 So we've had a lot of people that have been on Shark Tank on the show. Okay. We've never had a shark. And so, I'm the first of many. Yeah, the first of many. When it comes to being on Shark Tank from a shark's perspective, statistically, all the sharks will slash their valuations in half. That is like tried and true. Did you know any of that going in? Is it something you guys... Oh, you mean... Like, is it a strategy that all sharks kind of talk about or at least discuss ahead of time? I come in, I go, hey, I got the better for you pillow and I have made $200,000 last month and my valuation is $10 million. And then Mark will go, great, I'll give you a 10% for, at a $5 million valuation for X amount of dollars. And you're like, okay. It's like every time, every time it's a slash. Yeah, it is funny. There's no communication or commiseration whatsoever about the deal structure, to be honest. It's like all acting intuitively. What I sort of found funny watching the show which you guys can relate because you invest too, right? You know, CBGs have their multiples out in the world, right, for those listening to consumer product goods. They were five to seven, now they're zero to negative, you know, because we're in a shit show. But like... Save me, save the valuation. Whatever it takes, just pay the mortgage, please. But anyway, back in normal times. And yet you go on the show and none of that logic applies. It used to drive me nuts. I've been looking at Kevin O'Leary applying like math that doesn't quite exist, but it also has kind of common sense too, in a weird way. So I think it's a reality is, I think it's a function of, these are not investors using other people's money who are getting paid based on carry. If you look at all the funds, they're just getting money based on how much money they're putting out to work. And the returns are important, but it's not your own money. And when you're investing your own money, it's like a return to reason. Like, no, wait a second, I don't care about multiples. I'm not looking to flip this. What can I generate? I think that's what drives the, which is kind of interesting. It's a bunch of people using their own checkbook, like trying to ensure that they get a return. And there's a value that they can, they're trying to buy value and create value. Right, so there's something, people are like Shark Tank is not realistic. I was like, is it not realistic or is the world not realistic? And this is primitive behavior when somebody's money's on the line. That's what I find fascinating. When you get on that set. Oh, that's such an interesting take. Yeah, right, because I was contemptuous of it until it was my money. But then I was realized, but I'm kind of, my behavior was distorted because I was looking at this more as, this is cool, it's also a branding play. I'm not gonna be permanent. Also, I felt bad for everybody. Like, it's just like, I just feel so. You know what I mean? And to be Kevin. Yeah, I can't be, but this is their money that they're doing all the time. And like, everyone is very sympathetic to the entrepreneurs. But what you don't see often is the parts that were not totally accurate in what was presented on the set. You know what I mean? It's a two-way street. If you found your way onto that set, you got a lot of grit, a lot going for you. You're hustling, so. Will you talk about the equity play in the book how it's always up for grabs in terms of, if the shark is gonna invest their money, it's also their time. And so they want to make their time worthwhile, like, if they only get 2% of the company, that's not worth it for them, no matter how much the company valuation is. So I feel like that kind of affects the slashing of, in half of these prices and valuations. It does, because you're right. I'm glad you brought that up. This is an important part of the book, just trying to educate everybody, saying, it's not just money, it's time. And we've all learned this the hard way, right? You get so excited and enamored by something and you know, you think it's gonna be a score. And then you realize, like, that took forever and I only own 3% of it. So I think the shark's intuitively under, they're solving for a percentage ownership stake and that's what's driving it, right? I'm only gonna put 300 grand to work and that's gonna have to equal 20%. That's the part that's unrealistic about the show that doesn't quite work in VC land because that would mean your first valuation, you gave away 30% of the company, right? Like that's the inherent tension. The fun part though is that these are not VC type businesses. They are real businesses that are meant to eventually cash flow, that make you money, that pay you rather and not necessarily to flip. But back to the show. The show itself is so similar to what you see on TV. The only I'd say not even distortions is that a pitch could take 40 minutes and the end version that you see is seven and a half. When I have been on it and I watched the version on TV, I can't remember what was edited out. That's how accurate. There's some amplification of conflict like one time Mark Cuban, we were competing for a deal. This is great. He was belittling me to the investor. This actually happens. And he was like, yeah, he goes, yeah, Matt. Because I was saying, well, I have this big soccer business. I could help you. And I have a big platform. He's like, yeah, Matt, you and your 15,000 Instagram followers. I was like, oh. And I'm like, and I go, Mark Cuban, like a billionaire, acting like a teenage kid, like kind of flexing about your number of followers. They didn't show my retort. I was like, what did you show the answer? What did you say? I said, oh, look at Mark Cuban acting like a little teenager, flexing his number of followers. But they didn't show that part. So there's a degree of decorum that is kept out of the platform. And I'm sure you're friendly. Oh, for good. Maybe you have some boards together. They were all great. I mean, I've been very open about being anxious coming on the show. Yeah, it's in the book, which is great. Which is weird. It's great. Now we're keeping it really real. I don't know why more people have been guests haven't talked publicly about what I'm talking about. Could I be the only one that had imposter syndrome going on that show? It's not possible. So then I'm like, it's an opportunity to make a gift of yourself by sharing that publicly. And what made me actually begin talking about it, I had a conversation with my wife about it. Because if you look at me on TV on that first episode objectively, one could argue you're a natural at it or you're good at it or it seemed effortless. I'm pretty good at making things that are gut wrenching seem effortless. So that's one view of it. Or I could say what was really going through my head. And now use that as a teaching moment. And I actually think not communicating how I was really feeling is a form of not violence, but a form of regression. Because now I'm pushing this forward into the world. Look how good I was on TV. I'm making great Instagram posts where I'm telling you about I went from government cheese to now I'm redeemed. And by the way, why haven't you figured your shit out? Because if you came from crap too, you should have it figured out. That is like it's so subtle. It's a form of abuse. It's a form of abuse to the people who need the most for you to tell the actual truth. Because if you leave it there, this is what I hate about Instagram and self-styled gurus these days. They have this narrative, this arc of redemption where they sometimes probably amplify or manufacturing, stumble or crisis. I was vulnerable. My ego got the best of me. I blew all my money on Lamborghinis. But now I'm good. And now you're saying. I hate when that happens. Yeah, me too. We can all relate. So fucked up, right? But then now you volunteered or whatever. But when I think the tough part is when you present or purport to have the answers to the test, but you don't asterisk it or disclaim how you still struggle implementing it, you actually are amplifying a wound. Because the typical person, even when they occasionally stumble upon the answers to the test, they forget them. That's the human experience. So the book, I know this is maybe too Jedi, but the book is my attempt to be like, I have the book. And I wrote the book. But I wrote the book so I'd read the book alongside you. Not because I no longer need to read the book. It's like your own little reminder. Yeah, because that's why the stuff is so circular around the book. It's like, yeah, you got your TV show. Oh, you're press secretary of the mayor of New York. Mom dies that day. That day is a metaphor for the human experience. That's the true story, right? Some of the last things my mother ever said to me is that no one will care when I'm dead. And my life will not matter. And it is true. No one cared. She had a couple of friends who did, but she disappeared from this face of the earth. And she was never redeemed, right? And I have never fucked. Now, I have never fully healed from that either, like, because we all don't fully heal from this stuff, right? And so, like, I do, maybe this is my, when I see these self-styled gurus and they're purporting to have it all figured out, I'm like, are you hurting people right now? Actually, you're not helping them because you're not telling the truth that you don't have shit figured out. If you made it this far, I bet you loved the episode. So you should join our YouTube channel membership for only $2.99 a month. 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