Shaquille O’Neal turns everything he touches to gold. He has found success off the court with the same panache with which he captured titles while ruling the roost in the NBA. Shaq’s inherent drive to learn and grow has helped him transition into a full fledged businessman with a net worth of a whopping $500 million.
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The big fella, an open book, has always shared the secret sauce behind his grand run both on and off the court. He summed it up in a nutshell on the first episode of his YouTube series, The Break.
During the sit-down with some of his successful friends, Shaq revealed the two things he followed that helped him build an eight-figure business empire.
The Lakers legend also dropped one of his favorite quotes to go with the lesson. He said, “Two things that helped me, discipline and listening. You know, one of my favorite quotes is, ‘The greatest leader is the one that hires people that are smarter than them.’ You guys are here because you’re smart.”
The four-time NBA Champion has always stressed the importance of delegating work to other people to better efficiency. He always points to his team of qualified people when addressing how he manages so many business ventures all at once.
The big fella has also been disciplined since the early days of his career. His drill sergeant father, Phillip Harrison, instilled good habits in him from a young age.
On the show’s first episode, Shaq called up a business owner (Julissa Prado), a financial expert (Vivian Tu), a basketball player (Juan Toscano-Anderson), and a comedian (Desi Banks) to share their life-changing moments with the audience.
Shaq aims to share some inspiring and even life-changing stories from the lives of some successful people (their first big break) that can help a young mind looking for some guidance.
The 52-year-old has an MBA degree from the University of Phoenix which he earned in 2005. But he still learned the best lessons in business from the teachings of his mentors.
Shaquille O’Neal has taken business advice from Magic Johnson
During a “Black Entrepreneurs Day” livestream, Shaq talked about his business influences. He named two people who have been very important on this journey for him. One is fellow Lakers legend, Magic Johnson, and the other is Daymond John, who features in the show Shark Tank.
Shaq said, “So the first thing I said was, ‘I want to own a clothing line.’ So I’m doing my little thing, own my clothing line, and I’m looking at the numbers. I see FUBU and their numbers are killing my numbers. Now I’m like, ‘Man, who are these FUBU cats?’ I started watching them and I learned a lot. We met, you always took care of me, you always gave me knowledge. You [John] and Magic helped me get started.”
This is another one of Shaq’s great qualities. He doesn’t forget or overlook if someone has ever made any positive contribution to his life. Acknowledging other people’s contributions not only showcases his humble nature but also helps others gain the same knowledge.
