yeah, I try to, but now it's all reading about AI.

[Emma Grede]

Yeah, yeah, but. So, all right, so you want people to read books about entrepreneurs and what's probably the last thing they need to.

[Mark Cuban]

Do, the last thing is just to experiment. You know, you've got to try stuff that feels uncomfortable. You can ask the AI, how do I, you know, how do I build a mold? Where. Where's the best way to build a mold? And even, like one of the beauties of AI, it'll. It'll help you create molds that'll be more efficient wherever you send it to build your first, you know, prototypes.

[Emma Grede]

We're in a whole new world.

[Mark Cuban]

Whole.

[Emma Grede]

It's a whole new world, literally.

[Mark Cuban]

Emma 2024 was. Might as well say black and white.

[Emma Grede]

1920, which to me signals so much opportunity.

[Mark Cuban]

Oh. Where there's changes. Opportunity.

[Emma Grede]

Right. But when we start to think about, okay, traditionally, the barriers that have stopped people from starting a business, you know, where they live, where they come from, education level, it's gone. You're saying that's out the window?

[Mark Cuban]

Oh, yes. As long as you have that smartphone that can download ChatGPT and all these things, not even paying up, right. You can ask questions like, you have access to me, you the best professors ever. Now, it doesn't mean there is no excuse. Now you may say, I need money to do this, but then you just asked this, ChatGPT, how can I do this with no money? What's the best way to start? How can I create a prototype? The least expensive way I know what needs to happen in most businesses, right? Anybody can now ask those questions.

[Emma Grede]

Anybody. So given everything that, you know, the experience of building multiple companies, the experience of, you know, investing in all of these very kind of early stage founders, I guess my question to you is, can everyone be a founder? Can anyone be an entrepreneur?

[Mark Cuban]

Can they? Yes. Should they know?

[Emma Grede]

Thank you. That's the end of that. Tell me why. Go on, give me the. Give me the reason.

[Mark Cuban]

Everybody's got ideas. And this country, that's what makes this country different than every country in the world.

[Emma Grede]

I say that all the time.

[Mark Cuban]

Right? Because in the uk, not everybody thinks I can start a business.

[Emma Grede]

No.

[Mark Cuban]

It doesn't cross their mind.

[Emma Grede]

No, absolutely. It's not. It's woven into the fabric of society in America.

[Mark Cuban]

Doesn't matter who the president, doesn't matter what party is in charge.

[Emma Grede]

It's doable.

[Mark Cuban]

It's doable. It's doable, right? And this country, we think, I have an idea, and if I have an idea, it could become a business. And then you go on Google or now you go to ChatGPT or Gemini and you say, has this ever been done before? Show me anybody who's done it and how it's turned out. Oh, nobody's done it before. Write me a business plan for this idea, okay? And two seconds later, let me go through it. I can do this. Right?

[Emma Grede]

But then, but not everybody should do this.

[Mark Cuban]

Mark, here's this line right here.

[Emma Grede]

What is the line?

[Mark Cuban]

The line, when you step over that line, you're in. And it means you got to do everything you got to do to be successful.

[Emma Grede]

You got to do it.

[Mark Cuban]

You got to do it.

[Emma Grede]

You got to do it.

[Mark Cuban]

It's not like I'll go raise money and I'll hire people. You got to do it right there, right? You've got to be the one to do it. And most people aren't willing to make that commitment.

[Emma Grede]

So who shouldn't be a Founder.

[Mark Cuban]

Like, if you want structure, you should not be a founder. Now, you can be anal and deal with details, but if you think, okay, I want my life to have structure, I want to work nine to five, I want to be a founder because I'll have more time to my myself.

[Emma Grede]

Funny, all of those things, Mark, that you say that.

[Mark Cuban]

Am I wrong?

[Emma Grede]

No, you are. You are right. It's just that certain people have a liberty to be able to say those things. And other people maybe not so much. But you honestly believe that. It's like, if you're looking for structure, if you're looking for familiarity, if you're looking for your days to be.

[Mark Cuban]

Yeah.

[Emma Grede]

Like, pretty much the same every day. Yeah.

[Mark Cuban]

You don't. Like, you want the.

[Emma Grede]

If you're looking for balance, just forget it. Maybe don't be a fan.

[Mark Cuban]

Yeah. I mean, maybe you can make it work if you have enough money to work your way through it. You own the finances of your company, but your customers and your employees really run your life. And that doesn't even take into account competition. Who is working 24 hours a day to kick your ass?

[Emma Grede]

To kill you.

[Mark Cuban]

Yeah. I mean, you know, in your industry better than anybody. Right? Because it is nonstop. Somebody comes in. Somebody comes in. They have an idea. Oh, no, you know, Emma's wrong. You know, she doesn't get the feel anymore. That's not the way people buy.

[Emma Grede]

And you have a window in time as well. Right. You're not good forever. Most founders are not great. You have, like, a, like, musician. You know, I feel like there are these, like, golden years where you're, like, in it, you're on it, everything's coming your way, and the stars align. Yeah, exactly.

[Mark Cuban]

Right. Your feel is the match to what people want.

[Emma Grede]

Yes.

[Mark Cuban]

And music's a great analogy. Right. Because what was the hit yesterday, Today? Same with clothes. Things that. Oh, man, everybody wants that.

[Emma Grede]

So what are your red flags like when you're in a pitch situation? What are the things that, to you, you're just like, that's a no, no.

[Mark Cuban]

They think there's a magic bullet, that if they raise money, they can go hire somebody to do A, B and C. And that's where I think most businesses fail, because the founder will realize they don't have a specific skill set or that something's not working, that they expect it to work. I thought for sure this would sell. I thought, we're losing $20,000 a month. If only I had more money for a bigger marketing budget. If only I could hire a marketing person. If Only I can hire a salesperson.

[Emma Grede]

It's always kicking the can down the.

[Mark Cuban]

Road to somebody else that's going to be some super person. That's a magic bullet. No, you've got to do it.

[Emma Grede]

You've got to be the bullet.

[Mark Cuban]

You've got to be the bullet. If you aren't the magic bullet, it's not going to work unless you. Unless you get lucky.

[Emma Grede]

Have you ever seen anything contrary to that? Like, has there ever been a time where you've met somebody and actually they've defied?

[Mark Cuban]

Oh, yeah, yeah. I mean, there's people, you know, it's rare. It's rare.

[Emma Grede]

It's just very, very rare.

[Mark Cuban]

Right.

