'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAHAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUG/8QAFQEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgT/2gAMAwEAAhADEAAAAIOWBb//xAAeEAACAQMFAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAgMABAYFEhMhMf/aAAgBAQABPwCN1vMZzDWhBCiY89qnGWckmRyp2mherIA48buv/8QAFxEBAAMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQAREv/aAAgBAgEBPwDIFk//xAAXEQADAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAgMA/9oACAEDAQE/AJ0ZmIO//9k='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Shark Tank investor Robert Herjavec hated going to business school and initially thought of dropping out of it.
In a June 2, 2016, interview for Real Biz with Rebecca Jarvis, Robert recalled his university days when he was pursuing business studies. He explained that he found the subject "really boring" and "very dry". He wasn't a "math guy" and wasn't able to keep up with his studies.
"I found it really boring. I found it very dry. I found it, you know, a lot of numbers. And I'm not a math guy. I failed math and I just, I couldn't keep up," he said.
Trending
Robert added that he had dropped out of college and said that when he told his father, his dad pressured him to finish his education. Robert eventually returned to school and earned a degree in Classical English Literature.
"I was the first person in my generation in my entire family that ever get a post-secondary education... But very difficult to get a job with that kind of a degree. And I just got a job in credit collections and worked my way up," he added.
Shark Tank investor Robert Herjavec reflects on his early life and how he got into Tech business
Moving from Croatia to Canada
In the interview for Real Biz with Rebecca Jarvis, Shark Tank star Robert Herjavec reflected on his difficult childhood and shared how he went on to become a successful businessman in the tech world. Robert shared that he and his family escaped from Croatia and came to Canada because America didn't let them in.
He further recalled the challenges of coming to Canada with 20 dollars and a suitcase, and had no idea where they could go. Using their last bit of money, his family took a train to the city and lived in a basement for two years.
Reflecting on those challenging childhood years, Robert shared that the experiences taught him that "It's not fun being poor", while realizing that "poor is a state of mind."
The Shark Tank investor explained that he didn't know his family was poor until they moved to Canada, as he had grown up in a small village where everyone led a similar life.
"Second thing I learned is 'You have to make a certain amount of money in North America to take care of the people that you love'. So you've got to go out in the real world and you've got to make a certain amount of money. And the last thing I learned is 'Anybody can do it'. If you're willing to work hard and you find opportunity, you can get ahead In America for sure," he continued.
How Robert Herjavec entered the tech world
In the interview, Robert further shared that when he was in his early 20s, he wanted to start a business. He recalled that during this time his dad used to sweep floors in the factory while his mom worked as a receptionist.
The Shark Tank investor asked his dad to introduce him to someone who was in business. Following this, his dad invited a colleague over, but when Robert started asking him questions, he quickly realized the man knew little about business.
Curious, Robert asked his dad why this person was considered the "most successful" person he knew. His father explained that the man had more seniority in the union, which meant he was safe from losing his job during layoffs.
"That was the measure of success. And so I went around and asked people for advice and people said two things to me. 'It's not who you know, it's what you know'. And then the other big piece of advice was 'You need money in order to make money', and we have no money," Robert continued.
The Shark Tank star reflected on that moment and asked himself what he could do to get out of the difficult situation his family was in. That question led him to get involved with technology.
"I got involved with tech because the beauty of technology is nobody cares who your father is. Nobody cares how much money you have. It's all about value. It's all about getting in and providing value, and I love that about it, to this day," he concluded.
Shark Tank season 16 episodes air every Friday on ABC.
