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shark (noun)
1. a large, predatory fish with sharp teeth that devours any challengers in its path
2. a crafty, successful genius of capitalism who devours any challengers in his or her path

We’re afraid of sharks. Which is why we’re seriously impressed by the guts and determination of the budding entrepreneurs who are diving head first into the Shark Tank every week.

In these trying economic times, it's tough for someone with a dream to get a loan for a risky venture. There are some great ideas out there—next generation products, mind-blowing food recipes, life-changing services, technological brainstorms—ideas that will likely die an early death because no one dared take a financial chance on an unknown person with an unproven and possibly outrageous proposal.

Many of these people now see Shark Tank as their last chance at success.

Some have been laboring on their ideas for years or even decades, have invested large amounts of money, and are being pressured to throw in the towel by friends and family. Others have simply never had access to the means to live out their dreams... until now. Enter the Sharks of Shark Tank—five multi-millionaires who lifted themselves up by their bootstraps to make their own entrepreneurial dreams come true and turned their ideas into empires.

And our legal folks need us to tell you that Shark Tank depicts negotiations between entrepreneurs and investor 'Sharks.' The Sharks are investing their own money at their discretion. No offer is being made to or solicited from the viewing audience.

Mark Burnett, the man behind Survivor and The Apprentice, has brought these tycoons together in one room. Each week, ambitious entrepreneurs from across the country will present their breakthrough business concepts, products, properties and services to the panel of ruthless investors. Their goal: to convince these merciless moguls to invest—parting with their own hard-earned cash and giving them the funding they need to jumpstart their ideas.

Convincing real-life millionaires to part with their own money is no easy task, because when the idea is poor, the Sharks will tear into the ill-prepared presenters and pass on the idea with a simple, "I'm out!"—sending them running for the exit.

Of course, these Sharks aren't just out for blood, they too have a goal: to own a piece of the next big idea. Entrepreneurs will be asked to give up a percentage of their companies' equity to the Sharks in order to get the investment they need. But watch out—when the Sharks hear a really top-notch idea, and more than one of them wants to sink their teeth into it, a war between them will erupt. Then the once-desperate entrepreneur can rejoice when the Sharks reveal their true interest in the product and bid up the price of the investment.

A word of advice: be strong. Sharks can smell fear.