Shark Tank: Behind the Scenes
I’ve had a lot of questions about what it’s like going on Shark Tank and whether it’s worth it (yes!). Here’s a quick rundown.
How’d you get on? I walked into a pitch event with my daughter Serena on my arm. It took many more rounds and way more work than I envisioned (tons of paperwork, video submissions, prep with team + wife). After a bunch of hurdles, we were invited to film in LA.
Was it real? 100%. I was amazed at the authenticity and integrity of the entire process — before, during, after. There’s a ton of diligence and companies are prohibited from having any prior contact with the sharks or their teams. When you walk down that hallway, the sharks are learning about you and your business for the very first time.
But rehearsed, right? No. The questions, the answers, the back and forth — it’s all real. Sure, some of it is edited to be a bit dramatic. But it’s legit. And not easy. If you mess up, you mess up. If it goes off course, tough luck. No do-overs.
Was the portrayal accurate? Yes. Key thing to keep in mind is amount of material they have to work with. My Q&A was well over an hour. That gets trimmed to 5–10 min for TV. So some details are left out and certain points emphasized, but the narrative is right on. The only exception was the previews, which made us look like we got clobbered.
What didn’t make the cut? Mainly the interrogation about the business. It was challenging managing five people with rapid fire questions — under hot studio lights. Mark and Daymond cut into me for awhile saying I was just looking for PR. That was genuinely really tough — I didn’t think I’d win them back.
Were you nervous? C’mon. If my pitch went the other way, it could have seriously hurt brightwheel’s future. For starters, we’re not a traditional Shark Tank company. And on top of that, it did go negative for awhile. The outcome was very much in doubt and I’m still scared (right now!) that it’s too good to be true.
What happens after? Close, close, close. There are still terms and diligence to be hammered out after a handshake. Mark’s team even did on-the-ground diligence with schools in Dallas. It’s a real venture investment and everything better be as it was presented.
And then, nothing. You have to sit on it for a long time. If any details are leaked, the production team can just cut you from the show (and will). Even the night we watched, we couldn’t say a word about the outcome. I actually loved that.
Has it gone to your head? Yes. But not nearly as much as my daughter Serena. She does not put up with anything now, and wears sunglasses nonstop. Inside.
To sum it up: I have no idea what other reality TV shows are like. I assume there’s a lot of staging and half-truths. I can say that wasn’t the case here. Every member of the Shark Tank production team and the sharks themselves clearly care about the integrity of every aspect of the show. It’s nice to know that — aside from editing, dramatic sound effects, and well placed commercial breaks — some things are as they appear. I think the show only works because of that, and no one wants to mess it up.
For the brightwheel team, there’s just no better platform to tell our story and seek a strategic partnership. We’re grateful for all the love that’s come in from all parts of the globe and — most of all — excited by what this means for our schools, teachers, and families. Lots more to come!
And if you’re as passionate about early education as we are, join us: https://angel.co/brightwheel/jobs
