Stephen or Steven ( /ˈstiːvən/) is a masculine first name, derived from the Greek name Στέφανος (Stephanos) meaning "crown, garland", in turn from the Greek word "στέφανος", meaning "wreath, crown, honour, reward", literally "that which surrounds or encompasses". In ancient Greece, a wreath was given to the winner of a contest (from which the crown, symbol of rulers derived). The use of the noun was first recorded in Homer's Iliad. The name is significant to Christians: according to the Book of Acts in the New Testament, Saint Stephen was a deacon who was stoned to death and is regarded as the first Christian martyr. The name has many variants, which include Stephan, Stevan, Stefan and Stevon.

In Middle English, the name Stephen or Stephan was pronounced as a bi-syllabic word — Step-hen or Step-han — much like a Scandinavian surname. Steve was pronounced as it is in Modern English. This etymological usage began a decline in the mid-19th century.

Steve is the common short form, while various diminutives such as Stevie are also used. Many family names are derived from Stephen: the most common are Stephens/Stevens and Stephenson/Stevenson (others include Stephen, Stephan, Staphan, Stefan, Stevin and Stever).

Mark Cuban (born July 31, 1958) is an American business magnate. He is the owner of the National Basketball Association's Dallas Mavericks,Landmark Theatres, and Magnolia Pictures, and the chairman of the HDTV cable network HDNet. He is also a "shark" investor on the television series Shark Tank. In 2011, Cuban wrote an e-book, How to Win at the Sport of Business, in which he chronicles his life experiences in business and sports.

Cuban was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and grew up in the Pittsburgh suburb of Mt. Lebanon, in a Jewish working-class family. His last name was shortened from "Chabenisky" when his Russian grandparents landed on Ellis Island. Cuban's father Norton was an automobile upholsterer. Cuban's first step into the business world occurred at age 12, when he sold garbage bags to pay for a pair of expensive basketball shoes. While in school, he held a variety of jobs, including bartender, disco dancing instructor, and party promoter. He paid for college by collecting and selling stamps, and once gained about $1,100 from starting a chain letter.

Robert Herjavec (born September 14, 1963) is a Canadian businessman, investor, and television personality.

Herjavec was born in Varaždin, Croatia and emigrated with his family to Canada at the age of eight, eventually settling in the Toronto neighbourhood of Rexdale. He attended New College at the University of Toronto, and began his business career with IBM mainframe sales. In 1990 he founded BRAK Systems, which soon became Canada's top provider of Internet security software. BRAK Systems was sold to AT&T in 2000 for $100 million, and Herjavec took a position there as VP of Internet Security. He subsequently became VP of Sales at RAMP Networks, which was later sold to Nokia for $225 million. In 2003, Herjavec founded The Herjavec Group, a security software company, of which he is presently the CEO.

Herjavec starred in the CBC Television series Dragons' Den from season 1 to 6. He was also selected by Mark Burnett to appear on Shark Tank, the U.S. version of Dragons' Den.