Mark Cuban knows business, and he knows people – and that rare combination has made him one of the most respected employers in the world.
The Dallas-born billionaire, now 67, did not come into wealth with a silver spoon. As a teenager, he sold baseball cards, magazines, and delivered newspapers. He worked behind the bar, gave disco dance lessons, and endured the struggles that build character. Perhaps that is why, even after finding success, Cuban has always remained close to “the other side of the fence” – ready to reward those who built alongside him.
Back in 1990, after selling his company MicroSolutions for $6 million, the young Cuban – today worth an estimated $6 billion – shared 20% of the profits with his 80 employees. Each received about $15,000, equivalent to more than a year’s salary at the time. Some bought a brand-new Ford Mustang GT, others secured a down payment for a house, and many paid for their children’s education. This generosity came just after his secretary had stolen $82,000 – nearly all of the firm’s capital. Instead of retreating, Cuban called the incident “the best thing that ever happened to me,” and became known as a leader who never forgets his team.
His generosity reached its peak in 1999, when, together with Todd Wagner, he sold Broadcast.com to Yahoo for $5.7 billion. The outcome? Out of 330 employees, 300 became millionaires overnight. “In every company I’ve sold, I made sure to give bonuses to anyone who had been there for more than a year. I believe that’s the right thing – if you contribute, you should share in the rewards,” Cuban said.
This approach turned him into a rarity among billionaires: a man who shares success.
The philosophy continued throughout his career. When he sold HDNet in 2019, 20% of the proceeds went to employees. In 2023, after parting with his majority stake in the Dallas Mavericks, Cuban distributed over $35 million in bonuses to the team behind the franchise. His principle has never wavered: those who build together deserve to prosper together.
Yet when it comes to his own children, Cuban takes a different stance. A father of three, he has made it clear he won’t leave them an enormous inheritance: “It’s my money, not yours.” Instead, he wants to give them a path and an example – the value of work, of creating, and of sharing success with those around you.
Mark Cuban stands as a symbol of a different view on wealth. Rather than focusing on accumulation, he sees fortune as a tool to transform lives – from employees who become millionaires to children who inherit the most valuable legacy of all: the lesson of responsibility and hard work.
