Shark Tank Cast: Meet the Main Sharks & Guest Sharks

Shark Tank, the popular reality TV show where entrepreneurs pitch their ideas to a room full of investors looking for their next deal, isn’t just about the pitches themselves. It’s also a showcase of the collective knowledge, negotiation skills, and experience of the cast, known as the “Sharks.”

When entrepreneurs featured on the show step into the Shark Tank, they face a panel of savvy investors, some of whom are recurring main cast members and others who are guest investors, ready to hear their ideas and potentially sink their teeth — and money — into a new venture.

Each Shark featured on an episode of Shark Tank brings their own unique experience and perspective to the show, offering viewers intriguing insights into the exciting world of high-stakes investing and entrepreneurship.

In this article, join us as we take a closer look at the lives and stories of the main investors and guest Sharks who have helped make Shark Tank such a hit over the years.

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Meet the Shark Tank Cast

Main Investors

1. Mark Cuban

Date Joined: 2011 (Season 2)

Investments Made on the Show: 243

Top 3 Investments: Brightwheel, BeatBox Beverages, Dudewipes

Description: Mark Cuban, perhaps best known as the owner of the Dallas Mavericks basketball team (although he sold his majority stake in the team in 2023), achieved his first major success in the software industry as the founder of MicroSolutions, a company he eventually sold for $6 million. 

But Cuban’s most significant deal would come from a later venture, Broadcast.com, which he sold to Yahoo! in 1999 for an impressive $5.7 billion in stock, solidifying his reputation as a savvy tech entrepreneur and investor. 

Cuban joined Shark Tank in season 2 and has been a main investor on the show ever since, although he announced in 2023 that he would be leaving the cast of Shark Tank after season 16 to spend more time with his family, bringing his long-run as a Shark to an end.

Mark Cuban’s net worth is currently estimated to be around $5.4 billion but has fluctuated over the years, even reaching as high as $6.86 billion at one point.

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2. Kevin O'Leary

Date Joined: 2009 (Season 1)

Investments Made on the Show: 127

Top 3 Investments: Basepaws, Groovebook, Plated

Description: Kevin O’Leary’s road to becoming a millionaire and main Shark Tank cast member started with his founding of the educational software company SoftKey, which was eventually rebranded to The Learning Company after a series of major acquisitions. He sold the company to Mattel for $4.2 million in 1999.

O’Leary has been a main investor on Shark Tank since the series premiere and is still a part of the show 16 seasons later.

Kevin O’Leary’s net worth is approximately $400 million.

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3. Daymond John

Date Joined: 2009 (Season 1)

Investments Made on the Show: 115

Top 3 Investments: Bombas, Cut Buddy, Mo’s Bows

Description: Daymond John’s path to entrepreneurial success and Shark Tank fame began when he founded the iconic fashion brand FUBU in 1992. FUBU, which stands for “For Us, By Us,” would go on to become synonymous with hip hop, often featuring prominently in 90s-era rap music videos.

John’s success in taking FUBU from a small streetwear company to a globally recognized fashion brand earned him a reputation as a branding and marketing mastermind. He was cast for Shark Tank’s first season and is still part of the show today.

Daymond John’s net worth is estimated to be around $350 million.

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4. Lori Greiner

Date Joined: 2012 (Season 3)

Investments Made on the Show: 223

Top 3 Investments: Scrub Daddy, Squatty Potty, Simply Fit Board

Description: Lori Greiner got her start as a successful entrepreneur when she invented a plastic earring organizer in 1996. This product launched her career on the shopping channel QVC, where she successfully turned hundreds of unknown products into household items with her savvy marketing skills, eventually earning her the nickname “Queen of QVC.”

Greiner is still a main investor on Shark Tank, having been a cast member since the third season, for which she was originally cast to replace Barbara Corcoran in 4 episodes.

Lori Geiner’s net worth is currently around $150 million.

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5. Robert Herjavec

Date Joined: 2009 (Season 1)

Investments Made on the Show: 115

Top 3 Investments: Tipsy Elves, Bouqs, Buttercloth

Description: Robert Herjavec is known for his success in the IT industry, particularly in cybersecurity and software. He founded BRAK Systems, a Canadian integrator of Internet security software, which he sold to AT&T Canada for $30.2 million in 2000.

After selling BRAK Systems, Herjavec founded The Herjavec Group, which went on to become one of Canada’s leading IT security providers. He was eventually cast for season 1 of Shark Tank and is still a main investor on the show.

Robert Herjavec’s net worth is approximately $200 million.

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6. Barbara Corcoran

Date Joined: 2009 (Season 1)

Investments Made on the Show: 123

Top 3 Investments: Cousins Maine Lobster, Grace and Lace, Pipcorn

Description: Barbara Corcoran started her New York City-based real estate company, The Corcoran Group, in 1973, a company which she went on to sell to National Realty Trust (NRT) in 2001 for $66 million.

