Sweat equity is the most valuable equity there is.

Cuban’s line reframes “equity” from a purely financial stake to the value created by personal labor, persistence, and hands-on contribution—especially in entrepreneurship and early-stage ventures where cash is scarce. “Sweat equity” implies that time, skill, and sacrifice can build real ownership and competitive advantage: learning the business intimately, iterating quickly, and outworking better-funded rivals. The quote also functions as a corrective to the idea that success is primarily purchased; it argues that effort is an asset that compounds, often yielding credibility, expertise, and resilience that money alone can’t buy. In this sense, Cuban elevates work ethic as the foundational capital behind durable wealth.