Behind the Scenes of "Shark Tank Jump Start Your Business"
For a writer, there’s nothing more intimidating than the haunting glow of a blank Word document. It’s a powerful and sobering thing. Even now, as I sit here writing these words, a tornado of distracting thoughts twirl through my head, attempting to throw me off course and cause me to abandon ship. The brain takes over and the noise begins:
“I bet caffeine will help boost my inspiration. I should get some.”
“Wow, I never realized how messy my desk is. I’ll start writing right after I clean.”
“My back hurts.”
“I’m hungry.”
“This chair is too low.”
Of course, all of this may be true, but just because it’s true doesn’t mean I’m being honest. Being honest means recognizing the displeasure, accepting it, and moving forward. It means treating discomfort and uncertainty as a catapult, not a roadblock.
In this way, the writer and the entrepreneur are no different from one another; we are both in the business of creation. Make no mistake about it, creation is a high-risk activity that has far less to do with perfection than it does with just getting started. For the writer and the entrepreneur, the first step is often the most difficult.
Last week, Shark Tank Jump Start Your Business hit bookstore shelves nationwide, and we couldn’t be more excited about it. From the very start, our goal for this project has been simple: help entrepreneurs start and grow tremendous businesses.
As the author of Shark Tank’s official business book, I wanted to make sure that this book was more than just a guidebook. I wanted it to be a tool that could help readers connect the dots between what they see on the show and what they experience in their own life. If this book were to succeed, we all agreed, it needed to be equal parts inspiration and empowerment. It needed to give readers the support and knowledge to move past that terrifying first step and begin building their dream business. We hope we’ve succeeded in this quest.
If you are a first-time entrepreneur, you are quickly learning the path you’ve chosen is full of many highs and lows with very few real guarantees. But rest assured, although it may not always be clear, you already have a great deal in common with the Sharks and entrepreneurs who enter the Tank. Just like you, each one of them made the decision to believe, to tinker, to take action. Just like you, they overcame barriers large and small. Although today they are defined by their successes, they were undoubtedly shaped by their failures—just like you will be.
Starting a business is a marathon, not a sprint. And whether you find yourself standing at mile one or mile twenty-five, it’s our hope that this book provides the fuel you need to move forward with strength and gusto, and take your idea to the next level.
We hope you enjoy reading it as much as we’ve enjoyed creating it.
After you’ve purchased the book or eBook: Download the free Audible audiobook companion for Shark Tank Jump Start Your Business! Narrated by the author, Michael Parrish DuDell.
Shark Tank Jump Start Your Business is available now!
After you’ve purchased the book or eBook:
Download the free Audible audiobook companion for Shark Tank Jump Start Your Business! Narrated by the author, Michael Parrish DuDell.
