Melting make-up not a deal-breaker

OMG, OMG... Richard Maerov, quietly-confident producer, voice messaged: 'if you're still into it, we'd like to tape your pitch. O-M-G: 'IF I'M STILL INTO IT?!! You betcha I'm into it! Then, a dose of reality: 'we tape in three weeks' Three, count 'em, three weeks. Three weeks. To hone a business concept, take a crash course in internet businesses models (is there such a thing?) develop a business plan, have my numbers down cold, create a made-for-television pitch, not to mention the mind-boggling and ever-present what-to-wear headache. I ponder all these issues at aHuman Rights Watch fundraiser, where I shout my good news over the music to a couple of very tall men. Two words get their immediate attention: Dragon's Den. One's a VC who cautions: you don't want any of those Dragon's to invest in you. I know them all. Give me a call and we'll talk it through. [this warrants another OMG] Making it to the finals opens doors. Then, the men's wives arrive (both powerhouse women)I get their attention, too. But for a different reason: what am I going to wear.

The Audition Experience

CBC Atrium. I sign in, pick up the CBC-and-producers-are-released-from-any-and every-eventuality Agreement for signing, and get my number. It's #434. #200 is now being served. Sigh. I beeline for couch with just enough breathing room, and get busy releasing. This takes oh maybe 5 minutes. It's the same release as on the Dragon's Den website and I've already read it, sighed over it and realized - if you wanna be in the game, you have to play by the rules. Looking around, intense albeit quiet conversations: a well suited 40'ish woman with a briefcase is in serious discussion with a well-suited 30-ish man who seems to be giving selling tips. On the other side of the couch, on a cell phone is an elegantly dressed man who looks Ethiopian, talking animatedly on a cell-phone in completely unaccented English. The Atrium is awash with hopefuls, considering the acoustics - high high ceiling, lots of granite - it's a quietly murmuring crowd. I repair to the bathroom to check my camouflage. After, I walked past the barrier of desks in front of the audition area. Five producers wait to hear pitches, echoing the Dragon's Den set-up. One by one, pitchers pitch and exit. It finally dawns on me: there. is. no.camera. O-M-G. I am way too overly-made-up...but don't want to risk making a mess removing some of the layers. After 3+ hours: I'm up. After, I head to the bathroom and, to my horror, under my eyes, dissolving make-up has created a trail -- no, more like a constellation -- of black dots. My credibility and confidence equally dissolved I head for the exit. On the way out, Richard, who I was fortunate enough to be pitching to said, "Sounded good. We'll call you if we want you." Oh boy. There's hope. Heading home to wash my face. Verry exciting. Next post, I'll share my audition script.

The Audition

Been writing my audition script. Then, everything changes when I say it out loud (you try it) Incorporating tips from info session: we've perfected a product; we have a track record; we know our audience; we know our potential. Time to figure out what to wear. Yikes. Been a whole lotta years since last I auditioned. I used to know what to wear, how to 'make-up' and how animated to be or not to be. After much on-ing and off-ing of various outfits, hauled out the ancient Hi8 camera, shooed the cat off the bed, pressed record, shooed the cat again and talked into the camera. Rewound, watched, grimaced, and repeated. Finally happy with classic white collared shirt, and red sweater, script almost memorized, I head to the bathroom and shoo the cat away to apply make-up. Once again in front of camera, with cat on lap, shoot, rewind and see where I messed-up on the make-up. I'm exhausted. I head to CBC clutching script, make-up bag, and pick up mega coffee.

I've got it and they want it

I pitched to Richard Maerov: tall good looking, and island of calm in the waves of people wanting to know how to get on Dragon's Den (soon to be launched in US as Shark Tank). Richard looked into a television screen in his brain: "A patient education television network in hospitals... that'd make good TV.. and an established business? Woah. We don't get many of those" .....Yay hurray. Then, to Tracie Tighe, tightly focussed Exec, I answer, You betcha I can audition next week. OMG Total excitement. Am on Audition Script, as soon as I figure out Audition wardrobe.

Watching and listening in the information Den

While working up what the heck I was going to run by the DD producer, I observed and eavesdropped. The scruffy young fella sporting what looked like a hand-knit knapsack had been two ahead of me in the registration line. Guy between us asked "What's your product?" Scruffy point to his knapsack. Guy between us said "Oh yeah. I've seen them around" Scruffy wilted before our very eyes: "You can't have. It's an original." As Mayor David Miller walked through the crowd to the front to give his welcome speech, a well-groomed young man took advantage of the several second 'delay' to try to pitch Dragon Robert Herjavec on something that looked like a small skateboard. A woman said, to no-one in particular: "Look at that: he's just gotten right in there to give his pitch. " I note a man and woman circle each-other warily. Man says, "You were on last year weren't you?" Turns out they'd both pitched last season.. and were part of what I realized were 'Dragon Heads': devotees and groupies who come to as many Dragon events as they can. I learned that while the Dragon's were all 'in' on guy's pitch, he decided against taking their money. The woman also had the Dragon's 'all in'. As due diligence and negociations evolved, Dragon's wanted more of the business than had been offered... for way more money. "Of course we went for it." Interrrresting. The stage set for the session to begin; Miller says his bit (making a crack about CBC being one of Canada's two national networks.. sorry Global) and then right into Diane and Herjavec. The room is (temporarily) attentive...