Here is a picture from the Fortune Hunters champagne toast after party for the final episode of the season. The dynamic duo behind the show consists of Dianne Buckner (middle in red) and James Dunne (in striped shirt next to Dianne). They made the show happen on a shoestring budget and brought a quality program to Canadian television. Thank you Dianne and James for a fantastic ride and here's hoping for a season two!

Evan's Evaluation

This Saturday will be the last episode of the season for Fortune Hunters. It has been a fun ride and I think the show has added a new entrepreneurial flavour to Canadian television that is badly needed. The episode this weekend will not feature a new entrepreneur out looking to make a fortune but rather will highlight ten of the top lessons learned over the course of the season. These are ten tips that every small business owner can use to take their companies to the next level of success.

The ones I wanted to highlight today are from some of the entrepreneurial masters that have appeared on the show. Every week the episodes end with a “My First Million” segment that highlights the successes of titans of Canadian entrepreneurship. Some of their advice and suggestions made the top ten list of tips for the season. Here are my thoughts on their advice.

Tip #8: Wallace McCain - Timing is Critical

Timing can be difficult to factor in for new entrepreneurs. If you are too soon into the market you'll blow your marketing dollars and resources on educating an audience that just isn't ready for what you have to sell. It may be a great idea five years from now but will you still have a company by then if you're not making sales today? On the other hand, if you're too late to the market then you'll have serious competition to overthrow which can be a significant challenge for start-ups with limited dollars behind them. My suggestion would be to know where you want to go in five or ten years but to find a way to survive today. Search out for opportunities in your target market to make money immediately – it may not be the million dollar prize but it gets you a foothold and allows you to invest into the company you want to build for the long haul. The first rule of entrepreneurship is survival. You have to still be around when the glory days arrive for your industry.

Tip #7: Albert Lai – Be Decisive

Entrepreneurs often get caught up in a paralysis by analysis. They spend too much time analyzing the market and researching as supposed to making a decision and sticking to it. There will always be people who will tell you that your idea will not go anywhere. You can't let your decisions be based on the opinions of naysayers. Many entrepreneurs get great ideas but at the first sign of trouble, back off and then try their hand at a new idea. Stick to your guns, make a decision, and make it successful.

Tip #5: Cindy Lee – Take Risks

It's hard to be an entrepreneur and not take risks. As the saying goes, if you want to make big returns, you have to take big risks. Entrepreneurs often cash in because they are willing to try something that the bigger companies won't do. To stand out and make a profit you need to be different from your competition. If you are selling the same product as everyone else and customers have many options to choose from between you and thousands of other companies, it's going to be hard for you to stand out and make money. You need to find a point of differentiation to market yourself on and it involves taking risks that others have not been willing to try.

Tip #2: Herschel Segal – Know Your Market

If you don't know your market, achieving success will be almost impossible. Entrepreneurship stems from having a strong passion in your belly to go out and build a business. You have to love what you do and become the world's leading expert in it. By being involved in your industry and learning the challenges that your customers are facing you will be able to spot opportunities to capitalize on and create a product or service to solve those needs. Don't get into your own company just for the sake of making money because it can be a long, tough road. Become an entrepreneur because you believe passionately in what you're doing and know that the market needs what you are selling.

Thank you for the opportunity to share my thoughts on this season's Fortune Hunters. I hope you have enjoyed my commentary and I look forward to seeing you again next season!

Watch the full show this Saturday, March 29nd at 6:30 p.m. ET on CBC Newsworld. Learn more at Learn more at http://www.cbc.ca/news/fortunehunters/

Learn more about Evan.

Show Overview
Many Canadians are too busy to cook but want a home-cooked meal - new companies are offering options in the "ready-to-eat" category. Fortune Hunters: From Dartmouth , N.S. , Greg and Paulette Dunn's Creating Dinners.

Paulette Dunn is a woman on the go - she's a fulltime mom, has a fulltime job, keeps the books at the meal prep kitchen she runs with her husband, Greg, and is taking her MBA. She's got business savvy - but can she and Greg land a promotional column in a local paper to get more people into the shop? My First Million: McCain Foods ' Wallace McCain from New Brunswick. Learn more at http://www.cbc.ca/news/fortunehunters/

Evan's Evaluation

The meal assembly industry is a new one to me. The idea is simple though: create a location where busy families can come and create delicious meals which can then be frozen and eaten during the week. In one hour you can create dinners for a week which frees up your time to spend with your family. One estimate indicates that meal assembly will be a $1 billion market by 2010.