[Emma Grede]

I've heard you say a million times that you don't need money to start. So what do people do when they don't have money to start?

[Mark Cuban]

Sweat equity. You know, you've got to. First, you've got to find the right product or service. More. If you don't have any money, most likely it's going to be a service. You know, like right now, if I was 16 years old or 25 years old and broke, sleeping on the floor again, I'd be all about AI, just like I taught myself programming before.

[Emma Grede]

So if you had nothing right now, if you just said a thousand bucks and a laptop, you'd be on the AI track.

[Mark Cuban]

If I had access to a library and $0, I would be all about AI. I'd be in there till they kicked me out, eating my ribs.

[Emma Grede]

You know, deal with the ribs.

[Mark Cuban]

Yep. Until they kicked me out. And then I knew that. I know that I can walk into any small business and say, I know you don't know AI and I know you're hearing about it and you've messed with ChatGPT some and you're not really sure how to use it. Just like back then, I said, here, let me show you how to use a computer and connect them together to be more profitable, et cetera. That's exactly what I would do.

[Emma Grede]

What do you think that the best founders do that separates them from everyone else.

[Mark Cuban]

They love their product or service so much, they just love to sell it. They realize they're not convincing somebody. They realize they're helping somebody. You're going to look good in those clothes. Let me show you how and why. You're going to look good using this software. You're going to look good. You know, using this AI will make you more productive or profitable. You're going to be smarter. When you're done reading this book, whatever it is you Know, they are so convinced that their product is going to make people's lives better. Why wouldn't they want to sell it and talk to as many people as they could?

[Emma Grede]

I love that. What do you think, Mark? Separates, I guess somebody that has a real viable business idea from somebody that has, like, a hobby. Like, how do you. How do you know when something is like, this is a thing that I can turn into, like, an actual viable business?

[Mark Cuban]

There's two pieces there. If you're so committed, you're dreaming about it, you dreamt about your business, right.

[Emma Grede]

Over and over and over again.

[Mark Cuban]

You would wake up and you'd write yourself notes because you didn't want to forget what you dreamed.

[Emma Grede]

All the time.

[Mark Cuban]

All the time.

[Emma Grede]

All the time.

[Mark Cuban]

Same right to this.

[Emma Grede]

I cannot tell you all the time.

[Mark Cuban]

Exactly. That's how you know. And then you've got to see if it's a real business because you might be so, you know, caught up in it, but who knows? If anybody.

[Emma Grede]

How do you know if something is viable?

[Mark Cuban]

People are buying it.

[Emma Grede]

That's it. Just people are buying it. That simple.

[Mark Cuban]

You know, Venmo, you. They'll send you money.

[Emma Grede]

That's it.

[Mark Cuban]

That's it.

[Emma Grede]

How else do you know that simple.

[Mark Cuban]

Yeah. Now, like, you started, you sold a few, right? Then you went to. I started with one customer. Once I get my one customer, then I can have enough money to go get something for the second company. Daymond John talks about selling T shirts on the corner. And then once he sold, you know, his lot that he had, you use that money. I think people think it's going to happen.

[Emma Grede]

Oh, yeah. Everyone feels like it's some overnight.

[Mark Cuban]

This is slow.

[Emma Grede]

I talk about this all the time in my own business, but certainly on Shark Tank. What is the difference between someone that should just continue to climb the corporate ladder and someone that should go out on their own? Like, do you see that very clearly?

[Mark Cuban]

Yeah. I mean, what are you good at? You know, people tend not to quit things they're good at. People tend to get rewarded for things they're good at. And whatever it is that makes you good or got you to be good, just do more of it. Now, you may reach a level where you can't go higher for any number of different reasons. And then you can look at going to a competitor, going somewhere else, or starting something on your own. But when you're good at something and you're moving up the ladder and you're getting results, there's a really good chance that you, or at least you should Be rewarded. And that's a good reason to stick with it.

[Emma Grede]

I feel like there's just. For so many people, they'll be in a corporate job feeling that they're not getting properly rewarded. But that's not the reason to necessarily go and start up on your own.

[Mark Cuban]

No, I mean, you can. That's what weekends are for. That's what nights are for. Should I quit my job? When do I know I should quit my job? You don't until you know you have a company.

[Emma Grede]

Don't.

[Mark Cuban]

Yes.

[Emma Grede]

And when do you know you've got a company? When the money starts. When the money starts going in. But it's as simple as that. So. So what do you say to people then? They're like, okay, I've got my day job. I've got my side hustle. I'm working on the weekends. I'm seeing some customers. Where is the when and where is the time to go? Okay, now I've got to apply myself fully.

[Mark Cuban]

I mean, when you see your bank.

[Emma Grede]

Account, are you making it that simple for everyone?

[Mark Cuban]

Yes.

[Emma Grede]

You're like, when you can afford to.

[Mark Cuban]

Live, do you think differently?

[Emma Grede]

No, I think it's really difficult for people because, you know, sometimes you can get stuck between a rock and a hard place. Right. And I think the hardest thing is actually when you've got a business that doesn't take off. When something takes off.

[Mark Cuban]

Yeah. Then it's easy.

[Emma Grede]

You've got total clarity. When you've got something where you're like, well, you know, I only work on this for, like, 10 hours a week, and if I could apply myself a little bit more, you end up in.

[Mark Cuban]

That, you know, usually, you know. Right. Because, you know, at that point in time, it's typically, all, right, I need more inventory. Right. Or there's something.

[Emma Grede]

Whatever it is, there's like a barrier.

[Mark Cuban]

Right. There's a barrier. And then you deal with that barrier. And you may need your job to pay for more inventory. You may need to say, okay, I gotta save my money so I have more inventory for my company. Whatever that barrier is. That's what you deal with.

[Emma Grede]

Yeah, that's what you've got to deal with. I mean, I think there's a lot of headlines right now about people, you know, like graduates that are unemployed. And I just wonder what you would say or what your advice would be for new people that are entering the world of business.

[Mark Cuban]

Yeah, I mean, you know, a. Go find a job. Because you just spent four years paying to learn. Right. When you have a job, it doesn't have to be a perfect job. But you're getting paid to learn. I mean, yeah, you're getting paid to learn after paying to learn, Right. You spend all that tuition money. So whatever business you go into, wherever you work, you're going to learn stuff. If you go in with the attitude that, okay, it's just a job, I just, you know, go home. But if you go in thinking, okay, this is a company, this is somebody's operating this company, I may be 10 layers down, but at least I can see what they do and learn some things on how they approach it. And I might think to myself, nine months later, ten months later, okay, I've learned what I think I can learn here. I don't, I don't like it, you know, go get another job.

