The document summarizes five entrepreneurial lessons learned from watching Chris Johnson pitch his Rapid Ramen Cooker product on the TV show Shark Tank. The lessons are: 1) Understand your company's finances inside and out before pitching to investors. 2) Protect your product with a patent to prevent competition. 3) Let your passion for your product shine through. 4) Highlight your company's strengths during negotiations. 5) Never give up on your goals and stick to your terms, even if you have to walk away from a deal. Johnson was able to negotiate a successful deal on the show and has since found success selling his product at Walmart.

1. 5 Entrepreneurial Lessons
I Learned from Ramen Cooker
on Shark Tank
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2. On the October 6, 2013 episode,
Sacramento entrepreneur Chris Johnson
swam into the Shark Tank in hopes of
scoring a deal with one of the panelists.


As a graduate of the University of California
Davis, Johnson built an entrepreneurship to
sell the Rapid Ramen Cooker.
Unlike other products on the market, this
unique cooker enables consumers to make
ramen noodles in the microwave in a
fraction of the time it takes to cook them on
the stovetop.
Images: http://www.sacbee.com/2013/02/13/5188904_a5188701/cathie-anderson-wilton-inventor.html
http://rapidramen.com/collections/rapid-ramen/products/2-pack-rapid-ramen-cookers
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3. 

Impressed by Johnson’s pitch, billionaire Mark Cuban
offered him a $300,000 package deal of a $150,000 loan
and $150,000 purchase for 20 percent of the company.
However, Christ Johnson countered the offer by negotiating
the ownership to 15 percent for the same monetary amount
and Cuban agreed.
While watching the California native achieve
his dream deal, the following are five lessons
I learned that all entrepreneurs should know
about negotiation.
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4. 1 Understand Your Finances Inside and Out

While Chris Johnson surely excelled at his sales pitch,
Mr. Wonderful was immediately at the shark attack to inquire
about the financial specifics.

Luckily, the Sacramento entrepreneur had done his homework to
be able to communicate the exact sales margins and profits to
date.

Whether you are presenting your company to a team of potential
investors or simply expanding your business, it is crucial that you
too understand all of the magic numbers that tell the real story
about how much money is coming in and out of your account.
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5. 2 Ward off Competition with a Patent

Due to the rather simplistic design of the Rapid Ramen Cooker,
the sharks showered Johnson with many questions about whether
the cooker had been patented and if a competitor could potentially
knock off product.

If you are looking to stand out from the crowd to investors, it is
wise to present a great product that has been patented or cannot
be duplicated to safeguard against future risks.

Investors will be much more attracted to a product with a patent
because it suggests the probability of long-term success.
Image: http://i2.wp.com/www.sharktankpodcast.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Rapid-Ramen-cooker-SharkTank-Podcast-1.jpg?resize=300%2C220
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6. 3 Let Your Passion Shine Through

All sharks in the business world are experts at spotting an
entrepreneur that does not stand 100 percent behind his or her
product.

Therefore, it is essential that you demonstrate your passion for
your company and confidence that it can succeed through every
stage of negotiations.
Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ashugarg/9007573215/
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7. 3 Let Your Passion Shine Through

Johnson clearly impressed the panelists with how much effort he
was putting in to make the company grow by picking up the phone
and calling retailers across the map.

Make sure to clearly showcase your love and willingness to fight
for the company you are seeking to build.
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8. 4 Highlight Your Company’s Strengths

When preparing for your sales pitch, it is important to remember
to focus on highlighting all of the strengths that investors could
benefit from your company.

Since any weak links in a pitch will be noticed by investment
sharks like blood in the water, be sure that your pitch is free from
any potential weaknesses that could come back to bite you.

When you play up your strengths, you will have the confidence and
advantage in the negotiation process.
Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ashugarg/9007794583/in/set-72157634051847380
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9. 5 Never Give Up on Your Goals

When Kevin O’Leary and Robert Herjavec provided Johnson with
an arguably malicious offer packed with royalties and large
equities, the Sacramento native never backed down and always
stuck to his instincts about the goals for his company’s growth.

Despite the fact that Mark Cuban had already dropped out of the
running, the investor came back in with a deal of his own that
mirrored the original asking amount and made an exceptional deal
with Johnson.
Image: http://wpmedia.o.canada.com/2013/01/shark-tank-featured-image-128859_0894_ful.jpg?w=660&h=330&crop=1
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10. 5 Never Give Up on Your Goals

With this lesson in mind, make sure to not fall to easily in the trap
of a less than pleasing deal that takes advantage of your company.

Stick to your goals and guts, even if it means walking away
empty-handed, because something better may come along shortly.
Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ashugarg/5683970515/
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11. 

Although reality television shows may be given a bad
reputation, the hit series Shark Tank serves as the ultimate
guide packed full of tips to sharpen your entrepreneurial
skills.
Use these five important lessons from this action-packed
episode of Shark Tank to help you negotiate for the best deal
for your entrepreneurship, just like Chris Johnson did.
Image: http://i2.wp.com/www.sharktankpodcast.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Rapid-Ramen-cooker-SharkTank-Podcast-2.jpg?resize=450%2C300
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12. After all, the Sacramento entrepreneur has
already found success and landed his Rapid
Ramen Cooker on the shelves of Walmart
nationwide.
Image: http://sharktankblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/rapid-ramen-cooker-466x348.jpg
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13. Please contact us today to set up your FREE 30-minute consultation with
Shane Barker immediately!
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