Narrator:
Tonight on "Shark t*nk"...
Sharks, I'm Jay Cutler,
four-time Mr. Olympia.
Oh, my God.
Everyone knows me,
really, for my dogs.
I mean, the dogs
have their own Instagram.
I know money is drying
up, but it is money out there,
and I think our product is
gonna get some of that money.
We're back at where we were
when we started "Shark t*nk," 2008.
No money out there.
We do feel like there's so
much untapped potential.
Horrible valuation.
Ooh! [ Laughs ]
Sharks, it's
time... [ Rattling ]
to shake things up.
♪♪
♪♪
Narrator: First in the
t*nk is a healthier version
of a popular indulgence.
♪♪
Hi, Sharks. My name is Marvin.
And I'm Aleah. We're
from Baltimore, Maryland,
and we're seeking $150,000
for 7.5% of our business.
Sharks, as a husband
and wife team,
I can tell you, there's always
two sides to every story.
Ooh, Marvin, don't even
get me started with that one.
Take bacon, for instance.
It's so good, and it
pairs with everything.
Yeah, like high blood
pressure and heart disease.
But it's crispy and
smoky. [ Laughter ]
Full of saturated
fat and cholesterol.
But it melts in your
mouth. It is so delicious.
Marvin, all those nitrates
and preservatives?
Come on, babe. Okay.
My wife is correct, as usual,
but that's why we created
a better-for-you bacon.
And we like to say if
it looks like bacon...
smells like bacon...
and tastes like
bacon, it must be...
Both: Mushrooms. Huh?
Introducing Shroomacon,
a plant-based bacon
made of sliced mushroom.
Shroomacon has only
five clean-label ingredients,
and soy ain't one.
And the taste?
Better than pork bacon. Mm-hmm.
[ Laughs ] On a BLT, on
a juicy burger, on a salad...
Mmm, just the thought
of it has me hungry.
One bite of Shroomacon
and you won't believe you're
eating sliced mushrooms.
In fact, that's what
makes it so special.
It's not highly processed,
and it's not made in a mold.
Sharks, let me show you
how we slice our mushrooms.
♪♪
Hit it, samurai guy.
Samurai guy. Slice.
Slice. Slice. Slice.
Slice. Slice. Slice. Slice.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
[ Laughter ] Marvin.
Marvin, wait a
minute, wait a minute.
This is not how we
slice our mushrooms.
Ah, you're right,
but a guy can dream.
I guess so.
So, Sharks, who's ready
to swap out the swine
and shroom-aking
the world happy with...
Meat The Mushroom.
Oh, boy. Now, this
is it in front of us?
It is. Bye-bye, samurai guy.
Meat The Mushroom.
So in front of you, you
have juicy BLTs... [ Laughter ]
and you also have some
slices of Shroomacon.
It's actually really good.
Greiner: No fat. Clearly.
Yes. Very lean.
Yes. Nothing squishes.
Uh-huh. Nice and crispy. Oh!
Crispy. It's smoky.
Again, only five
ingredients. Non-GMO.
You can cook
it in the air fryer.
You can cook it in
the skillet. That's good.
If you don't want
to use any oil,
you can cook it in the oven.
In "Shark t*nk," we've had
so many plant-based products.
Sure. They all taste like crap.
Cuban: No, they do not!
This actually tastes good.
No, they don't. No, they do not.
Oh, yay! This is good.
- I like it.
- What kind of a mushroom is that?
That's a king oyster mushroom.
That's a king oyster mushroom. Yes.
O'Leary: Those are expensive.
What are your cost
of goods on this?
So the pack that you're holding
currently costs $2.09 to make.
However, we know for a fact
we can get that down to $1.75.
We sell it retail $8.99.
Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Who!
And then to our distributor,
we sell it for $4.40.
Tell us a little bit
about your background.
So my background is as
a Facebook ads manager.
My first business was
cars. I was wholesaling cars.
My next business was a mover,
and that's how actually
me and my wife met.
I was her mover,
you know? [ Laughs ]
There you go. Okay.
Greiner: Then
you moved right in.
[ Laughter ]
Yep. But I had
a heart condition,
and the doctor
said I wouldn't...
I would have it my whole...
F-for the rest of my life.
I had an enlarged heart
muscle. So I went vegan.
I went back to the
doctors a year later,
and my heart disease was gone.
I had asthma since I was
eight. That totally disappeared.
Once I was healed, I saw
the powers of a vegan diet,
and I wanted to open a
restaurant in my neighborhood.
In the Black community
specifically is a lot
of food-related illnesses
in the Black community,
with heart disease
and diabetes. Yes.
But while I was making
these items for the menu,
and I saw they could not
only just help my community,
but they could help the world,
so we transitioned the idea
into a product-based
business instead of a restaurant.
So what do you do
today for a living?
Is this the only job?
