One of my new favorite shows is Shark Tank on ABC - I can’t get enough of it! In case you haven’t heard of it, its a new adaptation of a Japanese reality show (there’s also a British version) where hopeful entrepreneurs pitch their product/idea/service to 5 successful business people in hopes of getting a lucrative investment. The information-loving nerd in me loves the business and marketing aspects and the reality show-addict in me loves the drama, tension & arrogance the sharks bring. Best of all, its REAL reality TV, meaning these negotiations are real and result in actual business deals. Funny how we kind of expect reality shows to be scripted now.
What I don’t understand is the rationalization some people bring to the table when they meet the sharks. One guy, for example, created an all-natural HEALTHY soda yet admitted he really didn’t know that much about the beverage industry. Really? You’re asking for thousands of dollars from investors…not the best time to admit you really don’t know what you’re doing. Another guy put 3 socks together and called it the “Throck” – so when you lose one you still have 2 matching socks left! Ok, sounds like a quirky, neat idea but you can’t patent it. So, even if you start off strong and people love it good luck maintaining that market share once all the other sock manufacturers decide to copy you. Don’t these people THINK of these things?
The show is a little over-dramatic (with the cheesy music and lighting) but its a nice alternative to Trump’s Apprentice! Go…watch…it…and learn stuff.
p.s. Daymond John, founder of FUBU, is one of the sharks. Really? FUBU? I guess its popular internationally because I don’t know who wears this brand anymore!?
-Lori
