Mark Cuban’s Dad Gave Him This Life-Changing Advice at 14
- Age: 65 (Born July 31, 1958)
- Business Ventures: Broadcast.com (Founder), Dallas Mavericks (Owner), Mark Cuban Companies, Cost Plus Drugs, 2929 Entertainment, Shark Tank Ventures
- Height: 6'3" (190 cm)
- Spouse: Tiffany Stewart (Married in 2002)
- Net Worth: $4.6 billion (as of 2024)
Billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban has built an empire spanning tech, sports, and pharmaceuticals, but he credits much of his success to a simple lesson his father taught him at age 14:
Time is your most valuable asset.
Growing up in Pittsburgh, Cuban watched his father, Norton, work 60-hour weeks upholstering cars. Occasionally, Norton would bring him along—not to teach him the trade, but to show him the limits of working for someone else.
“His time was never his own,” Cuban recalled. “He wanted me to create my own path.”
This insight pushed Cuban toward entrepreneurship, where he could control his schedule rather than be tied to a boss’s demands.
Related: Inside Mark Cuban's Daily Routine: A Billionaire's Blueprint for Success
Related: Mark Cuban: From Door-to-Door Salesman to Billionaire Maverick
Early Hustles and Business Mindset
Cuban didn’t waste time waiting for opportunities—he created them. At 12, he started selling trash bags door-to-door, doubling his money on each box. He later flipped stamps, coins, and even taught disco dancing in college for extra cash.
By prioritizing time over chasing a high salary, Cuban built his path to financial freedom. After selling his first company, MicroSolutions, for $6 million in 1990, he achieved what he calls “freedom.” Nine years later, he became a billionaire when Broadcast.com was acquired by Yahoo for $5.7 billion in stock.
Related: Mark Cuban's Secret Sauce: 5 Passive Income Strategies That Could Make You Rich
Time Management: Cuban’s Key to Success
Even as a billionaire, Cuban still follows his father’s advice. To avoid unnecessary meetings and calls, he spends an hour each morning responding to emails—keeping communication streamlined so he can focus on what matters most.
“The whole value of being in this position is just being able to control your time,” Cuban told Trevor Noah.
From his early hustles to running the Dallas Mavericks and Cost Plus Drugs, Cuban’s career is a testament to the power of prioritizing time over everything else. His dad’s wisdom remains the foundation of his success, proving that the most valuable asset isn’t money—it’s control over your own life.
