How NOT to be a Shark During Shark Week

Unless you've been under a rock recently, you've probably seen the hilarious, in-your-face television commercial Discovery Channel is running promoting their Shark Week.

In case you haven't here's the YouTube:

The term "shark" sends chills down our spines in a business sense too -- thanks to another American television show called "Shark Tank," where self-made entrepreneurs turned investors, listen and more often than not, chew out new entrepreneurs who have come on the show hand out, looking for some much needed cash.

We have a similar venture-based reality show here in Canada called "Dragon's Den" -- which actually features two of the same investors on the American show.

Before I go, let me be clear, I am a huge fan of CBC's Dragon's Den, which airs Sunday and Monday nights on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's main channels. See, I'm even giving you guys a free plug -- how about tossing some cash my way. . . 

Ever have one of those days?

You don't have to be a mean fire breathing dragon, or a cold hearted shark to do business, even if you don't like the pitch, the product or the person.

Shattering someone's dreams isn't just cold hearted, it's downright mean.

Now, there are some really, REALLY bad ideas out there. 

The second someone even mentions "MLM" -- I'm out -- BIG TIME.

Multi-Level Marketing (MLM) -- AKA -- a pyramid scheme -- despite what those running MLM businesses claim -- is nothing more than a scam which preys on the hopes of the desperate and the poor. NO ONE gets rich off of MLM except the person at the VERY top -- which usually is the person that started the scam in the first place.

RANT OFF -- sorry -- MLM bilks thousands of innocent people every year, it really gets my blood boiling.

Back to the topic at hand -- how not to be a shark or a dragon in forming business relationships.

This goes not just for venture capitalists, angel investors, and others looking to invest in and partner with entrepreneurs, but also with entrepreneurs too -- just be nice.

Remember when you were a kid, and your parents told you to "play nice?"

That's sound advice, because although you may be currently listening to a pitch that seemingly never ends, down the road, it may be you seeking out a business relationship from it's presenter.

If you cause someone to cry, or more likely, just never forget how horrible you made them feel, then when you approach them because they now have something you want a piece of -- oh boy -- I wish I had a camera with a live feed to the world when that's happened to me.

It certainly would make for entertaining -- perhaps dare I say more entertaining -- television than "Shark' Tank" and "Dragon's Den."

Sometimes it's better to grin and bare it, listening to awful elevator pitches, handling grungy products you wouldn't pay someone to use, or even sitting across from some slimy character you swear you'd never do business with, ever.

Because you never know if that person is going to be the next Elon Musk (founder of Tesla Automobiles), Mark Zuckerberg (founder of Facebook), or Richard Branson (come on -- who doesn't know this dude?)

Don't be a shark, even though it's shark week.