Enter this week's Fortune Hunters, Greg and Paulette Dunn. They have a Nova Scotia based business that helps stressed our families make nutritious meals through their one store location. However, they are losing money and need a 30% increase in sales to become profitable. They are trying to gain additional exposure to help promote their company and drive more business. Here are my thoughts on their chances of achieving success:

Commit To Your Business

One of the biggest challenges the entrepreneurial couple are facing is that while Greg is working in the business as the chef, Paulette is trying to run the marketing end of things while holding down a full time job at the local university and doing her MBA. If the company is ever going to make it she is going to have to commit herself full time to running the business. The good news that we later discover is that the university offered her a package, which she took, and she's now an entrepreneur able to focus on her company. If you don't commit to your business you can't expect great results.

Research Your Prices

The couple talks about having to increase sales by 30% to become profitable. Now that Paulette has left her university job, the couple will need to bring in even more money to support themselves. There was no discussion, however, about pricing. They say that $20 will buy a meal for four family members. Is that the right pricing? Depending on their profit margins, if they could increase their pricing by 10 or 15% it could help them achieve the same results as a 30% increase in top line sales. Why is it $20 and are customers willing to pay more? Properly researching your prices will help you achieve profitability much more quickly and help ensure the success of your business.

Sell More To Current Customers

The hardest way to increase business is to try and get new customers. The easiest way to grow a business is to sell more to existing, satisfied customers. Right now they are helping families create healthy entrées for dinners. What about side dishes? What about healthy desserts? What about healthy snacks for the week? If your customers are coming back and believe in your product they will be only to happy to buy more if you are providing genuine value. If you're trying to grow your business by 30% take a look at how you can sell more to your current customers. They buy more, are less price conscious, and it's a much shorter selling cycle.

Don't Franchise Until You Have A Working Model

Paulette, like many entrepreneurs, is a big thinker and wants to see her company succeed. Where most entrepreneurs fall down, however, is on execution. You need to follow through on the great ideas that you have before moving on to new one. One of the ideas the couple is chasing is franchising their business. Paulette meets with a local gym business owner who has franchised her business and discusses her plans for franchising her meal assembly company. It's time to take a step back. At this point, Paulette still has a full time job at the university and has a business that is losing money. The idea behind franchising is that you have a proven model that works that other people can invest in and making money from. If you're not making money yourself, there is no way you are going to get people to buy into your concept. Focus on making the business profitable first, prove that you can consistently make money, then go out and find franchisees with a strong case study behind you.

Watch the full show this Saturday, March 22nd at 6:30 p.m. ET on CBC Newsworld. Learn more at Learn more at http://www.cbc.ca/news/fortunehunters/

Learn more about Evan.

Show Overview
Food companies are clamouring to create organic products, and the “eat local” phenomenon is growing quickly - but what does “organic” really mean? Fortune Hunter: Kalpna Solanki's Bobo Baby Food from B.C.

After some serious success with her all-organic baby food line, she's hoping kids - and parents - will be hungry for Bobo Kids, her new line of organic snacks. Heading to a trade show across the country, Kalpna's aiming for some major retailers to buy into her product line before the big national brands copy her concept! My First Million: Planet Organic 's Diane Shaskin & Mark Craft from Alberta. Learn more at http://www.cbc.ca/news/fortunehunters/

Evan's Evaluation

While organics represent only 2% of the entire Canadian food market, it is rapidly growing by 20-50% per year. As Canadian consumers are becoming more health conscious, companies are fighting for ownership over the organic segment to be first to market and maintain a leadership position.

