Dragons’ Den Books


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Kevin O’Leary

Kevin O’Leary shares invaluable secrets on entrepreneurship, business, money and life. Can you make millions just by “visualizing yourself rich” as some business prophets suggest? Don’t buy it, says Kevin O’Leary. If you want to be a successful entrepreneur and amass wealth, you’re going to have to work for it. But the good news is: with the right guidance, focus and perseverance, you can turn entrepreneurial vision into lucrative reality and have the personal freedom that only wealth can buy.

Kevin O’Leary would know. The much-feared and revered Dragon on the immensely popular show Dragons’ Den (and Shark Tank in the U.S.) started his company in his basement with a $10,000 loan from his financially savvy mother. A few years later, Kevin sold that company for more than four billion dollars. In this compelling, candid and, above all else, brutally honest business memoir, Kevin provides engaging, practical advice and lessons that will give anyone a distinct competitive edge.

Arlene Dickenson

At thirty, Arlene Dickinson found herself stranded. Recently divorced, she had a high school diploma, no savings and no clue how she was going to feed four young children. But just one year later, she was a partner in Venture Communications. Ten years on, she was CEO, poised to grow the business into one of Canada’s largest independently owned marketing firms. Today, as a co-star of the CBC TV hit Dragons’ Den, she is one of the country’s most sought-after female entrepreneurs. The secret of her journey from poverty to the corner office? The art of persuasion, as she explains with wit and unusual candour in this, her first book.

Blending her own frank and highly entertaining stories with compelling social science, she explains how to persuade both in the boardroom and in everyday life: the crucial importance of a particular kind of listening; how to get people to buy into your ideas; how to attract followers and deal with naysayers; the art of storytelling; how to turn mistakes to your advantage; and how to seize opportunities where others see only roadblocks. Anyone, she believes, can be persuasive—just look how good we are at persuading ourselves we can’t do things. Using the tricks of her trade and insights from her own fascinating experiences with some of Canada’s leading companies, Dickinson explains how to master the art of persuasion, without an M.B.A., to achieve maximum success in business—and in life.

Robert Herjavec

Robert Herjavec has lived the classic “rags to riches” story, from having only $20 in his pocket to starting up technology companies worth hundreds of millions of dollars. The son of Croatian immigrants, Herjavec overcame the odds and amassed incredible wealth, doing it through pure hard work and determination. Today a star on television’s Dragon’s Den and The Shark Tank, he bankrolls the best inventions and shoots down the best intentions. And now, for the first time, he shares his hard-won wisdom in one of the most inspirational business books of the season.

Driven is organized by the work and life principles that made Robert Herjavec both wealthy and successful (indeed, these terms are not synonymous). Herjavec reveals the secrets that took him from waiting tables to growing his nascent technology company, The Herjavec Group, into a world-class conglomerate. His principles are as valuable in the living room as they are in the boardroom. Anyone can succeed, on their own terms, by following his sage but simple advice — as long as they’re willing to take chances, take control of their future and stay true to their vision.

Dragons Den: The U.K. Edition

Learn how to be a success from the business lessons of the Dragons and the financial advice of Evan Davis. Britain’s best loved business brains —Duncan Bannatyne, Deborah Meaden, Peter Jones, Theo Paphitis, and Richard Farleigh along with economics expert Evan Davis—divulge the secrets of their success in this essential read. Joining them is James Caan, the new Dragon who will be part of the team in the new season of the television show. James is a multi-millionaire businessman and entrepreneur. Dragons’ Den is packed with advice, whether you want to perfect your pitching skills, develop an idea or make more money. The Dragons will look at what’s become of the entrepreneurs who entered the Dragons’ Den. Some went away emptyhanded but have since become successful. Others won the backing of the Dragons but failed to make their dream come true. The Dragons will show you what should have been done, what should have happened next, and how you too could win their backing and become a business success. This is much more than a TV series companion. It is a solid business read with never-before-heard advice and experiences from the Dragons own business ventures. At last, we’ll find out how they became millionaires and their rules for success. This is a unique, accessible ,and useful business read straight from the Dragons’ Den.