Corcoran’s real estate business success and deep understanding of business and market trends led to her being cast for the first season of Shark Tank, and she has been a main cast member since then (although she was briefly replaced in season 3 by Lori Greiner).

Barbara Corcoran’s net worth is currently estimated at $100 million.

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Guest Investors

1. Emma Grede

Emma Grede, CEO and co-founder of US-based apparel brand Good American, was featured on seasons 13, 14, and 15 of Shark Tank. She invested in a total of 9 companies during her appearances on the show, including Richualist, CAKES body, and Kahawa 1893.

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2. Kevin Hart

You may be more familiar with Kevin Hart as a comedian, actor, and producer, but he’s also a savvy investor and businessman (he’s one of the world’s highest-paid comedians, after all). Hart appeared on season 13 of Shark Tank and invested in Black Sands Entertainment and Snactiv.

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3. Peter Jones

Peter Jones is a serial entrepreneur and founder of Phones International Group, as well as a cast member of the UK’s Dragon’s Den, a reality show similar to Shark Tank in format. He appeared on Shark Tank in seasons 13 and 14, where he invested in Nana Hats, Roq Innovation, and Songlorious.

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4. Daniel Lubetzky

CEO and founder of KIND, the healthy snack bar company, Daniel Lubetzky has appeared on numerous episodes of Shark Tank throughout the last few seasons, from season 11 through 15. Some of his notable investments on the show include Fila Manila, Mama Sing My Song, and BarBees Bartending.

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5. Nirav Tolia

Nirav Tolia is best known as the CEO and founder of local neighborhood app Nextdoor. He appeared in season 13 of Shark Tank, where he invested in Hello Prenup, 54 Thrones, and SoaPen.

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6. Kevin Harrington

President of National Media, Kevin Harrington, appeared in seasons 1 and 2 of Shark Tank, making a total of 13 investments in the first two seasons of the show. Some of his top investments were Aldo Orta Jewelry, CitiKitty, and Sweep Easy.

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7. Chris Sacca

Chris Sacca is a Silicon Valley-based venture capitalist and founder of Lowercase Capital, a VC firm known for its investments in major tech startups including Twitter, Uber, and Kickstarter. He was featured on Shark Tank in seasons 7, 8, and 9, and invested in companies that included Toymail, Popup Play, and Nomiku.

8. Jeff Foxworthy

Jeff Foxworthy is another comedian and actor to be featured on Shark Tank, having appeared in season 2 of the show. He invested in Hydromax and Hillbilly Brand, staying very on brand with his own “redneck” style of comedy, you could say.

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9. John Paul Dejoria

John Paul Dejoria is a seasoned entrepreneur, having co-founded both The Patron Spirits Company, which later sold to Bacardi for $5.1 billion, and the John Paul Mitchell Systems line of hair care products in the 1980s. Dejoria appeared on one episode of Shark Tank during season 5, in which he invested in the company Tree.

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10. Steve Tisch

Co-owner and vice president of the New York Giants baseball team, Steve Tisch, made his fortune as a Hollywood producer, producing movies such as Forrest Gump, Snatch, and The Pursuit of Happyness. He also appeared in season 5 of Shark Tank, where he invested in The Cookie Dough Cafe.

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11. Nick Woodman

Nick Woodman is the inventor and founder of wearable video camera company GoPro, which he helped grow into a billion-dollar company since its founding in 2002. He was featured on season 6 of Shark Tank and invested in Shark Wheel and Kitchen Safe during his appearances on the show.

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12. Ashton Kutcher

You probably know Ashton Kutcher from his famous TV acting role as Michael Kelso on the popular Fox sitcom That ‘70s Show, as well as his appearances in numerous hit comedy films, such as Dude, Where’s My Car? and Just Married. But he’s also an avid investor, having invested in major tech companies like Uber, AirBnB, Spotify, and Pinterest, who appeared on Shark Tank’s season 6 and made two investments, in Slyde Handboards and The Beebo.

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13. Troy Carter

Troy Carter, founder of the talent management company Atom Factory, has over 20 years of experience in the music industry and has worked with many popular artists, including Lady Gaga, Eve, and John Legend. He’s also an active angel investor who appeared on a season 7 episode of Shark Tank, in which he chose to invest in Foot Cardigan.

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14. Richard Branson

Richard Branson is the well-known founder of Virgin Group, the parent company to over 400 companies spanning numerous industries, and is a billionaire philanthropist who has contributed to charitable causes most of his life. Branson was featured in season 9 of Shark Tank, where he invested in Grypmat, Sierra Madre Research, and Locker Board.

