Billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban has never been one to sugarcoat things, and his take on wealth is refreshingly blunt. Money doesn't just change your bank account, it changes how everyone around you behaves.
"It makes ugly people handsome and pretty," Cuban joked during an appearance on the "Your Mom's House" podcast earlier this year. It's a quip, sure, but there's a real observation underneath about how wealth warps perception.
The Strange Side Effects of Fame and Fortune
Cuban climbed from working-class Pittsburgh to a net worth exceeding $9 billion, according to Bloomberg. Somewhere along that journey, he noticed people started treating him differently. "When you're on these lists and everything, people know who you are," he explained. "People treat you differently."
The podcast's co-host Christina Pazsitzky called it the "fame mist"—once you become famous, people suddenly like you more. The same goes for money. Cuban agreed they're intertwined, creating a haze that makes it hard to know who's genuine and who's just dazzled by your balance sheet.
Despite the perks that come with billions, Cuban keeps his circle tight. He still hangs with the same friends from high school, college, and his rugby playing days. "I'm not looking for new friends," he said flatly.
The attention has practical downsides too. Sometimes his kids ask him not to show up to their basketball games because he becomes a distraction. "They know if I go, the other team will come up and take pictures," Cuban said. His solution? "So sometimes I'll just come in the back door."
The Weight of Wealth on His Children
In a 2023 conversation on "The Really Good Podcast" with Bobbi Althoff, Cuban opened up about how his wealth affects his three children. They feel the pressure of the Cuban name and fortune.
"Sometimes I think that's the part they don't like," he said about having money. "Not that they want to be poor, but it sets an expectation… it's how other people see them."
Cuban's approach to parenting focuses on financial independence. He makes his kids earn and spend their own money for anything beyond essentials. His youngest has embraced the entrepreneurial spirit, selling candy bars to classmates and learning about business costs and profit margins in real time.
He wants them to forge their own paths, not coast on his accomplishments. "You don't have to know what you're going to be when you grow up," he told one of his kids. "Just be curious. The more knowledge you have, the more capabilities and options are available to you," he said on the "Your Mom's House" podcast.
Money Doesn't Buy Happiness, But It Does Buy Time
Cuban pushed back hard against the notion that wealth automatically brings happiness. "If you were happy when you were poor, you're going to be happy when you're rich. If you were miserable when you were poor, you're going to be miserable when you're rich," he said.
That said, money can buy something valuable: time. Cuban recalled that one of his first major purchases was a plane, not for showing off, but for efficiency. "The time that you save is money in the bank," he told co-host Tom Segura. "The more time you have, the more money you'll make." He jokingly encouraged Segura to buy his own plane too.
It's classic Cuban—practical, direct, and grounded despite the billions. Money changes how people see you and treat you, but it doesn't fundamentally change who you are. And according to Cuban, that's probably the most important thing to remember when everyone suddenly thinks you're a lot better looking.