Small businesses deserve more than shows like Shark Tank

MARK Bouris is fired up about shows like Shark Tank. “It pisses me off deluxe and makes me want to vomit”.

SOMETHING is making me want to vomit. Australia’s 2.4 million small business owners are the backbone of our economy and nothing is being done to help them. They all started as entrepreneurs, because they decided to get off their butts and do something.

They employ 60 per cent of the country, they pay 60 per cent of consolidated revenue, which is supposed to pay for roads and infrastructure. They pay the superannuation of 60 per cent of people. They even collect the government’s tax for them through BAS.

Mark Bouris says Small Business gives a lot to our economy and doesn’t get much back.

They’re under-represented, they don’t have a member in parliament who’s interested in them. They don’t whinge either, they’re out there doing their best, they don’t have time to whinge.

Entrepreneur is not a dirty word. Entrepreneurs are absolutely critical to every nation. The OECD countries recently held a long discussion about how important it is to support entrepreneurs. Even Turkey is starting to recognise how important small business is to their economy. I don’t know where our government and every other institution gets off, taking our entrepreneurs for granted.

You know what pisses me off deluxe, there are now TV shows which actually put the knife into entrepreneurs.

Shows like Shark Tank don’t help small business, says Mark Bouris.

There’s a show on Channel 10, Shark Tank. I don’t watch it too often but the few times I have, I felt like vomiting. They are just ripping into these people. It’s tough enough to get up and present, let alone on TV. These people have just a few minutes to put forward their dream.

What really gets in my throat is when the judges start to carve them up. We should be encouraging them. Obviously if it’s not a good idea you need to tell them, but maybe it has good bones, maybe they just need encouragement.

Entrepreneurs need better support from the government and banks. They need us to back them, not cut them down and someone to ask them the right questions as they shape their business.

Mark Bouris recording his podcast.

Mark Bouris has just launched a podcast, and is inviting anyone with a business idea to join him for advice and support. Email [e-mail] or on follow Mark on Twitter @markbouris