This is it. This is
the only thing we do.
We are 100% in.
So tell us about your
sales. There you go.
'Cause they matter. Yeah.
Sales... so May of 2021
until December of 2021,
we did $38,000 in sales.
Then for all of 2022, we
went up to $86,000 in sales.
And then to date, we have
in over $238,000 in sales...
Okay. Making our lifetime sales
over $360,000. Understood.
We're selling primarily,
We've only now started
to get into grocery stores.
And so we are
just getting started.
But you're a couple. You're
both in this business full time?
Full time. Yes. Yes, full time.
How are you getting by?
Paying your bills, yeah.
So we actually have gone all-in.
We sold our car. We moved
in with my mother-in-law.
We are really scrappy with
this, okay? Ooh, you're all in.
We are all, 100% in.
We have a daughter.
There she is. Sharks: Aww.
And her name is Norah.
Norah has Down syndrome,
and so, you know, she
is really our inspiration.
She's phenomenal.
Look, I'm really intrigued
because it's so good,
but valuation is insane.
However...
Would you like to...
Would you like...
Because I am a chef and
because I'm Mr. Wonderful... Okay.
The way I see this deal,
I'll give you $150,000.
I want to be the
third partner... 33.3%.
Okay. I have zero flexibility.
That's a fantastic
offer. [ Laughs ]
How much flexibility
do you have on this?
Oh, I have zero flexibility.
Okay. Just wanted to make
sure. Guys, I'll clear the deck.
I have a deal with Unreal Deli,
which is a plant-based
meat product.
We're getting into
the same space.
Okay. Got you.
So that's gonna be a conflict.
So for those reasons, I'm out.
Thank you. Got you.
But congrats on what you've
done. It really was good.
Thank you, thank you. Thank you.
I feel that the passion
that you have...
And congratulations...
And what you're creating
i-is amazing.
I think the path to
success will be challenging
for a couple of reasons,
because what you're doing now is,
you're gonna be, instead of
one step away from the money,
you're four steps away,
because now you have to make it
and be an expert
in manufacturing.
Then you have to get the
store to buy it, get them to list it,
and then get a
customer to buy it,
all at a one-third of what
you would have been making.
So what I hear...
Let me say this.
Guys, this is all great
chatter, but, you know,
you do have an
offer on the table.
I'm trying to tell
you where I see
some of the bigger
challenges you may have,
and for that reason, I'm out.
Thank you. Got
you. Appreciate you.
Greiner: Can I ask
you a few questions?
For sure. So...
Just let me add a little... a
little spice to the offer, okay?
Okay. I offered you
$150,000 for 33.3%.
And they were so excited
about it. I'm going to go...
It's going to grow like
a mushroom a little bit
because I'm not
feeling the love.
Okay, I'm gonna go to
$150,000 for 33 2/3%.
[ Chuckles ]
Okay. So the good
thing is I really liked it.
And I'm your customer. Right.
The bad thing is,
is I wanted more.
So, like, normal
bacon, this long.
Yeah. Yours is this long.
Your only thing, Lori, is that it
should be a longer mushroom?
Um...
It's not always
about the size, man.
That's right. It's not
always about the size.
But that's what she's saying!
I want a bigger
mushroom. And, Lori,
to speak to that, as well,
you know, think
varying slices...
Yes. because the
mushrooms are varying sizes.
This is the thing, mushrooms...
O'Leary: I feel so unloved.
And now, unfortunately,
I'm 33 3/3%, better
known as 34%.
Wait, we do love you,
Mr. Wonderful. Mr... Mr. Wonderful...
♪ Growing like a mushroom
Listen, Marvin, Aleah,
you're very inspiring to me.
Thank you.
Honestly, this is
my fifth season.
I've never seen
Mr. Wonderful give a fair offer,
and this one is
a fair offer. Okay.
Given where you're at,
I was actually very
impressed with his offer.
I don't think I could
give you that offer.
Okay. And so for those reasons,
I'm out. Okay. Thank you.
And I think you should
seriously consider his offer.
Thank you, thank you.
Thank you, thank you.
One thing that I
also want to speak to,
that Daymond said that I
think should be addressed...
I think you should talk
to Lori because she...
Greiner: Well, listen...
'Cause everybody else is out.
Greiner: I'm so
torn. Okay. [ Laughs ]
There's, like, a
little voice on my left
that's saying,
"horrible valuation."
Yeah. Little voice on my right
that's saying, "But they're
amazing and it's amazing."
Mm-hmm. So I'm torn.
[ Sighs ]
Narrator: Three Sharks are out.
Marvin and Aleah have an
offer on the table from Kevin
for their plant-based
bacon, Meat The Mushroom.
But Lori may also be interested.
Greiner: You know...
I will give you an
offer for 33.3%.
- Oh.
- Ooh!
Undercut Kevin. Would you...