[Emma Grede]

I think that's really valuable advice. And if I think, if I think back to my 20s, where I worked a corporate job for years, that's what it taught me. It taught me, like, how do you run a business? Actually quite badly.

[Mark Cuban]

Sometimes you learn what not to do.

[Emma Grede]

Yeah, and I really did. It's like, well, that doesn't make sense. And they're giving it away over there and this, you know, but it was a great kind of training ground for me because I learned more what not.

[Mark Cuban]

To do than what to do when I worked in corporate America. And. But that's what I think people get caught up in, you know, I'm not fully fulfilled. Well, you're getting paid to learn. You spent your four years in college, if that's what you did.

[Emma Grede]

But that's the mindset shift, right? It's like you're getting paid to learn. Not like, I'm not fulfilled. This is not like, you know, my purpose in life. It's like, it's not supposed to be your purpose. It's a check. And if you can appreciate it as like, I'm learning every day, because whatever.

[Mark Cuban]

You start, right, you're going to have to go through a learning process. Using ChatGPT or not, you're going to have to go through a learning process. And if you can do it on somebody else's dime, and if in the back of your mind, you know, I want to be an entrepreneur like I did, I was always looking at that stuff because I knew I wanted to have my own company at some point. So every day was a chance for me to learn, you know, even if it got me fired. And, you know, I think now it's not any different. And when I graduated from college, the unemployment.

[Emma Grede]

Do you think it isn't any different?

[Mark Cuban]

No.

[Emma Grede]

Really?

[Mark Cuban]

No. Like when I graduated from college, you.

[Emma Grede]

Don'T think there was just like so much more opportunity years ago? Like.

[Mark Cuban]

Oh, hell no. Really? Hell no.

[Emma Grede]

Oh, I challenge you on that one. Yeah. I mean, so, okay, so I think for example, if you went back 30 years for me, it seemed like there was just so much less competition. No.

[Mark Cuban]

Well, just because it wasn't all online where you can see it, you know, that's true.

[Emma Grede]

That's fair.

[Mark Cuban]

But now.

[Emma Grede]

But isn't that so much part of it, Mark? Because like the fear for so many people is what they know and sometimes what you don't know. Like I feel like my naivety in the beginning of starting a business was my biggest superpower because you don't know what you don't know. So I was like, you don't know.

[Mark Cuban]

To be afraid of this or that.

[Emma Grede]

Yes, exactly.

[Mark Cuban]

For sure. But think about it. You know, going to your question right back then, you needed a whole lot more money to get started.

[Emma Grede]

Sure.

[Mark Cuban]

Right now if you have a phone.

[Emma Grede]

And chatgpt, cost of entry is low. Yeah. Nothing you can figure out. Shopify.

[Mark Cuban]

Shopify. Right. Amazon, whatever. Right. Molds were more expensive. You couldn't just send it to China. Everything was more expensive to make. Shit was a lot harder, more expensive. You couldn't just go online like with, you know, and just learn all this shit. Like when I.

[Emma Grede]

You were reading manuals.

[Mark Cuban]

I would literally. I would read the fucking manual catalogs. Yes. And I was sitting in bookstores. I would literally go into bookstores, grab this magazine, grab this magazine, grab that book, go grab that book, hide in the corner and read all day because I couldn't afford to buy that shit.

[Emma Grede]

Yeah. There was no blinkist summary on something that's.

[Mark Cuban]

And there was no shortcuts. There were no life hacks that like get you there. So now it may be harder because there's more competition, but just get started. There's. There was no businesses back then. You could start with no money down unless you were just selling your time. You know, I'm shoveling driveways, going door to door, whatever. Right now, get your. Your Shopify. And if you sell something, then you go to the manufacturer or you go to the distributor and you drop ship it.

[Emma Grede]

There's ways. There's ways, there's ways. What's something that you wish every first time Founder knew.

[Mark Cuban]

Sales cures all.

[Emma Grede]

Sales cures all.

[Mark Cuban]

No sales, no company.

[Emma Grede]

That's it.

[Mark Cuban]

No exceptions to that.

[Emma Grede]

Because people get immortal with all the other stuff. Immortal with their model the marketing. And it's like, you need sales. I talk about this all the time. It's like, focus on distribution. Focus on your sales. Focus on, like, owning that story and just being the best salesperson possible. Because that's the all you need at the end.

[Mark Cuban]

Because if you can sell.

[Emma Grede]

Yeah. You'll figure the rest out.

[Mark Cuban]

Yes. Because everything else, everything follows through to that sale. If you can't sell, it doesn't matter what you're good at. It doesn't matter. Anything else for that matter. You're stuck.

[Emma Grede]

Why do you think people avoid that?

[Mark Cuban]

Because people don't like to be told no.

[Emma Grede]

Oh.

[Mark Cuban]

You know, I tell people all the time, every no gets you closer to a yes. Every no. And I would tell that to myself. I was selling magazines door to door, right? And I'd walk up, are you telling me that for $5 a week, this was going to improve the education, enjoyment of your family? No.

[Emma Grede]

Bye. Onto the next one.

[Mark Cuban]

And it's the same. Selling maps.

[Emma Grede]

Switch up your pitch.

[Mark Cuban]

You know, when I first got the maps, hey, it's less than a McDonald's. No. You guys suck. Boom. Onto the next right. You've just got to be relentless. And most people are afraid of the word no.

[Emma Grede]

Are you afraid to give the word no? Because I feel like getting the feedback is really hard. You just give the feedback, right?

[Mark Cuban]

No, I don't like to say no to people. That's my problem. That's why I don't do hiring in my companies. Because.

[Emma Grede]

Is that true?

[Mark Cuban]

Oh, yeah. Because I'm awful at hiring people.

[Emma Grede]

You're just like, I'm on board. No, I'm like, amazing.

[Mark Cuban]

I'm a sales guy, right. So, like, I think I can make this work.

[Emma Grede]

What is the truth, then, in entrepreneurship? That no one actually tells you the truth? That no one's the truth.

[Mark Cuban]

It's hard. You know what? It's. It's. There's. I think you're not automatically going to make money. Most people don't make it. Most people fail. It's hard.

[Emma Grede]

Yeah, that's. I think, what I've seen. And it's interesting, actually, as you go into the tank, because even if you think an idea is a great one and you think it has a market, like, not everything works out and you can give the funding and it just for, I don't know, a myriad of reasons might work.

