Why Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary Wants You to Be Evil

What is the fundamental purpose of a company? To benefit owners and shareholders? Or to make the world a better place? Inc. asked two notable entrepreneurs who stand on opposite sides of the debate to make their cases.

- Bill Saporito

KEVIN O’LEARY

“YOU HAVE TO BE WILLING TO FIRE YOUR MOTHER. SUCCESSFUL CEOs KNOW THEIR ALLEGIANCE MUST ALWAYS REMAIN WITH CUSTOMERS AND SHAREHOLDERS, 100 PERCENT OF THE TIME.”

ADAM LOWRY

“NO LONGER CAN ANY BUSINESS INTERESTED IN PROFITABILITY AFFORD TO LET THE INVISIBLE HAND MANAGE ITS ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACTS.” 

Over the past decade, the ranks of entrepreneurs who see beyond the bottom Parker, and Whole Foods Market have planted the flag of social responsibility, or conscious capitalism, and defended it profitably. Some formally declare their commitment to all stakeholders—owners, employees, the community, and the environment—by becoming “benefit corporations,” a new a social benefit into their business plan.

But should you join them?

Should your business try to do anything other than generate sales and profits? Survival, after all, is a noble goal in itself. Do you really have to save the planet, too? To dog-eat-dog entrepreneurs like Kevin O’Leary, any startup trying to do more than serve customers and generate profits is being run by labradoodles playing among the pit bulls of commerce. “Running a business is hard,” says Shark Tank’s resident cynic and co-founder and chairman of O’Leary Funds, who has myriad investments. “You have to be willing to fire your mother. When you are the leader of a business, your responsibility is to the success of the whole organization, not any one individual, including yourself. Successful CEOs know their allegiance must always remain with customers and shareholders, 100 percent of the time.”