Basically, there are three formats in which television entrepreneurs appear on television, in addition to fictional dramas or comedies.
The first way television entrepreneurs are portrayed is in a competitive format. It began in recent years with Donald Trump’s The Apprentice. The Apprentice is a successful program in which several aspiring entrepreneurs and business professionals competed for a lucrative salaried position within the Trump organization. The show inspired a series of copycat shows featuring billionaires like Mark Cuban and Richard Branson, they were flops. However, a recent format from the same creator-producer of The Apprentice is Shark Tank. Here entrepreneurs and inventors present their ideas to a panel of investors who try to persuade them to invest in their ideas. This show has its fans.
The second format that highlights entrepreneurs on television is reality shows. There are numerous shows that feature real business owners doing what they do. Hit shows like Deadliest Catch, American Choppers, and Pawn Stars. Some programs focus more on business than personality, such as Deadliest Catch (a show about crab fishermen in Alaska) that keeps a running total of the value of the crab caught. Also, there are and have been many other programs on entrepreneurs that may not have been that great but interesting. One of those notable shows was King of Cars, which focused on car sales at a Las Vegas dealership.
The third format to target entrepreneurs is infomercials and long-form television commercials. Many of these sales pitches present to the business owners or inventors themselves. They have also become celebrities. Pitcher entrepreneurs like Ron Popeil, Vince Offer, and Anthony Sullivan make money selling products on television while also becoming famous. Vince Offer is an example of a celebrity who made a name for himself with ShamWow and Slap Chop. However, it should be noted that he and the others mentioned are not only spokespersons for their products, but also business owners who handle all facets of production, order fulfillment, marketing, etc.