[Mark Cuban]

Yeah. Most companies.

[Emma Grede]

Have you failed?

[Mark Cuban]

Yeah, of course I've failed you. You never heard about my powdered milk company?

[Emma Grede]

No.

[Mark Cuban]

I started out of college.

[Emma Grede]

Not a good one.

[Mark Cuban]

Not A good one. It was cheaper. Didn't matter if it didn't taste like milk. It was powdered milk.

[Emma Grede]

All right, tell me about the powdered milk company. Well, I want to know about the failure. I want to know what it. What does it mean to fail and get back up and do it again? Like, what is it in you that allows you to take the failure and it not be about you?

[Mark Cuban]

Daymond John says it's best. It's the power of broke. You're broke. What else are you going to do? I mean, I was eating mustard and ketchup sandwiches. I was going to a bar with $5, buying one beer and eating all the fried mushrooms and the peanuts and whatever shit they offer is good.

[Emma Grede]

Broke is great for a period of your life.

[Mark Cuban]

Yes. Right. Cause you can learn. Yeah, yeah.

[Emma Grede]

It's really true. But what have you learned? Do you feel like the failures that you've had, have they amounted to something that you've been able to see, like as a pattern in your life, or is it more just about the individual circumstance? Because I feel like I could look at every failure I've had and I'm like, basically the same thing.

[Mark Cuban]

I don't know if it was basically the same thing, other than maybe shit didn't sell, right? It's that powdered milk.

[Emma Grede]

Yeah, it didn't sell.

[Mark Cuban]

It did not sell. I remember taking samples to people mixing it up, like, look, milk's expensive. We're broke. Right? This save you money?

[Emma Grede]

Ish.

[Mark Cuban]

Just look on their face.

[Emma Grede]

Nothing you can do about that.

[Mark Cuban]

Point taken.

[Emma Grede]

You're like, I got it.

[Mark Cuban]

But it's just you, your taste in milk is different. Right?

[Emma Grede]

All right, so how long? Because this, this about a month. How a month?

[Mark Cuban]

Yeah, about a month.

[Emma Grede]

Yeah, but isn't that the thing? At least you didn't try to do that for a year. Because some people just don't know how to sell.

[Mark Cuban]

But there were no sales. It was going nowhere, you know?

[Emma Grede]

I know, but people don't always hear that. Don't you think, like, you must deal with a lot of early stage founders that just don't read the signs, they don't see it. And I think it's really important to talk a bit about failure and to talk about when it's time to pack it in?

[Mark Cuban]

I never really thought of it that way, but you're right. You have to have a lot of self awareness to be an entrepreneur. You have to know what you don't know unless it's early. But once you get going, in particular, you have to know what you suck at. And you need to know how to get people to compliment your skills. I think a lot of times entrepreneurs think, I can do it all, which at the beginning you pretty much have to. But as you grow and you're trying to scale your business, if you have any success at all, you need to know what you're not good at, and you need to find people who complement your skills. I think one of the mistakes entrepreneurs make sometimes is they won't bring in people with expertise that they don't have to be their startup partners. I'm not going to give up some of my company. The thing that cracks me, I can't tell you my idea. You might steal it.

[Emma Grede]

I'm like, trust me, I won't. I promise you.

[Mark Cuban]

I'm like, fine, then don't tell me.

[Emma Grede]

Next. Yeah, onto the next one. But it's a great question, actually, just to understand the mistake that so many first time founders make. And I feel like if I look back at my history, I'm an overly optimistic person and I feel like I can will anything.

[Mark Cuban]

I can make a way.

[Emma Grede]

And sometimes I'm like, emma, you can't wear that powdered milk. That's.

[Mark Cuban]

I can sell anything. Right? Honestly.

[Emma Grede]

And sometimes that will get in your way. But I've learned that about myself.

[Mark Cuban]

And you learn, right? But it's okay to bang your head against the wall like that and learn?

[Emma Grede]

Yes. As long as you learn.

[Mark Cuban]

As long. Look, I say this all the time on Shark Table. Doesn't matter how many times you fail. You only have to be right one time. Just one time.

[Emma Grede]

What are you spending most of your time on now when you, you know, because it's like you're in a whole new stage of your life where you've made decisions that are all about what you want to do and how you want to spend your time. And I'm curious as to your routine, what you do in a day, what you need to get out of a day.

[Mark Cuban]

Beg my children to spend time with me, basically, please.

[Emma Grede]

Do you want to hang out? Please. I'll fly you to the game.

[Mark Cuban]

Whatever, right? Seriously, it's like, can we go to lunch? You know, let's go. It's.

[Emma Grede]

So if your kids only knew how many people wanted to go to lunch with you.

[Mark Cuban]

Oh, of course.

[Emma Grede]

We should tell them. Kids figure it out.

[Mark Cuban]

If we go out, then I gotta deal with people, right?

[Emma Grede]

That's true.

[Mark Cuban]

You know, and so I feel bad for them on that end of it. I always have the conversation, you know, if your friends get drunk and screw up. Nobody cares. You're my kid. It's gonna be on the front page.

[Emma Grede]

Sorry, kid.

[Mark Cuban]

Yeah, that's the responsibility you bear. And sometimes they don't want to go out. And they'll go, I'll go with mom, but I don't want to deal with the dad. And that's kind of heartbreaking.

[Emma Grede]

Yes, I can imagine that. That really is heartbreaking. Actually, it's really difficult for them. But that's really what you're optimizing for, to spend time with your kids.

[Mark Cuban]

Yeah. And like I said in the AI stuff, I mean, I really get into it, obviously, and it's like, knowledge truly is power. And knowing how to use these tools, it's everything.

[Emma Grede]

It is going to be everything. When someone asks you what you do now, what do you even say?

[Mark Cuban]

I do a lot of emails from all the different companies, and we haven't talked about costplusdrugs.com yet. Right. That's a big one.

[Emma Grede]

Oh, well, I really wanted to ask you about costplusdrugs.com. i mean, are you okay? So this was my thing, Mark, because I know you're a very political person, and I saw. I may have cut knots like I saw you out there. I thought, first of all, I do not understand why you're not the president of this country. And I know everybody asks you, but are you 100% sure you're not gonna run?

[Mark Cuban]

I wouldn't put my kids through it. Really?

[Emma Grede]

You're not gonna run for president just for us that need you?

[Mark Cuban]

Just for me really nicely?

[Emma Grede]

No, just for my whole family that are like, you know, don't you want.

[Mark Cuban]

I get asked every day?

