Every entrepreneur, male and female, should be watching Shark Tank! (in Boston it airs on Friday nights at 9 p.m. on ABC) As a business coach, I encourage all of my clients to tune in and capture one tip from the presenters or the sharks each week. Women entrepreneurs, particularly, must watch the female presenters as they share their stories and gain important feedback. These women are powerful role models for what works and what doesn't to grow business.

Also important to watch are the two female sharks, Barbara Corcoran, former real estate tycoon and Lori Grenier, Queen of QVC. These women duke it out with the three or four male sharks participating on the show each week to learn enough information about a company and entrepreneur to invest their own money. Viewers witness the passion all the sharks have for entrepreneurs, but the female sharks bring a special perspective to many of the businesses that offer consumer products such as clothes or groceries. Yes, women are 85% of the consumer purchasing power in the U.S. and clearly have better knowledge of how specific products may earn a place in the buying habits of other women. However, the female sharks do not play favorites with the women entrepreneur presenters. As a matter of fact, the female sharks are less willing to listen to emotional outbursts than their male counterparts. Why? Because they are entrepreneurs too and know that successful women in business must be tough and quell their emotions when negotiating with investors.

Here are a couple of the fabulous women entrepreneurial stories that have appeared on Shark Tank in the 5 seasons it as aired.

(1) Wicked Good Cupcakes, Cohasset, MA

I happen to know more about this business than most on Shark Tank because I live just a few miles away from the storefront. Before they presented to Shark Tank, the business was just as titled - a cupcake business. The owners are a mother and daughter team, sold a variety of cupcakes from a storefront on a heavily traveled road in affluent Cohasset, MA. Understanding that to grow their business they would need to come up with an idea that transcended the walk-in traffic, the women came up with the idea of shipping cupcakes in jars all over the country. They pitched the sharks for $75,000 for a 20% equity share in their business. Since most of the sharks have no interest in a food business or are concerned with the short shelf life of the product, none take a bite. Kevin O'Leary, who happens to live in Boston, offers the women the $75,000 they've asked for for $1.00 per jar until he gets his money back and then $.50 for every jar sold in perpetuity. Kevin has no interest in receiving equity in a family business. The women counter his offer with $.40 per jar and then accept his counter of $.45 per jar in perpetuity once the initial $75,000 is paid back. Mr. Wonderful, as Kevin O'Leary is known, knows the sweet smell of cash coming his way for as long as cupcakes in a jar are sold.

Did the Wicked Good Cupcakes women make a good deal?

As a business coach, I appreciate the importance of great advertising and exposure and Shark Tank gives businesses more of this than anything else. Yes, it is true no giving away equity in the business was smart as an entrepreneur is always in the best position when they can control how the business is run. But margins are important. $.40 can be a lot to give away from the top but without knowing all the numbers this may have been the best deal this business could have gotten. What I can tell you, almost a year later, Wicked Good Cupcakes has opened another location and business is booming. You go girls!

(2) SwimZip

Betsy and Berry, co-owners of SwimZip, enter the Shark Tank recently asking for $60,000 in return for 5% equity share in the business. Betsy is clearly the spokesperson for the team and ticks off all the reasons the sharks should invest in her business. Most important, the stylish sun-protective swimwear line blocks 98% of the sun's UV rays and can easily be put on by children themselves due to the easy glide zipper. The sharks immediately focus in on the over valuation of the business particularly since their is much competition in the marketplace. Betsy becomes emotional as she describes the reason for her passion about the business -- her own bout with skin cancer. One by one the sharks announce they are "out" - meaning they have no interest in making an investment offer. Lori, however, hears Betsy's passion and likes her drive and offers her $60,000 for 20% equity. The partners discuss the offer and Betsy counters with $120,000 for 20%. The sharks are in disbelief and Lori gets ready to take back her offer in disgust that Betsy has not realized the opportunity she has presented. Luckily, for the entrepreneurs, Lori does not act in haste and offers them the $60,000 for 20% deal once more and this time they accept.

As a business coach and entrepreneur, I was horrified when Betsy, clearly the decision-maker in the business, reacted so greedily when Lori made an offer. If your business needs $60,000 to get to the next level then asking for $120,000 only makes you look selfish which is not a characteristic anyone wants to do business with. There is  nothing proprietary about SwimZip. They are very lucky to have gotten a deal from the sharks. Their business will do well from the exposure and Lori will bring them to the next level with her QVC brand.

I hope from sharing these two scenarios I have convinced you there is a lot to learn from watching Shark Tank. Every entrepreneur has a story and every story provides an opportunity to learn.

Stay tuned.