If you’ve watched Shark Tank in the past 4 years, you might have noticed a new segment.

I call it: “And then Covid hit.”

Entrepreneurs making their case for funding from the Sharks will have painted a rosy story of the early days of their business.

Sales are booming, inventory can’t keep up, life is good.

“And then Covid hit.”

They then take a 2-minute detour (edited down for TV) to detail:

• how their business was decimated by the pandemic
• how they didn’t know if they’d survive
• how they had to creatively pivot into the business they have today

These interesting, heart-wrenching stories of grit and entrepreneurial spirit make for great television.

But hearing the same story arc repeatedly begins to lose its emotional effect and becomes a distraction to the task at hand.

In fact, in recent episodes, you’ll see the Sharks sharply interrupt the Covid sob story saying, “Tell me about your numbers.”, bringing focus back to the pitch.

We all have an interesting personal story about how we ended up as independents. Often it includes a layoff, or a re-org, or full-blown corporate burnout. And it’s natural to want to share the narrative that led you to where you are today.

That said, in a sales cycle, your prospects are far more interested in what you can do to get them out of their urgent problem. The details of your professional journey are a distant second priority (perhaps even lower).

You don’t need to be a robot, but stay focused on their problem, not your story.

💡

-Wes