Over the past few months, I have been watching current and past episodes of Shark Tank which airs on ABC.  The show has been on for a few years but I’ve only been able to catch an episode here or there. I’ve had a chance to watch some more episodes of the show.  The premise is simple.  Aspiring or entrepreneurs who are already doing pretty good, pitch their business ideas and products to investment sharks with the hope that someone will “bite” and give them money to expand or start their business.  I’m not an inventor but it’s always interesting to see what people come up with.  Some people come up with some crazy stuff and I often find myself laughing at some of the ideas or some of the advice that the sharks dish out.

There’s also another reason that I watch the show though.  I understand what it means to follow a dream, regardless of what others think about it.  Some of the inventions and business ideas seem absolutely stupid to me but these entrepreneurs are trying to make their lives better and live that American dream and I can’t fault anyone for that.  I know what it’s like to struggle and wonder if you’re doing the right thing and how everything will turn out in the end.  Some of the ideas people have pitched on the show make me think how smart some people really are.  Even if all of the sharks pass on the investment opportunity, the entrepreneurs still remain positive and promise that they will get their product out there.

This year has been one challenge after the other and I have spent hours questioning why I did what I did and why I chose to come here. Like those entrepreneurs, I guess I had to take a swim with the sharks.