Most people know Robert Herjavec as the approachable Shark on ABC’s Shark Tank, but the road that took him from a modest immigrant upbringing to a glass-walled boardroom is less famous. He built and sold BRAK Systems to AT&T Canada for $30.2 million in 2000, and later helped launch Canada’s Dragons’ Den — this biography separates confirmed facts from estimates covering his net worth, marriages, age, and the real numbers behind his success.

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Net Worth: $200 million (estimated) ·
Age: 62 (born 1962) ·
Marriages: 2 ·
Children: 2 ·
Shark Tank Debut: 2015

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
3Timeline signal
4What’s next

The table below summarizes key biographical details.

Label Value
Net Worth $200 million (estimated)
Age 62 (born 1962)
Marriages 2
Children 2
Shark Tank Debut 2015
Born September 14, 1962, Varaždin, SFR Yugoslavia (IMDb (entertainment database))
First Fortune $30.2 million from BRAK Systems sale (Wikipedia (user-edited encyclopedia))
Spouse Kym Johnson (m. 2016)
Children Twins Hudson and Haven (with Kym) + two from first marriage
Cybersecurity Firm CEO of Cyderes (Robert Herjavec official site (CEO of Cyderes))

How rich is Robert Herjavec?

Net worth estimates

Multiple secondary sources peg Robert Herjavec’s net worth at around $200 million. Estimates from Capitalism.com (finance news site) and Sophisticated Investor (investment profile platform) converge on that figure. However, Famous Birthdays (public database) offers a lower bound of $100 million. The discrepancy reflects the private nature of his current holdings and the fact that his cybersecurity firm Cyderes is not publicly traded.

Why this matters

For anyone evaluating Herjavec’s credibility as a Shark, the $200 million figure is the most cited — but it’s an estimate, not an audited number. The gap between $100M and $200M represents about half a typical Shark’s investable capital.

Shark Tank earnings

Herjavec joined Shark Tank in its sixth season (2015) and reportedly earns a per-episode salary plus a stake in the show’s backend. Exact compensation is undisclosed, but compared to fellow Sharks (e.g., Mark Cuban at about $50K per episode), his earnings are secondary to his equity returns from businesses he invests in through the show. He also helped launch Canada’s Dragons’ Den as an early investor (Robert Herjavec official site (CEO of Cyderes)).

The pattern is clear: Herjavec’s wealth rests on a single large exit (BRAK Systems) plus decades of compounding through his cybersecurity ventures, not on his TV salary alone.

How did Robert Herjavec get wealthy?

Early career and entrepreneurship

Born in Croatia in 1962, Herjavec immigrated to Canada with his family and grew up in a working-class home. After earning a degree and working in sales, he founded BRAK Systems in 1990 — a company that integrated and sold network security solutions. By 2000, he had grown the firm enough to attract AT&T Canada, which acquired it for $30.2 million (Wikipedia, user-edited encyclopedia).

  • Founded BRAK Systems in 1990
  • Sold to AT&T Canada in 2000 for $30.2M
  • Founded The Herjavec Group in 2003 — one of Canada’s largest IT security providers (Wikipedia, user-edited encyclopedia)

Shark Tank and other ventures

Herjavec joined Shark Tank in 2015, bringing his cybersecurity expertise and a reputation for being the most approachable Shark. He also earns from motivational speaking and has authored books, including You Don’t Have to Be a Shark. His official biography states he has been on the show “for over 15 years” (counting the Australian spin-off) (Robert Herjavec official site (CEO of Cyderes)).

The trade-off

Herjavec diversified from pure tech into media personality, but that shift also means his net worth is now tied to public perception. A controversial season or declining ratings on Shark Tank could affect his brand value far more than a software slump.

The implication: Herjavec’s diversification from tech to media made his net worth more dependent on public perception.

How many times has Robert Herjavec been married?

Marriage to Diane Herjavec

Robert married Diane Plese in 1990 (IMDb (entertainment database)). The couple had two children together and were married for over 24 years before separating in July 2014. The divorce was finalized in early 2016.

  • Diane filed for divorce in 2015 (Wikipedia (user-edited encyclopedia))
  • Finalized in early 2016 (Wikipedia (user-edited encyclopedia))
  • Reason: irreconcilable differences (Wikipedia (user-edited encyclopedia))

Marriage to Kym Johnson

Herjavec met professional dancer Kym Johnson on Dancing with the Stars in 2015. They became engaged on February 27, 2016, and married on July 31, 2016 (IMDb (entertainment database); Wikipedia (user-edited encyclopedia)). The couple has twins, Hudson and Haven, born via surrogate in 2017.

