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Shark Tank 2017

SeanE

I loathe sport on TV...
Who's watching this one?

I like it because I can use episodes in my year 7 class when we look at 'Entrepreneurs' in Economics.

Last night I thought the Doctors were pretty good overall. Good to see them hold their own against Steve and the others. For once the Sharks were up against some guys that were just as smart as them, if but in a different field.

Greasy McSneaky with his recruitment software idea deserved to get shafted. He would have taken their money and done a runner leaving them with nothing.

3D Printer-guy didn't have a clue. He's reinvented the wheel here with his software/hardware. This idea is already out there. I see a stall at every Comic Con offering this same 3D statue print concept. For the record it costs about $130.00 for a single 5 inch statue, not the $300 he wanted to charge.

Good to see Grandma get her money. She's clearly still sharp as a tack but just getting too old to want to commit to something bigger and long term. I reckon she'll get it started and then hand over to sister and nephew within a year or so, setting them up for the longer term profits.
 
...hey SeanE... yes I watch it... I think that it's a great show and just loved the way that the Sharks tore shreds off 'Greasy McSneaky' (I love that name lol!)... as soon as I set eyes on that slimy little shit I just knew that he was a shonk that loved himself to death... those Sharks aren't there and also filthy rich because they get suckered in by little twonks like him... they became rich because they have something called 'intelligence' which that idiot didn't take into account... I'm so glad that they kicked his arse and basically kicked him out of there... that was so beautiful to watch lol!...

...and yes... those Doctors were so clued up weren't they?... they did so well too which was great to see... hahaha!... yep!... 3D Printer guy was pretty much behind the times wasn't he?... he never stood a chance... and yeehaa grandma!... she was a wiley old bird wasn't she?... a great first episode for this series as far as I'm concerned... cheers.
 
I much prefer the US shark tank but yeah it was fine.

The 3D printer guy was odd. I think he's just someone who messes around for a hobby and thought he could do an investment. The scanning rig isn't that hard, I could do it myself. The fact there was no display of it means it probably is a basic DIY one. You just need some cameras on stands and some lights. Off the shelf software does the rest.

The Printer, eh the quality still isn't there. No idea what he has but something similar you could use to make these commercially is in the $130,000 grand range. For under $200,000 he could buy everything you need to start your own business. So no idea where the $300,000 he had spent went.

He would have been torn apart on the US Shark Tank.

The medical app. I think you'd need to actually show a benefit for it and if it's just a social media app for medicine. Google or Facebook could come in and crush them. I kind of suspect it to be a tech product in the area of establish a bit of a business and hope they get bought out by a big guy.

I have zero clue what Naomi will do for the bread lady. She herself said her roll was something like to tell her the options. I think the lady wanted someone to do the actual work to expand it. Not just give some advice on the phone. I think it's more Naomi saw a decent small business and just bought in on those grounds.
 
So last night we had some fashionista siblings who are buying at retail and marking up the prices to resell via instagram and Snapchat for crying out loud! I don't which is worse. That they're buying at retail prices or that people are gullible enough to buy it off them again at their markup... mind you they're turning over $300k per year so it's working...!

Skaterbois with their hammock were pretty disorganised. Naomi had it right. Go down to a local council markets, set up a stall and sell it there. They'll have fun and make a bit of money. Just neither of them should give up their day jobs...

Anchorman and his missus had all the heart and ideas but had literally risked their entire future on this thing and weren't able to go further. It cost far too much to make and he was selling far too cheaply. Plus I really think they were in over their heads with it and just wanted a return after 15 years of worry. Selling the company outright in return for a 5% royalty was the best idea for them... Hopefully the shark will be able to get it going and into stores, because otherwise they'll get $200k and never a cent more. All that work and effort to be right back where they were 15 years ago, but with $200k now proportionally worth a lot less thanks to inflation.

Drummer guy just wanted a new set of headphones and to play his drums on national TV. He got his wish... he's happy.
 
