• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

As Big Tech showers employees with perks to win the talent war, Nvidia built a nearly $5 trillion company by making people pay for their own lunch

2

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

3

Current price of oil as of July 1, 2026

1

As Big Tech showers employees with perks to win the talent war, Nvidia built a nearly $5 trillion company by making people pay for their own lunch

2

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

3

Current price of oil as of July 1, 2026
SuccessMark Cuban

Billionaire Mark Cuban reads around 700 emails every day in his quest for near inbox zero—and prefers that to ‘boring’ meetings

Emma Burleigh
By
Emma Burleigh
Emma Burleigh
Reporter, Success
Down Arrow Button Icon
Emma Burleigh
By
Emma Burleigh
Emma Burleigh
Reporter, Success
Down Arrow Button Icon
July 23, 2025, 10:52 AM ET
Billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban
The billionaire ex-’Shark Tank’ investor checks his inbox between workouts, Zoom meetings, and meals—and he’d never outsource the job to an assistant. Christopher Willard / Getty Images
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.
  • Billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban checks between 700 and 1,000 emails every single day, clearing out his inbox between workouts, Zoom meetings, and meals. The ex-Shark Tank has never outsourced the job to an assistant (despite having more than enough cash to do so), and prefers spending his day trying to get close to inbox zero over sitting in “long, boring meetings.” 

Email was once seen as the next frontier of communication that’s fast, accessible, and free to use. But now that inboxes are being flooded with hundreds of emails daily, many people find answering them to be an overwhelming chore. Not Mark Cuban. 

Recommended Video

The billionaire entrepreneur spends all day dipping in and out of his inbox—he even likes sifting through hundreds of emails a day, more than in-person meetings. 

“I receive around 700 emails a day and use three phones (two Android and one iPhone) to manage everything,” Cuban wrote to Business Insider, ironically over email. I’d rather get 700 to 1,000 emails than sit in long, boring meetings.”

Cuban told Business Insider that his day is “boring,” emailing in spurts around his morning decaf coffee and cookie, shower, and taking his daughter to school. He then gets in a workout session at Life Time Fitness before taking a second shower and returning to his inbox.

“I read and respond to emails. I work out. I read and respond to emails. I do a couple Zooms. Then I read and respond to emails. Then I eat dinner. Then I read and respond to emails.”

People may expect the iconic ex-Shark Tank investor to have an assistant run his email for him—but he’s adamant on doing it all himself, reasoning it’ll only “slow things down.” But he isn’t simply hacking away at unread emails with a strategy; Cuban has forged a calculated plan throughout the years to whittle down his messages efficiently. 

Using his favorite communication method, Fortune reached out to Cuban for comment via email. 

Mark Cuban’s productive email set-up: AI replies, and no days off

Cuban is an email lover, preferring the line of communication over Slack, texting, and calling. The serial investor told Business Insider it’s his favorite because emails can be searched decades later, as he has messages going back to the 1990s. He began sending out emails in the 1980s on CompuServe—the company that acquired Cuban’s MicroSolutions business for $6 billion—and still has a bunch of those folders with his former employees’ addresses. 

The 66-year-old businessman also sees the communications format as more productive. Handling business dealings, employee communications, and press requests “asynchronously” from all across the country and world. Emailing makes it easier to get things done on his timeline—plus, everyone has it in their back pocket.

“There’s also really no limit to the type or format of the content. I can include it in emails or attach whatever,” Cuban wrote. “Everyone has email. In 2025, I don’t know anyone who doesn’t…It’s fast. Particularly now, with Google’s auto replies.”

But there’s also a method to Cuban’s emailing madness, other than simply checking his inbox and responding to emails repeatedly throughout the day. 

For 10% to 20% of his emails, Cuban said he uses one of Gmail’s recommended responses, saving him some time and brain power. He allows AI to write his autoreplies occasionally, or uses the tool as a “typing hack” to save time in writing long responses, but noted that he’s “typically going to add some flavor somewhere.” 

