Mark Cuban, born on July 31, 1958, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is an American entrepreneur, investor, and media proprietor. Raised in a working-class Jewish family in the suburb of Mount Lebanon, his early ventures into business included selling garbage bags to afford basketball shoes and running newspapers from Cleveland to Pittsburgh during a local strike. He bypassed his senior year of high school to enroll at the University of Pittsburgh. After a year, he transferred to Indiana University Bloomington, where he graduated from the Kelley School of Business in 1981 with a Bachelor of Science in Management.

After college, Cuban moved to Dallas, Texas, in 1982. He initially worked as a bartender and later as a salesperson for a software retailer, Your Business Software. Following his termination from the company, he founded MicroSolutions, a systems integrator and software reseller. The company experienced significant growth, generating over $30 million in revenue, and was sold to CompuServe in 1990 for $6 million, netting Cuban approximately $2 million after taxes.

In 1995, Cuban and fellow Indiana University alumnus Todd Wagner co-founded Audionet, a company that combined their interest in webcasting and Indiana Hoosiers basketball. Renamed Broadcast.com in 1998, the company expanded rapidly, employing 330 people and earning $13.5 million in revenue by the second quarter of 1999. That same year, during the dot-com boom, Yahoo! acquired Broadcast.com for $5.7 billion in stock. This transaction is often cited as one of the most significant internet acquisitions of its time.

Cuban's foray into the sports industry began in January 2000 when he purchased the NBA's Dallas Mavericks for $285 million. Under his ownership, the team transformed from a struggling franchise into a successful organization, culminating in winning the NBA Championship in 2011. Known for his passionate and outspoken nature, Cuban has been fined by the NBA on multiple occasions for his candid remarks about league officiating and policies.

Beyond sports, Cuban has made significant strides in the entertainment industry. In 2003, he co-founded 2929 Entertainment with Todd Wagner, a company that offers vertically integrated production and distribution of films and videos. Through this venture, they acquired Landmark Theatres, a chain of arthouse movie theaters, and financed various film projects, including Steven Soderbergh's "Bubble" in 2006.

Cuban's presence on television expanded with his role as a "shark" investor on the ABC reality series "Shark Tank," which he joined in its second season in 2011. As of May 2015, he had invested nearly $20 million across 85 deals presented on the show. In November 2023, Cuban announced that the 16th season would be his final appearance on "Shark Tank."

In the realm of politics, Cuban has expressed a range of views. Initially leaning towards libertarianism, he has supported both Republican and Democratic candidates over the years. Notably, he endorsed Hillary Clinton during the 2016 presidential election and Kamala Harris in the 2024 election. In 2024, Cuban co-launched "Business Leaders for Harris," a group of executives supporting Harris's candidacy.

Cuban's entrepreneurial spirit continued with the launch of Cost Plus Drugs in January 2022, aiming to reduce generic drug prices for consumers in the United States. This venture reflects his commitment to disrupting traditional industries and offering more transparent, consumer-friendly alternatives.

Throughout his career, Cuban has been recognized for his contributions to business and entertainment. In 2024, he was listed among Time's 100 Most Influential People. His journey from a young entrepreneur in Pittsburgh to a billionaire investor and media mogul underscores his diverse interests and impactful presence across multiple industries.

REFERENCE:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Cuban