[Emma Grede]

Is it every day that much?

[Mark Cuban]

Lots of times a day.

[Emma Grede]

Okay, fine. Then I won't bug you back. But you've really considered it hard?

[Mark Cuban]

Yeah, for a while I did. Yeah. It's just not for you. Yeah. My whole life I never got into.

[Emma Grede]

Do you have the feeling that if you run, you would win?

[Mark Cuban]

Yeah.

[Emma Grede]

Yeah, 100%.

[Mark Cuban]

I know that may sound arrogant.

[Emma Grede]

It's not arrogant. I think it's a fact. It's like, I could guarantee I would bet on you and Michelle Obama.

[Mark Cuban]

Boom.

[Emma Grede]

As the president.

[Mark Cuban]

Michelle's better suited than I am, But.

[Emma Grede]

I mean, I don't think she necessarily wants to do that. We won't speak on her behalf. I think if Eva. If you wanted it, you'd have it.

[Mark Cuban]

I mean, the running part would be fun, you know, but just the shit my family would go through.

[Emma Grede]

Fair.

[Mark Cuban]

Yeah. If I was Single, Yeah. I would do it, you know, if my kids were 40 years old.

[Emma Grede]

Well, there's still time. Your kids will be 40. One of these days.

[Mark Cuban]

One of these days.

[Emma Grede]

Just saying. Just saying. All right, back to Cost Bloods Drugs, because I saw that President Trump had made this announcement about leveling the cost of, you know, prescription drugs, right? And so it immediately made me think of you. Is that problematic for your business?

[Mark Cuban]

No, it's great.

[Emma Grede]

It is.

[Mark Cuban]

It is great, yes. So let's say what Cost Plus Drugs does.

[Emma Grede]

Please tell me.

[Mark Cuban]

Everybody likes their doctors and all that stuff, but nobody likes the financial side of healthcare. It's a mess, right? You have to deal with benefits and all that stuff and there's no upside.

[Emma Grede]

Well, as an English person, we still don't understand it, you know, that we get eye drops for four pounds. Four dollars.

[Mark Cuban]

NHS gives you everything.

[Emma Grede]

I will never understand what it costs in America to get something that for my entire life I've taken totally for granted.

[Mark Cuban]

Well, it may be cheaper over here now, but through Cost Plus Drugs. So anyways, nobody likes the financial side because you don't know what anything costs. There's no transparency. So we created costplusdrugs.com and so you go to Costplus, you put in the name of the medication. We don't carry them all yet. We've got like 2,500 different SKUs. And if we carry it up, it pops up, right? Like your eye drops. And then we'll show you our actual cost and then we'll show you our markup, which is 15%. And you have your choice of mail order. If it's mail order, it's $5 for the pharmacist, $5 for shipping and handling shows up in a couple days. Or you can go to a local pharmacy. That's it. Right? But by being transparent, we change the game. By only having a 15% markup, people trust us. I read this thing one time and I firmly stick by it. Now, trust equals transparency divided by self interest, right? Like, how much are you doing for yourself? Or how much are you doing for your customers? Basically, right? So our markups.

[Emma Grede]

Say that one more time for me, Mark. That's so good.

[Mark Cuban]

Trust equals. It's a formula. Trust equals transparency. How transparent are you on a scale of 1 to 10? Cost plus drugs is a 10. And then self interest, how much do you put yourself ahead of your customers? Or how much do you put your customers first?

[Emma Grede]

That's really powerful for customers, right?

[Mark Cuban]

Our markup is only 15%. People are like, that's fair. So you get to see the total cost right there. And we publish our full price list. And so by doing that, we've just exploded and we've changed people's lives. And on my professional side, there's nothing more rewarding. I get emails all the time. I can't imagine I was going to spend $900 on this medication for my cancer and I couldn't afford it. I go to Cost plus drugs and it's $21. I mean, or you save me $15,000 a month. Right. It's insane. And so, you know, cost plus drugs comes along and we've just been around for three years. So now let's tie it back to what the administration's doing. They want the cost of medications to be the same as they are overseas. Well, on generics, which is most of our SKUs, we're already cheaper. Like most of the generics that you would have to buy in the uk, we're cheaper. Go to Canada, we're cheaper just because the way generics are structured. But for brand name drugs, it's a mess. And so there's these things called pharmacy benefit managers that are the middlemen who are keeping the big pharma manufacturers from working with us because they know if we introduce transparency, it'll screw up the game for them.

[Emma Grede]

It's over.

[Mark Cuban]

So now with this stuff from the administration and wanting to match those prices, now the manufacturers of those brands, they think they can get out from under the thumb of these middlemen, the pharmacy benefit managers, and work directly with us. And I think it'll happen. It looks like it'll happen. So if that happens, a lot of these brand medication prices, they're going to tumble. They're going to tumble.

[Emma Grede]

I mean, it's a win win for consumers basically, for sure. And why did you choose this category for a new business? Because it's kind of outside of everything that you've done in technology.

[Mark Cuban]

Yeah, because I mean, and I saw an opportunity to disrupt something that's really fucked up.

[Emma Grede]

It's really fucked up.

[Mark Cuban]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. So we're trying to simplify it through transparency. Like for my employees, there's no co pays for my employees. If you do your stuff through our network. Right. If you do your stuff, if you buy your drugs through Cost Plus Drugs, there's no copay. We pay for all of it. And now we're setting up this direct contracting with hospitals and doctors and everything. And I can get all that stuff to you guys so that there's no out of Pocket for our employees, for anything that we cover. There are no pre authorizations at all because we're willing to work directly with the hospitals and cut out the middlemen. We pay them a lot less. We just pay them upfront.

[Emma Grede]

It's seriously impressive. And it's pretty noble, actually, to be doing this at this stage.

[Mark Cuban]

Yeah, I'm not doing it to make money. Right. I don't need the money. But the whole idea of fucking up healthcare, I mean, that's exciting. Yeah. That's fun, right?

[Emma Grede]

I love that. You always come back to fun. That's going to be my big takeout from you, actually, because it's all about you having fun.

[Mark Cuban]

Yeah, it's really good, right? Like, when you see somebody wearing your stuff.

[Emma Grede]

Oh, it. Nothing makes me happier. Also, nothing makes my husband happy. Because what happens to us in restaurants is that people come up and they flash us. You know, they go skims and, you know, he kind of puts his head down and pretends he's looking at his dinner. I'm like, this is working out really well for you.

[Mark Cuban]

Right?

