Shark Tank Jump Start Your Business: How to Launch and Grow a Business from Concept to Cash

Dedicated to all of the trailblazers, creators, doers and
innovators—to anyone who’s ever been brave enough
to try, fail, and try again. This one’s for you.

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 Babson College and 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.

Sure, the walk may only be a few feet, but it feels more like a mile. As you make your way down the dimly lit hallway, two rows of glowing aquariums illuminate the path and guide you toward a pair of large, wooden doors. Although you may not be able to hear the swell of the driving music that underscores your journey, somehow you can still feel it in your body. There’s no turning back now. Without even a moment to comprehend what’s about to happen, the doors swing open and there you are, standing face-to-face with a panel of world-class investors on national television. You walk front and center, take a deep breath, and begin your pitch. This is the moment. This is the opportunity. This is everything you’ve been working toward.

As you speak, the Sharks begin furiously scribbling down notes. You can’t help but wonder what they’re writing, what they’re thinking. To them and the rest of the world you’re just another eager entrepreneur pitching a new idea, but to you this experience couldn’t be more personal. Every day, every month, every year that you’ve spent tirelessly building your business flashes before your eyes. The moment you first decided
to start a company, the day you officially incorporated, your first sale—all of it comes rushing back in a single flash. You try to stay focused, but how can you when each of those thrilling firsts has paved the way to this: the opportunity to land a deal with one of the Sharks.

For the lucky few who enter into the Shark Tank, this is their fate. Whether pitching a food truck, clothing line, or tech company, each fearless entrepreneur takes the same excruciating walk. And yet even though this expedition is a solitary one, somehow you feel as though you’re there too, watching from a distance as a small but important piece of history is made. Will the pitch go well? Will a deal be struck? Your guess is as good as anyone’s. The only thing you
can
count on is that what you’re witnessing is but a tiny snippet in the life of a business—a subchapter of a much larger story that started a long time ago.

The age of entrepreneurship is upon us. In the last three years, the United States has seen the highest rate of new business creation in over a decade, and many of these fledgling companies are being started by first-time entrepreneurs. As technology advances and creates an abundance of new and exciting opportunities, more and more people are mustering up the courage to abandon a career that feels painfully conventional and embrace one that is deeply meaningful.

But it takes more than hunger and desire to achieve success, and with great effort also comes great challenge. The U.S. Small Business Administration reports that more than half of small businesses fail within the first five years—a number that will only continue to rise. And of those businesses that do survive, many struggle to ever achieve significant growth.

So why do entrepreneurs have such a difficult time getting their ventures off the ground? A shortage of capital? A lack of
connections? Perhaps. But the modern entrepreneur’s greatest barrier is rarely money or community; those are symptoms of a much larger problem. No, the greatest hurdle standing in the way of the first-time small business owner is a general lack of knowledge and know-how—tangible information and experience about how to create, maintain, and grow a company.

There’s no question that starting your own business can be a remarkably liberating and fulfilling experience. Each week on
Shark Tank
you witness firsthand how hard work and dedication can turn an eager hopeful into a successful entrepreneur. But just because you
can
start a business doesn’t mean that you
should
start a business—or that you’ll even enjoy it. Is entrepreneurship the right choice for you? Does your idea have the potential to become a business? This is where
Shark Tank Jump Start Your Business
begins.

In the first part of the book you’ll be asked to assess your business idea and evaluate your entrepreneurial skills. The goal is to help you identify, from the start, if you have what it takes to run a profitable company. From there, you’ll learn how to turn your concept into a business, including everything from incorporation to basic accounting. Next, you’ll be guided through the launch process and gain access to crucial knowledge on how to effectively market, sell, and promote your product or service. Finally, you’ll discover how to grow your business and achieve long-term success. As an extra bonus, the final part of the book features an exclusive, up-close- and personal round table discussion with all six of the Sharks. But the Sharks’ knowledge doesn’t end there.

Infused in each chapter are a series of Shark Bites—small bits of wisdom from the Sharks pertaining to each topic. You’ll learn what Barbara Corcoran thinks about hiring, why Daymond John believes brand is so valuable, and how Mark
Cuban defines the perfect pitch. You’ll discover what Kevin O’Leary looks for in leaders, why Lori Greiner thinks entrepreneurs should protect their ideas, and what Robert Herjavec believes is the secret to closing a sale. What’s more, each part of the book will open with an essay by a Shark and close with a behind-the-scenes look at a successful entrepreneur from the show.

Launching a business is an adventure, and begins with that first step. Perhaps this book is that step, or maybe you’ve already started your business and are looking for new ideas and fresh insights. Whatever your goals may be,
Shark Tank Jump Start Your Business
is the resource you need to take your idea from concept to cash.

The walk down that hallway may only be a few feet, but it feels more like a mile. And it starts right here, right now, with you and your idea. Who knows, perhaps one day you too could be standing in the
Shark Tank
, making a deal that will forever change the course of your life.