ArleneDickinson

You may know her remarkable back-story by now: 'Dragons' Den' sweetheart Arlene Dickinson went from being a broke, divorced mother of four without custody of her children at age 31 to being one of the most widely respected entrepreneurs in Canada. The secret to her success? Persuading herself she was capable of anything.

It's pretty rare that people completely overhaul their lives past 30, which is part of what makes Dickinson's new book, 'Persuasion,' so compelling. While it's a business book at its core, Dickinson illustrates her points with some very personal anecdotes, including her painful divorce, her struggle to win custody of her children and her excommunication from her Mormon church. She even opens up about the affair she had towards the end of her rocky first marriage.

Who'd have thought a show about investing would attract millions of viewers each week? Ratings for 'Dragons' Den' hit the two million mark this season, which puts it right up there with 'Hockey Night in Canada'. Season 4 wraps up in December, but the Dragons aren't wasting any time launching the next round: season 5 kicks off in early January.

The show's five judges, Arlene Dickinson, Robert Herjavec, Kevin O'Leary, Jim Treliving and W. Brett Wilson, have become some of Canada's most recognized business executives. We sat down with Arlene, Brett and host Dianne Buckner to get the scoop on the goofiest pitches ever, armchair Dragons, and what's in store for season 5.