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 h,
summertime. It used to be when we all could experience
a bit of a slower pace and watch reruns on TV. Depending
upon your lifestyle, summertime gave you the chance
to catch up on the shows you missed or to be free
of television until the fall season. But, that's
not the case anymore.
This
summer, there are few reruns to watch. Brand new
programming abounds with the likes of what I call
"adult cartoons" on TNN's revamped Manly TV (exact
name still under debate) and Fox's unusual BONZAI.
However,
the mainstay for our viewing "pleasure" will be
more "reality" shows than, perhaps, even real life
could ever provide. These shows run the gamut from
true love to love vs. money ... let your parents
pick to let your kids pick to let America pick ...
living real to living a big lie ... sing your heart
out for fame or have the last laugh.
There
even is a program that follows Donald Trump and
a gaggle of wannnabes, as well as something that
may cure us of ever eating out again called "The
Restaurant."
Our
Own Show
Even
though it appears that there is some program for
every possible taste, there is one, at least from
where I sit, that's missing. It's "The Entrepreneur,"
the show many of us live each and every day. Played
at the pace of "The Great Race," "The Entrepreneur"
combines many of the features from those other shows,
without the need for a staff of writers.
Our
first episode follows the plot of "Joe Millionaire."
Remember him? He's the guy who was supposed to have
just inherited millions and was introduced that
way to 20 women at a Château in France, only to
be revealed as penniless at the end of the show.
The star of our show works to land a deal with what
was believed to be a well-healed prospect, only
to discover later that the client had absolutely
no money to spend at all.
Episode
Two follows the story line of "The Bachelor," as
our intrepid Entrepreneur submits to RFP after RFP,
wining and dining the prospects and jumping through
all the required hoops, only to be left, broken-hearted,
at the end of the show when the business is rewarded
to another organization, nowhere near as cute or
as capable.
Episode
Three is a sheer disaster. It is discovered that
one employee has been really serving as "The Mole"
for the competition. While our star works on damage
control at the start of Episode Four, she also prepares
for her day of reckoning with her advisory board
that will turn into a business version of "Meet
The Parents" - lie detector included.
In
Episode Five, the trials and tribulations of hiring
a new employee to replace the mole turns into a
combination of "Fame" and "Star Search." The show
ends with a cliffhanger, as prospects are put through
the corporate interpretation of "Blind Date," handing
out trial assignments to see who really has the
stuff to survive in the "Real World" of this business.
Episode
Six finds our heroine in a tizzy. She accidentally
learns that her landlord is going belly up and she
must move, secretly, over the weekend or be locked
out of her offices. Talk about your "Trading Spaces!"
Then there is the "Fear Factor" because "Big Brother,"
in the form of an industry oversight committee,
is calling for a compliance audit. What a nightmare!
(Many of us would rather eat the awful things they
serve on the real "Fear Factor" than face this scenario.)
During
Episode Seven, our heroine moves to new digs and
solves her compliance problems, but still must face
the filling of the empty staff position. Worried
that, once unmasked, the current crop of candidates
could be much like those on "Mr. Personality," she
opts to let her other employees make the decision,
a la "American Idol."
In
Episode Eight, good news comes (sort of) in a twist
reminiscent of "For Love or Money." Our entrepreneur
earns an enormous piece of business, but must increase
her capacity by double to handle it. The risks bring
on the "Fear Factor" once again. In the end, the
decision is made to stay with the sure thing of
current revenues and business and forgo the new,
riskier deal.
By
Episode Nine, it's no surprise that our heroine
is in need of a vacation. She packs up her laptop,
Blackberry and PDA and flies off to her version
of "Temptation Island."
Will
she call the office on a daily basis or be tempted
to toss her electronic umbilical cords into the
ocean? Will her family feel like she is with them
or pull a "Survivor," voting her off the island
for being a non-participant? Will her business survive
her absence? The answers to these questions and
more will be revealed - but you will have
to wait for next season!
We're
the Best
Okay, while we all have days (or perhaps even
weeks) where we might feel as our heroine did, "The
Entrepreneur" is an absurd scenario for a television
program. In reality, a TV show that followed the
days and nights of a true entrepreneur would see
a character full of an indomitable spirit, much
ingenuity, and unflagging energy.
A
promo heralding the show called "Dance Fever" ends
with this phrase: "You either love it, or you don't."
I know what they mean. Regardless of the economy
or other circumstances, entrepreneurs "love it"
more often than not.
Unlike
the mantra of stars in "I'm a Celebrity, Get Me
Out of Here," each day, entrepreneurs lead with
their own war cry, "Show me some business!" Following
around these passionate, committed individuals would
make for a good reality show. In my book, that would
truly be "must see TV."
RANDI
M. KILLIAN is the founder of Randi B. Enterprises
Inc. (www.randib.com).
For 25 years, she has been helping companies change
by growing their market positions, reinventing themselves,
launching new products, and reinforcing their overall
images. She can be contacted at 847-991-9886 (e-mail:
randi@randib.com).
(This
article is reprinted from the Fall 2003 edition
of Enterprising Women magazine. Copyright
2003, Enterprising Women Inc. Reproduction in whole
or part is prohibited, except by permission of the
publisher.)
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