Last night I watched my first career episode of the Dragon's Den on *gulp* the CBC, and I'm hooked. A show where Canadian inventors and entrepreneurs get to pitch inventions and business proposals to a group of wealthy potential investors. The production is over the top, but I assume that is par for the course with that genre of program designed to appeal to a greater audience share.
What I like about this program existing is that it provides a platform to encourage and harness Canadian ingenuity. As an economist, ascribing value to small business ideas is brain candy, however the stupidity of what some people deem a brilliant idea can be hilarious. For example these two clowns who were asking for $100,000 for 10% equity in their "business", which was nothing more than an idea to put giant ads on Canada Post mail boxes. They went through this whole presentation until somebody asked "have you called Canada Post?" They had not. "Well if they say no, you have no business." The expression on the kid's face was priceless. He was honestly convinced that he had a winner.
I stayed tuned in for the Republic of O'Doyle, which is an absolutely awful show. It featured a guest performance by a douche from one of those sketch comedy shows, except that it was a dramatic role. If a comedian isn't funny, that does not suggest that he will add depth to your television drama. Ben Affleck has more dramatic range than that goof. Imagine Larry the Cable Guy as the lead role in the Bourne Identity.
I get a kick from it too,BUT my inventions don't go near that show because it becomes a Global stage for non-WIPO nations where people can steal your idea and get a Patent or IP protection Application on it.
ReplyDeleteThe next step is to build the item in China or India at a fraction of my costs and the Imported knock-offs appear at corner stores before I even get to Production here in Canada.
Besides....why would I think my invention has any value once they Team mocks me on TV or paints it as a complete flop.
Many great Inventions like Crazy-Glue or the Disposable Razor took up to 6 years to finally make production because of the skeptics who didn't see the big picture,but with the D-Den crew they aren't into Venture-Capital and Risk.
So , from their perspective they want a pure winner with a quick-flip for Profits that pay a Higher ROI Percentage than letting their money sit in Secure 4% GIC.
Another Anonymous says:
ReplyDeleteThe best part of the Dragon's Den is the exposure that it gives to those good or marginal ideas that don't have the traction for immediate investment.
As for CBC original shows, the Dragon's Den is a British import.
So it must be good, eh?
Why else is Liam Gallagher singing the feem chune?
Otherwise, the things they create are awful.
I was listening to CBC Radio news on the hour tonight and their choice of language is telling.
The story of the ten year old kid who was killed by dogs went something like this:
"... he is believed to have been mauled to death by dogs..."
How very lawyerly of them.
We can't prove he was killed by dogs.
So, we will couch it in weasel words.
News for you CBC:
He was killed by fucking feral pack dogs!
Dogs that were allowed to run wild by the band administration.
The same band administration that in an interview placed the feelings of the dog owners over the feelings of the family!
The same administration that tried to blame the lax enforcement of it's bylaws on the lack of resources provided by the government.
Too chickenshit to shoot any of the 200+ dogs on their own property.
My kids asked me what mauling means.
So I told them that it was being bitten and ripped to shreds alive.
Eight and nine years old.
So they would know.
I don't know how to fix this.
But it's gonna happen again.