Enter this week's Fortune Hunter, Kalpna Solanki. Kalpna is based in Burnaby, British Columbia and has a company called Bobo Baby, an innovative startup focused on organic foods for babies and toddlers. She discovered the market niche when she had her daughter and found that there was nothing being sold that was as healthy as what she was making herself. She has now invested “several hundred thousand dollars” into the company and is hoping her new line of products will help her make millions. Here are my thoughts on her chances of achieving success:

Great Marketing Instincts

Kalpna was the only Fortune Hunter to try and connect with me before I wrote my evaluation (Julie Arora from the March 1 episode did email me after the evaluation went up). I hadn't seen the show yet and I thought Kalpna was emailing me about a SEO evaluation that I do (sorry Kalpna!) but it shows that she is on the ball with her marketing and pays attention to the details. She offered her coordinates in case I needed to get in touch with her to clarify any points or ask any questions. If she continues to apply her marketing instincts to her business she will be tough to hold back.

Keep The Low Profile

51% of Canadians bought an organic product last year and they are typically priced 30% higher than their non-organic counterparts. It's no wonder that everyone is trying to capture the market. Kalpna did a great job in the episode at a tradeshow where she covered up her products so her competitors could not see what she's doing but revealed it for buyers who were interested in her new line. She managed to land a new multi-location account (to help add to the over 200 stores she is already in) and will have to keep a low profile to prevent her large competitors, companies like Heinz and President's Choice, from stealing her market.

Create A Contemporary, Trusted Brand

Today's parents represent a fantastic opportunity to market to. They are much more concerned about style and want products that appeal to their modern tastes. Just look at the recent Internet Design Show in Toronto where contemporary baby products were all the rage. Babyguru.ca is another great example of how new products are helping parents have babies and be cool at the same time. I would suggest making the packaging a lot more sleek and modern to fit what today's parents are looking for. Similar to my advice for Julie Arora two weeks ago, think Apple. Think BMW. Think Facebook. Her packaging should have a clean look that shows her product line is on the cutting edge.

Become The Expert

It seems that on an almost daily basis there are new breaking stories about the organic market. Just this week The Canadian Food Inspection Agency warned the public not to buy certain President's Choice Organics pear juices for toddlers because they may be contaminated with arsenic, a heavy metal that poses developmental risks to children. As companies rush into the market with new products there are bound to be similar recalls and problems. This leaves a tremendous opportunity for Kalpna to be the expert on the industry. She should be writing press releases, calling reporters, and establishing herself as the go to person to ask when stories such as these get released.

Watch the full show this Saturday, March 15th at 6:30 p.m. ET on CBC Newsworld. Learn more at Learn more at http://www.cbc.ca/news/fortunehunters/

Learn more about Evan.

Show Overview
The baby boomer generation is reaching retirement age, and big bucks can be made off filling their needs. Fortune Hunters: Robert and Beverley Tang with DanceScape. Former Canadian and North American ballroom dancing champions Robert and Beverley tang are used to being on top.

But can they take their line of DVD's and dance studio from a one-shop operation to the international market? They're looking south to California for some advice - and cash - from a major US player. My First Million: Nurse Next Door 's John de Hart and Ken Sim in B.C.. Learn more at http://www.cbc.ca/news/fortunehunters/

Evan's Evaluation

Baby boomers (adults age 45 to 63) in Canada represent over one third of the population and control over 55% of the nation's spending power. They have the disposable income and entrepreneurs are lining up to try and sell to them.

Enter this week's Fortune Hunters, Robert and Beverly Tang. The former dance champions are looking to expand their instructional classes around North America and promote their DVDs by creating a popular social networking site that is based on dancing. They are targeting the boomer market as their primary customers. Here are my thoughts on their chances of achieving success:

Full disclosure: My wife runs Toronto Dance Salsa, Canada's largest salsa instructional school. She teaches 1,000 students every quarter and she has her own salsa instructional DVD that was recently promoted on The Shopping Channel.

Wrong Strategy

While dancing is a rapidly growing market thanks to the popularity of shows like Dancing With the Stars and So You Think You Can Dance, boomers are not going online to join social networking sites. Looking at Facebook, as an example, the most popular segment of their users are in the 18-24 age range, not the 45 to 63 age range. Toronto Dance Salsa has been testing this model through its online salsa forums and while they are popular, the majority of users are not the boomers. Baby boomers are more concerned about privacy and did not grow up with the Internet. While they are increasingly doing research for products and services online, they are still far behind in the social networking scene. The Tangs have a great market on their hands but the wrong strategy.

