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9 · Friday, November 25, 2011 OAKVILLE BEAVER · www.insideHALTON.com No matter what the business, nothing replaces hard work Continued from page 8 Teamwork, Croxon found, was equally important. He noted that things never worked out for the company when people were hired who could not work well in groups or take input from others about their decisions. "I can count on one hand in 20 years of business experience, the times I've strayed from core values in bringing someone into the organization and every single time it burned me in the long run," said Croxon. "I'd compromise on a guy, whose ego was so big he couldn't fit through the door, because his technical skills were unbelievable and, I think about it now, and I shake my head because one of those moves probably cost us $60 million over four years as we went down a technology path where the vision was correct, but the guy burned millions of dollars because he was more interested in sucking up to the tech suppliers than he was in getting done what was right for the company." The other secret to Lavalife's success was hard work, with Croxon summing up his experience there as 15 years of seven-day-a week, 24-hour work. Croxon also spoke about his experience on the Dragons' Den panel. The CBC show sees aspiring entrepreneurs pitch their business concepts and products to a panel of Canadian business leaders who have the cash and power to make those dreams happen. Croxon began by stating co-star Kevin O'Leary, who has reduced more than one budding entrepreneur on the show to tears, really is "an a@#hole." While the characterization provoked a round of applause from the audience, Croxon quickly backed off from that position, noting he felt compelled to help spread the image O'Leary has worked so hard to spread himself. "He's an interesting character," said Croxon. "I've never been around such naked ambition in all my life." Croxon said the Dragons' Den experience has been an intense one as the show is filmed in April and May, meaning Croxon and the other Dragons heard 230 business pitches in just 19 days. On camera, each business pitch appears to be seven minutes in length, however, Croxon said, they have actually been edited from about 40 minutes. During this period, Croxon said he committed to 18 deals with show contestants, but pointed out these deals are hard to close for a number of reasons. One reason is because some people now see getting on Dragons' Den as a good way to market their product and never actually intend to do an investment deal with Croxon or his co-stars. Overall, Croxon, the newest Dragon on Dragons' Den, said his experience has been a good one and that his inbox is now overflowing with people asking for his thoughts on this business concept or that product. "They are very ambitious people I sit up there with -- good people," said Croxon of his co-stars. "They made it very easy for me." David Lea can be reached at DLea@ oakvillebeaver.com or follow him on Twitter @DavidLea6. 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