I’ve tried out for 2 reality tv shows,ABCs Shark Tank and made it to the 2nd round of TLCs (maybe OWNs) Homemade Millionaire. The Sharks are back for another season and I’m not sure about Homemade Millionaire, here are 6 tips to help the hopeful for their tryouts for SharkTank, Homemade Millionaire, or any other reality competition show, American Idol, Amazing Race etc… I am also calling out my fellow contestants to add their pieces of advice, along with what, and where they pitched/tried out, their products, blogs and websites. Here are my 6 tips
1) Be there early. If they say audition is at 9:00am in the ballroom, be there at 7:00am. They don’t owe you a try-out. They may run out of batteries, time, money, or patience. You may lose your nerve the longer you stew over things. Some people may think being last will be more memorable, that may be a strategy, it’s your call.
2) Practice your pitch OUT LOUD in front of people before you go to the audition. I am a more fabulous pitcher in my head than out loud. You will feel like a dork. You need to get rid of, umms, ahhhs, I’m so nervous….If you act totally nervous you make other people nervous or feel bad or pity for you….oh yuck! Be authentically you, don’t try to play a “character” you just don’t have the time and most likely not the talent to pull that off. Get books on how to pitch library or bookstore. Go to local networking events, the SBA or SCORE to have people help your pitch for FREE. Don’t make it a burden to listen to you.
3) Network with the people at the audition. Not in some smarmy way, but in a genuine information exchange way. Some of these people will become your friends. No one else can relate to this bumpy road; or analyze every word or movement of the production team like your fellow line mates. The people in line with you are not really your competition because you really don’t know what the game is with the show and the rules of this crazy tv game change. Cheer for the people who make it to the next round, even if it wasn’t you. Your time may be later. Support your inventor friends–that’s what friends do.
4) Have Fun. Enjoy the unique experience. This is not “it” for you. Out of thousands that tried out for Homemade Millionaire season 1 (six episodes) 18 inventors got some pretty great PR and only 6 lucky FRIENDS got the big Kahuna! WOW that some pretty slim odds, have fun with it. It doesn’t mean your invention wasn’t good or you weren’t good, you just will not know why you didn’t get it. If you understand that gamble then you can have fun. It’s Vegas BABY no Crying at the craps table, you didn’t bet your whole house on this anyway.
5) TV is a different product. Think of how many set-backs and twists and turns you may have developing your product. That is the same for TV. IF you are a control freak, you may not want to try out for a show. The timelines get screwy. People that pitched over a year and a half ago are just seeing the show now. The producers do not have the power of when the tv show will air. Read over your contracts and have your attorney read over them. Understand that this is a calculated risk, but still a risk. If you sign a contract that will obligate you to a time period, know that there may be some other opportunity costs and that is part of the risk. You have to ask yourself if that will work for you. Think of the worst case scenario; the tv show gets cancelled or you don’t get picked to go on air and you used up a year of time, can you handle that? You may not be wired for that risk. You may be asked to keep your mouth shut for a period of time, are you able to do that? You may get the chance to be filmed and you think you got 2 minutes of air time and then dogged, can you stomach that (perceived) diss? Think..it’s VEGAS BABY
6) “Girl don’t go away mad…girl just go away….” After you try out, LEAVE. You can talk to the other hopefuls, but if you didn’t get a golden ticket, call back, wink or whatever. DO NOT CRY, POUT WHINE or BEG. I have yet to see anyone say “oh, hey you begged so well, why sure, you’re in!” IF you cry, pout, beg after a producer, you look like a pathetic looser and no one puts their money on a pathetic looser (see Fatal Attraction). Instead, you should be proud that you did what you came to do; TRY OUT. You pitched. EVERYONE thinks their stuff is “the shit.” No one will say to you, “wow your stuff sucks”, no one in line, not the producers. No one. Take the experience for what it’s worth, EXPERIENCE. They may have put a camera in your face, hey, that might be a new experience for you. You networked, made friends and you have somewhere else to go, like another tryout, a meeting with investors, a new prototype maker, a mixer with other business people, a presser, a meeting with a manufacturer, or a lunch date. The producers will call you if they want. You left every way possible to contact you. But you have other opportunities to seize, and maybe they can catch you if they can…..best of luck!
Coming soon… “Tips for Tv Producers” ☺…. The latest tryout I heard about was on Oprah’s new network, www.oprah.com/own/casting_calls.html and Everyday Edison at www.Everdayedison.com. Check out www.productx1.blogspot.com and at www.welladjustedorsotheysay.blogspot.com/ for more great conversations. Be sure to read all of the fine print and have a lawyer go over any contracts.

