Businessman and philanthropist W. Brett Wilson is shown in a handout photo.Handout
Imagine the freedom of being Brett Wilson.
The self-made billionaire and former Dragons' Den mainstay has moved on to greener TV pastures on the new series Risky Business (Slice, Monday at 9 p.m.), in which he once again provides average people with a long shot at the much-desired dream of financial independence.
"Some people say money has no soul, but I don't buy that at all," says Wilson during a recent break at the Mississauga mansion that's doubling as primary set for the series. "With great wealth comes the opportunity to change lives. And changing lives is very valuable to me."
Wilson departed Dragons' Den last February following a much-publicized contract dispute. Among other hitches was CBC's insistence that he refrain from using the words CBC or Dragons' Den during public appearances or to promote his own work. Wilson harbours no bad feelings.
"I was disappointed, don't get me wrong," he says. "But CBC graciously helped me build my brand on Dragons' Den, and I still celebrate the show. To this day, nobody Twitters more about the show than I do."
Coincidentally or not, ratings for Dragons' Den soared following Wilson's arrival to the show in 2008. Suddenly, the show was pulling as many as two million viewers – sometimes drawing higher ratings than Hockey Night in Canada. Over three seasons, Wilson closed 30 deals, of which he says 20 are still active businesses. "I know I was carrying my weight on the show, and then some," he says proudly.
A native of North Battleford, Sask., Wilson originally made his mark in the oil-and-gas industry as the cofounder of FirstEnergy Capital Corp. Last year, he became the chairman of Canoe Financial, a privately-owned investment management firm. He's reputedly worth more than $1-billion, so it seems obvious he isn't back on television for the money.
"I had all my business success before television," says Wilson, 54. "So I don't really need any of what comes from television, whether it's the celebrity or the nominal amount of money I make from it. My business is to take care of my life."
And wherever possible, that means spreading the wealth, or at least sharing his business acumen. On each episode of Risky Business, Wilson lends his financial expertise to two investor teams – couples, friends or family members – who are willing to put their life savings into a deal to be completed within 30 days.
Each set of investors meets with two entrepreneurs who have pitched seemingly can't-miss moneymaking deals. The investors choose one deal; Wilson takes the one they turn down. Next comes the race to see who makes the most money by the 30-day deadline.
"This is real reality," says Wilson. "It's real people with real money – their money – and at the end of each show, there are real results. There's nothing else like it on television."
Much of the entertainment value of Risky Business comes from watching the passion with which the various entrepreneurs pitch their ideas, and the wide range of projects.
"The range is remarkable," says Wilson. "Some run events to make money. We have a guy who sells houses by day, but by night he restores and sells pinball machines. Other people buy and flip clothing, antiques, instruments and cars. There's been a material shift in entrepreneurship in Canada the last few years, and there's no shortage of creativity out there."
And while the financial world can be a jungle, there's no call for ruthlessness in Wilson's business plan. During his run on Dragons' Den, he became known as the Dragon with a heart.
In most episodes, Wilson's kindness toward budding entrepreneurs was the counterpoint to Kevin O'Leary's nastiness. His well-documented philanthropic efforts have included shaving his head to support a cancer charity and climbing Mount Kilimanjaro for Alzheimer's research.
"Once I realized I could juggle a lot of things, I decided to direct that ability toward helping others," says Wilson, who was appointed to the Order of Canada earlier this summer. "Some of it is motivational speaking, some is mentorship and some is charity work. One of my dreams is to do a television show that involves giving money to people who need it."
The rest of us, of course, have to earn it. The single father of three grown children, Wilson admits to taking some down time in the past several months – including touring Southeast Asia with his son and visiting his daughter in the British Virgin Islands – but now it's back to business.
He credits much of his financial success to growing up in Saskatchewan. "There's definitely a Prairie worth ethic," he says. "Prairie boys understand that a hard day's work is how you put food on the table. It's just a mindset. In Calgary, there's a standing joke: 'What do you call someone from Saskatchewan? Boss.' And it's usually true."