Canadian Billionaire and former shark tank investor Kevin O’Leary recently shared that the salary he pays to top creative professionals has increased sixfold, reflecting a dramatic shift in how marketing roles are valued in the age of AI and performance-driven metrics. In a post shared on social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter) O’Leary wrote, “I used to hire creative talent for $48K a year. Today? The best ones are making $300K base… and another $300K in bonuses.” He also explained that the creatives are no longer judged solely on output but on measurable business impact. “Because they don’t just create — they drive results,” he said, pointing to metrics such as customer acquisition cost (CAC) and return on ad spend (ROAS).“If you can lower CAC, increase ROAS, and actually grow a business… you’re not an employee anymore. You’re a profit center,” O’Leary added.
Kevin O’Leary believes that is the reason behind rising creative compensation
O’Leary has linked the increase in creative compensation to the growing role of AI in digital marketing, which has made performance-linked work more valuable. Professionals who can improve ad performance are now earning up to $6000,000 annually through base pay and bonuses. Along with this, he also flagged concerns about Gen Z practices, criticising candidates who involve parents in job interviews. Calling it a “red flag,” he said parental participation signals poor independence and weak professional readiness.
LinkedIn and digital footprints
O’Leary further warned that job seekers without LinkedIn profiles are at a disadvantage, as recruiters increasingly rely on digital footprints to evaluate candidates. Employers now examine online activity and professional branding as part of the hiring process.
Read O’Leary’s complete X post here
I used to hire creative talent for $48K a year.Today? The best ones are making $300K base… and another $300K in bonuses.Why? Because they don’t just create — they drive results. If you can lower customer acquisition cost, increase ROAS, and actually grow a business… you’re not an employee anymore.You’re a profit center and I don’t care where you’re from — if you can deliver, you get paid.That’s the new economy.