[Emma Grede]

That's basically my life right now. People just flashing me their bras.

[Mark Cuban]

Perfect.

[Emma Grede]

And I wonder if you have any regrets at all, because you've done so many things, so many impressive things. Is this something that you missed or something that.

[Mark Cuban]

Yeah, there's lots of stuff that I missed.

[Emma Grede]

You don't dwell.

[Mark Cuban]

Yeah, I mean, I don't really dwell on it. I tried to learn from it, just not repeat it. I wasn't nice enough. When I was first getting started, you know, I literally had one of my partners say, people are afraid of you. You know, I didn't listen all the time, you know, because I was focused on doing what I was focused on. And so I missed things. And that negatively impacted people who worked for me. So there's a lot of mistakes that I've made, and that's just inevitable. And I wish I could have done it differently. And if I had to do it all over again, I would do it differently. But it's done, and I try to learn from it.

[Emma Grede]

But you really have learned from it. Because if. And I mean this in all seriousness, you are one of the nicest people I know.

[Mark Cuban]

You know me well, but you just don't see me when I'm like, fuck you. Don't do that.

[Emma Grede]

I hope I never see you like that.

[Mark Cuban]

No, I don't do that. Those days are gone. But I used to.

[Emma Grede]

But it must be something that you've really decided, like, I'm going to be a nice guy because that really is who you are now.

[Mark Cuban]

People would rather work with you if you're nice.

[Emma Grede]

Of course. I mean, I've always taken the opposite point of view because I feel like, you know, you get more of honey, like you're just going to be nice and like people are going to do more for you, they're going to be nicer to you. No one likes the way that it works.

[Mark Cuban]

No one likes people that piss them off or they hate.

[Emma Grede]

No one likes an asshole. I'm really interested because you talk about your kids so much and I wonder what you're teaching. Teaching them.

[Mark Cuban]

That's a good question. Sometimes it feels like nothing. They're good kids. I mean, I've got to say my kids are really good. My oldest is a junior in college, my middle is just graduated from high school last week and my son, my youngest is going to be a sophomore in high school. And so they know everything obviously.

[Emma Grede]

Yes, they do.

[Mark Cuban]

And I'm trying to like just be there as much as I can and participate as much as I can or as much as they'll let me. So I don't mind chauffeuring my son wherever he needs to go or driving. If any of my kids wants to do something unless I just humanly can't, the answer is yes. And so that to me, other than cost plus learning and doing what I do professionally, but family wise, just trying to spend as much time with my.

[Emma Grede]

Kids and family I am because I spent such a long time sitting next to you and trying to extrapolate bits of information, I thought it'd be remiss not for me to try something today. And so I feel like I'm in a bit of a chapter change. I've always looked at my life, it's like I have my consultant life, I have my business starting businesses life and now I'm in a bit of a different chapter. And I wonder what you would say to somebody like me given everything that you've learned.

[Mark Cuban]

What chapter are you in?

[Emma Grede]

Well, you know, it's an interesting one because I feel like, you know, I love what I do, I really, really do. I love these businesses but I'm definitely at the stage where working kind of 16 hour days and filling every 40 minute you know, section of my life.

[Mark Cuban]

Make sure it's all right.

[Emma Grede]

Yeah, it's really difficult and I'm in the time of my life. You know, I have a 11 year old and an 8 year old and twin 3 year olds and so I'm looking very purposefully for A different type of rhythm to my day. Certainly not to say I'm going into retirement.

[Mark Cuban]

No, no, I get that. Right. No, I know exactly what you're saying to me.

[Emma Grede]

But a different rhythm, like more opportunity to indulge in the things that I love and also share the things that I.

[Mark Cuban]

Well, I already know the answer. You got to learn how to trust. You've heard this before, probably a lot, right? Because when you're really, really, really good at something and you know, it takes more time to convey it to somebody and wait for their answer and then explain what you want and you just.

[Emma Grede]

Want to do it yourself, let's just.

[Mark Cuban]

Get it done, right? Because we've got other shit to do. And so like I said, I suck at hiring. And so I had to get help with having somebody that I trusted to hire the people that I know we needed, even if it meant turning over that person multiple times. Because you've got to find you, you've got to find your mini mes and be able to trust them.

[Emma Grede]

It's so hard.

[Mark Cuban]

It is really hard.

[Emma Grede]

It's so hard.

[Mark Cuban]

Especially when it's a go, go, go, go, go business. But that's what you got to do because otherwise you're doomed to 16 hours a day. Forever.

[Emma Grede]

Forever.

[Mark Cuban]

Yeah. And it doesn't stop and it doesn't need to be a magic pull. And what I've always tried to do and like I said, I don't really hire, but I'm good at promoting people and starting with somebody, getting to know them and trying to get them into new skills that they can grow with and I can grow with them so that who is the one person that caught your attention in one of those hours, in that 16 hour day that can deal with that issue, that you can train or support or they can just tag along with you until they get there and you trust them, then you've got to be honest with them. Here's why I'm doing it. It may or may not work and if it doesn't work, doesn't mean I'm going to fire you. But you may be disappointed that you're not that person the way I need that person to be. No knock on you. This is just a very specific role that I need. That's what you gotta do. Because it's hard, hard in your situation where you've gotten like this and now you gotta fight.

[Emma Grede]

You're a fight. Every day's a fight.

[Mark Cuban]

Because whenever you see this for even a day or a week or no.

[Emma Grede]

You can't, you're like, then you have to go fully back in.

[Mark Cuban]

It's right. And it's just like, what the fuck's going on?

[Emma Grede]

Yeah. And it's exhausting.

[Mark Cuban]

And it is exhausting because you have people that gave you money and now you're responsible to them and they're trying to get their ROI and they want to know why this isn't happening. And you've got your budgets and it's driving you crazy that you've got a budget that somebody else is also wants to know instead of just you knowing it.

[Emma Grede]

They're like, you've been here before, Mark.

[Mark Cuban]

Right? It's just like. But you took that money, right?

[Emma Grede]

You took that money, you got to.

[Mark Cuban]

Make that money that comes out.

[Emma Grede]

That's just it. But it's a great lesson for an entrepreneur and for founders because if you don't trust people, you can't grow like there's no one. But it depends who you are in.

[Mark Cuban]

Your life cycle, right? Yeah, everybody's.

[Emma Grede]

It's all about where you are, right?

