‘You’re not a hero, you’re a liability’: Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary warns Gen Z founders to stop glorifying hustle culture

Gen Z founders chasing their big break are facing a modern-day catch-22: protect their mental health or sacrifice work-life balance in pursuit of success. 

Shark Tank investor and millionaire Kevin O’Leary has clear advice for Gen Z founders weighing how to spend their time. 

“The worst advice I hear young founders talk about all the time is that they want to work 18 hours a day. How stupid is that?” O’Leary said in a video on Instagram, sporting a red, cheetah-print top and floral pants.

The admonishment comes as everyday workers are increasingly expected to work longer hours. The 996—a 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six-day-a-week work schedule that was outlawed in China in 2021—has been newly glorified in Silicon Valley. AI startup Rilla told candidates last year not to bother applying unless they’re excited to........

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