Robert Herjavec: Difference between revisions

{{shortShort description|Canadian businessman (born 1962)}}

| image = Robert HerjavecRobertHerjavec2023.jpg

'''Robert Herjavec''' ({{IPAc-en|h|ər|'|dʒ|ɑː|v|ɛ|k}}; {{IPA|hr|xěrjaːʋet͡s|lang}}; born September 14, 1962)<ref>{{cite web | title=Robert Herjavec | url=https://viaf.org/viaf/106752296/ | publisher=[[Virtual International Authority File]]}}</ref> is a Croatian-Canadian businessman, investor, and television personality.

Herjavec founded BRAK Systems, a Canadian integrator of Internet security software, and sold it to AT&T Canada (now [[Allstream Inc.]]) in 2000 for $30.2 million.<ref name=InsidePhilanthropy/><ref name=nicedragon/><ref name=ibd/> In 2003, he founded The Herjavec Group, now one of the largest [[information technology]] and [[computer security]] companies in Canada, with over $200 million in annual revenue. He has been featured on several versions of the business reality series ''[[Dragon's Den]]'' as an [[investor]], including the Canadian [[CBC Television|CBC]] series ''[[Dragons' Den (Canadian TV series)|Dragons' Den]]'', the American [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]'s version of the series ''[[Shark Tank]]'', and from 2023, on the Australian [[Network 10]] version also titled ''[[Shark Tank (Australian TV series)|Shark Tank]]''. In the series, he is an [[investor]]. He has also written books on advancing in business.

Herjavec was born in 1962 in [[Varaždin]], [[SFR Yugoslavia|SFR, Yugoslavia]] (present-day [[Croatia]]),<ref name=CroExpress>{{cite news | last=S. | first=Z. | trans-title=Canadian in 12 years employed 250 people, 'worth' $ 200m | title=Kanadski Hrvat u 12 godina zaposlio 250 ljudi, 'težak' je 200 milijuna dolara | url=https://croexpress.eu/hr-iseljenistvo/3157/kanadski-hrvat-u-12-godina-zaposlio-250-ljudi-tezak-je-200-milijuna-dolara/ | work=CroExpress | date=February 25, 2015 | language=hr}}</ref> and spent his early childhood in Zbjeg.<ref name=CroatiaWorldNetwork>{{cite web | first=Nenad | last=Bach | date=January 15, 2010 | url=http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/9915/1/Robert-Herjavec-Croatian-born-Canadian-entrepreneur-businessman-and-TV-star.html | title=Robert Herjavec Croatian-born Canadian entrepreneur, businessman and TV star | work=Croatian World Network}}</ref> In 1970,<ref name=CroExpress/> when Herjavec was eight, the family left the country, which had previously incarcerated Herjavec's father, Vladimir, for speaking out against the governing system.<ref name=dream>{{cite news | last=Mielach | first=David | date=February 26, 2012 | url=https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/2087-robert-herjavec-success.html | title='Shark Tank' Judge Herjavec on Living the American Dream | work=Business News Daily}}</ref><ref name=heavy>{{cite news | last=Weigle | first=Lauren | date=March 24, 2015 | url=https://heavy.com/entertainment/2015/03/robert-herjavec-height-age-house-how-tall-old-is-dwts-dancing-with-the-stars/ | title=Robert Herjavec Height & Age – 'Dancing With The Stars' Contestant | work=[[heavy.com]]}}</ref> According to Herjavec, "He’d drink a little too much and then say bad things about [[Communism]], and got thrown into jail 22 times for being an [[Anti-communism|anti-Communist]]."<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://fortune.com/2016/11/12/shark-tanks-robert-herjavec/ | title=Before Robert Herjavec Was a Shark | first=Dinah | last=Eng | work=[[Fortune (magazine)|Fortune]] | date=November 12, 2016}}</ref> Herjavec's family arrived in [[Halifax, Nova Scotia]], with a single suitcase<ref>{{cite press release | url=httphttps://www.prweb.com/releases/2013/9robert_herjavec_to_deliver_keynote_speech_at_ciosynergy_new_york/prweb11091322.htm | title=Robert Herjavec to Deliver Keynote Speech at CIOsynergy New York | publisher=PRWeb | date=September 6, 2013}}</ref> and only $20.<ref name=nicedragon>{{cite news | last=Kopun | first=Francine | date=March 16, 2010 | url=https://www.thestar.com/business/2010/03/16/robert_herjavec_the_nice_dragon.html | title=Robert Herjavec: The nice Dragon | work=[[Toronto Star]]}}</ref> The family eventually settled in [[Toronto]], where they lived in a family friend's home basement for 18 months.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/2087-robert-herjavec-success.html | title=Robert Herjavec Success Story - Rags to Riches | work=[[Business News Daily]] | date=February 26, 2012}}</ref> For Herjavec, who spoke no English,<ref name=UniversityOfToronto>{{cite web | url=http://alumni.utoronto.ca/portrait/robert-herjavec/ | title=Alumni Portraits: Robert Herjavec | publisher=[[University of Toronto]] | access-date=May 10, 2015 | archive-date=May 18, 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518065143/http://alumni.utoronto.ca/portrait/robert-herjavec/ | url-status=live }}</ref> the transition proved difficult. Having grown up on a farm and raised by his grandmother among neighbors with similar lifestyles, he found himself in a much poorer economic class than his neighbors.<ref name=dream/>

