Kevin O'Leary sold his software company for $4.2 billion, so why did he only walk away with about $11 million?

Kevin O'Leary, a well-known Shark Tank investor, sold his software company in 1999 for an impressive $4.2 billion, but his personal profit from the deal amounted to only about $11.2 million. The Learning Company, the software company O'Leary helped build, was acquired by Mattel through a stock deal. However, O'Leary only held a small stake in TLC and received a fraction of the total acquisition price.

The bulk of the money from the deal went to shareholders, based on how much TLC stock they owned. O'Leary received a portion of the Mattel shares in the deal and a severance package. However, his time at Mattel was short-lived, as the software division quickly turned a profit and contributed to a decline in Mattel's stock value.

O'Leary left the company shortly after the deal closed. The acquisition was not a financial success for O'Leary, but it marked the point when he became a millionaire. Since then, he has built a net worth of approximately $400 million through his various ventures and investments. However, O'Leary emphasizes that entrepreneurial success is not solely about financial gain, but also about having a passion for the work being done.