When Kobe Bryant’s father, Joe ‘Jellybean’ Bryant, handed him a VHS tape of great NBA players before him, he wasn’t just sharing basketball footage but he was also planting the seeds of the “Mamba Mentality” that would revolutionize the game. Similarly, Dell Curry’s shooting drills with his son Stephen Curry in their backyard laid the foundation for one of the greatest shooters in NBA history. But while these fathers focused on perfecting jump shots and defensive moves, Shaquille O’Neal‘s Army stepfather was drilling a different kind of lesson into young Shaq’s mind.

In the latest video posted by Shaq on his YouTube, the seven-footer had only one question for the panelists: What has financial adversity taught them? While most of them, including CEO and author Vivian Tu and basketball player Juan Toscano-Anderson, focused on how their mindset had helped them save money, the Big Aristotle had a different approach to his answer. “I’ve made so many mistakes but good thing about my life is being raised by a drill sergeant. You are taught not to make two mistakes in a row. So I used to get in trouble. So like once I do something I know it’s a mistake, it’s deleted. It’s deleted from my program,” O’Neal said on his namesake YouTube channel.

Phillip A. Harrison’s name is synonymous with Shaq’s name and his influence on the seven-footer indeed went far beyond the basketball court. As a drill sergeant, he understood that in both military operations and life, repeated mistakes could be costly. He instilled in Shaq a methodical approach to decision-making which encouraged him to analyze his failures, extract lessons, and make better strategies to move forward.

This mindset proved invaluable when O’Neal transitioned from an NBA superstar to a business mogul. He famously turned down a $40 million sneaker deal with Reebok in 1995 as a rookie, which was a decision that initially seemed like a mistake but also led to him creating his affordable shoe line with Walmart, which has sold over 400 million pairs. Moreover, the teachings from his father helped Shaq to have a net worth of $500 million, which includes $292 million from his NBA salaries, $100 million from his real estate, $150 million from his business ventures, $50 million from his brand endorsements, and $100 million from his investments.

Shaq’s success is an example of his talent, hard work, and determination. Moreover, it is also a reflection of the valuable lessons he learned from his father. However, did you know about the business that Big Aristotle owns?

Shaquille O’Neal and his venture into the business world

Shaq has established himself as a successful businessman, venturing into various industries with impressive success. His vision has led him to invest in a wide range of businesses, from restaurants and hotels to technology companies.

He was one of the first people to invest in companies such as Apple, Google, Lyft, Vitaminwater, and Ring. Interestingly, the aforementioned companies were quite small when Shaq invested in them but they turned out to be a huge success. The seven-footer also used to own 155 Five Guys Burgers franchises, 40 24-Hour Fitness franchises, 17 Auntie Annie’s Pretzels franchises, 150 car washes, nightclubs in Las Vegas, a shopping center, and a movie theater.

His recent big investment was in 2018 when he launched his taste food restaurant chain by the name of ‘Big Chicken.’ There are about 19 Big Chicken restaurants with its new store in Michigan. Although how much money Shaq has earned in total from Big Chicken hasn’t been revealed, the restaurant chain is estimated to earn an annual revenue of $31.6M per year. It can be said that the seven footer’s ability to identify promising opportunities and partner with successful entrepreneurs has contributed to his financial success.

Stay tuned for more such updates and join us for the exciting second episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and Mountain West All-Freshman Team Selection, Asia Avinger.