Entrepreneur Kevin Harrington is not to be confused with his former fellow “Shark Tank” panelist, the seriously shady Kevin O’Leary: From 2009 to 2011, Harrington served alongside Mr. Wonderful as one of the original investors on the hit ABC show. He seemed to be having a great time, calling it “a phenomenal experience,” per AllBusiness. “I’ve learned even more about brokering deals in the heat of the moment with other sharks. … So it’s been informative and fun.” Despite what seemed like a rewarding experience, Harrington was replaced in Season 3 by Mark Cuban, another Shark who later left the show after dropping some major hints.
Harrington got his start in television advertising and is credited as the inventor of the infomercial, effectively revolutionizing the way products are sold on television back in the ’80s. His success in the world of TV advertising extended into the 1990s when he helped reshape the Home Shopping Network — a concept not far from QVC, where fellow “Shark Tank” star Lori Greiner and her husband Dan found their entrepreneurial footing. While it’s never been said what exactly drove Harrington off the show before its third season, his influence in the entrepreneurial community remains strong … as do the questions about what happened to Harrington after his departure.
Shark Tank’s Kevin Harrington has stayed in business beyond TV
Though no longer a “Shark Tank” regular, Kevin Harrington has stayed very active in the business world since leaving the show. In 2013, he collaborated with Amazon seller training site eFreedom to teach upcoming entrepreneurs the skills needed to become successful innovators. His passion for guiding new business owners has been a consistent theme throughout his career, and it’s allowed him to continue to build his legacy in the entrepreneurial world. Beyond this, he has remained the director of Harrington Business Development Inc. since 2002.
Over a decade post-“Shark Tank,” it seems Harrington might’ve started missing his time on camera. In 2022, he attempted to recreate the success of “Shark Tank” as a panelist on a new show called “Funding Faceoff.” The series, intended for free streaming platforms like The Roku Channel and Samsung TV Plus, aimed to offer budding entrepreneurs a platform to pitch their ideas. (Basically, “Shark Tank” by a different name.) However, nothing ever really became of the project. Only four episodes exist on the show’s Facebook page, and it’s unclear when (or if) more will be released. All in all, it looks like Harrington’s been pretty busy since his departure from “Shark Tank” in 2011.
