If Dragons’ Den business TV show was an athlete, one would be justified to say that episode 3 was on some kind of quality-enhancement steroids. Since the show premiered 3 weeks ago, it’s been the subject of adoration, critiques, and a business template for entrepreneurs. Episode 3 was packed with more dramatic energy, more ambitious smooth-talking entrepreneurs, and more ruthless dragons. Episode 3 on Dragons Den was like a one-hour lecture that made mince-meal of an entire session in business school.

The first entrepreneur Aniekeme Friday Bassey came in search of 8 million naira in exchange of 20% equity in a business he believed would solve Nigeria’s electricity problem for good. He came hoping to convince the dragons to invest in a business that would make wind turbine power-generating sets available in Nigeria. He gave an impressive presentation to support the necessity, benefits, and presumed viability of the business; during his presentation he revealed that the wind turbine apparatus generated up to 2 mega watts of electricity, and was currently being employed in Europe, where this technology is responsible for generating more than 40% of the continent’s energy.

His proposal held a lot of promise, especially for Nigerians who are currently plagued by the living nightmare of epileptic and sometimes non-existent power supply, his idea represented hope, and his presentation seemed to be sliding into our bowels with the aid of a well-lubricated speculative presentation, until Femi Tejuoso asked, “can you tell us what you think is responsible for the fact that the wind-turbine technology is used in some countries and not in others?” This question proved to be an exposition of the peripheral nature of the idea. However this entrepreneur responded by saying that the countries believed that the wind in their regions was not strong enough to power the wind turbine.

Alexander Amosu was arrested by the prospect of supporting a business idea that would fulfill the most basic and fundamental needs of individuals and businesses in Nigeria. Alexander Amosu however needed scientific proof that will convince him that the product works. The entrepreneur, being unable to assert the workability of this product, then decided to do a little ‘name-dropping’ by attesting that his partners in Spain the country where this product was to be imported from have demonstrated the proof that it works.  His problems have just begun. The dragons had initially held onto the notion that the technology was developed by him. They began to gradually distrust this entrepreneur, as they began to dig deeper into his business plan, where they soon discovered what proved to be a fatal flaw for Friday Bassey, in the character of what he’d elaborately described as his “exit-strategy” in an event the business failed. In this “exit-strategy he had described how he was going to switch to another business, without explaining what the fate of his investors would be in the event of this ‘foretold’ collapse.

His “exit-strategy” resulted in his quick and cashless exit from the den, but not until Ibukun Awosika gave him a well deserved ‘tongue-lashing’ in her characteristic motherly manner, informing this entrepreneur that failing to communicate and convince any investor of his undying passion, trust-worthiness,  and unwavering belief in his project would repel prospects. Meaning that thinking about defeat or failure even before a project is launched spelled doom for any entrepreneur.

Of course all the dragons had opted out, who wouldn’t?