Kevin O'Leary Says 'Two-Thirds of Americans Should Not Be Entrepreneurs' — Are You One of Them?

It's a provocative statement, but when prominent Shark Tank investor Kevin O'Leary says that two-thirds of Americans shouldn't be entrepreneurs, he isn't trying to discourage ambition; he's describing a reality most people underestimate.

​In a podcast appearance, O'Leary argues that 'about two-thirds' of people lack the core trait required to even begin: the ability to take real risk.

​'About two-thirds of America should not be entrepreneurs. The reason you would know that is you are unable to make the first step,' he said in 'The Iced Coffee Hour Clips' podcast, highlighting that that single factor quietly separates those who build businesses from those who never start.

​The Line Most People Don't Cross

​At the centre of O'Leary's argument is a simple but uncomfortable truth: entrepreneurship is not about ideas, it's about acting under uncertainty. He frames the first step as a test. If someone hesitates to move forward because the outcome is unclear or the downside feels too real, the hesitation isn't temporary; t's revealing.

​According to O'Leary, those who cannot take that step are unlikely to succeed in entrepreneurship at all. 'If you don't have the ability to take risk you will never be an entrepreneur,' he said in the podcast.

​This is why he draws a contrast with more traditional career paths. Reflecting on business school graduates, O'Leary notes that many choose consulting, a path he criticises for lacking true accountability.

He said, 'In great business schools, almost half of the class become consultants. They don't have the guts because they never make any decisions of consequence.'

​O'Leary said consultants contract the 'virus' of 'not generating opinions' within years. For him, that distinction matters. Entrepreneurship is defined by decisions where the result, whether it's success or failure, lands directly on you.

​Why Motivation Matters More Than Money

'If you're hungry for money, I guarantee you'll fail.' O'Leary repeats a core theme: if your reason for starting a business is to get rich, you're almost guaranteed to fail.

​O'Leary stresses that entrepreneurs succeed because they love what they do and are willing to put in gruelling hours and setbacks that would burn out someone chasing profit alone. Instead, he frames entrepreneurship as a pursuit of freedom and control, something that requires sustained effort long before any financial reward appears.

​What the 'Two Thirds' Really Means

​The idea that most people shouldn't be entrepreneurs isn't a fixed rule; it's a filter. It challenges the assumption that entrepreneurship is universally desirable and reframes it as a specific kind of work, suited to a specific mindset. For some, that environment offers autonomy and purpose. For others, it introduces unnecessary stress and instability.

​O'Leary's point is not that people shouldn't aim higher, but that they should understand what they're aiming for.

Why Most People Want The Outcome, Not Reality

​Speaking to IBTimes UK, Daniel Ruke, founder of Game Changers Business Club, agreed that O'Leary's conclusion isn't far off, but argues it's often misunderstood.

In his view, the real divide isn't about capability, but willingness to endure what entrepreneurship actually demands. He describes a defining moment, echoed by Robert Herjavec, where a founder chooses to pay employees instead of themselves.

​Most people, he says, don't want that reality. He added, 'They want the result without the sacrifice. I call them 'wantapreneurs.' They want the lifestyle, the freedom, the income. They just dont want the 4am wake-up calls without an alarm. They don't want the years where the bank account is terrifying and you keep going anyway.'

Being Drawn to Perceived Freedom

According to Ruke, people are drawn to the perceived freedom and financial upside but resist the instability, long hours, and sustained pressure that come with it. This is where wantapreneurs fall short- those who want the rewards without accepting the cost.

​He also points to a deeper misunderstanding that holds many back: treating entrepreneurship as something centred on the founder rather than the customer. According to Ruke, the businesses that survive and grow are built by people who shift their focus outward, becoming highly responsive to what customers actually need rather than how they want to operate.

​Reflecting on decades of experience and more than 1,700 brands launched, he argues that success consistently comes down to this: those who endure are the ones who stay committed when conditions are difficult, and build something that delivers value.

'The most consistent thing i see in the entrepreneurs who break through is this: they stopped making it about them. That's entrepreneurship. The rest is just wishing,' Ruke said.

Originally published on IBTimes UK