3 investing tips you WON’T learn from watching Shark Tank

I loved being a guest Shark on Shark Tank, but I have 3 tips for founders, entrepreneurs, and investors alike - that you won’t learn from watching Shark Tank. In Burn the Boats, I dive deeper into the qualities I look for in the founders I invest in.

1. There are no original ideas.

If one person is doing it, someone else is too. Never make a direct investment before identifying and assessing the competition (especially when the founder says they have none). That’s always the first red flag.

2. “The fish rots from the head.”

Credit goes to the Italians for this saying - it’s true. Most businesses fail because of deep-seated issues with founder psychology. Must use all your tools to understand what makes someone tick.

3. Incremental improvements.

Squatty Potty is brilliant and I wish I thought of it. But, most amazing businesses are not based on inventions but small advancements of something all of us do. Think of Uber or Airbnb. Both were examples of building a business on a single proprietary insight. Learn how to cultivate your own in my book, Burn the Boats.

You don’t always need something revolutionary.
You just need an insight, some purpose, and a bit of grit.

LIGHTING THE MATCH

Each week, I’ll be sharing some of the amazing messages I’ve received from fellow Boat Burners who have decided to stop hesitating and go all in on their life’s true purpose. To be featured on Lighting the Match, DM me on Instagram or LinkedIn!

I purchased it that same day and finished it within a few days. I have read many, many, many business, finance and self help books over the years, and this strikes me as one of the best for more than a few reasons.

There are oftentimes with entrepreneurs (or self help or business books) where you can get an almost superficial “pull yourself up by your bootstraps and get to work and you’ll succeed!” type of bravado feeling that’s supposed to motivate you, but really only makes you feel more disconnected from the author.

Matt explains things very clearly and in-depth, gives many scientific proven explanations for what he states (which is what I love more than anything, nothing superficial or pseudoscience-y here) and gives many examples of those around him outside of himself that also help to prove his points. His book truly never feels self-absorbed, he frequently tells stories of others to prove his points as well as his own.

Let me know what you think of Burn the Boats by reviewing the book on Amazon. If you haven’t read it yet, get your copy today on Amazon or Kindle.