Enter the World of the Sharks!

At the beginning of my college career I always wondered if it was better to invest in other businesses or just build my own. Over time, and thanks to an excellent program brought by Mark Burnett Production with Sony Pictures and transmitted on ABC called "Shark Tank," I realized that you could reach a point in your career where you already have enough money to invest in a good idea or product.  By doing this you gain more money and help other entrepreneurs achieve their goals.

I’m a TV fan and I distinguish the good from the bad, and Shark Tank is definitely one of the best "Reality" shows I've ever seen. It is so good that it has been nominated for an Emmy Award in 2012 for the category of "Outstanding Reality Program"; I surely hope they win.

What exactly do they do in this program that makes it so interesting?

Simple. You have a panel of business moguls who are the "sharks," listening to offers from other entrepreneurs looking for investors for their products or businesses. If they hear something they like they start arguing against each other to win the business or some of them make partnerships for the deals. The Sharks are Robert Herjavec (Technology), Kevin O'Leary (Educational Software), Mark Cuban (Media and Sports), Barbara Corcoran (Real Estate), Daymond John (Fashion), Kevin Harrington (TV Retail) and Lori Greiner (TV Retail).

“It’s not how much money you make. It’s how much money you keep.” – Robert Kiyosaki. I put this phrase here because those “sharks” definitely know how to keep their money; they have grown their fortune immensely.

Personally, I watch the show because it teaches me how to pitch my idea and also allows me to receive an indirect mentorship from great business leaders such as the “sharks.”

One of my favorite episodes is number 8 of Season 2, it’s extremely interesting and instructive, but what caught my attention was the deal that Mark Cuban offers a firefighter of Arkansas. That man became a millionaire in seconds.

If I had the chance to choose one of the sharks as a mentor, hands down, I would choose Robert Herjavec, by what I see in the program, the things he says, and how he advises people with good ideas and also the one’s with bad ideas. I admire his personality and that he always keeps in mind his humble beginnings. I can identify with him because I see a person who cares about helping others and about his family.

"Most people never get a chance to meet a bunch of people who've done it before and get some real unbiased advice." - Robert Herjavec

As you can see I am a faithful follower of the show and I recommend it to all entrepreneurs who want to learn more about the business world. If you are an entrepreneur I encourage you to audition.

I think this is how Reality TV should be: instructive!