Multimillionaire businessman, investor, and star of the hit show "Shark Tank," Robert Herjavec has a deep appreciation for America -- borne out of his family's experience escaping communism.
"My dad was really a proud guy," said Herjavec on Fox Nation's "The Pursuit with John Rich." "He thought that if we can get to America, our future is set. The streets are paved with gold in America and I still believe that."
On "The Pursuit," country star, entrepreneur, and Fox Nation host John Rich speaks to people from all walks of life -- about the impact of the constitutional right to pursue happiness on their lives.
Herjavec's family fled communist Yugoslavia when he was 8 years old. His father was never content to live under the yoke of socialism.
"He hated the idea of him working hard and then him having to give up half to somebody else," said Herjavec. "He was just like if I want my family to do better, no one's going to take that away from me... If I earn it, it's mine. And so that doesn't work in communism."
After his father was arrested 22 times for speaking out against communist rule, he decided to escape -- for good.
"I think he literally just pushed the [jail cell] door open," said Herjavec. "The guy was sleeping and he grabbed my mom and I. We crossed the border to Italy in the night."
The family immigrated to Canada with little more than the clothes on their backs. His father worked hard to support the family, taking multiple shifts a day in a factory.
"I used to think it wasn't a big deal," Herjavec remembered, "Now as I get older, I realize what a life that man had. I mean, anything I've done in my lifetime will never match how hard he worked."
"Life doesn't give you what you deserve. Life gives you what you make of it," he continued, "I hate when people complain to me, 'Oh my God, it's so hard. I have no opportunity.' "
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"I'm like, 'OK, stop right there. No one in this country is coming down the street with a gun to take stuff away from you. Everybody can be successful here.' And I learned that from my dad."
Herjavec made his own way -- eventually founding the internet security software company BRAK Systems in 1990. He sold it to AT&T Canada a decade later for $30.2 million.
Herjavec also opened up to Rich about a promise that he made to his dying mother. A promise that came full circle decades later and embodies his belief in the pursuit of happiness.
"She loved 'Dancing with the Stars," Herjavec told Rich. "Every Monday she would watch the show."
When she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, Herjavec visited her at the hospital to watch the show together.
"My mom looks at me and says, 'Robbie, you so pretty. Why you not be on 'Dancing With Stars?'" he remembered, imitating an eastern European accent.
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"Keep in mind -- I wasn't on TV. I had no ambitions to it," he added, "So I say to her, 'If they ever ask me to do the show, I'll do it -- for you,'" he recalled.
"I end up getting on the show. I meet my incredible wife and we have twins. And if you map it backwards -- it's perfect. But those are the moments of your life. Sometimes the dots don't connect until afterwards and you just have to keep going."
"People [who] have not achieved greatness of any kind always think it's that one thing. They think that success is like a lottery ticket," he concluded, "It's all those little things that you plug away at and you keep going and you keep going and failure and people making fun of you and all that crap. And the cumulation of your effort and pursuits are what achieve greatness one day."
To hear more from Herjavec, including the story of his audition for 'Shark Tank,' and to watch all of this episode and more of "The Pursuit! with John Rich," go to Fox Nation and sign up today.
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