Introduction

Robert Herjavec is a Croatian-born Canadian investor, businessman, and television personality with an estimated net worth of $300 Million

Before Wealth & Fame

Believe it or not, Robert Herjavec’s career began in the film industry as an assistant director. He worked behind the scenes on numerous productions, including The Return of Billy Jack and Cain and Abel. He also served as a field producer with Global TV for the 1984 Winter Olympic Games in Sarajevo, Bosnia.

A couple of years later, Herjavec learned of an opening at a computer startup called Logquest, which sold IBM mainframe emulation boards. The job paid $30,000 per year, but he was underqualified for the position. Still, Herjavec managed to secure the job by offering to work for free for the first six months. To keep food on the table, he waited tables during the evenings until Logquest paid him a full-time salary. Robert quickly rose to become president of the company, but was fired in 1990.

BRAK Systems

Following his dismissal, Robert Herjavec launched his first major company, BRAK Systems, which was one of Canada’s first cybersecurity companies. The company helped Canadian businesses procure and integrate network security solutions, and was operated entirely out of Herjavec’s basement. Ten years later, in 2000, AT&T acquired BRAK Systems for $30.2 million.

The Herjavec Group

After AT&T acquired BRAK Systems, Robert Herjavec became the vice president of Ramp Network, though the company was sold to Nokia for $126 million just several months later.

In 2003, now with a substantial amount of money to his name, Robert Herjavec founded the Herjavec Group, which quickly became one of the fastest-growing technology companies in Canada. The business also operates in the cybersecurity industry and has since merged with Fishtech Group and rebranded to Cyderes. The company currently reports annual revenues of $108.4 million and employs 425 people.

Apax Partners acquired a majority stake in The Herjavec Group in 2021, but Robert is believed to still hold a stake in the company. He also continued to serve as the CEO of Cyderes until 2024.

Shark Tank

By the time Robert Herjavec joined Shark Tank in its debut season in 2009, he already had a net worth in the tens of millions of dollars. Before Shark Tank began airing, Herjavec had actually been involved in Canada’s Dragon’s Den since 2006. He joined fellow sharks Daymond John, Lori Greiner, Mark Cuban, Barbara Corcoran, and Kevin O’Leary.

Thus far, Herjavec has starred in all seventeen seasons of Shark Tank, appearing in 323 episodes. According to our research, he’s invested approximately $7.58 million in 39 companies that have pitched in the tank. Several reports suggest that Herjavec has invested more than $16 million, but they also include failed post-show negotiations. Not every deal that’s accepted on the show actually gets finalized. Here’s a list of the companies that accepted Herjavec’s offer on the show, but ultimately fell through afterward:

• Gift Card Rescue
• Soy-Yer-Dough
• Mod Mom Furniture
• Hill Billy Brand
• Orig Audio
• You Smell Soap
• Focus Designs
• Henry’s Humdingers
• Oru Kayak
• Kronos
• Zero Pollution Motors
• SynDaver Labs

Shark Tank Investments

While that’s a lot of investments to cover, here’s a list of every company Herjavec has invested in on Shark Tank. The table above shows that Robert Herjavec has invested in 39 companies, totaling $7.58 million of his own money. Bear in mind that many of these investments were joint deals made with one or more sharks, but we’ve calculated Herjavec’s share of the investment. 

For two of the deals on the list, Herjavec didn’t receive any equity. Herjavec split a $1450,000 investment in Coffee Joulies with Kevin, Lori, and Daymond for the following:

• Retail royalty – $6 per unit
• Wholesale royalty – $3 per unit
• Perpetuity after recouping their investment – $1 per unit

When Herjavec invested $150,000 into Wall Rx in episode 14 of season five, he didn’t want any equity. Instead, he invested the money in exchange for the rights to sell the product internationally.

While many of these businesses have since closed their doors or filed for bankruptcy, others have continued to thrive. Which begs the question, which of Herjavec’s Shark Tank investments have been the most successful?

Tipsy Elves

Details: $100,000 investment for a 10% stake

After the founders of Tipsy Elves appeared on the fifth season of Shark Tank, they secured a $100,000 investment from Herjavec for 10% of the business. Tipsy Elves launched as an e-commerce business selling Christmas sweatshirts and has since expanded into Halloween costumes, Hawaiian shirts, and other themed clothing.

By 2025, twelve years after appearing on the show and securing investment, Tipsy Elves’ lifetime sales exceeded $317 million. According to Herjavec himself, this was by far his best investment from Shark Tank.

Divorce Settlement

In July 2014, after 24 years of marriage and three children together, Herjavec’s relationship with then-wife Diane Plese came to an end, with Plese filing for divorce in March 2015, claiming that Herjavec had been having extramarital affairs with another woman.

