Kevin O’Leary Says Zohran Mamdani’s Biggest Advantage Comes Down to This 1 Hire.While the ‘Shark Tank’ star may disagree with the New York City mayor’s politics, he says he supports one part of his strategy.

Despite sharp political differences, Shark Tank investor Kevin O’Leary called New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani a social-media "genius"—attributing his viral reach to his talented social media director and young digital team.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Strategic Masterclass: O'Leary noted that Mamdani's ability to turn provocative proposals into free headlines and millions of views eliminates the need for paid attention.
  
  
• The Talent Hunt: After meeting the young woman leading Mamdani's digital strategy at the Marty Supreme premiere, O’Leary admitted to "practically begging" her to leave politics for the private sector.
  
  
• Massive Audience Reach: Mamdani's social media ecosystem dominates platforms, commanding over 12.3 million followers on his personal Instagram account and 4.6 million on his official mayoral page.
  
  

PLAYBOOK FOR LEADERS

"There’s a lesson here for every politician heading into the midterms: get someone who understands how to capture attention and dominate the conversation."

— Kevin O’Leary

Strategy	Execution / Impact
Hire Digital Natives	Bring on young, social-savvy professionals who naturally understand modern platform dynamics.
Leverage Free Organic Reach	Generate direct visibility and high customer/constituent acquisition without spending advertising dollars.
Dominate the Narrative	Structure communication to spark headlines, capture broad audience attention, and control the news cycle.