...jeez you do good summations of these episodes SeanE... and you're always right on the mark with your assessments of these people that go on the show so there's little for me to add to them except... I really liked the 'Skaterboys' idea of that bag/hammock etc for travellers... such a good idea indeed... they should take it to BFC or similar and try to sell it to them outright... I really like this show... I understand absolutely nothing about business and percentages or anything similar so for me to be interested in this show must mean that it has something going for it... lol!... great post SeanE... cheers.
 
So, to last nights episode...

Heather-I-was-on-Masterchef is clearly feeling that her 15 minutes of fame is expiring and that she can't milk things anymore. So, her solution is to make some butter and do a cook up on telly again.

I really don't know why Naomi invested in her because she hasn't a clue on how to expand. She couldn't get her mind out of the scale of her home kitchen. She needs to be making this butter by the metric ton, not by portions. As Naomi said, she's investing in the persona and (rapidly evaporating) celebrity of Heather (I certainly didn't remember her at all) rather than the butter. I wonder if she'll pop up on The Batchelorette or some such in a few years?...

Fish guy was a misongenistic old Afrikaans fart without a clue. I've gone fishing about 5 times in my whole life and even I can tell you that you can make a burley diffuser out of any old plastic coke bottle. Just poke some holes in it, stuff it full of burley, tie a rope to it and chuck it over the side. The wave action does the rest... why would I need to buy his plastic tube to do the same thing?

Pole dancers had the enthusiasm and character but what is their market? Super fit 18 - 30 year old women? That's a bit limiting for a franchise. Plus there's the sleaze factor of pole dancing to factor in. I can see most women would go along with their BFFs for a bit of a laugh and then after a few weeks drop it when the aches and pains kicked in and they needed to get going early because they'll be late for the school run. They said that most of their franchisees come from within their own classes so really all they'd be doing is selling to themselves.

Coffeepod dude clearly had the best product. He's essentially made it already and could walk away with $25 million right now (less loans and debts) if he wanted to. What he needs from the shark is a chance to expand internationally, preferably the USA, which is essentially fuelled by coffee as anyone who's been to the USA will know, and he got that with Andrew's investment. It was interesting to watch Jeanine studying and listening to his proposal and business movements like a hawk as she sussed out the competition after she declared a conflict of interest and was 'out'.

Lastly, is it just me or did his fiancé look awfully young for him?... I hope she's for real and not just hooking herself up to a 'nice little earning opportunity' where she'll take him for a ride in a few years after the first kid comes along. He seemed a fairly gentle personality and he could get seriously eaten up by the wrong person.
 
Steve is the guest speaker at a business breakfast here in Gundy tomorrow. I'm not going but I'm still enjoying this photo they're using to promote it. The scene didn't make it to the show last night.

IMG_4338.JPG

@Mr Stickyfingers I promise it's genuine and not photo shopped. I'm not capable of that. lol.
 
Well, seems like I'm the only one watching this show but here's my rundown of last night anyway. (*sings* It's my thread and I'll post if I want to, post if I want to...)

Mr Whippy the Moo Man:
Great idea. Obviously the judges thought it tasted alright as well and he has Coles and Woolies lining up, but dear Lord, WHY is it not your own recipe? How hard can that be? Take a recipe, change a few bits and register it as your own! The sharks were right. If this takes off the recipe owners are going to gouge him on the price every 6 months. For no effort on their part. Run away! Run away!

Pallete-Man:
I wasn't too sure about the usefulness of this product. Yeah, you have to put the item on the mini palette to start with and that means you have to lift it... But then my wife had me moving these two giant pots with 6ft tall Yuccas in them in our backyard today and I was wishing for one of those palettes under each because they weighed a ton! The old guy certainly didn't let himself be taken for a fool and I personally think he out-negotiated the sharks by getting double what he wanted for the same price! Haircut indeed.

Tracker tag-lady:
As the sharks said, she will never see any of her money again. She's lost her house, her savings, her car, all for a product that as Steve said, is a hacker's dream. With one app you get all the person's details and you can then proceed to steal their identity completely. I think the lady has seen various apps and gone "I wanna do an app,and I'm not too clued up on all this new fangled techie stuff... but I'll give it a go!" It's overly complicated and there have been far simpler ways to get your stuff back done in the past.

