“Resourceful and creative” — Shark Tank guest investor Daniel Lubetzky shares what he looks for in founders of his portfolio companies
Daniel Lubetzky, a guest investor on Shark Tank and the founder of Kind Snacks, has built a reputation for identifying and backing strong entrepreneurs. Through his investment firm, Camino Partners—which has committed to deploying at least $350 million into growth-stage startups—Lubetzky has funded brands like Cava, Barry’s, Belgian Boys, and Prose.
Speaking with Inc. editor-in-chief Mike Hofman on May 6, 2025, as part of the Inc. Shark Tank series for Small Business Week, Lubetzky revealed the key trait that compels him to invest in a founder.
“It’s very important to look for that entrepreneurial zeal,” he said. “That’s so hard to recreate.”
He further defined it as:
“that person that’s going to be resourceful and creative and always come up with solutions.”
Shark Tank: Daniel Lubetzky reflects on entrepreneurial traits
On Shark Tank, Lubetzky regularly evaluates business owners based on more than just their sales and projections. His focus, as he shared in the Inc. interview on May 6, is on a founder’s mindset and adaptability.
“The only given is that there are no givens,” he stated. “Entrepreneurs will inevitably face obstacles.”
This is the reason he searches for individuals with the right mix of character traits to persist through challenges. Lubetzky summarized his ideal founder profile using a framework he calls “the three its: grit, wit, and fit.”
Shark Tank investor Lubetzky emphasized that he seeks out entrepreneurs who demonstrate unwavering persistence and a problem-solving mindset. He said he’s drawn to individuals who remain committed through challenges and are constantly working to find solutions, rather than those who give up when things get tough.
What he’s building now and the companies he’s backing
Daniel Lubetzky launched Kind Snacks in 2004, building it into one of the leading names in the health food space. He sold the company to Mars in 2020 for a reported $5 billion and no longer holds a stake in it. Since then, he has transitioned into a new phase of his career, focusing on investing in other growth-stage companies through Camino Partners, which he established in 2023.
As of March 2025, Camino Partners has backed brands including the Mediterranean restaurant chain Cava, haircare company Prose, and breakfast food brand Belgian Boys. His most recent investment is in Barry’s, a global fitness brand known for its high-intensity interval training workouts.
The investment in Barry’s aligns with Lubetzky’s ongoing focus on wellness and longevity.
“Kind was an early player in helping consumers take more agency over their wellbeing,” he said. “As technology evolves, there are more opportunities than ever to help consumers make healthy choices to support looking, eating, exercising, and feeling good while aging.”
Lubetzky’s business ventures extend beyond consumer products. After the Kind sale, he launched the Builders Movement, a civic initiative aimed at reducing societal polarization.
Speaking on the From the Ground Up podcast, Lubetzky said he saw a gap in civil discourse after working in companies where respectful debate and collaboration were part of the culture.
“Builders is a movement not just to become better parents, better CEOs, better executives, better leaders, better professionals, but also better citizens,” he explained.
In one project under the Builders Movement, a group of Tennessee residents from various political backgrounds spent nine months collaborating on gun safety proposals. The group, which included both a Second Amendment advocate and a schoolteacher affected by gun violence, agreed on nine legislative suggestions.
Shark Tank star Lubetzky highlighted this as an example of the constructive results that come from “thinking outside the box” and adopting a “builder’s mindset.” He also stressed the importance of empathy and problem-solving over rigid ideology.
“It’s not necessarily about changing other people’s minds,” he said. “It’s more about understanding where people come from and then finding solutions.”
Viewers can watch Shark Tank every Friday on ABC at 8 pm EST.
