The Shark Tank Formula for Startup Success

Written by: Ivan Serrano

The ABC hit show “Shark Tank” isn’t called Shark Tank anecdotally; the climate for rising startups, small companies and ambitious-minded entrepreneurs is literally a shark tank. And the name of the game is profit. There are a whole lot of startups out there and even more companies that are going to try and bring you down. Or, if your idea is good, they’ll try and buy you out. These are things you have to be prepared for, and a reality that you will have to learn to accept and to get around. And there is a way around. Companies don’t just start with billions of dollars oozing out of them (at least, not the ones that aren’t built off of trust funds) and you have just as equal and fair a shot as the rest. The question is, what are you going to do about it? How are you going to stand out and shine in a world full of sharks?

The first step, of course, is to build an image for yourself, build a brand for yourself. Thanks to this day and age of Internet sharing and posting, it’s almost a given that you will have to create an online presence for yourself. Every company is out there on social media – from Facebook and Twitter to LinkedIn and Pinterest and Google Plus – the list of possibilities goes on and on. You have to figure out the formula that works for you, of course, and it will probably take some trial and error runs to get started and to build a name and a brand for yourself. But more importantly, you’ll need to come up with a smart business plan that will help get you started so you can fight off the bigger sharks. Here is some information on how:

Maren Hogan

Maren Hogan is CEO of Red Branch and general Bad@$$

Maren Hogan is a seasoned marketer and community builder in the HR and Recruiting industry. Maren started Red Branch Media and, before she hired all the smiling faces you see below, she ran it on her own. In marketing for over 15 years, she has deep experience in strategic campaigns and a long-term, results-based operational approach.