In my day (Dagnabbit you youngsters, when we wore an onion on our belt which was the style of the time...) we could have a tag with a phone number on it (as suggested on the show) or an email address, or you could even have a tag that said please drop this item into the nearest post office and the posties knew from the code/address to send it to a central company who would then arrange sending it back to you, for a small monthly fee. Why the hell do you need an app to do that? She was just trying to reinvent the wheel with this trendy new techno-lology-stuff she's heard all about without thinking about the personal security angle.

The Glamazon twins:
Am I the only one who thought that the taller of the two (who has a fashion business in L.A...) has had cosmetic work done? Especially her cheeks and eyes. From how they described their backgrounds I think she's the one who's risking the lesser as she has this business to fall back on and provide funding. The shorter twin has moved back in with mum and dad, sold her stuff... and is far more out on a limb if this all goes south.

Steve had the biggest boner for both of them and the product itself as well. What the hell was it? A booking system for your hairdresser? Umm... can't you just ring your favourite hairdresser/waxer/makeup person and make a booking direct? Why the hell do you have to use their app (and pay for it)? I guess they're just cashing in on modern day millenials who think the only way to do anything is to do it via an app on your phone. Suckers...

Speaking of suckers, they fell for Steve's psych-out didn't they? If they'd stood firm I reckon he'd have caved to their asking offer or if they'd thought about a few more minutes come back with a smaller increase. Steve himself said he'd settle for an extras 1 or 2% but they gave him 10%! Interesting they had to run and consult someone outside which I'd give even bets was either Dad or one of their boyfriends. Strong independent Glamazon business women still need a man's advice do you? That shows a weakness IMO. Are you in charge or not? I could see Naomi and Janine give a secret smile when they did this. They knew what was going on and what it really meant in the business world.

Poorest bit of the night was Steve's little gloating happy dance at the end. He'd taken them for a ride (not the only one he wants to take them on I think *ahem*), he knew it, the other sharks knew it, but the girls didn't have a clue. They'll find out now once they see themselves on TV... I don't think they'll be too happy. Yep, their first mistake, and if they're not careful, Steve will rort them for more in the future I think.
 
Episode 4

Icky man:
Bloody hell $800k in the hole with only $50k a year return and he's not worried about that? Sharks deservedly went avoid avoid avoid... Ok he's a teacher, but hey, why aren't you doing this in your classroom? (I'm a teacher I can diss him all I like... :) ) He was kinda 'icky'...

Kaftan-chick:
Who the hell wears kaftans today, for any reason? But she had the drive, the sensibility, and the determination. As Steve said, if this doesn't work the next hing she does probably will. So Steve invested in her rather than the product.

Someone should have told her that it's best to wear a bra on national TV. The studio was a little nippy at times. We wouldn't want the poor girl to be cold.

Label-man:
Not a bad idea. Dresses up the bottle a bit for parties/gifts but I like the carry bags and they're a lot cheaper than his thing! Still he got his money so it's all good.

Mattress guys:
Well they had a mattress. I couldn't see how it was particularly different to others on the market. Would you trust a mattress that you've bought online though without trying it out??? They should have taken Steve's offer but they were just too greedy. They're smart, but not that 'clever'...
 
..SeanE... trust me... you aren't the only one watching the show my friend... I love it!... it's just that you do such concise detailed summations of the show afterwards that I don't need to comment sometimes lol!... I missed half of tonight's show but have taped it so when I watch the show I'll comment if you missed anything lol!... keep up the great summations my friend... I really enjoy reading them... cheers.
 
Episode 5

Makin' Bacon:
I just got confused with this one. His numbers were well, wacko and his valuation even more so, he doesn't own the recipe which killed Moo-man a few weeks ago but yet he got a deal (albeit at 44% instead of 25%.).

Frankly I thought his product was rubbish. 100% chemicals and flavouring to make anything you put it on taste like bacon. Ok bacon is yummy but really the only thing that I want to taste like bacon is well... bacon. Even more so if that other thing is really just a bunch of artificial colours and flavours. I'm a fairly healthy kinda guy that way.