The settlement, ruled by an Ontario Supreme Court, was finalized in 2016 and required Herjavec to pay Plese $125,000 a month in spousal and child support with no set termination date, a $2.6 million equalization payment, and an extra $2.5 million once all their assets had been divided and sold, bringing her total settlement from the marriage to $25 million.

Some of their joint assets included a $17.4 million mansion in the Bridal Path area of Toronto, a $4.8 million holiday home on Fisher Island, Florida, as well as top-of-the-line luxury boats and automobiles, including a rare $1.5 million Ferrari, and several other high-end items.

After the settlement, it was reported that Herjavec struggled with suicidal thoughts and depression following their separation, especially over the estrangement from his children. However, he continued with his life, appearing on season 20 of Dancing with the Stars in 2015 and subsequently marrying his co-star, Kym Johnson, a year later in 2016.

Introduction 

Alain Wertheimer is a French businessman and investor with an estimated net worth of $45 Billion.

Wertheimer’s grandfather, Pierre Wertheimer, co-founded Chanel with Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel in 1910. More than a century later, Chanel, one of the world’s largest luxury brands, remains 100% privately owned, which is impressive in and of itself.

Alain Wertheimer is believed to be a 50/50 owner with his brother Gérard of a company that now has 38,000 employees, generating more than $19 billion in revenue and $4.7 billion in annual profits.

This profile outlines our research into Alain Wertheimer’s net worth history, income sources, and real estate investments.

Quick Facts

• Debuted on the Forbes Billionaires Index in 2001
• Joint net worth of $5 billion with his brother at the time
• Holds a 50% stake in the luxury fashion brand Chanel
• The business is 100% privately owned by the Wertheimer family
• Received $7 billion in dividends between 2019 and 2024

Net Worth History

As we briefly mentioned above, Alain Wertheimer debuted on the Forbes Billionaires Index in 2001, in a joint listing shared with Gérard. After their father, Jacques Wertheimer, died in 1996, the brothers inherited control, and five years later, held a combined net worth of $5 billion. Perhaps what’s still most impressive is that the company remained family-owned, despite its size and longstanding history.

The brothers remained on Forbes in a joint listing for several years thereafter, reaching a combined net worth of $10 billion in 2007. 

By the mid-2010s, they received separate listings, and in 2017, Alain was worth an estimated $11.8 billion. For the remainder of the decade, his fortune grew by between $1 billion and $2 billion per year, reaching approximately $17.1 billion in 2020.

However, the situation rapidly changed between 2020 and 2021, when Chanel’s annual revenues skyrocketed in the year following the COVID-19 pandemic. For the year ended 31 December 2021, the company reported revenues of $15.6 billion, an increase of 49.6% versus 2020. More importantly, Chanel’s operating profits reached $5.46 billion, a 170.6% increase over the prior year.

Additionally, Chanel began publishing financial statements in the UK during this time, providing the public with much more information. As a result of this growth and increased information, Forbes revalued the company and updated its estimate of Alain’s net worth to $34.5 billion, more than double the 2020 estimate. By this point, the Wertheimers’ fortunes weren’t derived solely from Chanel’s valuation. They were also receiving substantial annual dividend payments.

Since then, Alain and Gerard’s individual net worths have hovered between $31 billion and $37 billion; however, at the time of writing, Alain currently has an estimated fortune of $39.4 billion.

Chanel Dividends

Thanks to the new financial statements that Chanel began publishing in the United Kingdom in the late 2010s, we can see some significant dividend payouts to the brothers. These payments are listed as company-wide dividends, but since Alain and Gerard each hold a 50% stake, you would assume the same applies to any dividends.

Between 2019 and 2024, Chanel reported dividend payouts as follows:

• 2019 – $1.7 billion
• 2020 – $0
• 2021 – $5 billion
• 2022 – $1.7 billion
• 2023 – $5.7 billion
• 2024 – $0

Thus, we can see that the total dividends paid to the brothers during the period amount to $14.1 billion. In theory, this would have provided Alain with a little more than $7 billion over six years.

Real Estate

Alain Wertheimer previously owned a 62-acre estate in Washington, Connecticut. The home on the land comprises 6,932 square feet and has five bedrooms and eight bathrooms. Reports on the property’s transaction are limited, but according to Realtor.com, it sold for just $35,000 in January 1997, which we believe was when Wertheimer acquired it. Sources suggest that he sold this home for $3 million in October 2003.

More Entrepreneurs:

• Lee Shau Kee
• Robert Stigwood
• Thomas Peterffy
• Vladimir Lisin
• Petr Kellner
• Mike Lindell

Introduction

Philip Lawrence is an American professional songwriter, entrepreneur, and record producer with an estimated net worth of $1 Million.

This profile details our research into Philip Lawrence’s net worth and income sources. More importantly, we’ll also review all of the financial issues he’s faced in recent years, which have eradicated his fortune.

