Robert Herjavec and his family fled the communist regime in Croatia with one suit case and $20 in hand to live in Canada. At the time he spoke no English. They lived for 18 months in a friend's basement while they began rebuilding their new life in North America. Herjavec's first jobs were as a newspaper deliveryman and a waiter. These early experiences in customer service taught him the ins and outs of being a successful businessman.