Entrepreneurs with guts tame the dragons
In the pre-Corona era, filming has been underway for a new season of Dragons' Den. Last Sunday was the first broadcast and what you mainly had to get used to was that the chairs of the 'dragons' were not at one-and-a-half metres. Also, hands were 'just' shaken like before to wish success or close a deal.
So after twelve years of absence, Dragons' Den is back on Dutch television. The programme where entrepreneurs try to win an investment from one or more investors. Led by the creator of the Zelfspodcast Sander Schimmelpenninck (he is also editor-in-chief of the Quote, by the way), the participants step somewhat nervously into the dragons' den. Here this season sit Nikkie Plessen, Michel Perridon, Pieter Schoen, Won Yip (chapter four in the LEF book) and Shawn Harri anxiously awaiting the pitch.
Entrepreneurs with LEF...
It shows guts to pitch your own idea in front of five self-made millionaires. The fact that the programme is also watched by more than a million Dutch people (the broadcast is just after Farmer seeks wife), is also not something you like to think about while walking down the stairs towards the stage. The contestants are (budding) entrepreneurs who all have a product or service they firmly believe in. They have growth ambitions and to make these possible, they are looking for investment.
Communicating from their strengths
Brother (Martijn) and sister (Floor) van Rooij appeared on stage with Parfurmado, a subscription service in small, handy take-home packs of perfume. They immediately scored points by giving everyone one, engraved with their name. Just the thing for Nikkie, you might think. Yet Michel Perridon in particular (estimated assets of 330 million euros) was extremely charmed by the idea and even more by the way the brother and sister presented themselves. They showed entrepreneurship, self-assurance and belief in their own abilities. They also showed courage by not immediately accepting Michel's first offer, but coming up with a counter-offer. This went down well with the Rotterdam native. He went straight into business with them.
Knowing their limitations
Guts also means knowing and admitting what you are not good at. That is why Brown Mayor, inventor of the treadmill bike Lopifit, decided not to pitch himself but to let his son Mark and business partner Herman do the talking. And successfully, once again it was Michel who decided to step in, even before he had taken just one step on the bike. That too is having guts!
...And entrepreneurs with too much LEF
Hugo van Donselaar will also long remember his participation in the programme. It was made clear to him by Dragon Pieter Schoen (in a somewhat direct way) that it is "like a beast" to ask for two and a half tonnes of investment capital for a business that only has a few thousand euros in turnover. Catering magnate Won Yip responded with: "You should always ask for more in life otherwise you will always get too little." Despite this tile wisdom, he too saw no point in it.
Lots of guts or just overconfidence? Van Donselaar himself is back after a national earwashing. In an interview with Quote a day after the broadcast, the ambitious daredevil responded as follows: "It's about seeing potential. But you can't explain that so quickly, not even in this interview. If you give too much away now then you are no longer interesting for big investment clubs. Nothing against the Dragons, but they still think a bit along the lines of the traditional economy." Who knows, Van Donselaar might soon be laughing last, once he owns a spot in presenter Schimmelpenninck's annual Quote500, courtesy of his company Campspace.
Show guts and make a difference
After finishing filming, the terrible coronavirus made its appearance in our country. For entrepreneurs, a period in which they have to show even more creativity, flexibility and perseverance to survive. In short: it comes down even more to the entrepreneurial spirit of entrepreneurs. "First the guy, then the tent", as Pieter Schoen said. And so it is indeed, if you ask me. A good entrepreneur makes the difference himself, especially in these difficult times.
In any case: show yourself
This starts with visibility. Show what you are good at, show what your organisation is capable of and what you excel in right now.
Maybe this is not the time when you prefer to show yourself, and maybe the message you had ready months ago does not connect well now. But this is precisely what calls for the flexibility you need to possess to tame the dragons, and thus survive. I'm happy to help you with this!
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