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15. Rohan Oza

Marketing mastermind Rohan Oza is famous for popularizing Vitaminwater, Smartwater, and Bai as Partner and CMO of Glaceau, the brand’s parent company, which was eventually sold to The Coca-Cola Company for $4.1 billion. Oza appeared on seasons 9, 10, and 11 of Shark Tank, investing in a total of 6 companies, including Safety Nailer, Knife Aid, and Mother Beverage.

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16. Alex Rodriguez

Baseball hall of famer Alex Rodriguez, more commonly known as “A-Rod,” played 22 MLB seasons for the Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers, and New York Yankees. After retiring from professional baseball, A-Rod founded ARod Corp, an investment company focused on investing in the real estate, media, sports, and wellness sectors. He was featured on Shark Tank in seasons 9, 10, and 12, and invested in companies including Sneakerasers, Bubbly Blaster, and Slice of Sauce.

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17. Sara Blakely

Sara Blakely is the founder of Spanx, the wildly popular shapewear and undergarment brand that got its major break when Oprah featured it on one of her annual product roundups. Blakely appeared on Shark Tank in seasons 9 and 10 and invested in several companies, including Sonnet James, The Kombucha Shop, and Alice’s Table.

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18. Bethenny Frankel

Bethenny Frankel first rose to TV personality stardom on The Real Housewives of New York, before transitioning into producing TV, publishing self-help books, and, most notably, founding the Skinnygirl cocktail brand, which she would eventually sell for $100 million. She also appeared in seasons 9 and 10 of Shark Tank, investing in Yumble, Snarky Tea, and No Mo Stache.

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19. Jamie Siminoff

Jamie Siminoff originally appeared on Shark Tank on the other side of the table, as an entrepreneur seeking an investment for his company that would eventually become the prolific Ring doorbell company, manufacturer of smart doorbells and home security technology. Ironically, he walked away without a deal after that appearance but would go on to sell Ring to Amazon for an impressive sum of more than $1 billion. Siminoff appeared as a guest investor on Shark Tank in season 10 and invested in Moink and Bear Minimum.

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20. Matt Higgins

Matt Higgins was the youngest press secretary in New York City, helping manage the global press response during 9/11 before he co-founded RSE Ventures, a private investment firm that primarily invests in sports and entertainment, food and lifestyle, media and marketing, and technology companies. Higgins was featured as a guest Shark during seasons 10 and 11 of Shark Tank, where he invested in companies including Tailgate N Go, Urban Float, and Cup Board Pro.

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21. Charles Barkley

A household name among basketball fans, Charles Barkley is an NBA hall of famer who played in the league for 16 years, before retiring and transitioning into a career as an NBA analyst. Barkley appeared in Shark Tank season 10 and invested in Zorpads, SubSafe, and Cave Shake.

22. Alli Webb

Co-founder of Drybar, a premium hair salon specializing in the popular hair style known as blowouts, Alli Webb grew her venture into a company with over 100 locations across the US and Canada. She was a guest Shark on Shark Tank season 10 and invested in two companies on the show, Shower Toga and Zookies Cookies.

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23. Anne Wojcicki

Anne Wojcicki is the co-founder and CEO of 23andMe, the wildly popular DNA testing, genotyping, and ancestry breakdown company founded in 2006. She appeared on Shark Tank during season 11 and invested in just one company, Galant. 

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24. Maria Sharapova

Maria Sharapova is a former Russian pro tennis player, who was at one point ranked No. 1 in the world by the Women's Tennis Association. She was also ranked by Forbes as one of the world’s highest-paid female athletes. Following her successful tennis career, Sharapova launched her line of candy, Sugarpova, and invested in other sports-related ventures. She appeared on Shark Tank in season 11 and invested in Bala Bangles during her appearance.

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25. Katrina Lake

Katrina Lake is the founder of Stitch Fix, an AI-based online personal styling service founded in 2011 and that went public in 2017 with a valuation of $1.6 billion. She was featured in season 11 of Shark Tank and ended up investing in Pair Eyewear.

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26. Blake Mycoskie

If you’ve ever owned a pair of TOMS shoes, you have Blake Mycoskie to thank — he founded TOMS in 2006 as a for-profit company with a philanthropic mission of giving away one pair of shoes for every one purchased. Though he later sold half of the company to Bain Capital for $313 million, Mycoskie continues to support charitable causes through other donations and ethical approaches to business. He appeared as a guest Shark in Shark Tank season 12 and invested in Touch Up Cup.

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27. Kendra Scott

Fashion designer Kendra Scott is the CEO and founder of the Kendra Scott company, which primarily produces limited-edition jewelry. She appeared on two seasons of Shark Tank, season 12 and season 14, and invested in Create a Castle, OpulenceMD Beauty, and BootayBag.