He also uses folders to keep his inbox organized, as he’s had too many emails over the years. 

While Cuban said that he never wants to hit inbox zero because he purposefully keeps some emails unread as reminders, he aims to keep these to under 20 messages. On occasion, he can get that number down to under 10.

It’s an ambitious goal that requires a constant clean-up of his inbox and means Cuban almost never takes a break from his email—only stepping away for a day or longer during an “extraordinary event,” like attending special events for his family. 

“I have a hard time disconnecting,” Cuban wrote. “It’s faster to just get it out of the way.”

The Fortune 500 Innovation Forum will convene Fortune 500 executives, U.S. policy officials, top founders, and thought leaders to help define what’s next for the American economy, Nov. 16-17 in Detroit. Apply here.
About the Author
Emma Burleigh
By Emma BurleighReporter, Success

Emma Burleigh is a reporter at Fortune, covering success, careers, entrepreneurship, and personal finance. Before joining the Success desk, she co-authored Fortune’s CHRO Daily newsletter, extensively covering the workplace and the future of jobs. Emma has also written for publications including the Observer and The China Project, publishing long-form stories on culture, entertainment, and geopolitics. She has a joint-master’s degree from New York University in Global Journalism and East Asian Studies.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Success

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Success

Today, Emily Blunt is worth $80 million thanks to her Hollywood career—but she actually wanted to be a UN Spanish translator on $80K
SuccessCareers
Today, Emily Blunt is worth $80 million thanks to her Hollywood career—but she actually wanted to be a UN Spanish translator on $80K
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJuly 2, 2026
6 hours ago
Trump’s 927-page disclosure is just a normal Tuesday for direct indexing and crypto wealth managers
InvestingDonald Trump
Trump’s 927-page disclosure is just a normal Tuesday for direct indexing and crypto wealth managers
By Catherina GioinoJuly 1, 2026
15 hours ago
U.S. Polo Assn. CEO J. Michael Prince
SuccessThe Promotion Playbook
U.S. Polo Assn. CEO was flat-out told he wasn’t right for a promotion—so he ‘outworked’ anyone else who wanted the job for 6 months straight until they changed their mind
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJuly 1, 2026
22 hours ago
Nikesh Arora, chief executive officer at Palo Alto Networks
SuccessJobs
CEO of $248 billion cybersecurity company says workers are about to face a ‘Darwinian moment’ thanks to AI: Evolve or get cut
By Emma BurleighJuly 1, 2026
22 hours ago
I know how Gen Z can survive the ‘jobpocalypse’ because I built an AI company — in 2015
CommentaryCareers
I know how Gen Z can survive the ‘jobpocalypse’ because I built an AI company — in 2015
By Jeremy FainJuly 1, 2026
1 day ago
mr
Commentary250 Years of Innovation
America needs 3.8 million manufacturing workers. This CEO has a blueprint to find them
By Mark RayfieldJuly 1, 2026
1 day ago

Most Popular

As Big Tech showers employees with perks to win the talent war, Nvidia built a nearly $5 trillion company by making people pay for their own lunch
Big Tech
As Big Tech showers employees with perks to win the talent war, Nvidia built a nearly $5 trillion company by making people pay for their own lunch
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJuly 1, 2026
1 day ago
MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
Success
MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
By Sydney LakeJune 25, 2026
7 days ago
Current price of oil as of July 1, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of July 1, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJuly 1, 2026
1 day ago
The Supreme Court's birthright citizenship ruling hands the U.S. economy a $7.7 trillion win
Newsletters
The Supreme Court's birthright citizenship ruling hands the U.S. economy a $7.7 trillion win
By Diane BradyJuly 1, 2026
1 day ago
Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster
Success
Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster
By Preston ForeJune 27, 2026
5 days ago
Elon Musk on MacKenzie Scott giving away $26 billion of her fortune: 'Sadly,' it makes the world a worse place
Success
Elon Musk on MacKenzie Scott giving away $26 billion of her fortune: 'Sadly,' it makes the world a worse place
By Sydney LakeJune 29, 2026
3 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.