Herjavec's father got a job in a factory in [[Mississauga]], making $76 a week.<ref name=nicedragon/> Herjavec cites his father, whom he describes as "a really, really tough guy", as a significant influence in his life. Herjavec has told a seminal memory of his, when he came home one day to complain to his mother that his classmates were making fun of him. His father, who used to walk to work to save money on bus fare, came home, and when he heard what his son described, instructed his son never to complain, which became a guiding principle in Herjavec's life, one which he says sparked his sense of [[courage]].<ref name=ibd>{{cite news | url=https://www.investors.com/news/management/leaders-and-success/shark-robert-herjavec-secures-a-place-as-entrepreneurial-icon/ | title=Shark Robert Herjavec Secures A Place As An Entrepreneurial Icon | first=SCOTT S. | last=SMITH | work=[[Investor’s Business Daily]] | date=June 5, 2017}}</ref> Another influential episode in his youth came when a traveling [[salesman]] persuaded Herjavec's mother to buy a [[vacuum cleaner]] for $500, which was seven weeks' salary. As a result, Herjavec swore his family would never be taken advantage of again.<ref name=nicedragon/>

In February 2021, [[Apax Partners]] acquired a majority stake of Herjavec Group from Herjavec, who retained a significant stake and stayed on as CEO.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Olenick |first=Doug |last2= |date=13 February 2021 |title=M&A Update: Apax Partners to Acquire Herjavec Group |url=https://www.bankinfosecurity.com/ma-update-apax-partners-to-acquire-herjavec-group-a-15989 |access-date=2023-09-20 |website=www.bankinfosecurity.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-02-11 |title=Herjavec Group to be acquired by U.K.-based Apax Funds {{!}} IT World Canada News |url=https://www.itworldcanada.com/article/herjavec-group-to-be-acquired-by-u-k-based-apax-funds/442296 |access-date=2023-09-20 |website=www.itworldcanada.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

Herjavec has appeared as a regular on the Canadian [[CBC Television]] series ''[[Dragons' Den (Canadian TV series)|Dragons' Den]]'' (seasons 1 to 6) season 17- 18 and in the United States on [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]'s version of the series, ''[[Shark Tank]]'', where business pitches from aspiring entrepreneurs are presented to a panel of potential investors. Herjavec's most successful investment from the show is $100,000 for a 10% stake in sweater company [[Tipsy Elves]].<ref>{{cite web cn|last1=Paredes |first1=Gemma |title=Robert Herjavec Net Worth - Shark Tank Investor |url=https://techiegamers.com/robert-herjavec-net-worth/ |website=Techiegamers.com |access-date=27 July 20232024}}</ref> Herjavec has also invested in an herbal sparkling water company called Aura Bora.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.business2community.com/entertainment/shark-tank-aura-bora-accepts-200000-from-robert-herjavec-02381582 | title=Shark Tank: Aura Bora accepts $200,000 From Robert Herjavec | date=January 25, 2021 | website=Business2Community}}</ref>

In 2011, Herjavec was one of the [[Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Awards]] recipients presented by [[Canadian Immigrant (magazine)|Canadian Immigrant Magazine.]]<ref>{{Cite web|title=Canada's Top 25 Immigrants 2011|url=https://canadianimmigrant.ca/canadas-top-25-immigrants/canadas-top-25-immigrants-2011|access-date=2021-06-18|website=Canadian Immigrant|language=en-US}}</ref>