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There’s an old saying in business: don’t fall in love with the investment—fall in love with the numbers. Basketball Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal has built a fortune by following that rule, even when it meant walking away from a business that once looked like a winner.
"You know we love pizza. I sold my Auntie Anne’s because Black people don’t like pretzels that much," O’Neal said on the "Earn Your Leisure" podcast in 2021. "So I had to switch it up."
The comment drew laughs, but O’Neal wasn’t just delivering a punchline. He was explaining why he walked away from a franchise investment after realizing consumer demand wasn’t matching his expectations.
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O’Neal bought his first Auntie Anne’s franchises in 2007 and eventually owned 17 locations. While the investment showed promise early on, he said the numbers ultimately told a different story.
When the Numbers Change, So Does the Strategy
When one of the podcast hosts pushed back, arguing that cinnamon pretzels were still popular, O’Neal wasn’t convinced.
"Maaan, nobody eats cinnamon pretzels," he joked before playfully teasing the host, drawing laughter from everyone in the room.
Then he returned to the point behind the joke.
"At first, it was a good investment, but the numbers…" O’Neal said, trailing off as if the rest hardly needed explaining.
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The message was clear. Successful investing isn’t about proving an idea can work—it’s about recognizing when it no longer does.
That willingness to pivot has become a defining trait of O’Neal’s business career. Rather than forcing an investment to succeed, he’s repeatedly shown he’ll move his money where the opportunity is stronger.
Knowing When To Pivot
O’Neal has often said he looks for businesses that fit how people actually live, not just ideas that sound good on paper. That’s one reason his portfolio has long centered on recognizable consumer brands and franchise businesses with broad appeal.
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The same focus on operational performance is fueling interest in companies like Miso Robotics. The company develops AI-powered kitchen automation technology, including its Flippy robot, which helps restaurants improve consistency, reduce labor pressures and streamline back-of-house operations. As Miso Robotics continues expanding its technology, everyday investors have the opportunity to invest while the company is still privately held.
For O’Neal, selling his Auntie Anne’s franchises wasn’t an admission of failure. It was a reminder that even good investments have a shelf life. Sometimes the smartest business move isn’t holding on—it’s knowing exactly when it’s time to switch it up.
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Building Wealth Across More Than Just the Market
Building a resilient portfolio means thinking beyond a single asset or market trend. Economic cycles shift, sectors rise and fall, and no one investment performs well in every environment. That’s why many investors look to diversify with platforms that provide access to real estate, fixed-income opportunities, precious metals, and even self-directed retirement accounts. By spreading exposure across multiple asset classes, it becomes easier to manage risk, capture steady returns, and create long-term wealth that isn’t tied to the fortunes of just one company or industry.
Arrived
Backed by Jeff Bezos, Arrived Homes makes real estate investing accessible with a low barrier to entry. Investors can buy fractional shares of single-family rentals and vacation homes starting with as little as $100. This allows everyday investors to diversify into real estate, collect rental income, and build long-term wealth without needing to manage properties directly.
Realberry
Institutional-quality real estate has traditionally been difficult for individual investors to access. Realberry gives accredited investors direct access to private real estate opportunities backed by a team with 35 years of experience, $3.4 billion in assets under management, and $481 million in cumulative distributions paid to investors as of Q4 2025, according to the company. With a portfolio spanning 13 million square feet across seven U.S. states, Realberry focuses on acquiring, developing, and managing real estate with an emphasis on long-term value creation while its principals often invest alongside clients to help align interests.
FarmTogether
Farmland has historically held its value through market volatility and delivered returns uncorrelated to stocks and bonds. For accredited investors, FarmTogether offers direct access to high-quality U.S. farmland starting at $15,000 — fully managed, with no landlord headaches.
Immersed
Immersed is building technology for the future of work through spatial computing. Known for its AR/VR productivity platform that enables users to work across multiple virtual screens, the company has grown to more than 1.5 million users worldwide. Immersed is also developing Visor, a lightweight headset designed specifically for professional productivity, positioning the company at the intersection of remote work, extended reality (XR), and next-generation computing.
Fundrise
Private real estate and private credit can add income and stability to a stock-heavy portfolio. Fundrise offers access to diversified private real estate and credit strategies through an easy-to-use platform, with professionally managed portfolios designed to generate passive income and long-term growth.
Mode Mobile
Mode Mobile is changing the way people interact with their phones by letting users earn money from the same apps and activities they already use every day. Instead of platforms keeping all the advertising revenue, Mode Mobile shares a portion back with users who engage with content, play games, and scroll on their devices. Named one of Deloitte’s fastest-growing software companies in North America, the company has built a large beta user base and is scaling a model that turns everyday smartphone usage into a potential income stream.
EquityMultiple
For accredited investors looking beyond stocks and bonds, EquityMultiple provides access to vetted commercial real estate deals starting at $5,000, with only ~5% of opportunities passing their due diligence process.
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This article Shaq Owned 17 Auntie Anne’s Franchises but Realized ‘Black People Don’t Like Pretzels That Much’ — So He Decided To ‘Switch It Up’ originally appeared on Benzinga.com.
