Here is all you need to know about Shaquille O’Neal’s business deal with Google which changed his life
Big man Shaq is one of the most dominating centers to ever play in the NBA. His brutal display of force while dunking the ball will always remain a fan favorite. It is a known fact that Shaq’s strength was feared and his opponents happily acknowledged it. But do you know that apart from being a phenomenal player, Shaq also has a brilliant business mind?
It is an open secret that Shaq O’Neal had once invested in Google and won big from its returns. But recently Shaq was once again in the news but for a completely different reason. It was recently discovered that Shaq did not take the opportunity to invest in Starbucks. The sole reason for not investing in Starbucks? Shaq does not drink coffee!
Shaq revealed that his agent came up with the proposal for investing in Starbucks. After listening to the proposal, Shaq rejected the deal because he had no faith in the coffee business. He did not have faith in the coffee business because while he was growing up he did not see many people drinking coffee in his community or neighborhood.
The Business Empire of Shaquille O’Neal – Shaq’s Google deal
Big Diesel went on to admit that not investing in Starbucks was one of his worst business decisions in life. Now anywhere he goes, Shaq sees a Starbucks shop in every corner of the country. This sight of a Starbucks shop in every corner of the country makes Shaq regret his decision to not invest in the company.
However, when it comes to business, Shaq has not failed much in his life. Since his NBA career days, Shaq has been investing and has been winning big on his return on investments. One famous example is Shaq’s Google deal. Reportedly, in 1999, Shaq invested in Google’s Series A. He invested a massive $100 million with the intuition that the business will succeed, providing him with a huge profit. Come to think of it, Shaq’s intuition turned out to be right.
Presently in 2022, the company, Google’s Series A, has an estimated value of about $1.89 trillion.
The Big Diesel also heavily invests in different franchises. In a confession, Shaq revealed that he loves franchising a lot.
According to sources, Shaq owns around 40 fitness centers and 150 car washes. He also has a niche for food franchises. Shaq is a brand ambassador for Papa John’s and owns 9 units. Further, Shaq is on the pizza company’s board of directors since 2019. He is also the owner of 17 Auntie Anne’s Pretzels restaurants. It is said that Shaq also owns several restaurants.
While in college, O’Neal was introduced to Krispy Kreme. Since then, it has become his favorite. His love made him invest in Krispy Kreme. Currently, Shaq owns a few Krispy Kreme franchises all over the USA.
In 2018, Shaq founded the chicken sandwich brand Big Chicken. This is a Las Vegas-based chain that already has 10 locations, with partnerships including Toronto-based Ghost Kitchen Brands and Carnival Cruise Ships. In 2021, Big Chicken started franchising and is currently expanding in cities like Austin and Phoenix.
What is the business mantra of Shaquille O’Neal?
In an interview, Shaq confessed that he follows the investment strategy of Jeff Bezos. Following Bezos’s strategy, Shaq started investing in companies based on how the companies changed people’s lives. And he said that it helped him to quadruple his worth.
Several statistics reveal that 60% of former NBA players go bankrupt within five years of retirement. In this case, Shaq is an exception. He is smart to understand the value of money and takes the perfect opportunities to place his money in the correct investments. It is evident that Shaq has business acumen. His business returns are a prove of his humongous hustle mentality.
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