CBC Radio Wins Big at New York Festivals

The CBC was named “Broadcaster of the Year” and a sizeable number of CBC Radio programs took home medals and other honours at the 2010 New York Festivals International Radio Awards(R) last night in New York City.

“This is truly fantastic. My heartiest congratulations to everyone involved in creating such outstanding radio,” remarked Denise Donlon, general manager of CBC Radio.

“The breadth of programming held up for distinction by these awards is truly remarkable and a wonderful testament to the depth of programming choices that CBC provides to our audiences. We are deeply honoured,” Donlon said.

A total of 17 CBC Radio programs were awarded medals at the 2010 New York Festivals International Radio Awards(R), including the coveted Grand Award gold medal, which went to THE CURRENT for its documentary, “Twice Lost” on a brother and sister’s fractuous relationship. Another six CBC programs received finalist honours.

“With the recent pick up of Q with Jian Ghomeshi on American public radio network PRI and the ongoing success of other CBC Radio programs such as WireTap south of the border, these award wins just further send the message that CBC produces some of the finest programming in the world,” said Kirstine Stewart, interim executive vice-president of CBC. “Our heartfelt thanks to the New York Festivals for the recognition.”

“CBC’s stellar entries impressed our international Grand Jury across the board,” said Rose Anderson, executive director of the New York Festivals. “The breadth and depth of their superior programming is the benchmark for the Broadcaster of the Year Award. Kudos to CBC for being awarded the prestigious title of New York Festivals Broadcaster of the Year for the past four years out of five!”

Tony Parsons to anchor CBC Vancouver local news

Veteran B.C. news anchor Tony Parsons is returning to the Vancouver airwaves as host of the CBC’s supper-hour newscast, the corporation announced on Monday afternoon.

Parsons will co-host the CBC local newscasts with Gloria Macarenko. He replaces former co-anchor Ian Hanomansing, who left last week to take up a position as a replacement anchor and reporter with CBC News: The National.

Parsons recently retired from the top anchor spot at Global TV in Vancouver and became host of the 10 p.m. PT local newscast on CHEK television, an independent station in Victoria.

He remains one of the most recognizable faces in B.C. news, Johnny Michel, the managing director for CBC’s B.C. region, said in a statement.

“Tony Parsons has been synonymous with local news in Vancouver for 35 years and we’re thrilled to welcome him to the CBC News Vancouver team,” said Michel.

Under the new agreement, Parsons will host the newscast for CBC in Vancouver from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., then appear at 10 p.m. on CHEK’s late-night Vancouver Island newscast.

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Laura Da Re appointed as CBC Radio’s director of financial projects

CBC Radio general manager Denise Donlon today announced the appointment of Laura Da Re, as director, financial projects, CBC Radio.

In this new position, Da Re will focus on financial projects and strategies including revenue opportunities for Radio. She will be part of the radio strategic team and will also work with network finance on various projects.

“CBC Radio is always looking for ways to increase revenue and manage our resources in order to extend the value of our world class content, particularly in an increasingly multi platform universe,” said Donlon. “Laura’s skills and experience as a financial analyst and project manager will be of great value to us as we strive to bring Canadians public radio of the highest quality without compromise. We’re delighted to welcome her back to the CBC family.”

A chartered accountant, Laura Da Re has held several positions with CBC over the past decade—first as director, financial operations, then as director, special projects and most recently assisting with the program inventory project for CBC Television. Prior to this, she held a series of senior accounting, management and controller positions for Clarke, Henning & Co., Ernst & Young, Cayman Airways and Cayman Islands Tourism. She was also financial controller for the e-commerce startup Bizmatica S.p.A. in Milan.

Da Re begins in her new role effective March 1, 2010.