How much do you really want it? (Lessons from Shark Tank)
One of my favorite TV shows is Shark Tank on ABC.
Entrepreneurs come and present their business to the panel of “sharks” (investors) and decide if they want to invest and negotiate a deal.
On a recent show, there was a woman who came to introduce her product, which was a cake mix that she created for dogs.
His sales during the four years of his business were low and he spoke about his inability to afford trade shows and other high visibility marketing methods.
QVC’s Lori Greiner began exploring other options, asking if he had tried going to pet stores and just making walk-ins or cold calls.
His answer was that sales were not his strong suit.
One of the sharks, Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, always seems to say something that hits the spot. You can tell that he believes in the PROCESS we go through in life when we really want to achieve something.
When explaining to the woman why was not willing to invest in your company, says this:
“You haven’t felt like your back was against the wall enough to break down your personal barriers. You told us you’re not a salesperson. That tells me you’re not COMMITTED enough to the success of your product to TRY ANYTHING. No I see the possibility of writing a check for someone who finds the EXCUSE instead of finding the OPPORTUNITY. “
Ow !! Ow !! Ow !!
The fact that he allowed his weakness to be an excuse instead of working around it to find a solution cost him a potential investment of $ 50,000 in his business.
She admitted during her exit interview:
“Today I think the sharks saw my greatest weakness, and that is that I allow excuses to get in the way of making my product successful.”
He was able to assimilate the comments and took responsibility for his personal flaws.
I think in the future she will probably take this as a reality check and move on to overcome the excuses and weaknesses that have been holding her back.
It’s easy to hide behind our excuses, but if we are lucky enough, something or someone will come into our lives to make us face the truth so that we can GROW and get closer to our goals.
What personal barrier have you been unwilling to break to achieve your goals?
What idea have you NOT been willing to try simply because the effort required is out of your comfort zone?
If you were standing in front of the panel, what questions do you know someone could ask you to get an EXCUSE for an answer?
Ask yourself the tough questions so you can make adjustments now. So when an opportunity finally presents itself, you will be prepared and you won’t lose your reward!
Take some time to reflect on those questions, write your answer, and challenge yourself!
Are you ready to try something new to move your career, your business, your health, and your life in a new direction? Contact me for a consultation!