Get Your Pitch Right

The Tangs managed to line up a meeting with the famous venture capitalist Tim Draper in California to pitch their website. Tim is the guy who help start Skype, Overture, and Hotmail which has given him an almost celebrity status in the funding community. The Tangs started off their pitch obviously nervous and in the opening 30 seconds managed to call Tim by the wrong name - TWICE (they called him Steve – likely a reference to Tim's business partner Steve Jurvetson). Pitching 101 is get the name right of the guy you're talking to! Another presentation basic is make sure that your laptop isn't blocking part of the screen so your investor can see the whole picture. The Tangs weren't prepared and I doubt they will be getting a positive response from Mr. Draper.

Listen To Your Advisors

The Tangs realized that they were in over their heads when a friend of theirs lined them up with the Tim Draper meeting so they decided to call in a branding expert to coach them through the process. I'm confused as to why they would hire a branding consultant for a pitch to a venture capitalist but nonetheless, their advisor said that they will have a challenge to deliver a focused message and that they would not be ready in time. Why did they not listen to their advisor? With a little more preparation the Tangs could have honed their message and delivered a much better presentation.

Let Them Experience Your Product / Service

The great thing about the Tangs' service is that you can experience it. At the end of the pitch the couple took Tim Draper outside and showed him a few introductory moves to the cha cha. It got him smiling and feeling what it's like to be in a dance class with them. It's not going to be enough to get the Tangs funded because they have a flawed business model but it was a great idea to help add some excitement to the sales pitch. If the Tangs move from online social networking to offline marketing and create a franchised system around North America this couple could be on their way to getting the megabucks they are looking for. The Boomers love to dance – just don't try to pitch them on a social network for dancing. The Tangs should stick with what they know best.

Watch the full show this Saturday, March 8th at 6:30 p.m. ET on CBC Newsworld. Learn more at Learn more at http://www.cbc.ca/news/fortunehunters/

Learn more about Evan.

Show Overview
Everyone wants to live long and healthy lives, making for plenty of opportunities to cash in on the quest for better health. Fortune Hunter: Ontario 's Julie Arora with Mom's Healthy Secrets Cereal.

After taking a $100,000 loan from the bank of Mom and Dad, Julie's pounding the pavement to get her line of healthy cereals onto the shelves of a grocery store near you. My First Million: Goodlife Fitness' Patch Evans from London , Ontario. Learn more at http://www.cbc.ca/news/fortunehunters/

Evan's Evaluation

What's the best way to cash in on the healthy living craze? Is it supplements? Vitamins? Exercise DVDs? At home gyms? All of the above? While it may be difficult to determine which companies will become household names in the burgeoning market that promises to give you better health, the opportunities are virtually limitless.

Enter this week's Fortune Hunter, Julie Arora. Julie is hoping to cash in on the healthy foods market by selling a new functional cereal called Mom's Healthy Secrets Cereal based on her mother's own recipe. Her parents are funding her and she's in deep against some of the industry's biggest players. Here are my thoughts on Julie's chances of achieving success:

The Wrong Branding

From watching the show I couldn't tell what was different between her product and the existing healthy cereals. Why should I switch from Kashi (a competitive cereal which I enjoy every morning) to Mom's? She also needs to change her branding to focus in on the young, urban market. It should be cool, chic, and sexy to eat Julie's cereal and let's face it... Mom just isn't any of the above. Think Apple. Think BMW. Think Facebook. Her packaging should have a clean look that shows her cereal is on the cutting edge. Mom could be a great figure to brand yourself with – just not for this product.

The Right Characteristics

Julie is a 31 year old young entrepreneur with big dreams. She is articulate, professional, attractive, enthusiastic, and driven. These are not prerequisites for success but they certainly help! She is going to have to break her way into a market that is dominated by giants and will need to use her personality to help her get through. She also is seeking help and has a mentor who was senior executive at Loblaws. Nobody can do it on their own and this Fortune Hunter has recognized tapped into her resources early on. Smart move Julie.

Needs Endorsements

Health conscious consumers are doing their research before they make new purchases. They are looking at magazines, reading newspapers articles and turning to online forums to try and cut through the marketing hype and understand which products truly are the best for them. I found out about Kashi by doing a Google search for the healthiest cereals. This led me to a series of websites, many of which endorsed Kashi as the best option. Mom's Healthy Secrets Cereal didn't make anybody's list. Julie needs to create awareness and get the product into the hands of the people who can make her product a hit. Who are the celebrities, website owners, and media who can put her cereal on the tip of everyone's tongue?

