'My Mom Was Not A Stock Analyst—Just A Working Woman. When She Passed, She Was Rich'—Kevin O'Leary Reveals Her Lifelong Process You Can Copy

Kevin O'Leary, the investor and entrepreneur best known from “Shark Tank,” has often shared financial advice, but some of his most powerful lessons come from his own mother. She wasn't a stock analyst, a fund manager, or an economist. She was just a working woman with a simple yet highly effective investment strategy. And when she passed away, she left behind a surprising amount of wealth.

A Simple Yet Powerful Investment Strategy

My mom was not a stock analyst—just a working woman. But she built a huge portfolio using one simple strategy:

20% of every paycheck went into dividend stocks and bonds. No more than 5% in any one stock, no more than 20% in any sector. She did that for 60 years. When she… pic.twitter.com/OmN3fnynqr

— Kevin O'Leary aka Mr. Wonderful (@kevinolearytv) February 23, 2025

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Apparently, O'Leary's mother, Georgette, developed a financial approach that anyone can follow. She committed to saving 15% to 20% of her paycheck every week, regardless of market conditions. Instead of chasing trends, she focused on two things: stocks that paid dividends and high-yield bonds.

"She took 20% of her paycheck each week and invested it in just stocks in the S&P that paid dividends and telco bonds," O'Leary said.

This wasn't a short-term experiment but a lifelong commitment. She stuck to this method for decades, never deviating from her plan.

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Strict Rules for Diversification

Unlike many casual investors, O'Leary's mother followed a disciplined approach to managing risk. She had two key rules:

• No more than 5% in any one stock or bond
• No more than 20% in any one sector

This ensured her portfolio remained diversified, reducing the risk of any single company or industry dragging down her overall investments. "She was not an analyst, just a working gal," O'Leary emphasized, proving that you don't need a finance degree to build wealth.

Decades of Growth Turned Into Significant Wealth

The results of her patience and discipline were staggering. Over 32 years in one account and 62 years in another, her investments compounded. She never touched the principal—only spending dividends and interest—allowing her portfolio to grow at an average of 8% to 20% per year.

When she passed away, O'Leary was shocked. "I said, I don't think so. We're a middle-class family," he recalled when the estate executor told him she had amassed a fortune. "She’d only spend the interest or the dividends. So this thing grew over 60 years."

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The Lesson

O'Leary took his mother's investment principles and applied them to his own wealth-building strategy. He even built an ETF company based on her rules, helping others benefit from the same disciplined approach.

Her story proves that financial success doesn't require picking the hottest stocks or timing the market. It requires consistency, patience, and discipline—things anyone can practice. As O'Leary's mother showed, even someone with a regular job and no professional investment background can achieve incredible financial results over time.

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