Brett Wilson gets it
News item: W. Brett Wilson quits CBC’s Dragon’s Den
A voice of sanity from that modern day Christians & Lions phenomenon that is the Dragon’s Den. I’ve never met Brett Wilson, but I have a sense that he’s my kind of guy: quitting Dragon’s Den is one thing, but calling a spade a spade on the way out takes guts. Our regulars will find his rationale familiar, as posted on his website:
I challenge CBC and the Dragons to ensure that the show’s momentum in celebrating, encouraging and fostering a spirit of entrepreneurship across Canada doesn’t get lost in faux-business conversations with theatrical rudeness and irrelevant commentary and advice when the real opportunity is to encourage, participate and share in the entrepreneurs’ journeys,†Wilson confirmed.
Hmmm. “Faux-business conversations” and “theatrical rudeness”. Whomever could Mr. Wilson be talking about? Not our favourite capital markets Rock Star?
From his chair on set, I guess Mr. Wilson came to recognize what many of us in the VC world saw long ago (see prior indicative posts “Canadian Business Magazine KOs the Globe & Mail” June 15-10 and “Venture Capital is about not making entrepreneurs cry” Jan 20-11). There’s barely a modicum of constructive advice being dispensed in “The Den”, unlike on BNN Business News Network’s The Pitch, for example.
The CBC may not care, but their show has become a self-promotion moneyspinner. KO has raised more than a billion dollars from Canadian retail investors as a result of his omnipresence, generating in excess of $25 million in annual management fees; talk about “Getting Paid While You Wait”. Although I’m a fan of his, Robert Herjavec’s own webiste describes himself as “one of Canada’s most recognizable business leaders.” His tweets about five months on the best sellers’ list are fair game, but neither the book nor the recognition would exist today if not for the entrepreneurs who sacrifice themselves weekly on the CBC.
Canada is filled with dozens of tireless VCs and hundreds of passionate Angel investors. None of whom put theatrics ahead of the needs of the entrepreneur, whether or not we cut a cheque. Welcome back to the club, Mr. Wilson.
MRM
(this post, like all blogs, is an Opinion Piece)
I think you summarized the way that most now feel about this show, Mark. The Canadian version of Dragons Den has an increasingly “American” feel to it, and I mean that in the worst possible way. All this made Brett seem somehow more Canadian to me. You could sense his increasing discomfort. I guess Kevin O’Leary is attempting to carve out a niche for himself as Canadian who acts loud, brash and “American” on Canadian television. I think there is only room for one of those, and he’s on after the first period on Saturday night.
Brett Wilson indeed is a very individualistic man for not leaving out on the Canadian spirit. The Venture Capitalists have to be benefited from genuine advices from passionate and global investors.
Watching Brett on Dragons Den made me proud to be a Canadian , The way he treated the hopeful investors that presented their inventions ect to the Dragons was a fresh approach with a reasonable
response .
Brett will be missed from the show, and we think that the CBC should ask him to return and bring some good sence back to the show . Thanks Jim