"Go for the gusto" — Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary asks entrepreneurs to think big in 2025

Shark Tank investor Kevin O'Leary's holiday message was all about embracing inspiration and thinking big as he wished his social media followers a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and happy holidays, acknowledging the importance of family and the beginning of a new year.

In the Instagram video posted on December 25, the long-time Shark Tank judge then reflected on Christmas morning as he expressed his love for spending time with family, opening gifts, and reminiscing about the past year. O'Leary also took a moment to address his "entrepreneurial family," encouraging them to think big and pursue freedom, and not just financial gain.

"I want to talk to you about this year. Think big, really big. I'm doing it, you know, I'm saying myself. Why think small anymore? Why not go for the gusto," expressed Kevin.

The Shark Tank judge further stated the importance of working together as a team and doing well in the upcoming year:

"People say, 'Oh, you can't buy Tiktok.' Yes, I can. 'You can't build the world's largest data center and raise $70 million.' Yes, I can. Has nothing to do with money. Getting your team together, pulling together as a family and winning is what 2025 is all about," said Kevin.

Later, he even pulled out a giant pen, symbolizing his commitment to thinking big and closing massive deals. In the end, the Shark Tank judge relayed his thoughts to his followers, urging them to think big, be ambitious, and strive for success.

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Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary sounds the alarm on financial literacy in the US

In another Instagram video, Kevin O'Leary expressed his concerns about the state of financial literacy in the United States. He believes that the education system fails to provide adequate knowledge about personal finance, particularly in high school. While students are taught various subjects like s*x education, geography, and history, they are not taught essential information about debt management.

The Shark Tank judge finds it astonishing that financial literacy is not a priority in the curriculum. However, he notes that some states, including Florida, New York, Texas, and California, are now incorporating financial education into their school programs. These states account for approximately 60% of the educational market, covering over 110,000 school buildings across America.

"We teach kids everything from geography to history, but not the basics of financial literacy? That’s crazy. Debt, credit cards, and budgeting aren’t optional—they’re life skills," the Shark Tank investor captioned the post.

Kevin O'Leary revealed that he strongly advocates for teaching financial literacy, including topics like credit card debt, from an early stage of a person's life, hoping that financial literacy is a vital matter that would be given immediate attention.

The Shark Tank investor previously revealed that the first financial lesson he learned was from his mother when he was just seven. When Kevin was seven, his mother would take him and his brother to the bank to buy bonds. During these trips, she taught him an important principle: never spend the money you initially invested; only use the interest it earns.

This lesson has had a lasting impact on Kevin's investment strategy as he follows a strict rule of not touching his initial investments, instead using the interest they generate to support his spending, charitable donations, and investments.

"When I was seven and my brother was five, she would take us to the bank with her, because that's where you would buy bonds. Back in those days, you could actually buy the certificate with the coupons every six months, you clip them off," revealed Kevin.

Kevin views his investment portfolio as a self-sufficient entity, where every asset must produce income. His investment approach focuses on generating consistent returns, which he then uses to support his family and charitable commitments.

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Shark Tank is currently airing its 16th season on ABC.