We recently met Daniel Lubetzky in Las Vegas at the Clover x Shark Tank Summit.
We went there to talk with the Sharks, but this conversation felt different.
Daniel doesn’t speak like a celebrity entrepreneur. He speaks like a builder.
He’s thoughtful, grounded, and never in a rush.
He cares more about doing things right than doing them fast.
And after talking with him, it’s easy to see why he’s built companies, movements, and ideas that last.
The Story Behind the Builder
Daniel’s father survived the Holocaust. He arrived in Mexico with nothing, not even an education.
He learned Spanish by reading used encyclopedias cover to cover until he spoke nine languages.
Then he started a small jewelry business with Daniel’s grandfather that grew into a global company representing brands like Rolex, Omega, and Cartier.
That story defined Daniel’s sense of purpose. His father believed that humanity could still be good, even after everything he had lived through.
He taught Daniel that learning, discipline, and kindness can rebuild almost anything.
“My father taught me that your circumstances don’t define you. What defines you is how much you care to keep learning.”
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The Basement That Built KIND
When Daniel started KIND Snacks in 2004, he rented a small basement in New York for 500 dollars a month.
It had no windows, and the entrance was through a laundromat and a trash compactor.
He picked up old desks from the street and used them for years. Even after KIND became worth millions, he refused to replace them.
He kept them as a reminder to stay humble and stretch every dollar.
“We kept those desks to remind ourselves not to waste.”
At 50 million in revenue, Daniel was still packing boxes after trade shows.
An investor told him that wasn’t CEO behavior. He disagreed.
“If you think you’re too good for something, your team will too.”
Why He’s Not Investing in AI Startups
When we asked Daniel if he was investing in AI startups, he smiled.
“No. It’s going to be a bloodbath.”
He explained that while a few AI companies will become huge, most will fail.
Instead of betting on individual startups, he invests in a handful of funds that back hundreds of them.
“Most funds descend into mediocrity. They make too much money, manage too much money, and then they’re playing golf instead of working.”
He keeps most of his money in index funds like VTI and invests in only six funds that he considers world-class.
Everyone is chasing the next OpenAI. Daniel is betting on the system that finds them all.
Why Founder-Led Companies Win
Daniel told us that once founders leave, the company loses its energy.
“When the founder leaves, the soul leaves too.”
He’s seen this in every industry.
Startups, restaurants, and even global corporations lose their spark when professional managers take over.
That’s why he only invests in companies still led by entrepreneurs who are close to the product and still care about the mission.
“The best founders are builders. They don’t manage. They create.”
What the Top One Percent Do Differently
Daniel believes that excellence starts with values, not talent.
When I asked what separates the top one percent from everyone else, he listed five rules he lives by.
1. Do it for the right reasons. Money fades faster than meaning.
2. Build for excellence. Reputation compounds longer than profit.
3. Never cut corners. Shortcuts always come back to cost you more.
4. Invest in people with values. Respect them and honor their effort.
5. Do the right thing even when no one is watching.
“Integrity is what keeps a company standing when everything else goes wrong.”
Long on the United States, Hopeful for Spain
We asked Daniel if founders need to be in the United States to build a great company.
He said it helps, but not for the reasons most people think.
“The United States has something you can’t easily copy. Rule of law, the ability to fail and try again, freedom of expression, and a financial system that rewards ambition.”
Then he smiled and added,
“I’m long on the United States. I’m short on Europe. But I’m not short on Spain.”
We told him we love Spain but that things move faster in the U.S.
He said,
“Then prove it. Build something big there. Show it can be done.”
The First Hustle
Before KIND, Daniel was already an entrepreneur.
As a teenager, he sold luxury watches in Mexico. His father represented Rolex and Audemars Piguet, and Daniel found buyers, negotiated, and delivered the watches himself.
“A Rolex that was worth five thousand dollars then is worth two hundred thousand today. What mattered wasn’t the watch. It was learning how to find value before others saw it.”
The Rule That Keeps Him Grounded
Daniel’s advice for founders who don’t want to stay poor is direct and timeless.
“Don’t waste money. Don’t be embarrassed to hustle.”
He told us about the basement again. About picking up desks from the street. About learning to make the most out of what he had.
His grandfather used to say,
“A person who is too proud to pick up a penny isn’t worth a penny.”
That mindset became part of KIND’s culture.
“If you think you’re too good for something, your team will start thinking that too.”
The Lesson He Learned from His Father
Daniel’s father rebuilt his life after the Holocaust. He taught Daniel that kindness is not weakness, it’s strength.
Every venture Daniel has launched, from KIND Snacks to Camino Partners to Builders, follows that same idea: use business to make people’s lives better.
“My father survived the worst of humanity and still believed in the good. That’s the kind of strength I want to live by.”
Final Thoughts
Daniel Lubetzky has built more than a snack company. He’s built a philosophy.
He reminds us that success without values is empty, and ambition without humility doesn’t last.
He started with nothing, worked in a basement that smelled like garbage, and built one of the most trusted brands in the world.
He still believes in hard work, discipline, and doing the right thing when no one is looking.
“Comfort never built anything worth building.”
what would you ask Daniel if you had 5 minutes to speak with him?
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