Reality Show Research

We have all heard
the stories about the folks
who feel qualified
to open a restaurant
because
they “like to eat”
or only slightly better
they are “great cooks.”

These would-be entrepreneurs
haven’t done any research
and that lack of research hurts them.

There’s a new breed of
would-be entrepreneurs,
the folks who have watched
reality shows set in their target industry.
They consider this
all the research they need to do.

Ummm… no.

Reality shows are entertainment first
and reality second.
This entertainment is targeted
to the average person,
not an entrepreneur.

There are tricks
that industry professionals
don’t want their customers to know.
There are tricks
that are too boring to be good TV.
There are realities
that contradict
the customer’s romantic view of the industry.

Some of these tricks
are key to survival
and if you don’t know them,
you’re at a disadvantage.

Do more research
than watching reality shows.

Oh, and if you want to be a writer
and want the straight scoop on writing,
the good, the bad, and the downright scary,
share this desire with any writer
you’re using for research.