Mark Cuban is an entrepreneur, investor, and TV personality.
Oh, and he is a billionaire.
That being said, it’s undeniable that he has a lot to say about building a career in business.
So, what is Mark Cuban’s secret? Is there ever a secret or a specific mindset, or does this kind of success depend on many different factors and circumstances?
It’s a tough question, but his MasterClass helped me come a little closer to the answer.
In the following paragraphs, I’ll tell you everything about my learning experience. So, if you’re not sure whether this course is worth taking, sit back, relax, and keep reading.
Table of Contents
What is the Mark Cuban MasterClass?
“Win Big in Business” is an online course offered by MasterClass, a popular learning platform known for its team of world-leading instructors.
The course is taught by Mark Cuban, a famous American businessman. He is best known as one of the “sharks” on the ABC reality television series Shark Tank and as the former principal owner of the Dallas Mavericks of the NBA.
In his MasterClass, Cuban talks about his journey of becoming a billionaire and explains the foundations for starting a business. He also shares practical tips on how to outshark all of your competition and remain ‘in the game’ as long as possible.
The course contains only 1 video lesson with a duration of 1 hour and 31 minutes. It’s a rather short and fast-paced course comprised primarily of one-on-one lessons.
Who is Mark Cuban?
The instructor of this course, Mark Cuban, has many successful ventures and business projects behind him. He is a co-owner of 2929 Entertainment, a minority owner of the Dallas Mavericks (and a former principal owner), and an investor on Shark Tank. He is even an owner of the town of Mustang, Texas, which he purchased for roughly $2 million.
Cuban first ventured into business at age 12 when he sold garbage bags to buy himself a pair of expensive sneakers. He later graduated from the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University and started a business career after co-founding MicroSolutions and Broadcast.com.
Over the years, Cuban invested in various industries, including technology, media, sports, and entertainment. He is also known for his political activity and involvement in reality TV.
Who is Mark Cuban’s MasterClass for?
As Mark points out in the course, the class is suitable for everyone who has ever dreamed of starting a business. And I sort of agree.
The course is easy to follow, covering basic techniques and principles that can help you recognize a good idea and turn it into a fruitful business.
For more experienced entrepreneurs and investors, it offers a direct look at the approach and mindset of one of the most successful businessmen out there.
But all things considered, Mark’s MasterClass is probably best suited for beginners searching for some motivation and guidance to get things started. It doesn’t, however, offer in-depth knowledge or a how-to guide to starting a business, but as Mark emphasized at the beginning, it offers ‘all the little things business schools forget to teach you.’
What does Mark Cuban's MasterClass cover?
Despite its relatively short duration, Mark Cuban’s course tackles many business-related topics.
But as I just mentioned, it doesn’t provide a lot of theory or terminology. It’s rather a detailed look at Mark Cuban’s philosophy of success.
Mark starts the class with his thoughts on entrepreneurship and promising ideas. He then proceeds with the fundamentals and factors that you need to take into account when starting a business.
He also talks about his experiences a lot, including his involvement with the Mavericks, the Shark Tank show, and so on.
Finally, he teaches how to maximize your success and make an impact.
The course contains only one video lesson, but it’s divided into ten chapters. These chapters include:
- Keys to getting started: Foundations to starting a business
- Broadcasting.com: Building equity
- Shark Tank: Taking bets on great ideas
- The Mavs: Building a culture to drive success
- Cost Plus Drugs: Disrupting legacy industries
- Fireside: Building around communities
- Market smarter
- Evaluating risk: Being all in
- Be unconventional
- Maximize your success: Exit strategies & making an impact
My favorite parts of Mark Cuban’s MasterClass
All in all, I think Mark’s class offers useful tips and insights for anyone interested in entering the business world.
It perhaps lacks depth and more insightful case studies and discussions, but it does have some interesting key takeaways.
For instance, Mark points out some important questions you need to ask yourself when starting a business, such as:
- Can I optimize my process?
- What are my costs?
- Can I make a profit?
I also liked the part where Mark talked about risk. He seemed very honest in this chapter, talking about his family and how he values time differently now.