[Mark Cuban]

Because individually you have a life cycle like what you can tolerate and what you've done and what you've accomplished. And the risk reward for your time because your time value goes like this as you get older and the money, if you made enough money, it starts to. Unless you're a person that just needs more and more and more. And I don't get that sense. Right. So now it's about your time. But it's also about the obligation because I always say raising money isn't an accomplishment, it's an obligation.

[Emma Grede]

It's an obligation. Ain't that the truth?

[Mark Cuban]

And so now you have this obligation. And so the good news about it, in having it is that like you said, industries go in phases and you still have to find those people who help you adapt to the next phase. So what's hot and what's next for Gen z and the 15 year olds are going to be different than the 25 year olds. And so trying to find those people, that's the challenge. And that here I am trying to give you a vibe. Right? But that's the part you got to figure out how to conquer. How do you hire those people to put you in that position? And what's the learning process to get there, to be able to do it? Because if you don't do it, you already know what happens.

[Emma Grede]

You're doomed, you're stuck, you implode, you're stuck. Yeah, yeah. And it's really interesting because I feel like one of the things that I spend the most time on is hiring. Because it is when you get a person that comes into your business and you can truly trust them, it's like an unlock, right? You're like. And hopefully they're teaching you when you get people that are really successful.

[Mark Cuban]

And the worst part is if you make a mistake, then it's the worst thing ever. It's the worst because it's a reflection on you that you did it wrong, and then everybody else knows it's wrong.

[Emma Grede]

And you make mistakes all the time, and it doesn't matter. I make mistakes all the time. Every year there's a handful of people that I'm like, this is just not gonna work. And they were good somewhere else, and they had the experience, and on paper they were amazing and they were fully vetted and da, da, da, da, da, da. But it doesn't work out. For whatever reason, it doesn't work out. That's when I talk about, you got to kill your darlings. Like, just get it done.

[Mark Cuban]

Oh, yeah. You always high or slow fire fast.

[Emma Grede]

That's the one. Ain't it just.

[Mark Cuban]

And you adjust.

[Emma Grede]

I wonder what is left in your life for you to accomplish.

[Mark Cuban]

Well, I'm just getting started.

[Emma Grede]

Do you feel like that?

[Mark Cuban]

Yeah, of course. Yeah. Don't let the wrinkles fool you.

[Emma Grede]

I love that you feel like you're just getting started.

[Mark Cuban]

Yeah. Like I get these, you know, these requests. We want to give you a lifetime achievement award in tech. We want to give you an honor for the. I'm like, fuck, no, I don't. Yeah. Like, no, I'm not taking awards. Like, I take two awards and I always say no to the rest. I just don't do awards because I'm just getting started.

[Emma Grede]

What is it that tells you you're just getting started? When you're so accomplished, what can be left for you to. What's the answer?

[Mark Cuban]

Disrupting industries is that are fun. Fixing healthcare could be amazing. I got a lot of work to do there because we have a path on pharmacy, and I think I have a path on fixing the healthcare side of it too.

[Emma Grede]

Right. Amen to that. I mean, sign me up.

[Mark Cuban]

Yeah. You know, and you connect me with.

[Emma Grede]

Your hr, I'll be your guinea pig. I mean, I am ready for it.

[Mark Cuban]

The things I'm doing for my companies. To eat your own dog food stuff. Yeah. I'll turn you on to all of it.

[Emma Grede]

Yeah, we really, really need to do that.

[Mark Cuban]

But doing that, though, right?

[Emma Grede]

But that's where your ambition lies in, like, really changing, disrupting inventories industries. But having fun is important to you at this point because.

[Mark Cuban]

I mean. Yeah. Cause it's rewarding. You know, I'm competitive in everything, you know, but I stick to things I can be good at.

[Emma Grede]

Yeah. Well, that's the pattern in everything that you've done. Right. You've found what you've been really good at, and you've just gone deeper and deeper into it and had more and more focus.

[Mark Cuban]

Exactly.

[Emma Grede]

I read last week, or maybe it was the week before, that you'd started a big sports fund now.

[Mark Cuban]

Yeah.

[Emma Grede]

What is your plan there?

[Mark Cuban]

So Harbinger is with a guy, Rashawn Williams, who was a guest shark.

[Emma Grede]

Amazing.

[Mark Cuban]

So he came to me. Yeah. And he was like, hey, we want to do this fun. Would you help? I'm like, sure, sure.

[Emma Grede]

That's right up your alley. Right.

[Mark Cuban]

So I can help you.

[Emma Grede]

But you sold the Mavs now.

[Mark Cuban]

What's that?

[Emma Grede]

You sold the Mavs now.

[Mark Cuban]

I still have 27%, but I don't have controlling interest.

[Emma Grede]

Oh, is that hard for you, Mark?

[Mark Cuban]

Because that's not the way it was supposed to be. But that's a whole nother conversation.

[Emma Grede]

I mean, we've had this conversation. I was like, did you know? Yeah.

[Mark Cuban]

Especially like, yeah, it was the first LUCA game.

[Emma Grede]

It was the first LUCA game that we were at.

[Mark Cuban]

And I was like, yeah. And you were.

[Emma Grede]

I don't know about that. I was giving you shit. Because I was like, I think this was not good. I think this was not a good move. You're like, what do you know?

[Mark Cuban]

And all of LA is just like, thanks, Mark.

[Emma Grede]

I was like, I'm gonna ask the question that everybody wants to know. It's like, did you know? And why did you do that?

[Mark Cuban]

I didn't know, and I didn't. And I was supposed to be in charge of it. But, yeah, you know, he gave me a lot of money and changed his mind, so I kept the money.

[Emma Grede]

What are you gonna do? Well, thank you. We're happy to have him. That's all I can say. But go back to the sports fund for me. Yeah.

[Mark Cuban]

It's not too hurtful, but. No. So what we want to do is minority interest in sports franchises are hard to sell sometimes. And so we just want to create a vibrant marketplace with some transparency for anybody in a major sports franchise who maybe their families have owned it for 30 years and they own 1% or 5%, so it's more for minority ownerships not to try to get control.

[Emma Grede]

Interesting. Are you spending a lot of time on that?

[Mark Cuban]

No, not A lot. I just answer.

[Emma Grede]

It's more fun for you.

[Mark Cuban]

Yeah, I just answer questions and connect people.

[Emma Grede]

I love that. It's just, I mean, it feels like you're never, you're never gonna stop. Do you ever think that there'll be a day when you're like, I'm just gonna pack it up and I'm just not working?

[Mark Cuban]

It's not work. It's not work. Will you ever stop thinking about all this stuff? We ever stop seeing something and.

