EXCLUSIVE: Why Bethenny Frankel Originally Turned Down 'Shark Tank' and the Reason She Signed On Now

Bethenny Frankel is ready to enter the Shark Tank.

The Skinnygirl mogul recently signed on as a guest “Shark” for the ABC hit show’s upcoming ninth season, but it’s not the first time she’d been offered a gig on the show.

“Yeah, I was approached about Shark Tank several years ago,” she admits to ET. “I was advised by my agent at the time not to do it, which I did disagree with. It sounded like a really great idea. And it wasn't the massive juggernaut that it is now.”

“I'm glad it came around again,” Frankel continues. “I do think the timing is good. And I have so much more business experience than I did then. I mean, I was successful, but this is another level now. I've seen so much, I've learned so much.”

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Frankel says she’s excited to bring a fan’s perspective to the tank.

“You can learn so much from these Sharks,” the B Strong founder says. “You can learn so much from the entrepreneurs pitching the ideas, and maybe, you know, somebody can learn something from me. I do bring a different perspective. I think that this was an interesting, creative choice and I'm excited to get in there and rock it.”

As for what type of Shark she’ll be, Frankel says her fans should already know what to expect.

“I'm honest and I'm creative and I'm a marketer and I'm an idea person,” she notes. “I think that I can crystallize my ideas and thoughts in a concise way, and on television like that, you have to be able to get your thoughts across, you know?”

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“The whole audience watching wants to be an entrepreneur, and not everybody is one,” she adds. “So, you want to be able to weed out people who really shouldn't be spending all their money on some idea or dream. They may not have the entrepreneurial spirit. Not everyone does. You have to be dog-on-a-bone cutthroat. You have to be a shark!”

Shark Tank returns to ABC this fall on a new night, Sunday. In the meantime, catch Frankel on The Real Housewives of New York City every Wednesday at 9 p.m. ET on Bravo. Check out more of our chat in the video below.

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