Emotionally Committed

Many entrepreneurs back out of a new venture when the going gets tough. If you're not passionate about what you're doing and you don't fully believe it in then you won't be up at three in the morning handling customer emails and pushing the business forward. You'll probably drop the business at the first sign of trouble. Julie, however, is emotionally committed. She quit her job as a management consultant to do this full time and used $100,000 that her parents saved for her master's degree as startup capital. It's going to be pretty hard for Julie not to keep going – she's up against the wall and is pushing back with everything she's got! There is nothing more powerful than a determined entrepreneur who won't take no for an answer so I wouldn't rule her out.

Watch the full show this Saturday, March 1st at 6:30 p.m. ET on CBC Newsworld. Learn more at Learn more at http://www.cbc.ca/news/fortunehunters/

Learn more about Evan.

Show Overview
Franchising can be a challenging pathway to big money, but new concepts in franchises are on the rise. Fortune Hunter: Ontario 's Glen Kowarsky and Dogs at Camp. His successful overnight doggy day care in the country is the perfect spot for pet owners who want their dogs to have a vacation while they're away.

But can he sign on some franchisees before the major US players move into his territory? My First Million: Alberta's Dale Wishewan and Booster Juice. Learn more at http://www.cbc.ca/news/fortunehunters/

Evan's Evaluation

Franchising has become an excellent way for people who want to start a business to use a proven model of success. By the same token it's a tool established entrepreneurs can use to expand their business and have other people finance their growth. With the success of franchises like McDonald's and Tim Horton's, many hungry entrepreneurs are looking to franchising as a lucrative opportunity – but you need a hot market and eager customers to succeed. How about the pet care industry? As the Canadian boomer generation is getting older, they have more disposable income and are spending it on “man's best friend” - their pets.

Enter this week's Fortune Hunter, Glen Kowarsky from Dogs at Camp. Glen runs a day care service that provides a camp-like experience for dogs. When owners go away on vacation their dogs can also go on vacation instead of being cooped up in a kennel. After successfully starting his own business, Glen is now looking to franchise his concept across North America. Here is my take on Glen's chances of being successful:

Full disclosure: I know Glen personally as he was a member of my Entrepreneur Mastermind Groups. I introduced him to Fortune Hunters as well as Jim Adams, the franchise consultant that he works with in the episode.

Perfect Timing

If you're going to be successful with your business you have to get the timing right. If you're too soon with a concept you will blow your marketing dollars trying to educate your customers. If you're too late then you will have a hard time catching up to the competitors who have already filled your field. Glen's business model works and the timing is perfect for him to expand. The pet care industry is exploding, dog owners have more disposable owners than ever, and the franchise boom is taking off across North America.

Has Outside Help

Many entrepreneurs often delude themselves into thinking that they know everything and forget to ask for help when they need it. Glen recognized early on that he knew how to run a dog day care business but he wasn't an expert on franchising. Enter Jim Adams. I've introduced Jim to a number of other companies who he has gone on to help. An example is Meet Market Adventures, a singles event company that went from one Toronto based location to 12 locations in Canada and the United States. Glen's ability to know when to bring on expert help will serve him well as he grows out his business. Nobody has all the answers and you need to tap the minds of people who are more knowledgeable than you to succeed.

Is Charging A Premium Price

An indicator of a healthy business is the ability to charge a premium price and make significant margins on your product or service. After all, if the profit margins are low, it's going to be difficult to convince people to spend $20,000 (Glen's franchise fee) to buy into your concept. The average price for a dog to spend one night in a dog kennel is $15. Glen charges $40. That's a hefty premium! The show includes a short interview with one of Glen's customers who says that the expense is not a factor for him. Dog owners see their pets as an extension of their families and are willing to pay more for the outdoor camp experience (as well as drive to Uxbridge!). What owners care about is that their dogs get the best treatment possible while they are away. That's the kind of business people will want to invest in.

