For local fans of ABC’s “Shark Tank,” this new year also brings some good news: Amazon Prime Video will soon begin streaming a Philly-centric entrepreneurship show with four investors offering investments and mentorship to area startups and business owners.
On Jan. 12, Prime members can stream “Wolf PAC of Philadelphia,” a four-episode series featuring five “wolves” who are experts in entrepreneurship, analytics, venture capital, branding and founding companies. The Wolf PAC (Presidents Advisory Council) will evaluate businesses who compete for money and mentorship.
The wolves include serial entrepreneur Kent Griswold, former sports reporter and current business owner Leslie Gudel, Wharton School professor Leonard Lodish, investor Courtney Lawless, and marketing and strategy specialist Judy Chang Cody.
The reality show has become a reality!! WolfPAC premiers Tuesday, Jan 12 on @PrimeVideo!! Exec Producer @thelovemaster promised we’d have a great time shooting this show when he asked me to take part last yr. Turns out he wasn’t joking this time. Hope you’ll check it out!! pic.twitter.com/BVFkeLFbR4
— Leslie Gudel (@lesliegudel) January 4, 2021
The show will also feature some big-name Philly mentors like former Eagles players Seth Joyner and Brian Dawkins, Tony Luke Jr. of the Tony Luke’s Cheesesteaks empire, and “Eagles Insider” Dave Spadaro. The wolves and mentors both talk in the five-minute trailer about supporting and giving back to the local business community.
And it looks like we’ll be seeing a great deal of Philly in the four episode stretch — this reporter has already spotted glimpses of South Philly, Lincoln Financial Field, Love City Brewing and downtown Ambler’s business core.
The wolves will be taking a deep dive into each startup or business, and decide by the end of each episode if they’ll be deploying their funds and resources. The businesses run the gamut from food service and restaurants to beauty apps and sports enterprises.
“When we find good people who are passionate, those are people that we want to work with because they’re going to be the most successful and the most fun,” Lawless tells the audience.
The Wolf PAC of Philadelphia’s Facebook page touting the show’s launch says the series is launching in the City of Brotherly Love first, and will expand to metros around the country.
Take a look at the full trailer for the series here:
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