Kevin Harrington is an American entrepreneur, investor, and original Shark Tank panelist with an estimated net worth of $400 million. He built his fortune through direct-response marketing, TV product launches, investing, and a long list of business ventures. Best known as a pioneer of the infomercial industry, Harrington later found mainstream fame as one of the first sharks on Shark Tank.
Early Days
In many ways, Kevin Harrington was born to be an entrepreneur. He grew up in Cincinnati, and his father ran a successful Italian restaurant. Kevin’s father mentored him at an early age and he quickly progressed from having a paper route to running a driveway sealcoating business at 15 years-old.
Kevin also dabbled in selling baby high chairs, but it wasn’t until he discovered self-help author Napoleon Hill and motivational speaker Zig Ziglar that young Kevin began his mercurial rise as an entrepreneur.
Doing Business
Ironically, Harrington began his career in the media after doing an infomercial for his business and noticed that there was nothing to watch late at night on cable networks when his commercial ran.
That led to him becoming president of National Media, and he quickly formed a joint venture with the Home Shopping Network. His success became addictive, and 20 of his businesses made over $100 million in revenue.
The Original Shark
As wealthy as Harrington became, he found true fame as one of the original members of the Shark Tank cast. Unlike many Sharks, Harrington actually made a good return on his investments but didn’t make many deals which wasn’t exactly great viewing.
Harrington left after two seasons as the producers didn’t believe he was a good fit for the show according to Lori Greiner. Kevin didn’t invest in businesses he couldn’t promote through infomercials and this limited the scope of investments. In season three, he was replaced by Mark Cuban who was a much more entertaining Shark, willing to throw money at higher-risk ideas.
Beyond Shark Tank
Appearing on Shark Tank gave Harrington broader public exposure, but his business career was already well established before the show. Since then, he has continued to make money through investing, public speaking, brand partnerships, consulting, and book sales.
One of his best-known books is Act Now! How I Turn Ideas Into Million-Dollar Products. Another notable title is Mentor to Millions: Secrets of Success in Business, Relationships and Beyond, which was published in 2020.
His list of companies would fill an old-school business listing directory. The shortlist includes Harrington Business Development, On TV Inc., Reliant Interactive, Inc., Pitch Investors, the Electronic Retailing Association (ERA), and on and on. In total, he’s launched 100+ products that have done over $6 billion in global sales.
In hindsight, it’s hard to tell the overall impact of his exit from Shark Tank. Harrington would likely have made a lot more money if he continued on the show. Walking away with a net worth of $400 million isn’t a bad deal by anyone’s standards.
Life Away From Business
Now in his late 60’s, Harrington is reserved about his personal life. He’s been married to his current wife, Crystal Harrington, for some time. The couple lives in Florida and Crystal has a son from a previous marriage.