Is Marketing Online

Glen runs one successful location and has aggressive plans to franchise his concept – 40 locations in one year. That kind of growth typically requires a significant capital outlay to market the concept. Glen, however, is on a budget and wisely is spending his time online looking at how to make his website more appealing, creating e-brochures, and trying to figure out a way to work with the online franchise directories. The Internet provides entrepreneurs leverage – one e-brochure can be seen millions of times without any additional cost compared to having to actually print and mail physical brochures. It's a smart move that will pay off for him as he tries to reach out across North America.

Watch the full show this Saturday, February 23rd at 6:30 p.m. ET on CBC Newsworld. Learn more at Learn more at http://www.cbc.ca/news/fortunehunters/

Learn more about Evan.

Show Overview
Statistics show an astounding number of new businesses are started by women - many of them mothers seeking to combine childcare with a home-based venture. Fortune Hunter: Toronto 's Darlene Martin with bijouxbead, her line of hand crafted designer necklaces, earrings and bracelets.

She's invested thousands into the line - but can she balance her business, a fulltime job and being a fulltime mom? My First Million: B.C.'s Robeez Footwear's Sandra Wilson. Learn more at http://www.cbc.ca/news/fortunehunters/

Voice your opinions on Darlene's chances of success in our forums: CBC Show - Mompreneurs - Fortune Hunters.

Evan's Evaluation

Mompreneurship is a significant new trend in Canada as many new mothers seek to find a way to spend more time with their children while still earning an income. Traditional jobs can often take an emotional toll on mothers who want to balance their career with quality family time.

This week's Fortune Hunter is Darlene Martin from bijouxbead. She spent $75,000 getting her custom jewellery shop off the ground and is hoping to break even by hosting an event to showcase and sell her products which range from $100 to $1,000 each. Here is my take on Darlene's chances of being successful:

Is She Really A Fortune Hunter?

All the entrepreneurs we've seen on the show to date have been serious entrepreneurs trying to make millions from their companies. Darlene's goal simply is to break even on the $75,000 that she spent to launch the business. She has made $30,000 so far and is trying to get the other $45,000 so she can get into the black. Most mompreneurs are not, in fact, fortune hunters because the goal with setting up the business is to spend more time with the children, not put in the 16 hours a day that most entrepreneurs spend launching a new business. With enough time she'll hit breakeven – it's only $45,000 away – but if she wants to expand the company, she will have to overcome some serious challenges.

Get Distribution

To date Darlene has sold through three Toronto bases boutique stores and at invitation only parties. It's challenging enough being a new mom and starting a manufacturing company. To try and take care of the retail side on her own will not be a winning strategy. She needs to find other retailers who like her product and will help her reach her market so she can focus in on the production side of the business.

Do The Trade Shows

In the show you see Darlene go to a major trade show to see how her competitors are selling. She does a good job in finding out about their displays, prices, and key selling points. Instead of investing into becoming an exhibitor, however, she decided to run her own event in a gymnasium and invite a couple hundred of her friends. The result? $8,000 in sales instead of the $45,000 she hoped for. Darlene needs to get into the important trade shows to get the exposure she needs. The reason why exhibitors pay to join these shows is because the organizers do the work of bringing in the buyers. Targeted trade shows would also be an excellent way for Darlene to meet potential retailers and make important media contacts.

Change The Strategy

To Darlene's credit as a budding entrepreneur she realizes that doing shows herself won't work and can't scale. A lot of the success from being a business owner is learning from mistakes and Darlene recognized that something has to change. The new strategy? Focus on media coverage and getting celebrities to wear her jewellery. Along with planning to acquire new retailers, the change in strategy will provide Darlene with a far greater return on her time and help her business take off.

Watch the full show this Saturday, February 16th at 6:30 p.m. ET on CBC Newsworld. Learn more at Learn more at http://www.cbc.ca/news/fortunehunters/

Learn more about Evan.

Voice your opinions on Darlene's chances of success in our forums: CBC Show - Mompreneurs - Fortune Hunters.

Show Overview
The U.S. real estate market may be melting down, but the Canadian market is as hot as ever as Canadians spend a bundle on home improvements. Fortune Hunter: Belleville 's Randy Uens and Rhinobag.