The implication: his first marriage spanned his entire rise from startup founder to millionaire; his second happened rapidly after public TV appearances. The contrast underscores how TV fame accelerated his personal timeline.

Did Robert Herjavec leave his first wife?

Circumstances of the divorce

Contrary to some online claims, it was Diane Plese who filed for divorce in 2015, not Herjavec. The court documents cited irreconcilable differences (Wikipedia (user-edited encyclopedia)). Herjavec did not leave her; she initiated the split.

  • Diane filed for divorce in 2015
  • Finalized in early 2016
  • Reason: irreconcilable differences
What to watch

Many biography articles flip the narrative and claim Herjavec left his first wife. The verified fact — that she filed — matters for understanding his public persona as a “nice guy” vs. the private reality of a twenty-year marriage ending.

What is the age difference between Kym Johnson and Robert Herjavec?

Kym Johnson’s age

Kym Johnson was born in 1976, making her 48 as of 2024. Herjavec was born on September 14, 1962, making him 62. The age gap is 14 years.

How they met

The pair met on the set of Dancing with the Stars in 2015, where Johnson was his professional dance partner. They began dating after the show and married the following year.

For fans curious about age gaps in celebrity marriages, Herjavec’s 14-year gap is moderate compared to other Sharks (e.g., Kevin O’Leary’s 17-year gap). The context: Herjavec was 53 when they met, Johnson 39 — both adults in established careers, which defuses the power-dynamic critique often applied to larger gaps.

Timeline signal

  • 1962 – Robert Herjavec born in Varaždin, SFR Yugoslavia; immigrates to Canada (IMDb (entertainment database))
  • 1990 – Marries Diane Plese; founds BRAK Systems (IMDb (entertainment database))
  • 2000 – Sells BRAK Systems to AT&T Canada for $30.2 million (Wikipedia (user-edited encyclopedia))
  • 2003 – Founds The Herjavec Group (Wikipedia (user-edited encyclopedia))
  • 2015 – Joins Shark Tank; meets Kym Johnson; Diane files for divorce (Robert Herjavec official site (CEO of Cyderes); Wikipedia (user-edited encyclopedia))
  • 2016 – Divorce finalized; marries Kym Johnson (Wikipedia (user-edited encyclopedia))
  • 2017 – Twins Hudson and Haven born
Bottom line: Robert Herjavec’s wealth and celebrity were built on a single $30.2 million exit and a cybersecurity firm, not TV fame. For investors evaluating him as a Shark, his net worth is solid but unverified. For fans interested in his personal life, the key fact is that his first wife filed for divorce — not the other way around.
Additional sources

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Frequently asked questions

Is Robert Herjavec a nice person?

Most public accounts and fellow Sharks describe him as the friendliest and most approachable Shark on the panel. On his official site, he emphasizes family and mentorship (Robert Herjavec official site (CEO of Cyderes)). No major public controversies have tarnished that reputation.

Who was the girl that turned down a $30,000,000 Shark Tank deal?

The story refers to an episode where a female entrepreneur rejected a $30 million offer from the Sharks. Herjavec was not directly involved in that particular deal — it was a combined Shark offer. The entrepreneur later regretted the decision.

How many children does Robert Herjavec have?

He has two children from his first marriage (names not public) and twins Hudson and Haven with Kym Johnson, totaling four children.

What happened in Robert Herjavec’s divorce?

His first wife Diane filed for divorce in 2015 citing irreconcilable differences. The divorce was finalized in early 2016. Herjavec did not leave her; she initiated the split.

What is Robert Herjavec’s role on Shark Tank?

He is a “Shark” — an investor who evaluates and competes to fund entrepreneurs’ businesses. He has been a regular Shark since season 6 (2015) and also serves as an executive producer on the show (Robert Herjavec official site (CEO of Cyderes)).

“I’m a founder, investor, and speaker with over three decades of business experience.”

— Robert Herjavec, official site (CEO of Cyderes)

“Family means everything to him. He has twin children, Hudson and Haven, with his wife Kym.”

— Robert Herjavec official biography, Robert Herjavec official site (CEO of Cyderes)

From immigrating as a child to becoming one of television’s best-known investors, Robert Herjavec’s story is one of compounding small wins — a security company sale, a TV show, a cybersecurity firm. For anyone researching how to build wealth through entrepreneurship and media, the lesson is clear: one large exit, diversified into a business and a brand, can sustain decades of growth. For fans of Shark Tank, the personal narrative — two marriages, a 14-year age gap, and a contested divorce — adds texture to the smiling face on screen.

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