David Chilton: The Wealthy Barber in the Den
- David Chilton
Before he was a dragon, David Chilton was the author of The Wealthy Barber, first self-published in 1989 and selling over two million copies since its release.
Born in Sarnia, Ontario, he built a career on making money advice sound like a conversation, which is exactly how he questioned founders on the show.
The publishing side
He also worked as a publisher, collaborating with authors Greta and Janet Podleski on best selling cookbooks including Looneyspoons, Crazy Plates and Eat, Shrink and Be Merry.
So the wealthy barber nickname undersells him: he understood both the writing and the business of getting a product onto shelves.
His Den years
He joined the panel in 2012 for the seventh season, replacing Robert Herjavec, and was contracted through the ninth season.
He then left the show to focus on his deals full time, which is a very on-brand exit for a man who wrote the book on being deliberate with money.