Ask an Expert: 'Shark Tank' shows entrepreneurs how to swim

— -- Q: Lately I have been watching the TV show "Shark Tank" and really like it. What always amazes me is that the people whose products I don't like often get money and those that I do like get nothing. Why is that? — Jaime

A: Like you, I enjoy Shark Tank as well, and for any entrepreneurs or inventors out there who are looking for investors, making Shark Tank part of your weekly viewing is highly recommended. (Actually, even if you simply own a small business and have no need for investment capital, the show is worth your while — it's educational, fun, and entertaining to boot.)

For the uninitiated, people who have businesses and products in need of angel investments go into the "Shark Tank," give their best elevator pitch, and try and get the five millionaire and billionaire investors (the "sharks") to put their own money (and intellectual capital) into the venture. The sharks are people like my pal Barbara Corcoran (N.Y. real estate legend) and Mark Cuban (NBA Mavericks owner). As with any angel or venture-capitalist deal, the entrepreneur has to be willing to give up a percentage of their business to the shark. How much? Well, that's part of the fun.

People come on the show at all levels of skill, abilities, experience, and needs. One guy might be pitching an alarm clock that wakes people up with the smell of bacon, needing $10,000 while another might pitch a toy company that allows parents to rent toys for a few months, and later send them back for new ones, a la the Netflix model. That entrepreneur might need $100,000 for a 10% equity stake in the business.

So why do some of the people get the money and the opportunity to have someone like Daymond John (creator of FUBU) be their business partner while others go home empty handed? Why do some entrepreneurs get VC funding while others don't?

Here are 5 lessons for money seeking entrepreneurs from the Shark Tank:

1. Know your numbers: I can't tell you how many times variations on the following conversation occurs on the show:

Kevin O'Leary (shark): "Let me get this right. You are offering 20% of your company in exchange for an investment of $50,000?

Entrepreneur: "You bet, we have a great product!"

O'Leary: "But that means that you are valuing your company at $2.5 million. You only have $120,000 in sales. Your company is not worth close to that my friend."

Entrepreneur: "Uh, uh . . ."

Investors want to know how you are valuing your business, how much money you are going to make, how much profit you have made, and why you need their money. Potential is great and all, but numbers talk, BS walks.

2. Understand that money has no feelings: Kevin O'Leary is fond of pointing this out. This is about making a profit for the investors, nothing more, nothing less. How, exactly, will you do that? How you feel about your business is fairly irrelevant.

3. Have a real business that can be scaled: The business cannot be you doing labor, unless that labor can be duplicated en masse. If you make homemade cedar toy chests that cost $300 but take 25 hours to build, it is difficult to see how that is a business that can be ramped up to sell mass quantities. A business that makes widgets for $2 that retail for $4 is a business that is scalable.