Mark Cuban isn't just a billionaire entrepreneur, NBA team owner, and TV personality. He's a guy who still sees business as a way to compete. And he says the reason he keeps winning is simple: he’s willing to outwork everyone else.
He's Done With TV And Basketball, But Not With Competing
Cuban recently appeared on the “Prof G Markets” podcast and made it known that even though he sold the majority ownership of the NBA's Dallas Mavericks and walked away from the TV show “Shark Tank,” he's not slowing down. Instead, he's focused on what he calls the “ultimate sport.”
“To me, business is the ultimate sport,” Cuban said. “I may not be able to play basketball as well as I used to, but I want to compete still.”
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He said his biggest edge in business isn't raw talent or timing—it's that he simply puts in more time than most. “What I tell kids when they ask me, how do you get there? You find something you love to do and then you just commit the time to be great at it,” Cuban said. “I'm willing to put in the time.”
“If you happen to be a special athlete and playing tennis, basketball, whatever, great. Do what you do,” he added. “But in business, most people don’t take the time.”
Still All-In On AI
Cuban is betting heavily on artificial intelligence. He believes companies that don’t adopt AI will be left behind. “There's two types of companies: those who are great at AI, and those who used to be in business,” he said.
He uses AI to drive down costs at his pharmacy startup Cost Plus Drugs. And he believes small businesses will soon have to hire young people who are AI-literate or risk falling behind. “There are only 20,000 businesses in this country with more than 500 employees.” The millions of small- and mid-sized companies? “They need AI natives,” he says.
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Legacy Is About Family And Curiosity
“I was happy when I was broke, sleeping on the floor with five roommates in a three-bedroom apartment,” Cuban said. “It was stressful in a lot of different ways—getting the credit cards cut up, the phone ringing all the time and the bill collectors, etc. But I knew I was going to find a way.”
While Cuban is still hungry to build and compete, he’s clear that family comes first now. Missing birthdays and anniversaries was a big reason he stepped away from TV and NBA ownership.
What drives him these days? Curiosity, and the freedom to chase it. “There's nothing a kid can't learn right now,” he said. “Nothing makes me more excited because if you believe that the curiosity of a child can result in something we haven't even imagined yet, then that's exciting.”
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