So I'm here with Lori Grenier. We are on the set of Shark Tank, season 8. I mean, firstly, can you believe how It's going to be great. It's I'm firstly, I'm an avid. I've seen every single episode, I think, since the beginning.

I love you.

Oh. What's your favorite? Oh. That's a hard one. I actually I'm going to I'm going to think about that. I'm going to come back to that. Yeah. Um but how much there's so much that's changed. How would you say that your, you know, leveled expectations for entrepreneurs coming into the tank, your, you know, standards for investing, how has it evolved over the years? Right.

All right. You're going to think about that. Yeah. Well, for me, I've kept my standards of investing. I've learned some things, though. You know, I've learned about um the entrepreneurs. I think sometimes you can see through certain things better, whereas in the beginning, I'm not sure I was prepared or looking for it. Um when they come in, I think we all have the expectation that they should have watched every single episode, Like me. And yeah. And if they have, then they know what we're going to do. Right. Now, not to say that there aren't a lot of surprises because really, I never know who's coming in, what's going to happen. I don't know what they're going to say, um and things happen, you know. We get into fights. I my fellow sharks yesterday, seriously, I well, I'm going to leave it as a teaser. Right.

No, I want to know. But at the end, yesterday, the last pitch, I was like, oh my God. I just I want to get out of here alive. Um Cuz you are, but you're known as like the nicer shark, the warm-blooded shark. And I I do notice a lot of the sharks kind of like

I'll fight them though, you know.

Did they gang up on you? Yeah, you do. You hold your ground.

Yeah. I know. I have no fear. I mean, bring it on, you know. Like, if it's appropriate. Um but I just you just never know what's coming, and I think that this season is really a myriad of surprises and really savvy entrepreneurs. But we also have gone back to some that, you know, are the good old couple, that really basic idea, and simpler things because we have to have everything. Right.

Yeah. And that is the thing. It's the American dream, you know. Everybody loves the show from all ages. I think it's so relatable. You know, what is sort of your advice to people who are watching, who are entrepreneurs, you know, who want to still be want to be successful, but there's a difference between the want-trepreneurs and the entrepreneurs. How do you know who's genuinely going to succeed? Like, how can you tell?

Well, for sure, there are certain characteristics that people have. I mean, to me, an entrepreneur is somebody who will do whatever it takes. They're driven. They um are A-type personalities. They it's like they don't know the word no. And that's always been my mantra. I know no, no's, just how can I? So, when I see that person, I know that no matter what, even if they have to pivot, you know, which is something that happens. Maybe this isn't the best idea, but something else is and you're going to change it. They're still going to make it because they have what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur.

And when you started out, did you have someone that was like your mentor that you looked up to? No, anybody influential?

No, what was really interesting is, no, I really didn't. I just had an idea. I was always thinking of things. I was always creative and had no plan in which to make products or be an inventor. Um, I didn't even really like business. I really didn't. That was boring to me. Um but I had an idea, and I had a dream, and I thought, people need this product. And I got the bug. And once you get the bug and you realize you can do it, then you just keep doing more and more and more.

Cuz you want there's so much. Yeah, it is. And you don't really want to stop. It's like you there's never really like an you think there's an end goal, but then you always know there's something more to be done. It's infectious.

Or buyers at stores. For me, it was the uh, you know, TV shopping world. For me, it's like yeah, QVC right here. I QVC. Once you have a successful product and and women, for me, that was the audience at the time, women loved it, then you want to keep pleasing. You want to keep creating things that make them happy, that make their lives better. And you get personal gratification, but then you also know that you're helping other people in their lives. So that for me was quite infectious. I just wanted to keep doing and making more, and it became easier and easier because I knew what I was doing.

So, but I have to talk about your clothes because everybody everybody always wants to know about the outfit because Yes. you do wear the same dress 90% of the time. Not this season. This is a whole new amazing look. This is a whole new world. Do you get a say in sort of what you're going to wear or how does that?

Well, what's interesting is is we have a lot of different panels. Um for editing purposes is why we're always in the same outfit. So, it it's for our editors. It makes their life easier. But this season, a lot of surprises. There are several panels. I am in, I think, six different dresses. Um which is really cool for me. This being one of them. But, um and bright colors. We used to be very much in dark. Dark. Yeah. Um I'm in a hot pink this year and uh bright turquoise blue and what else? Well, I'm going to leave the rest as a surprise. You'll have to watch, right?

And then I love the banter that goes on with you and the sharks. Is there someone and everyone has their own methodology, their own style of investing. Is there someone's style that you actually really believe is the most successful?

Mine.

Besides yours. Besides yours. It's a fair enough question. That's true. That is a good point. If you had to pick the best. Wasn't a bad question, but you know, it was an immediate answer. That's savvy business person right here. That's that's how you should answer it. But is there someone if you had to like, if you were in the tank, if you were coming in the tank, besides yourself. Well, you know where this is going to go. I want to know. If I were coming in the tank, and I wasn't there. Who would I invest in? I who who would I pick? Or who would you want to invest in you? Either way.

Well, you know, honestly, I would really answer that with um it depends what I was pitching. Okay. Right. Because I do think that um all the sharks have great merit in their own right. But there are some that I think are better suited for certain things than others. So, I I can't answer that.

Okay. They're all mean. No. Really. And then a lot of the deals you have to do like your due diligence afterwards. What percentage actually close? Do you I mean, cuz you have a lot of businesses that you're running right now.

I'm a closer.

You're a closer. Okay. I have a lot of deals. I have a very big entrepreneurial family that truly is a family. I mean, they love each other. They get together all the time. Um all all of us say like, I love you when we hang up. It's very cute. Um I want you to invest in. It's really true. We always I'm always like, love you guys. We're like, love you too. It's very sweet because to me, business is not just business. My life, I have one life and my life, I feel is important. I should fill it with good people, happiness, business and pleasure, loving, And that that means a lot to me. So I want entrepreneurs that will fit in my family. That wasn't your question, though. Your question was,

Well, how do you I mean, just sort of segueing, how do you balance? As a woman, because it's hard to sort of, you know, be an entrepreneur, be focused on business, but then you also have family.

When you're an entrepreneur, it's really a 24/7 thing. There isn't really work-life balance. You have to be committed and willing to work Sundays, Saturdays, evenings. It's not where you can just say, it's 9 to 5, I'm leaving. So, I think the truth is is that you should try to involve your family in your business. That's what I think works for me. Um I try to involve the people I love in what I'm doing, and therefore, they're going to be a part of the journey and be excited, and they're not going to mind that I'm gone. Yeah. Because they'll come with me. Right. So, I think you have to find a way in which to be inclusive. That's the only way it really works. And then as far as pleasure, so, I mean, I like to do really simple things. I am not that person that's very complicated. I love great restaurants, a great meal, watching great movie, staying at home and ordering like five pizzas and having a throwdown for three people.

Do you do that when your entrepreneurs come? Okay. You're like the best person ever. Oh yeah. And lastly, what is your favorite quote to live by?

Up and down, so, right? Oh. You can make anything happen. You've heard it. You've heard it right here.