What’s in a handshake? Trust. Gratitude. Agreement. Connection. And, most important, touch. Some say you can tell a lot about a person from the way they shake hands. People aim to impress with their grip, an embrace of sorts that speaks in a passing moment to who they are and how they present themselves.
In a way, handshakes are the hugs of business, signatures without pens. Last week, I had the opportunity to shake the hands of several Shark Tank star investors during a press breakfast in Beverly Hills promoting the popular ABC show’s season eight premiere. In my experience, each had a firm clutch and made eye contact. And, like we all do, each has an opinion on what constitutes a good, strong handshake.
Related: All 7 Shark Tank Stars Share Tips on How to Become a Millionaire
After chatting about their somewhat surprisingly permissive views on the blazing marijuana industry, I took the opportunity to ask them how to shake hands like you mean business, a curious human custom that might seem silly, but packs the power to make or break a deal. Click through this slideshow to see what they said.