Veteran Shark Tank was created by Greater Philadelphia Veterans Network (GPVN) as a way to help veterans who are starting their own businesses. Similar to the popular television show Shark Tank, aspiring Veteran entrepreneurs pitch their business idea to a panel of ‘sharks’ and audience members, BUT, with a twist. Rather than an investment, our winners take home a cash prize of $10,000. It is a tremendous opportunity for veterans who are starting their own businesses to receive support, guidance and to compete for funding as they work to move their businesses forward.

Sometimes exploration is worth it. Sometimes you just spent a week of the team’s attention answering a question the founder could have tested in an afternoon. That is the part I think leaders underestimate. Ideas do not only cost money. They cost time, focus, and brainpower long before anyone approves a budget. The question I’d want answered is: how much of the organization does this idea deserve yet?