"I am a big believer in balancing yin/yang"— When Shark Tank investor Kevin O'Leary explained why creativity mattered in finance

Kevin O’Leary, widely recognized for his role as an investor on Shark Tank, has often discussed the analytical and strategic aspects of business and finance. However, during an interview with Inc. on December 12, 2016, he emphasized the importance of creativity in decision-making.

"I am a big believer in balancing yin/yang. And I believe when you can approach these kinds of decisions from the perspective, chaos, and random outcome of art and music, that’s what makes you a better leader and investor," he explained.

The Shark Tank investor's perspective highlighted the intersection between business and creative thinking, which he believes plays a significant role in making effective financial decisions.

---

The intersection of art and finance in Shark Tank Kevin O’Leary’s Approach

Creativity in business decisions

O’Leary has underscored that while finance and investing involve structured decision-making, they also require creative insight.

"When you think of the binary aspects of finance, business, and investing, it’s very black and white. It’s scientific—you either make money or you lose it. So when you’re making the decisions of risk versus return, in every deal you make, what you need is a little art versus science," the Shark Tank investor explained.

Kevin O'Leary indicated that business leaders who incorporate creativity can develop unique solutions and recognize opportunities others may overlook. His perspective on creative thinking extends beyond investing in leadership and entrepreneurship.

"You can say what makes an investment great: a 50% return. But you can’t say that about a photograph. It’s subjective. It’s in the eye of the beholder. And that goes for seeing opportunities in business as well," he stated.

---

Integrating business and creativity

O’Leary has noted that business and creativity do not need to be separate pursuits. He described his early career experience working as a film editor and how this creative background influenced his first business venture.

"I was working full-time as an 8-plate Steenbeck editor. That was how you edited film back in the early 80s. And my first company, I was the cameraman/producer/editor of the work we were doing covering hockey for the networks," he explained.

He emphasized that his experience in visual storytelling helped him develop skills that later contributed to his approach to business. His early exposure to creative problem-solving led him to an innovative business opportunity.

"One of the biggest challenges back then was making the titles. So if you put up a photo of Bobby Orr, you’d want it to say Bobby Orr underneath for 2-3 seconds. This was done with very primitive technology back then," the Shark Tank investor recalled.

---

How creativity led to his first business success

O’Leary’s integration of creative problem-solving with business strategy resulted in the foundation of his first company, SoftKey. He described how a chance meeting led him to a technological breakthrough.

"One night I was at a computer club at a library, and I met a man named John Freeman who was an oil engineer and executive. And he’d designed a software product that ran a two-pin plotter made by Hewlett Packard," he stated.

Recognizing its potential, he quickly pursued a business deal. His ability to merge creative insight with business acumen resulted in a major financial breakthrough. The Shark Tank investor emphasized that he traveled to meet with executives from Hewlett-Packard, presented the idea, and secured his first software deal.

---

Catch Shark Tank every Friday at 8 pm ET on ABC, or stream episodes on Hulu.