When in Doubt: Ramsay or the Tank
When I don’t know what to watch, I usually default to two things: Gordon Ramsay formats (Kitchen Nightmares, Hell’s Kitchen, MasterChef) or Shark Tank. Both scratch the same itch, watching passionate people put their dreams on the line in front of experts who won’t sugarcoat the truth.
And it’s not just the U.S. version. I watch them all: the U.K.’s Dragon’s Den, Canada’s Den, Australia’s Shark Tank. If there’s a room of investors grilling founders about margins, distribution, and scalability, I’m there.
The Spark in the Sharks’ Eyes
There’s something endlessly satisfying about watching the Sharks, Lori Greiner, Barbara Corcoran, Kevin O’Leary, Daymond John, Daniel Lubetzky, Robert Herjavec, and Mark Cuban ( Who sadly left the show this season ) light up when a founder’s pitch clicks. Their eyes sparkle; they lean forward, seeing the potential. That moment, when excitement meets opportunity, is addictive.
It’s also human. Sometimes they sympathize with an entrepreneur’s backstory, sometimes they rip the business model to shreds. Either way, it feels authentic because it’s about both the product and the person behind it.
Confessions of a Shark Tank Shopper
Confession: I don’t just watch Shark Tank. I shop it. Every time an episode ends, I Google the products to see if they were funded or not.
One of my favorite examples: Scrub Daddy. The minute the episode ended, I ordered it. Now, I see it everywhere, proof that the Shark Tank effect is real. Exposure alone can be as powerful as funding.
It’s not just impulse shopping. Supporting these businesses feels like cheering for the underdog. It’s putting your money where your enthusiasm is, saying: “Yes, I believe in this idea too.”
Watching With Two Brains: Fan and Marketer
As someone who works in marketing, I watch Shark Tank with two brains. The fan in me loves the drama of “I’m out” or the thrill of a bidding war. The strategist in me sees the long game.
Exposure on Shark Tank is pure marketing gold. Even if a deal doesn’t close, the brand gets airtime in front of millions. The right story, told well, can catapult a business from obscurity to national buzz. But here’s the catch: marketing gets you noticed, the product keeps you there.
That’s the longevity lesson I take away again and again. Viral buzz fades. Hype dies. If your product isn’t solid, if it doesn’t solve a problem, spark joy, or deliver real value, no marketing strategy can save you.
What the Tank Teaches (About Business and Life)
Beyond business mechanics, Shark Tank has taught me some powerful life lessons:
Not every idea will work. I’ve launched one or two businesses that didn’t make it. Watching founders face harsh criticism reminds me: failure isn’t the end, it’s information.
The right partners matter. Many businesses fail not because of bad ideas, but because they didn’t have the right people helping them. Seeing Sharks fight over entrepreneurs highlights the importance of having good partners.
It’s about the story. Numbers matter, yes. But the story, why you started, who you are, what problem you’re solving, is what hooks both Sharks and audiences.
Resilience is everything. Some of the most inspiring pitches aren’t the smoothest ones. They’re the ones where the entrepreneur refuses to quit, even after rejection.
More Than Pitches: The Human Side
The best part of Shark Tank isn’t the valuations, it’s the stories. The single mom trying to create a better life for her kids. The immigrant founder hustling to bring their idea to market. The young college student who turned a dorm room side project into a scalable venture.
Those stories stick with me long after the episode ends. They make me think about my own journey, the risks I’ve taken, the lessons I’ve learned, and the dreams I still have.
Still Hooked on the Tank
At the end of the day, Shark Tank is reality TV. It’s edited, dramatized, and packaged for entertainment. But it’s also real enough to matter. It showcases the messiness of entrepreneurship: the courage, the mistakes, the breakthroughs, in a way that feels both educational and inspiring.
So yes, it’s my guilty pleasure. But it’s also my reminder that behind every product is a dream, behind every pitch is a lesson, and behind every failure is the seed of another success.
And that’s why, when I don’t know what to watch, I’ll always swim back to the Tank.