[Emma Grede]

Never. Because I really do genuinely love it and I imagine I'm just going to like keel over one day, like mid.

[Mark Cuban]

Well, you know. And it's just about allocating your time, right. So I don't have to go into an office and spend 14 hour days worrying about the furniture or whatever. Right. It's just like I do almost everything via email and some zooms. Right. So I'm meeting with pharmacy companies over zoom and whoever. And I mean, literally there's not a minute of it that I do not love. It sounds great. It is fun for me to learn all this pharmacy shit and people are like, wait, you're the Shark Tank guy. You're not supposed to know all this. I'm like, it's important. I put in the time and I learned it. And then how do you apply AI to all this and learn all this stuff for our manufacturing so that we can be the lowest cost provider versus everyone else in the world? Stuff is fun. Like you were saying, once you find something that you love to do and it's fun, just keep on doing it or finding new applications. So I don't see a reason to stop any of the stuff that I like to do.

[Emma Grede]

Why would you? Well, honestly, I am so happy to speak to you because I just think that you are one of the most inspiring, honest people. And honestly, from the day that I first met you, I was like, this Mark guy is like all that he cracks up to be. You're the least disappointing person in the world, let's say that.

[Mark Cuban]

Okay, That's a hard scale to be on. I mean, it is a great compliment.

[Emma Grede]

Because everybody you ever meet, you know, you build them up in your head.

[Mark Cuban]

And then you're like, if you knew everything, disappointed. Yeah, trust me, if you knew everything.

[Emma Grede]

Well, don't tell me, I've had enough.

[Mark Cuban]

No, but like, we all do, right? We all do dumb shit.

[Emma Grede]

We all do dumb shit. No, but you know, it's really interesting, Mark, because I think that success does funny things to people and it's amazing when you can Be as open and as giving and still have these, like, really big aspirations to make things, you know, to have your fun, but to make things better, I think is really impressive.

[Mark Cuban]

Do this.

[Emma Grede]

And what do we do? It's the best in the world. It's the best ever.

[Mark Cuban]

The least disappointing podcast I've ever done.

[Emma Grede]

I'll take it. I'll definitely take it. I've only got rapid fire for you now. All right. The first thing you do when you wake up and the last thing you do before you go to bed, please take a shit. I didn't know we were going to get that, honestly, but that is so true.

[Mark Cuban]

Yeah, I was going to give.

[Emma Grede]

You're the only person who is ever going to say that. I'm going to run a compilation of these and be like, take a shit.

[Mark Cuban]

I was like, I could tell her what I normally say, but that would be no fun.

[Emma Grede]

Manifesting. Meditating.

[Mark Cuban]

Yeah, like, check my emails, whatever.

[Emma Grede]

No, take a shit. Damn right. Literally the best. I should have asked that question last because now we can't recover. This is what I mean. Like, you're the best. Who would say that? And this is what we need. A president that just, like, does that. Mr. President. Mr. President.

[Mark Cuban]

Lactose intolerant. Gotta go.

[Emma Grede]

Amazing. Okay, that is amazing. What are you currently aspiring for in your business life and in your personal life?

[Mark Cuban]

Personal life. Just more time with my kids, you know, just with them wanting me instead of me dragging it. And professional. Just fucking up the healthcare industry and really changing it in this country.

[Emma Grede]

What's a book that changed your life?

[Mark Cuban]

Probably several of the Ayn Rand books. Like Fountainhead was big. Couple of her books. Yeah.

[Emma Grede]

Any of those?

[Mark Cuban]

Yeah, Like, Howard Rourke was like my role model. He was like a guy in her books that just didn't care what other people thought. Just focused on learning and trying to be the best he could be in his mind. And so that kind of was modeled. Like, a lot of people think, well, that's too laissez faire and too libertarian. But that part didn't matter. It was just like, this was a guy who was just all about not caring and just going for it. Love that.

[Emma Grede]

Clearly. Roald. Mondo. What is something you valued when you were starting out that you don't anymore?

[Mark Cuban]

Probably status. I remember after I sold my first company, going into bars, thinking to myself, I'm richer than you. I'm richer than you. I'm richer than you. Just dumb shit that guys.

[Emma Grede]

You mean you don't walk into bars thinking that anymore.

[Mark Cuban]

I already know.

[Emma Grede]

All Right. Something that you value now that you didn't back in the days.

[Mark Cuban]

Kindness, empathy, probably most. Yeah, I wasn't real empathetic at all when I was first getting started. It was just like, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go. If you're in my way, get the fuck out of my way. That was it. And now, you know, then I went literally kicking. But you know, but now it was just like, okay, I'm sorry, let me see if I can help you. This isn't a fit. That isn't a fit. But you know, if I can answer any questions or do anything for you, I'm happy to.

[Emma Grede]

Thank you, Mark. If you're loving this podcast, be sure to click Follow on your favorite listening platform. While you're there, give us a review and a five star rating and share an episode you loved with a friend. We'll be so grateful. Aspire with Emma Greed is presented by Audacy. I'm your host, Emma Greed. Our executive producers are Kareem Gilliatt Fisher, Derek Brown and me. Our executive producers from Audacy are Maddy Sprung Kaiser, Leah Reese, Dennis Arsha Saludja and Jenna Weiss Berman. Justine Dom is our senior producer. Our producer is Kristin Torres. Sound design and engineering by Bill Schultz. Angela Peluso is our booker. Original music by Charles Black. Video production by Evan Cox, Kirk Courtney, Andrew Steele, Carlos Delgado and Arnie Agassi. Social media by Olivia Homan Special thanks thanks go to Brittany Smith, Sydney Ford, my teams at Jonesworks and wne. Maura Curran, Josephina Francis, Hilary Schuff, Eric Donnelly, Kate Hutchinson, Rose, Tim Meekol, Sean Cherry and Lauren Vieira. If you have questions for me, you can DM me at Aspire with Emma Greed. Greed is spelled G R E D E. That's Aspire A S P I R E with Emma Greed. Or you can submit a question to me on my website. Emma Greed Me ready to level up. Chumba Casino is your playbook to fun. It's free to play with no purchase necessary. Enjoy hundreds of online social games like blackjack, slots and solitaire anytime anywhere. With fresh releases every week. Whether you're at home or on the go, let Chumba Casino bring the excitement to you. Plus, get free daily login bonuses and a free welcome bonus. Join now for your chance to redeem some serious prizes. Play Chumba Casino today. No purchase necessary. VGW Group void board prohibited by law 21/TNCs apply.