Mark Cuban on Growing Your Wealth Beyond Your 1st Job: ‘You Are Always a Free Agent’
Written by
John Csiszar
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Rebekah Evans
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When it comes to free agents and team players, few people have as much knowledge as Mark Cuban. Formerly the owner of the Dallas Mavericks — and one of the most popular investors on the TV show “Shark Tank” — Cuban is an outspoken, self-made billionaire who often gives free advice to young people about how they can get ahead in the world. In a Dec. 29, 2024 post on Bluesky, for example, Cuban said that when you’re young, “you are always a free agent” in the workforce.
Here’s what Cuban meant by that advice, along with some other insights he has for growing wealth beyond your first job.
Cuban’s Outlook on the Job Market
“Now it’s time to get paid to learn. You don’t need a perfect job,” Cuban wrote. “You need to be the best as you can at your job. People like jobs they are good at…But…You are always a free agent. [sic] You can always be looking and learn more in a new job and in a new job.”
Essentially, Cuban suggested that young people don’t look at their first jobs as places they are chained to for life. While that may have been true at one point for many American workers, we now live in a very dynamic job market. Most workers these days change their jobs after just 3.9 years on average, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.
With that in mind, Cuban’s advice makes more sense. With the “free agent mentality,” according to Cuban, you should look at your job as a place where you can get paid to learn. You should use your time at your job — especially for your first few jobs — to acquire as much knowledge as possible. The more skills you can learn at any given job, the better positioned you will be to take on new jobs in the future.
How About Entrepreneurs?
As an entrepreneur for most of his life, Cuban has even more advice for those who start and run their own companies. But the theme of education remains. “The biggest mistake people make when they start a business is that they stop learning,” Cuban explained. “They stop being curious and that is the worst thing you can do.”
If you’re running your own business, Cuban emphasized that you must learn the language of that business — along with the basics that are the same regardless of the type of business you run. “There are languages to business: sales, marketing, finance and so much more,” he said. “And you have to learn those languages because otherwise, you’re gonna be dependent on other people.”
Cuban fervently believes that unless you can learn your way to the top, you might have a hard time succeeding as an entrepreneur. “You’re not the only one doing what you do. The thing about being an entrepreneur is that there is a lot of competition,” he added. “You may be competing with me — for real. Because if you’re competing with me, I still have those books in my bathroom and I’m still reading them to learn.”
Did Cuban Follow His Own Advice?
As befitting the former owner of a team called the Mavericks, Cuban has always been a bit of a trendsetter. Although gifted with a bright mind, he’s always prioritized education and learning as a way to get ahead. When he was in his 20s, for example, Cuban got a job in software sales even while knowing little about the industry, so he spent his spare time reading computer manuals on his own to learn all about the technology involved. Ultimately, Cuban learned enough to form and sell his own internet radio company, Broadcast.com, to Yahoo! For $5.7 billion in 1999.
If you’re a believer in the Cuban school of success, then education should be your primary mantra. Whether you’re starting your own company or working for someone else, Cuban believes that the path to success is learning all that you can. As an employee, this gives you worth, both to your current company and to any others you are considering working for; as an entrepreneur, it helps you become the best at what you do, which by its very nature drives revenue. Just remember that no matter which path you take, you’re always a “free agent” — and being the best free agent available makes you in demand.
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