But on the other hand, Andrew wants to take it to the USA (once they buy out the recipe) and the Yanks will eat *anything* if it tastes like bacon. You could put it on poo and as long as it had that smokey bacon flavour I reckon the Yanks would scoff it down... So I guess it'll work there.

Guitar-guys
Ahhh... they got lost on their numbers didn't they? Once again though its a pretty limited market for the product which is basically a strap with some pockets. Plus it takes a whole MONTH to get your item once you've ordered it online? I want my guitar strap now for my gig next Saturday down at the Brisbane Arms (or wherever)..! I was really surprised that Janine made them an offer at all. (at 25% not 10%). I don't really know how well they're likely to go in the long run. They may make some money but it won't be much overall. These guys will be busking and doing pub gigs for a while yet (and they'll probably be happy doing so)

Pet Tinder dude
Another guy with an App... but at least its one that may save the lives of a whole bunch of animals that would be put down otherwise. I don't see the point of the Q-code collar tag because again, why not just have a tag that has your phone number on it? They killed another woman a few weeks ago that had a similar idea. It over complicates things. But that's the way the business makes money so he's kind of tied into it unless he wants to sell the App. But who really wants to pay for an App that you'll only use for a few days until you find your next pet and then won't touch for the next decade or so until Fluffy/Fido keels over? Its not hard to make a trip down to the local RSPCA haven/kennel and pick out a pet...

Overall the Sharks were right in that its an idea that isn't necessary and as Glenn said, its already out there in different forms in one way or another.

Granola-girl:
Fun-free muesli by the sound of it basically. No sugar, no gluten, paleo (ugh..), but apparently it tasted ok but was that the muesli or the berries and yoghurt they mixed it with? At least its healthy. She's another home cook like Heather-from-Masterchef a few weeks ago who doesn't know how to scale up. Glen's offer seemed ok to me and it was great that she took it. Obviously the sharks thought she should have been gouged more from a business point of view but I think Glen is just being supportive and a bit charitable towards her.
 
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...yet another great episode recap SeanE (you should become a TV critic or something my friend)... lol!... to be honest I felt sorry for 'Pet Tinder dude'... he had great intentions with such a worthwhile cause didn't he?... but why over complicate things with fiddly technology as everyone had said?... I'm an avid Bacon eater but I wouldn't eat anything that 'Bacon guy' was selling... just eat Bacon!... lol!... again... a great review SeanE... cheers.
 
Episode 7

Cardly: almost can hardly...

The Balls of Steel award for this series goes to Patrick for staring down the Sharks and sticking to his guns. They wanted to gouge him at 33% but he stuck to his 15% (option of 10%) and got the right shark in Naomi as she's basically in the gift business with Red Balloon. They set a number of delivered customers for the 6 months-extra-10% which was smart because otherwise she could have delivered just 1 customer and would have fulfilled her side of the deal. But they set the number at 50 000 which was far too low IMO. They should have pushed her for 100 000 or even 200 000 as she claims she has up to 1000 000 people using Red Balloon and that higher number would mean she'd have to really work for that extra 10%.

Feeling Dizzy at the 360 Gym:

Poor guy. A bit in over his head so to speak. As a teacher I can pretty much tell you that his background was this. --> He wasn't too interested in school, hated English and most other subjects, (especially Social Studies!...as usual) but liked D&T and tolerated Maths. He did the Careers-VET course in upper school and then once he left went and did a Trade Cert at TAFE before kinda falling into a job building trailers because he didn't know what to do otherwise... I could point to 6 guys just like him in my year 10 class tomorrow in period 2.

He's now got some skills in engineering and manufacture and is smart enough to realise that Personal Training is actually a bullshit career move so he's combined the two and made a pretty good product out of it. Then he's just lost on what to do next thanks to his background... (the lesson here - work hard in high school). He's thinking too small on his prices and purchase fee structure along with just about everything else. He got more good financial advice in the 10 minutes of his presentation from Glenn, Steve and Andrew than he's probably ever had before. His biggest fault was the lack of an overall coherent plan and he looked pretty devastated as he walked out but Steve and Glenn said that they'd fly him up to Brisbane for that planning day, which he didn't know about at the time, and I'd be very surprised if he didn't get a deal with one or both of them at the end of that day anyway.

