I generally like the Shark Tank, even though sometimes I wonder why this or how that.
This time I wondered so much that I had to do some research.
It’s about the Circadian Optics episode where Ms. Leong got a good deal for her desktop circadian lights company, after having grown up poor in Malaysia and immigrated to the US to live the “American dream”.
Small wonderings included how people living without indoor plumbing have retirement funds they can cash out… but maybe Malaysia is very different so maybe that’s true. They were certainly a brave and loving family! I know how hard is to leave loved ones behind; far away and hard to see.
My first big “WHY” was “Why nobody mentioned or asked about the other similar circadian lights already on the market? I’ve had one for years. Lori usually knows what’s on the market, and asks, but not this time.
Not to mention that searching for such lights on the ‘net brings up some that look the same or very similar, for example the ones from Verilux who even sued them… makes you wonder.
What gives?
Still, it was impressive that after such a hard life Ms. Leong succeeded against all odds and the Sharks were happy to say that it shows the American Dream is still alive!
So again I wondered “HOW”? When does one have the time to do all this while studying to get multiple degrees, in such a short time? Not that it’s impossible; but… at least I must learn something from this!
I still don’t know how, for sure, but we get some clues if we ask why other usual questions were missing, like who else is involved in this company?
The whole episode was about how “me” and “I” did everything and that was so… impressive!
‘Turns out that Ms. Leong married Mr. Chew, sometime early in her “adventure”.
Mr. Chew is a serial entrepreneur that seems to have had twelve companies registered at some point, some in investments and management.
- Is it still a great story? YES! These are hardworking people that succeeded in a hard world.
- Do I lose faith in the Shark Tank’s storytelling? YES! They become a soap opera.
- Is the American Dream still alive? Maybe less than it used to be, if it gets so much media attention (GlobeNewsWire, StarTribune, BizJournals, AmericanInno, Inc.com, CNBC, ABC, etc.) when it happens.