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28. Gwyneth Paltrow

Gwyneth Paltrow is an American actress and founder of the controversial lifestyle and wellness brand Goop. While her business is largely founded on pseudoscience, it has also been vastly successful, cementing her position as a respected businesswoman and earning her a guest spot on Shark Tank season 14. Paltrow chose to invest in Milkify and Kudos during her appearance on Shark Tank.

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29. Tony Xu

CEO and co-founder of DoorDash Tony Xu took the leading food delivery service from startup to publicly traded company in just 7 years. With an estimated net worth of $3 billion, he’s one of the most wealthy guest Sharks on this list and remains a major player in tech. Xu appeared on season 14 of Shark Tank, where he invested in Kinfield, Wildwonder, and Cabinet Health.

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30. Candace Nelson

Candace Nelson is a renowned pastry chef, a judge on reality baking series Cupcake Wars and Sugar Rush, and the founder of gourmet food brands such as Sprinkles Cupcakes and Pizzana. Nelson is a prominent figure in culinary television and a serial entrepreneur and was featured in Shark Tank season 15, where she invested in three companies, Flaus, Fishwife, and Gently Soaps.

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31. Michael Rubin

Michael Rubin is the founder and CEO of Fanatics, a global sports merchandising platform that deals in licensed sports merchandise, sports trading cards and collectibles, sports betting, and more. With a net worth of $10 billion, Rubin is the richest Shark Tank guest investor. He appeared on season 15 of the show and invested in several companies, including K3 Shooting Band, RoboBurger, and Bot-It.

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32. Jason Blum

If you’re a fan of the horror movie genre, you’ve probably heard of Jason Blum’s film production company, Blumhouse Productions. You may know it as the company behind low-budget, high-profit hits such as “Paranormal Activity,” “Insidious,” and “The Purge.” Jason Blum was featured on season 15 of Shark Tank and invested in a couple of appropriately horror-adjacent brands, The Murder Mystery Company and Thrill Buildings.

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Who Is the Richest Person on Shark Tank?

With a whopping net worth of over $5 billion, Mark Cuban is without a doubt the richest main Shark Tank investor.

Even though the other main cast members are all incredibly wealthy and successful in their rights, their net worths don’t come anywhere close to Cuban’s — Kevin O’Leary is the second-richest main Shark with a net worth of “only” $400 million.

As we mentioned earlier, in terms of the richest guest Sharks on Shark Tank, Michael Rubin is at the top of the list, with a net worth of approximately $10 billion. Honorable mentions go to Richard Branson, John Paul Dejoria, and Tony Xu, with net worths of $4 billion, $4 billion, and $3 billion, respectively.

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Who Is the Most Profitable Shark?

Now that you know who the richest investor on Shark Tank is, it might come as no surprise that Mark Cuban has also made the most deals on the show over the years.

However, determining who the most profitable Shark is isn’t a black and white matter, as it depends on many different factors, including whether a deal made on the show was closed in the end (many fall through behind the scenes), what the terms of the deal were, and how successful the product or brand ended up being in the long run. It also depends on how you look at the profitability of the different Shark Tank investors.

All of the main investors have seen impressive returns on investments made through Shark Tank, but the title of “most profitable” can shift depending on the criteria used, such as total revenue generated from all investments or the best ROI on individual deals.

For example, the most profitable investment made on Shark Tank is widely considered to be the Scrub Daddy deal made by main Shark Lori Greiner, in which she invested $200,000 for a 20% equity stake in the company, which does more than $80 million in annual sales and is still increasing in profitability due to continued expansions of its product lines.

You may also want to read our article on the Most Successful Shark Tank Products.

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Wrapping Up

Shark Tank has not only provided a highly-viewed platform for entrepreneurs to showcase their innovative ideas but has also brought into the spotlight the impressive acumen and diverse experiences of its cast members from all industries and walks of life. 

The show’s main investors, or Sharks, including Mark Cuban, Kevin O'Leary, Daymond John, Lori Greiner, Robert Herjavec, and Barbara Corcoran, have consistently demonstrated their ability to recognize potential and guide new businesses to success. Not only that, but the show’s carefully curated selection of guest investors has brought fresh perspectives and unique expertise to the show over the years, contributing to the dynamic and engaging nature of Shark Tank.

While we’ve only just scratched the surface when it comes to looking at the backgrounds and notable investments and successes of both the main and guest Sharks, it’s evident that Shark Tank’s success is deeply rooted in the diverse skills, experiences, and knowledge each investor brings. 

From tech moguls and fashion icons to entertainment stars and serial entrepreneurs, the diversity of the Sharks has truly enriched the show and provided invaluable lessons in entrepreneurship and investment that many aspiring founders and investors can learn from!