Randy Uens wants to make spending a bundle on big mental reno dumpsters a thing of the past with his disposable 1 tonne Rhino bags - you fill it, he'll haul it. But after a reality TV deal falls through, Randy's left looking for a major new partner! My First Million: RONA 's Robert Dutton from Quebec. Learn more at http://www.cbc.ca/news/fortunehunters/

Evan's Evaluation

Since 1999 the home improvement market has exploded in Canada. The main reasons are low interest rates and the desire for people to make an investment in their most valuable asset - their houses. The better it looks and the more features it has, the more owners can sell it for down the road.

This week's Fortune Hunter is Randy Uens from Belleville who spotted a trend in Europe while playing hockey and is bringing it to North America. His Rhino bags cost $40 at your local Rona store and his company will charge you $150 to pick up a filled back. Whenever you're ready, just give them a call and they will haul away your trash. It has proven to become a cost effective solution for small jobs that do not require their own dumpster. Here's my take on Randy's chances of being successful:

A True Entrepreneur

Randy is a classic example of your entrepreneur's entrepreneur. He's going after the opportunity ahead of him with tremendous passion. His wife is paying the bills from her job to manage the household and their two children because his pay check is going to fund the company. He saw an opportunity overseas and wants to make his mark with the business in North America. It reminds me of Howard Schtultz who went to Italy on a vacation with his family to find that Italian life centered around the coffee shops. He brought their model back to North America and founded a company called Starbucks.

Creating The Right Partnerships

Startups rarely have the resources to do everything themselves and strategic partnerships can often be a great way to enter into a new market. Randy is forging alliances with anyone who is serving the same target market as he is. A local example is Rent-A-Son. You can hire their workers to do odd-jobs, like cleaning up your garage, and Rhino bags will be there to get rid of the junk. Randy has also partnered with 1-800-GOT-JUNK to tag alongside their efforts to expand into the United States market.

He's A Creative Thinker

Another necessary trait for being an entrepreneur is creativity and Randy has it in spades. He's an innovative marketing and insists that a large kitchen sink be included in all of his advertising spots. He also has had cash flow issues and managed to convince his supplier to become a shareholder and give him better payment terms. If you're going to be a successful business owner you're going to have to step outside the box to solve problems.

Going For Gold

If the name Rhino bags sounds familiar it may be because you watched last season's Dragon's Den. Randy's company managed to snare all five dragons in a deal. The catch? He'd have to give up 50% of his company. He figured that it would be worth it to have all that experience on board to help him build a company. The bad news is that Randy's deal got caught up with the lawyers. He needs money to expand his business and while the Dragon's agreed in May to fund him, it's now September and he hasn't received a penny. Will he get funded? Tune in to find out!

Watch the full show this Saturday, February 9th at 6:30 p.m. ET on CBC Newsworld. Learn more at Learn more at http://www.cbc.ca/news/fortunehunters/

Learn more about Evan.

Show Overview
There is a growing appetite among consumers for exotic foods from around the world. Fortune Hunter: Toronto 's Anita Saini and Devya Indian Gourmet. Her line of ready-to-eat Indian sauces is already in more than 500 stores across North America .

Her major problem - she can't keep up with demand! Tune in to see if Anita can land a major investor before she leaves her distributors with empty shelves. My First Million: Vancouver 's T & T Supermarket's Cindy Lee. Learn more at http://www.cbc.ca/news/fortunehunters/

Evan's Evaluation

Canada is quickly becoming more ethnically diverse with new immigrants arriving every day. Combine that with the amount of travel that Canadians are doing outside of North America, it's no surprise that there is a growing appetite among consumers for exotic foods from around the world.

This week's Fortune Hunter is Toronto's Anita Saini from Devya Indian Gourmet. Her line of ready-to-eat Indian sauces is already in 270 stores in Canada and 400 stores in the US. Her biggest challenges is that she has too many orders coming in and not enough money to create the product. Here's my take on her chances of being successful:

She's Young, Intelligent, Energetic, And Professional

While Anita shows some of her inexperience, especially when dealing with investors, she has a dynamic personality that draws you to her. She has an obvious passion for her product and has the ability to get people excited about it. Her packaging and trade show displays are also extremely professional and gives the impression that a major brand is backing her. It's no wonder she's convinced over 670 stores to carry her product!

