By Bizna Brand Analyst – Two episodes in, KCB’s Lion’s Den has offered plenty of business insight to the public. It offers much promise too. The show, airing at 8pm every Monday on NTV, gives dozens of entrepreneurs the platform for their clever and unique products to succeed in front of a national audience. I must say, it’s something new and refreshing. But I have a few complaints about it. And the fact that the set location looks like a room where a horror movie villain would slash his victim’s head isn’t on my list. On second thought…. it is.

Compared to Shark Tank, this den looks hollow and intimidating. The fact that entrepreneurs have to walk all the way down a set of stairs brings in nerves too. No wonder some adults are struggling to talk. Let’s talk serious issues though.

Here are some of the things I have noticed.

1. People who make shady pitches get investments while those who make smart pitches walk out empty handed.

All the people who have walked in there looking all sharp and aware of what they are doing have walked away with nothing. But the incoherent chaps like the one who was selling herbal soaps and the one with an idea of putting millions of tracking devices in cars got deals. We might say that the kind of pitch doesn’t matter. It’s all about how lucrative the business is. But in business, dealing with people who don’t really know what they are doing is risky.

2. Lot’s of entrepreneurs are being blamed for pitching their concepts too early.

Common quote in Lions Den: “I think your business is at a stage in which it’s too early for me to invest in, so I AM OUT. Huh? I am pretty sure that all these businesses were assessed before they were given opportunities for presentation in the den. If they were not mature enough, they should have been rejected at the vetting stage. Simple as that .

3. Some entrepreneurs get called out for issuing crazy valuations of their companies.

It’s in fact true that some entrepreneurs don’t have an idea of how much their businesses are worth? Neither do 99% of Kenyans. There’s nothing wrong with not wanting to do a task that Forbes should be doing. The problem is, when faced with incorrect valuations, most of the lions don’t make counter offers with valuations that they think are more appropriate. They just retreat and reject.

4. No humor or wittiness.

With Shark Tank, the sharks always try to utilize humor. They poke fun at each other and every other possible occurrence. That’s why the American show appeals to everyone, even those that aren’t interested in investment shenanigans. The lions on the other hand have a ‘sura ya kazi’ all through. Some don’t even laugh.

For any TV show to be successful, it has to have an ‘entertainment’ aspect to it. Lions Den doesn’t have that at the moment. It’s just a serious business show.

All these issues might change as the show goes on. But for now, that’s what’s up.