Over the last few months, I’ve really enjoyed catching up on old episodes of CBC’s Dragon’s Den. It’s a business reality show with a straightforward concept – entrepreneurs pitch to five ‘dragons’ who then decide whether or not they want to invest their own money. Under the rules of the show, the entrepreneur has to leave the den with the amount of money they’re asking for (or more).
It all makes for great TV. As with any TV show (especially a reality show), you have to remember that entertainment is #1, and that with clever editing, there is a lot of stuff that we don’t get to see. Each pitch may be an hour, but we’ll only see five minutes. And we only see about half of the pitches given. Regardless, it’s an enjoyable display of entrepreneurial passion, tempered by necessary business reality.
If you like the show, you may want to check out these recent books from three of the Dragons:
- Robert Herjavec was the first out of the gate with Driven: How to Succeed in Business and in Life in 2010. The book is written around 50 work and life principles that Mr. Herjavec lives by, leavened by anecdotes and tidbits from the Den (as well as the American version Shark Tank, where he also appears) and his own rags-to-riches story.
- Kevin O’Leary released Cold Hard Truth: On Business, Money & Life last month. This book is very popular and has a long holds list – we’ve just purchased four more copies to meet demand. Mr. O’Leary, known as the ‘mean dragon’ for telling-it-like-it-is (no matter how brutal the assessment) and tough negotiating skills, outlines his philosophy in the book, along with his life story.
- Finally, the newest book is Arlene Dickinson’s Persuasion: A New Approach to Changing Minds. Ms. Dickinson, a marketing guru, tells of the role persuasion (connecting and cultivating positive relationships) played in her journey to the top of her profession and to the Den. This one is also popular and also has a lengthy hold list.
Don’t let those hold lists deter you! Just click on the next available copy button on the catalogue and we’ll let you know by phone or email as soon as it’s available.
Hopefully, this won’t be the last of the Dragon-penned books. Jim Treliving started as a cop in the 1960s and helped build Boston Pizza into one of the biggest chains in the country. His career could probably fill a book or two. And former Dragon Brett Wilson (whose new show Risky Business appears on the Slice Network) is a prolific Twitterer and commentator. New Dragon Bruce Croxon is still in his first season, but after a few years, who knows?
