From Tigers to Lions to Dragons to Sharks

It all began in Japan when Nippon TV created the series ‘ The Tigers of Money ‘ in 2001, the first entertainment, reality programme that dealt with business investment. Taking a leaf out of this ‘ The Dragon’s Den ‘ was born in UK in 2005, which became very popular, leading to its spread in Europe and outside. In 2015 the American’s created the show ‘ Shark Tank America ‘ on similar lines.

Except France( ‘ Who wants to be my business Partner ‘), Egypt ( ‘ The Project ‘) ,and Austria ( ‘ 2 minutes 2 millions ‘ ), the name of the show has either tigers, or lions, or dragons or sharks attached to it.  Eventually ‘ Shark Tank ‘ has debuted in India and as expected it is making massive waves on the net and in the social media. I too am watching it and have found it very interesting and engaging and definitely thought provoking.

Relevant Objectives

The idea of the show and its objective is an excellent one. It gives a platform for budding entrepreneurs, innovators and disruptors to seek investment and expertise from the panel of Sharks ( successful entrepreneurs and business achievers ). Another important part of the programme which appeals to me is the kind of work people are doing in various fields. They are trying to invent, innovate and break stereotypes. From bamboo tooth brushes to battery powered motorcycles, to healthy paints, to smart metaverse apps, the list is endless. With this programme an additional benefit is that it would further encourage people to create better products and in turn create new markets and opportunities.

However, what would have been the  reason for naming the show after the most skillful of hunters found on the planet, intrigues me. The shark is synonymous with ‘ kill ‘, and I do not find anything that intimidating on the show. Infact I find the Sharks to be rather friendly and extremely supportive. I have also seen that on a few occasions they have gone out of their way to help out a participant. Though they do seek a share of the business they are investing in, it doesn’t appear that they have any intention of bulldozing the entrepreneur participant and snatching his business. The intention remains a good one.

Fine Performances

I am particularly impressed with Aman Gupta, the co-founder of boAT headphones, one of the sharks on the panel. He has invested the most in various ventures on the show and his decision is not always based on a calculation or an effective business proposition. It is mostly based on the potential, the confidence and zeal of the entrepreneur seeking an investment. Which I think speaks about his vision and lends credence to the ethos of the show. Even Anupam Mittal founder of Shadi.com has on a few occasions rescued a business idea when all other Sharks had refused. I felt it was like going out of his way to support a not so educated entrepreneur and helping him get his due, thus setting another example of the underlying objectives of the show. The other Sharks Vineeta, Ashneer Grover, Peeyush Bansal and Namita Thapar, the young business achievers too have supported the programme incredibly well.

Dollar Dolphins and the other side of the coin

So where is the Shark in this. Probably, the attribute of the Shark shall be on display when the Sharks go for the kill and help and mentor the budding entrepreneurs develop their business. The hunting skills are in a way being exchanged in lieu of a share of business, and I think that’s a fair assessment when it comes to the name of the show. However on the show, the Sharks appear extremely well behaved and courteous ( rarely otherwise ) and left to me I would have named the show ‘ The Dollar Dolphins ‘.

Shark Tank or Dollar Dolphins, the show is a hit and the so called Sharks are the latest celebrities in India. The is the power of this medium.  However I sincerely hope that all those entrepreneurs who have been able to convince the Sharks for investment, get the required support from the Sharks,  do well and live their dreams. Only then the show would be termed successful, in my view. As for now we are seeing just one side of the coin. I would be eager to know the story of the other side too. 

Shark Tank India, a must watch on Sony TV.