So you finally know the result: I didn’t win over any Dragons. Since the show was recorded last May, Paris (now my wife) and I were the only ones who knew the result. We kept it confidential (as we were required to do). Not even our immediate friends or family knew. I didn’t even tell my own lawyer friends!
So what happened in the Den? Well, for those who missed it, the bottom line is that while the Dragons may have liked my business ideas, they sure didn’t like my $1-million dollar valuation. So did I sabotage the whole thing from the beginning through my valuation? Was it really just about getting some really great publicity?
The reality is that only a small percentage of all Dragons Den pitches end up on TV. I knew this going in: I had tried twice before to get on the show, but was never selected after the initial audition in front of CBC’s producers (I think my idea was never “TV-friendly enough” to get to the next level, which was in front of the Dragons themselves). Only a small fraction of those who auditioned ever made it to the next level.
The third time around, I changed tactics and got the opportunity to appear before the Dragons. But I knew that only a small fraction of those who appeared in front of the Dragons would have their pitches aired on TV! So I had only one shot to make my pitch as “TV-friendly” as possible. That’s why I wore my lawyer robe. That’s why I brought my wife Paris (the better-looking one). That’s why I did a little poem at the beginning.
So when the Dragons accused me of only wanting the publicity, I had to turn it up a notch: I purposefully got upset. But can you blame me? I’m sure the Dragons were also there, in part, for the publicity. I mean, who could resist appearing on prime-time CBC in front of millions of viewers which could be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars? It’s too good to pass up.
So yes, I took a verbal beating. And yes I tried to defend myself. Some people think I got my but kicked. Others think I was confident and had good responses. A lot of things were said by the Dragons which didn’t make it to the final production cut. I am grateful to CBC’s producers for editing the pitch the way that they did (I think it could have been much worse, but I won’t get into what was else was said in the Den).
By the way…For those who ask, knowing what would happen, would I do it all over again? The answer is an unequivocal and resounding: “Yes“. I’ve already seen the benefits to pitching and being on the show in terms of PR and recognition, which are not easy to get when you’re starting out with an online business.
Now, the reality is that the services offered on this website – e.g. finding a lawyer, purchasing a legal form + video guide, taking a legal health checkup, reading tons of free legal information on various topics, etc. – are all legitimate ways to help improve access to justice in Canada. And that’s a serious matter.
So what’s next? Well, the reality is that, with the show now having aired, we ARE indeed accepting solicitations from investors who are interested in taking www.DynamicLawyers.com to the next level. As such, if you are part of an organization with complimentary resources and skills, then feel free to drop me a line. I should tell you that I’ve already started to receive some emails and phone calls from potential investors and am very excited about the prospects of taking this website to the next level.
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