The Timing Is Right

Unlike the experts on the show, I believe that the timing couldn't be better for Anita's Indian gourmet sauces. Exotic foods are all the rage right now – all you have to do is take a stroll through your local supermarket to see the new products being introduced that are inspired from India, China, Japan, and other exotic locales. The My First Million success story of T&T Supermarket's Cindy Lee further builds the case for exotic foods in the Canadian market. Anita's products are also the only Indian sauces in Canada that have organic ingredients – another big boost for the marketing of her sauces.

She's A Fighter

One trait that you always see in successful entrepreneurs is the tenacity to keep going. In any business you will have tremendous hurdles to jump over to achieve your goals. Anita has seen her warehouse full of inventory burn down, has struggled to run the business from her home office with her son running around, and has been rejected by investors who don't believe she can make it. Regardless of the challenges she has faced she continues soldiering on and will continue to do so until she reaches the success she's seeking.

Can She Get Funded?

Anita recently landed a large order from Costco (a big coup!) but doesn't have the money to finance the manufacturing of so many units so she's on the hunt to find investment. She does what every smart bootstrapping entrepreneur would do by refinancing with the bank and asking the manufacturer for better terms – but she still needs an investor for more money. She gets turned down on the show by one potential funder and my only concern is that she doesn't have the margins to make her company an attractive opportunity for investors. If she can figure that one out, it's a slam dunk!

Watch the full show this Saturday, February 2nd at 6:30 p.m. ET on CBC Newsworld. Learn more at Learn more at http://www.cbc.ca/news/fortunehunters/

Learn more about Evan.

Show Overview
The obsession with instant gratification has turned the fashion world upside-down and retailers want in on this quick turn-around phenomenon. Fortune Hunters: Montreal 's Monte Perlman and Stephen Belfer of Crisca, a new chain of women's stores they co-own with European fashion label Escada.

They've been a hit in trendy Montreal and Ottawa and have plans to expand throughout Canada, but how will they make out with their first store in Toronto? My First Million: Le Chateau 's Herschel Segal in Montreal. Learn more at http://www.cbc.ca/news/fortunehunters/

Evan's Evaluation

The fast fashion concept is a hot trend led by the likes of H&M and Zara where new clothes go from a concept to the retail store shelves in only two weeks. The idea is to be able to quickly capitalize on changing trends in fashion and have new products selling immediately. The products are created in limited runs to create a sense of exclusivity and are usually sold at lower price points than the latest couture creations.

Monte and Steven are bringing fast fashion to Canada with a twist through their Crisca stores. Instead of offering lower priced products they are selling higher priced, luxury goods. Here's my take on their chances of being successful:

Are They Too Arrogant?

One of the first comments by the entrepreneurs on the show is: "There is no competition, especially in Toronto because ladies here don't know how to dress." First of all, there is always competition. On the fast fashion side they are competing against H&M and Zara, both highly successful international brands. They are also competing against major fashion houses with an entrenched and loyal base of customers. The market for $100 belts is only so big. A note to entrepreneurs: whenever you say there is no competition you look like an amateur with no experience. There is always competition.

Second of all, do Monte and Stephen really hope to hit it big in Canada's largest market by insulting their customers? If ladies in Toronto don't know how to dress how are you going to convince them to buy your $100 belts? A little more respect for their customers would do them a lot of good if they hope to become a North American success story.

Will Luxury Fast Fashion Work?

Fast fashion was created so that consumers could quickly capitalize on a hot trend and the next month jump on another trend and so on. The items are meant to be worn for short periods of time and discarded once you get to the next hot trend. This works if you're buying a $15 belt from H&M but would people be willing to dish out $100 for a Crisca belt only to have it go out of fashion in a month?

Do They Have The Focus?

Both Monte and Stephen run other businesses on top of trying to get Crisca off the ground. One is a coat store entrepreneur while the other is a clothing importer. While the background in fashion will help them sell, will the lack of focus prevent them from becoming a success?

No Control Over Product Line.

Monte and Stephen have no idea what products will be shipped to them. The decisions are all made by the head office in Europe and they assume that the same products will be in demand here in North America. It may be the case for a city like Montreal which is very European in its roots but will it work across Canada? Can you build a successful chain of stores for an entire nation with no control over what you will be selling?

Watch the full show this Saturday, January 26 th at 6:30 p.m. ET on CBC Newsworld. Learn more at Learn more at http://www.cbc.ca/news/fortunehunters/

Learn more about Evan.