Shark-Infested Waters: How Kevin O'Leary Built a Brand on Brutal Honesty

Shark-Infested Waters: How Kevin O'Leary Built a Brand on Brutal Honesty

What does it take to be a founder? From a Toronto basement startup to a multibillion-dollar exit, Kevin O’Leary built his career by betting on himself and doing the hard things most people avoid. Now, after investing in hundreds of companies on Shark Tank, he shares what founders need to know about building, surviving, and what it really takes to win. This is The Founder Mindset, with Reza Satchu. -- Foundry is Harvard Business School’s new AI-native platform that gives high-potential founders everywhere the tools, expertise, and guidance to build ventures that succeed. Accepting HBS Foundry Bootcamp applications now. An 8-week, virtual bootcamp to take your idea to a funding-ready pitch. Apply here: https://hbs.me/3y4h3kuf [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbFJnVTR1Z2NLVjB0WW9kZ1NxeTdLMFpldXNmZ3xBQ3Jtc0ttQTI4MTJOVml2UlhrRUpjMVNWdlYtUjF1RXpJREVpM2ZnZmptdGdKMUprdUZKeEtKUmljeGN5aWRzN0RtaV9Mb19INHJJTFg1cTlTLWs2QUxKSzhuUHl4RG5ESzNNdkx1SXYzeHdQYnI3TDk0VUUyMA&q=https%3A%2F%2Fhbs.me%2F3y4h3kuf&v=iK7Ks-NGH2g] *Open to founders based in the U.S. for now. Top participants are invited to Foundry Catalyst with the opportunity to later compete for up to $100K in funding.

From Influencer to Founder: Alix Earle’s Next Chapter

What does it take to be a founder? Alix Earle built one of the most powerful creator brands of her generation, gaining millions of followers and sparking what fans call the Alix Earle Effect, where a single post can sell out products overnight. Now she’s making the leap from influencer to founder as she launches Reale Actives, her very first company.  -- Foundry is Harvard Business School’s new AI-native platform that gives high-potential founders everywhere the tools, expertise, and guidance to build ventures that succeed. Accepting HBS Foundry Bootcamp applications now. An 8-week, virtual bootcamp to take your idea to a funding-ready pitch. Apply here: https://hbs.me/3y4h3kuf [https://hbs.me/3y4h3kuf] *Open to founders based in the U.S. for now. Top participants are invited to Foundry Catalyst with the opportunity to later compete for up to $100K in funding.  All podcast episodes and more info can also be found on Harvard Business School’s official site:  https://www.hbs.edu/foundry [https://www.hbs.edu/foundry]

The Curse of Optionality: Tim Ferriss on Experiments, Risk, and Freedom

What does it take to be a founder? Tim Ferriss turned experimentation into a competitive advantage — authoring multiple #1 New York Times bestsellers, launching one of the world’s most influential podcasts, and investing early in companies like Uber, Facebook, Shopify, and Duolingo. His playbook isn’t about reckless bets — it’s about calibrated risk, smart experiments, and learning faster than the competition.  This is The Founder Mindset with Reza Satchu. -- Foundry is Harvard Business School’s new AI-native platform that gives high-potential founders everywhere the tools, expertise, and guidance to build ventures that succeed. Accepting HBS Foundry Bootcamp applications now:  https://hbs.me/499vcs7z [https://hbs.me/499vcs7z] *Open to founders in the U.S. for now All podcast episodes and more info can also be found on Harvard Business School’s official site:  https://www.hbs.edu/foundry [https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hbs.edu%2Ffoundry&data=05%7C02%7Cmhardt%40hbs.edu%7C90e85704d2c546668af108deb114baf2%7C09fd564ebf4243218f2db8e482f8635c%7C0%7C0%7C639142899743159902%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=hjeuorYQRO%2BUvP2OVwB%2B2CPm%2BxQVujKyPSsWNjCxV8A%3D&reserved=0]

Rewriting the Script: Reese Witherspoon's Entrepreneurial Leap to Impact

What does it take to be a founder? From one of Hollywood’s biggest stars to one of its most influential founders, Reese Witherspoon built her company, Hello Sunshine, to change who gets to own stories—and who gets to tell them. With a new blueprint for modern storytelling, Hello Sunshine turned projects like Little Fires Everywhere and The Morning Show into global hits, transforming the entire industry. This is The Founder Mindset, with Reza Satchu. -- Foundry is Harvard Business School’s new AI-native platform that gives high-potential founders everywhere the tools, expertise, and guidance to build ventures that succeed. Accepting Foundry Bootcamp applications now: hbsfoundry.org [https://%C2%A0%E2%81%A0https://hbs.me/2p8pptnr%E2%81%A0] *Open to founders in the U.S. building in deep tech and related fields, and more industries coming soon!All podcast episodes and more info can also be found on Harvard Business School’s official site:  https://www.hbs.edu/foundry [https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hbs.edu%2Ffoundry&data=05%7C02%7Cmhardt%40hbs.edu%7C94b323f09b13428503fe08dea6e31626%7C09fd564ebf4243218f2db8e482f8635c%7C0%7C0%7C639131691453759677%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=wOD0GerHZlbzEcN2ga6NPsL1mBxbu5MHlw7e2rNJ9vE%3D&reserved=0]

The Founder Mindset - Launching May 6, 2026

For more than 20 years, Reza Satchu has been both a serial founder and a leading educator in entrepreneurship. He has built multiple high-profile companies and mentored hundreds of students and founders through the realities of starting and scaling ventures. Now, in this new video podcast from Harvard Business School Foundry, Reza breaks down what it truly takes to be a founder. Episode 1 launching May 6, 2026.