But if you crave success and money, you need to be all in, at least at the beginning of your career. You also need to be ready to get out of your comfort zone, says Mark, and talk to people who disagree with you. That’s how you grow, learn, and change things.
How much does the MasterClass cost?
MasterClass is a subscription-based learning platform, so it’s not possible to purchase courses individually. If you want to take this MasterClass, you have to become a subscriber.
The standard annual plan has been renamed "Plus" and is available at $120 a year (which makes it $10 per month, billed annually), and now provides access to all MasterClass courses on two devices instead of one. The Premium plan, providing access for up to six devices costs $240 per year.
A MasterClass subscription gives you unlimited access to a catalog of 200+ classes, so if you want to take multiple classes throughout the year, the subscription is definitely worth it, and there are pleny of interesting courses on related topics to explore.
Also, the platform offers a 30-day satisfaction guarantee, so if you’re not happy with your learning experience, you can request a full refund.
Note that the "Standard" membership, priced at $72 per year, only gives you access to their short-form learning content – none of their full MasterClasses are included.
What I liked about Mark Cuban’s MasterClass
One thing is clear: Mark is a person who really likes to learn and who is able to recognize good ideas and opportunities.
His enthusiasm is visible throughout the entire course, as well as his ambition and success-driven (read: money-driven) motivation. Nevertheless, that’s what it takes to become a billionaire.
In any case, Mark’s class offers an interesting look at some of his biggest ventures, which can certainly be of great use to aspiring entrepreneurs and business students.
Some of the reasons why I think Mark’s class is worth taking a look include:
Learning from an expert
If there’s anyone who can say something about earning money and navigating yourself in the business world, it’s Mark Cuban.
Whether you like him as a TV personality of not, Mark has a lot of experience and knowledge regarding investing, selling, and building a business from scratch, and some of his tips and stories are truly valuable.
Plus, his teaching style is encouraging and lively, and I didn’t feel bored or overwhelmed at any point.
Unconventional approach
One of the key takeaways of the course is that you should strive to be unconventional. Well, it seems like Mark took his own advice because he delivered a course with a rather unusual structure and learning goals.
As he pointed out at the beginning, he wanted to teach things that you can’t learn in a business school or other traditional business courses. And while it would be better if he delved into his methods and philosophy a bit deeper, I still think his approach to these classes was effective.
Short and concise lessons
A part of the charm of this course is that is very short, fast-paced, and concise. This is definitely an advantage for people who don’t have much time on their hands but want to complete the class.
Helpful graphics
Although Mark didn’t talk about any complex ideas or terms, the on-screen graphics and explanations that would sometimes occur made the course easier to follow.
Drawbacks of Mark Cuban’s MasterClass
Although I think Mark’s course has many benefits, I do think there are some things that could be improved.
Lack of in-depth knowledge
When it comes to finding business ideas and turning them into something profitable, most of Mark’s lessons only scratched the surface.
That said, it’s hard to say who this course is really for. Yes, it’s beginner-friendly, but it also doesn’t provide the necessary knowledge you need to start a business.
On the other hand, the course offers Mark Cuban’s unique views on business and success.
So, it all depends on your needs and expectations.
Not enough practical advice
Since the course provides a look at the business world from Mark’s perspective, I expected more practical tips. He did provide some useful advice, but in many cases, that advice would remain somewhat vague and, at times, even abstract.
After all, Mark mentioned in one of the chapters that he doesn’t believe in networking because rich people never give away their best ideas and secrets. Well, by that line of reasoning…
Review conclusion: Is Mark Cuban’s MasterClass worth it?
At the end of the day, if you’re already subscribed to MasterClass, I think Mark’s course is worth taking.
Of course, in order to benefit from the course, you need to be interested in starting a business or at least curious about Mark Cuban’s lifestyle and ventures.
He is an engaging teacher, that’s for sure, and his approach to teaching a class is often unconventional and rather personal. I do think he could have provided even more specific tips for aspiring entrepreneurs, but there’s only so much you can teach in an hour and a half.
Either way, if you’re interested in starting a business, you might find Mark Cuban’s lessons very interesting and beneficial.
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