I need a compass for my FOD-MAP:

What the hell is a FOD-MAP? I'm with Steve, this gluten-dairy-sugar-paleo-diet stuff is really just the latest food fad that everyone wants to cash in on. I eat what I damm well like and don't have any food allergies or diet problems but these days it seems every second person does. Get this. If you don't have Celiac disease then you're NOT gluten intolerant!

But ok, let them cash in on the fastest boat ride in town right now which is this diet stuff. They've got a good advantage in that by running and testing in their Cafe they know if it works or not and it doesn't 'cost' them a thing really to do so. But then they basically gave their business away at $100K for 40%! When they'd asked for 10%!..?! They absolutely should have negotiated harder there and maybe settled for maybe 25% or 30% at worst...

The marriage proposal was a nice twist to end the show and the girls were suitably delighted but boy did Janine and Naomi show a glimpse of their true callousness of character at the end with their comments on how now Janine has a married couple (which apparently she wanted..?) and the way they were kissing as the doors closed. I hope to hell Janine (or even the sharks as group) send them a really nice wedding gift...

I need to comment on the no-hopers (as I call them) that didn't get the chance to be on TV and so we only see snippets of their presentation. The boxing glove guy was just another gym-junkie or wanted to show off his 'awesome martial skills (dude...)' and had basically just reinvented a more ridiculous looking boxing glove, so what's the point in that? The other guy - bike-bag-man, well... when you can't even undo your own product in a timely fashion how hopeless is the rest of the business plan? And what do you need a bike-bag for anyway? I want to ride it, not carry the thing.

cheers
Sean
 
As an artist that does freelance work, it was also nice that the Cardly guys pay the card artists 20% of the sales that use your design. They don't have to do that as mostly this sort of thing is work-for-hire which means once you get paid the client can then do whatever they like with the art and you never see another cent.That's what happens with my comic artwork for instance.

I'd bet 20c that this is one of the first things that Naomi says they need to change...
 
...jeez I look forward to your recaps SeanE lol!... they're always brilliant... I really liked that guys portable gym thing that he invented... it was good of Steve and Glenn to say that they'd fly him up to Brisbane for that planning day but I really thought that one of them would take him on right then to be honest... but... as you said... one or both of them may do regardless... I hope so... he seemed like a nice bloke 'giving it a go'... I hope that he does well out of his venture...

...Steve said what I so wanted to say about that ridiculous 'gluten-dairy-sugar-paleo-diet stuff'... as far as I'm concerned it's farce as to how people are doing the cashing in on this newly formed trend... but... if people are content to pay out big bucks for all of the stuff... fair enough I suppose... and that marriage proposal was good to see for a change (being an old romantic that I am)... lol!...

...anyway... I enjoyed tonight's show and thanks yet again for your recap on it SeanE... it's always concise and entertaining to read... cheers.
 
Omg that proposal seemed so tacky to me, but I'm the only one thinks so. Is my heart just made of stone?

...no jessy_girl... your 'heart is not made of stone' as you say... you're just seeing it as a tacky glitzy cheesy bit of viewing for what it was... and when I said "and that marriage proposal was good to see for a change (being an old romantic that I am)"... that was basically because it was something out of the ordinary that's all lol!... and yes... it definitely was tacky lol!... cheers.
 
...no jessy_girl... your 'heart is not made of stone' as you say... you're just seeing it as a tacky glitzy cheesy bit of viewing for what it was... and when I said "and that marriage proposal was good to see for a change (being an old romantic that I am)"... that was basically because it was something out of the ordinary that's all lol!... and yes... it definitely was tacky lol!... cheers.

You're so sweet Sticky! It was tacky but I guess it's nice to see love, I'm not that cynical!
 
...that 'Beer' App seemed such a waste of time to me... I always just go down to Dan Murphy's just up the road from me because they always charge less than anyone else every time... yet another useless App that people think will make them rich... (it probably will to make a complete liar of me) lol!... I can't wait for your recap SeanE... cheers.
 
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