This is like the show within the show. When Homemade Millionaire moved to Discovery Health one could not help but think…wha???? If they wanted to cancel it, like The David Hasselhoffs show after only 2 episodes, wouldn’t it just fade to black? Or quietly go out with a whimper? Why a channel change? After reading an article in O (Jan. 2011) Oprah talks about her 2007 meeting with the Discovery head, David Zaslav, and after hearing a bit of chatter…could it be that Homemade Millionaire is going to be on the OWN (Oprah Winfrey Network, see www.oprah.com/own) Then while watching on Discovery Health there it was; the balloons flying and the announcement that Discovery Health is going to become OWN. What’s going to happen to all us hopeful inventors that tried out for Homemade Millionaire? Shark Tank is slated to resurface in 2011, see www.abc.go.com/shows/shark-tank. Oprah has obviously been a leader in product review with her hugely successful book club, to her screaming Favorite Things episodes, to her “Favorite Things” feature in her O magazine. Could Lady O beat the Shark? Now that would be my favorite thing☺

Episode 4 had Sarah Haviland the winner with her Think cleaning products. As someone being considered for season 2 with my invention, ClipCleany, I am studying this show like a business class. From that perspective, the contestants don’t have to sell to all of America, but to 2 people and in reality probably 1 major decision maker. From reading the HSN executive comments and comments from Ed Evangalista the business coach, (read his comments on this blog, scroll down to find his name), he totally sums it up here, http://blogs.discovery.com/homemade-millionaire/2010/12/you-asked-wendy-robbins-answers.html When someone doesn’t “win” why? Will the contestant ever really know? So it may be about person, product, pitch, margins, or something we are not privy to. What is the tipping point? Also why did it move from TLC to Discovery Health?… A penny for your thoughts. Watch this Friday at 10 on Discovery Health.

Here is another Honorable Mention in the Speedy Holiday Design contest. Once again a very cute dog and nice concept but what if my recipients didn’t celebrate Christmas? Like the stocking and smart logo placement as a present in the stocking. Good job students! Want to watch more competition? Catch Homemade Millionaire tonight. From all the buzz I think the “Cake Huggers” are a hit and I bet they will be for sale tomorrow on HSN…have to check it out to see if I’m right. http://tlc.discovery.com/videos/homemade-millionare-cake-huggers.html

Hey fellow female inventors stop whining the right girl won on Homemade Millionaire. What? but she was so polished and pretty (SKINNY) and her invention and blah blah blah…..Listen I too had some weak petty moments and then I had to laugh at myself. NO kidding she won, she was good, she did what she had to do to win, we should shake her hand and tip our hats. There were no losers on the show. The other ladies had a phenomenal trip to New York, media attention most can only dream of, connections to HSN, Discovery, TLC and Milojo Studios. Tonya from MagicKurl and Stefany from Dimanno Hair cuff have great clips to show other companies, like Revlon, Goody etc. Now they have a way better shot at getting a meeting now with these great companies. Look even Susan Boyle didn’t win Brittain’s got talent. She took 2nd. I can’t tell you who took first….This isn’t to diminish Marcy’s win. We fellow female inventors need to support her, for if she is super successful then the next time we are at the feet of bankers, investment groups, Angel investors they may say we can take a chance on this woman, look at what that one woman did on HSN she is making big money…..women are a good investment. Isn’t that where most of us fail? Getting the big money backing? I know that’s where I have failed. I have failed at banks, investment groups, angel investors etc…Sniping and diminishing the winner and the show will not help us get to the boardroom. Of course the winner should have been you!☺ And when you win, I will cheer you on because a win for you is a win for me.