The Wise Guy

Here in Toronto, Canada, we have a wise guy.  Sean Wise.  For many years, Sean has been deep inside the entrepreneurial community doing a number of things including boot camps for start ups, working with start ups to get funding and sitting on the board of the Toronto Venture Group.  I've known Sean for many years and consider him to be a trusted friend and knowledgeable guy about the world of start ups.

The CBC is launching the reality TV Show the Dragon's Den which has seen success in the UK and Australia.  Sean ran around Canada looking for contestants and has a site where you can learn more about it.

Sean is also speaking at a TVG breakfast on the Dragon's Dean. You can register for this event here. It's about the lessons you can learn from this reality show, more about raising capital, etc.  The TVG breakfast gatherings are a good chance for entrepreneurs, service provides, VCs, and others in the community to get together, network, and learn about various opportunities.  It is worth your time to attend.

And to round out this all Sean all the time post, check out his goofy but surprisingly right 'elevator pitch' video here.

All kidding aside, Sean is one of the guys that works hard to help grow the start up and entrepreneurial community in Canada.  It's a pleasure to be working with him on a number of opportunities; Canada can use more.

Well done, Sean.

Comments

[Randy Charles Morin]

I submitted a form to the TAG group last month and never heard back from them. If I could ask a big favor, could you point Sean to Rmail. BTW, 25k users and growing. New UI.

[Walter]

Sean chaired sessions at Under The Radar in June. He was excellent - he did his best to make presenting/demoing as easy as possbile.

[Jeremy Wright]

Sean rocks. Hands down. Rocks.

[Dave]

Entrepreneurs - be cautious with Dragon's Den. Remember, this is a TV reality show, and what makes good TV isn't neccesarily good for your business. It is all in the editing, and is pretty much a gameshow.

The Australian version featured reasonable business people being berated about their business as worthless or being offered relatively small $$ for 50%+ equity.

The show is not about the entrepreneurs, it is about the American Idol style judging panel competing to be the wittiest. Hence - they are the "Dragon's" protecting their treasure.

(No I'm not a bitter contestant) - oh, by the way, it only ran 4 or 5 episodes here in Australia.

[Rick Segal]

Hi Dave,
Good advice. No ratings in Australia?

[Dave]

Ok, I lied, 6 episodes ran here in 05. No sign that it is returning in 06. It wasn't a giant success.

Bit of a broken fan website - but the episode summaries are here for the Aussie version. Look at the businesses featured, the $ awarded / asked for and the %'s taken. Looks like CBC's budget is a bit bigger, but in any case there are better non public ways of generating cash for good ideas! (Now give me some! :P )

http://www.dragonsden.com.au/episodes.php

[Rick Segal]

Dave,

email me your coordinates. I've got some stuff going on in Australia, so there! :-)

[varun mathur]

I don't expect any awesome, mass-market, potentially huge biz plans to be presented on Dragon's Den. I expect mediocre, "small business mentality" stuff to be presented and funded (because..gee whiz..they'll have to fund somebody to keep the viewers). No doubt the show will be a lot of fun, but I don't expect the "Dragons" to make massive returns on investments they make in this show. Folks who already *know* they are working on the greatest thing since sliced bread are unlikely to want it to be broadcasted on national television.

Also, I especially don't expect any web-related ideas to be presented in the show...considering that the new norm in the web industry is to bootstrap, develop and launch and reach a certain level of success, and then try for outside funding for rapid acceleration (if need be) or become self-sustaining. Some geeks, computers, servers and a lot of passion, and who needs a dragon ? :D

[Sean Wise]

Hi there,

First thatnks for the love and the kudos. Much appreciated.

As for Dragons' Den, it premiere's this Weds at 8 pm on CBC. Yes there are some simon cowell moments, yes there are lots of bad deals that get pitched, and yes some deals for small amounts for large percentages do get done but yes there are some web deals (so there varun :p )...oh wait...did I say that outloud...oh no.......$#it.......hope you will still watch.

But more seriously, it was fun to do, and there are some solid lessons to be learned.

Sean

[varun mathur]

thanks for the info...really looking forward to watching it.

[Austin Hill]

I'm looking forward to watching the Dragon's Den. I think Canada needs more positive examples of entrepreneurs and the startup experience. A business plan game competition can do this. I just hope that the show provides that experience and it doesn't become an reality TV show mockery.

I personally wouldn't present a company I've invested in, or am part of for this type of event - but I did present Zero-Knowledge Systems at a elevator pitch competition put on by Red Herring back in 1998. It was a great way for us to gain attention, but then again it was a closed room of experienced VCs - it wasn't broadcast months after with lot's of edits made by TV producers trying to create compelling television.

We did do a segment on how Canadians were marketing Internet companies in which CBC did irresponsible edits including VH1 style graphic pop-ups mocking the people interviewed as 'spin' people full of hot air. It was insulting how the edits completely changed the piece and it did hurt some of the companies features (Including us).

I am going to reserve judgement until I see the episodes, but it they do a fair job of exposing more people to 'entrepreneuring' as a career then I think it's great.

(Look at the work that Dean Kamen has done for years trying to create role models and support for aspiring engineers with http://www.usfirst.org/)