Shark Tank Jump Start Your Business

Shark Tank is an important show because it proves the entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well. But even more than that, it gives people hope and inspires future entrepreneurs to pursue their dream of building a business at a time when America needs them the most.

Today, Americans face unprecedented hardships. As the job security they once relied on quickly disappears, people of all ages and backgrounds are reclaiming their future by creating their own opportunities. While this rebirth of small business is exhilarating, it also presents many challenges.

As banks remain wary of giving out loans, Shark Tank is stepping up and serving this new crop of entrepreneurs by offering access to six self-made, ultra-successful, millionaire and billionaire business moguls who are looking to invest their own money in the right people with the right ideas.

Each season the Sharks set a new record amount for investments—most recently investing over $10 million. At the same time, each season the entrepreneurs who appear on Shark Tank continue to report amazing success stories: incredible growth, unbelievable sales, and an abundance of job creation within their communities.

It’s hard to believe that we went from fewer than two thousand applicants our first season to more than thirty thousand for Season 4. I believe this alone demonstrates that Shark Tank inspires not only fledgling and seasoned business owners, but also stay-at-home moms and dads with nothing more than an idea. Ultimately, that’s why I think the show has been so successful: it strikes a chord with just about anyone who watches it, from successful entrepreneurs to children.

A recent report released by Baruch College showed that U.S. entrepreneurship climbed in 2012 to the highest level in a decade. This just years after a crippling recession. I guess in some way we’d like to think that Shark Tank has played a small role in the resurgence of entrepreneurism in America. At least we hope it has.

What we do know is that this show gives real people a platform to catapult their dreams and ideas into successful businesses. It proves that with a little ingenuity and a lot of hard work, they can all transform their lives and their communities. That’s a powerful message, and one I’m proud to stand behind.

PART ONE: TO BE OR NOT TO BE… AN ENTREPRENEUR

PART TWO: SETTING UP SHOP

PART THREE: MONEY MATTERS

PART FOUR: OPEN FOR BUSINESS

PART FIVE: TAKING IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL

PART SIX: A DIP IN THE TANK: BEHIND-THE-SCENES AT SHARK TANK

Tools and Resources

My Small Business Jump Start Plan

From Idea to Incorporation: A Flowchart

Talk the Talk: Small Business Terms to Know

Online Resources

Books to Read