Do I need a business plan?
If you did not know any better, you might guess that a show called “Shark Tank” is about lawyers. But fans of the hit reality show on ABC and CNBC know that the sharks on this series are venture capitalists, including Texas’s own Mark Cuban.
The premise of the show is that entrepreneurs pitch their business, inventions, and ideas to a panel of venture capitalists, a/k/a the sharks, in hopes of getting funding. As you might expect based on the name of the show, the investors are not there to make friends, they are there to make a deal.
There are several legal lessons to be learned from watching the show.
Do not expect your business to succeed if you do not have a business plan. All too often, entrepreneurs on the show are stumped when the sharks ask them very basic questions about their future plans. Sitting down and thinking through how you are going to get from point A to point B is something every business owner should do.
Legal risks can make a business unappealing to investors. There are several episodes of "Shark Tank" where the sharks love the business or product being pitched to them, but decline to invest because the liability risk is just too great. Identifying your liability risks is a critical part of properly running and valuing your business.
If you have a good idea, patent it. Patents are like blood in the water to the sharks. Great ideas and inventions are worthless if they can be stolen by others, so do everything you can to protect your intellectual property.
Selling a stake in your business is often emotional. The sharks are obviously tough negotiators, but the business owners they are dealing with often need a reality check when it comes to valuing the company or the product up for sale. Separating the emotional value you put on your business from its market value is very difficult, and often requires outside advice, but it is important to do before you get to the negotiating table, or tank.
Following these tips will not guarantee your success if you wind up in the shark tank, but they will ensure your business starts out on the right foot.
If you are an entrepreneur in the Austin area looking for legal advice to help you grow your business, or an inventor needing help patenting your intellectual property, The Kumar Law Firm PLLC can help. Sanjeev Kumar was an engineer and entrepreneur before becoming a lawyer, so he has a unique understanding of what it is like to be in your shoes. Call him today at (512)960-3808 to schedule a consultation.