Quick Facts

• Peak estimated net worth of $50 million
• Sold his songwriting catalog to Tempo Music for $90 million in 2023
• Borrowed $15 million in financing against the catalog prior to the sale
• Allegedly borrowed $25 million from DJ Tiësto to repay the $15 million
• Filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in August 2023
• Owed the IRS and the Franchise Tax Board a combined $30 million
• All his assets were seized and sold off to repay his creditors
• Borrowed $50,000 from his family to pay rent

Net Worth History

At the peak of his career, Philip Lawrence had an estimated net worth of $50 million. Now, some outlets still list his net worth at this figure, but we know for a fact that those reports are outdated. In the last few years, Lawrence has suffered from numerous financial issues, owing tens of millions of dollars to the IRS, former business partners, and other creditors. He also faced mounting financial pressure from his divorce and ultimately filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2023.

At the time of writing, Philip Lawrence’s net worth is now estimated at approximately $1 million. However, it’s tough to confirm the exact figure since we don’t know how much of his debt was forgiven during the bankruptcy case.

Income Sources

Philip Lawrence’s income is primarily generated through music royalties, most notably from his collaborations with artists such as Bruno Mars. These singles included “Uptown Funk”, “Just the Way You Are”, “Grenade”, and “Locked Out of Heaven”. He also earns additional income through touring, live shows, and production fees.

Music Catalog Sale

In 2021, Philip Lawrence sold a substantial stake in his songwriting music catalog to Tempo Music Investments for a reported $90 million. The deal wasn’t actually mentioned in the media at the time of the sale. Instead, the details became known during his 2023 bankruptcy filing.

The sale included Lawrence’s songwriting interests in some of his best-selling singles for artists like Bruno Mars, Adele, and CeeLo Green. Within the catalog were at least four diamond-certified singles in the United States, including:

• Just the Way You Are
• Grenade
• Locked out of Heaven
• When I Was Your Man

Lawrence’s bankruptcy filing, which we’ll discuss in more detail shortly, also showed that he was suffering financially in the months leading up to the sale. The reports suggest that his catalog was at risk of being seized to cover his debts. He borrowed $15 million against the catalog from Hipgnosis Songs Fund and subsequently secured a $25 million loan from DJ Tiësto (at a 9.6% interest rate, we might add) to repay Hipgnosis before the sale.

Bankruptcy Filing

Despite making $90 million from the sale of his songwriting catalog, Philip Lawrence filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy with the Central District of California in August 2023. After review, the case was converted into a Chapter 7 liquidation, allowing a trustee to liquidate Lawrence’s assets to repay his creditors.

We weren’t able to find clear documentation that lists Lawrence’s total assets and liabilities in the filing, but here’s what we do know. He mentioned interests in several companies as assets, including:

• Philmar Holdings BV
• Philmar Holdings NV
• Philmar Inc.
• Philmar Studios Inc.

Lawrence’s largest liabilities included a $21.6 million claim in a dispute involving Moi Productions and The Record Plant. He also owed the IRS $17,191,718 and the California Franchise Tax Board (FTB) $12,970,709.

Much of the case centered on determining where the money from the music catalog sale had gone. While Lawrence sold his catalog to allegedly avoid its seizure in the event of bankruptcy, it didn’t exempt him from repaying his creditors. Shortly after the time of the filing, Philip also listed some details surrounding his income:

• Earning $160,355 per month
• Reduced rate from $50,000 to $25,000 per stadium/festival show
• Reduced rate to $30,000 per casino show

Some of the smaller creditors he owed money to included his bankruptcy attorney ($757,000) and his family members ($50,000) for a loan used to pay his rent.

Divorce Settlement

Philip Lawrence was previously married to the celebrity stylist and fashion designer Urbana Chappa. The couple shares four children together, and in October 2022, Chappa filed for divorce. Their divorce proceedings were kept somewhat confidential, so we don’t have any details surrounding possible settlements, spousal support, or child support.

However, a couple of years later, Lawrence personally mentioned that he owed his divorce lawyer $240,000, and that Urbana demanded that he pay her divorce lawyer’s fees of $275,000.

During the divorce proceedings, Lawrence argued that all of his assets had been seized and his monthly income had been reduced, as per the bankruptcy filing we just mentioned.

Real Estate

In November 2019, Philip Lawrence acquired MLB star Jimmy Rollins’ 14,740-square-foot, seven-bedroom, twelve-bathroom mansion in Encino, California, for $10.55 million. The property features a wide variety of amenities, including walk-in closets, a home theater, a gym, and a spa room with a sauna and a jacuzzi. There’s also a spare kitchen that was transformed into a barbershop. 

In April 2024, Lawrence relisted the property with an asking price of $11.5 million, and it sold in September for $11.63 million.