Would either of
you consider, uh...
'cause that's a lot more
equity than we were thinking of,
that we wanted to give up.
It's fair for you to say that.
But remember the
environment we're in.
Right. The Fed has raised
rates at an unprecedented speed.
Capital is not cheap
anymore. Right, right right.
Venture capital has dried up.
And so the reality out there
is this offer is more than fair.
Got it. More than fair.
Because we're in... we're back
where we were when we
started "Shark t*nk," 2008.
No money out there. Yeah.
And here we are,
making you offers.
I-I will make you an offer
that might sweeten the deal.
- Okay.
- Ruh-roh.
What if Kevin and
I went in together?
Then you get two Sharks.
What do you think, Kevin?
Would you consider
going in together for... 25%?
Look, I'll do that deal
with Lori at 33.3%.
Okay. And start
you on your journey.
You're great people. Okay?
Oh, thank you.
Thank you, thank you.
But it's 33.3%.
This is the thing...
I'ma... I'ma keep it real.
us right now. Yeah.
We know we're gonna
have to raise more money.
We feel... Yeah, we're gonna
have to raise more money.
I know money is drying
up, but it is money out there,
and I think our product is
gonna get some of that money.
It's not enough equity to...
We got to get up in the morning
and we got to smell the bacon.
Okay? It's a lot of work.
♪♪
Would you consider
$200,000 for the 33.3%
with both of you in
and help with P.O.s?
I'm not there.
I'm not there. Sorry.
What about your
You're over-negotiating.
Guys, you have
to make a decision.
♪♪
Yeah? Alright. Go ahead. Do it.
You have a deal.
Oh! Yay. Congrats.
Yay. Thank you.
Congratulations.
It's good bacon.
Thank you, thank you. Thank you.
Cuban: Making bacon.
- Excited.
- It's really good.
Guys, well done, man. Good job.
Thank you.
♪ We got the deal
Got a deal.
[ Laughs ]
I'm not gonna lie.
It was very painful to have
to give up that much equity.
But we know that having
two Sharks on board,
we're gonna be able to take
our business to the next level
and really create a legacy
for our daughter, Norah.
I can't believe we did it!
Yay!
♪♪
Narrator: In Season 14, we
watched John and Joan Creed
make a deal with Daniel Lubetzky
for their hummingbird
feeder HummViewer.
Oh, my God! That's genius!
Narrator: Let's see
what they're up to now.
HummViewer was in
business for four years
before we pitched the Sharks.
In that time, we sold
In less than a day after
appearing on "Shark t*nk,"
we sold out of 1,500 units,
equaling $102,000 in sales.
And then people kept buying
them... over 2,000 backorders.
I looked at Joan and
thought, what do we do now?
It was life-changing success
that created some
problems at the same time.
The biggest issue we're facing
are knockoffs by
third-party sellers.
They've taken videos and
images off of our website
and sell a knockoff
or ship nothing.
So we've hired
an attorney to go in
and remove these sellers
from these different platforms.
We were beyond angry.
When one seller is
removed off these platforms,
they pop up in other
company names.
So it's a game of whac-a-mole.
With Daniel's investment,
we were able to purchase
When they arrived, there were
scratches, there were smudges.
Some of the parts
and pieces didn't fit.
So to make things right,
we needed to
make a trip to China.
Being a brand-new product,
the factory didn't
really understand
how to produce the product.
It took some time, but all the
issues have been resolved.
So the next shipment
of HummViewers
is gonna come with
a lot of improvements.
You're on to something
surprisingly magical.
The best thing about
HummViewer is that initially,
when you see it, it
does look like a joke,
and then you realize it's not
a product, it's an experience.
Since partnering with
Daniel eight months ago,
HummViewer has
made over $350,000.
We both have quit
our full-time jobs,
and we're 100%, all-in
with HummViewer.
I created this...
"Shark t*nk" has given
us an opportunity at our age
to start a new business
and to learn new
things and to grow.
We have friends that are
in the retirement mode,
and we just started
a new business.
So "Shark t*nk" has offered
us a whole new lease on life.
♪♪
♪♪
Narrator: Next in
the t*nk is a fun way
to mix things up
at social events.
♪♪
Sharks, it's time...
[ Rattling ]
to shake things up.
I'm Jess Blakley. And
I'm Willow Sprague.
And we're best
friends, cocktail lovers,
and the busy bees behind
BarBees Bartending.
We've created a unique
way for you to celebrate
and learn to make cocktails
right from your own space.
BarBees is a mobile
cocktail class company
shaking up memorable
experiences for friends, family,
and anyone feeling the buzz.
When you book a BarBees
mobile cocktail class,
an instructor shows
up at your space
to lead a class full
of cocktail shaking
and spirited conversation.
You provide the
liquor and the location,
and we provide the rest.
So all you do is show up
and "bee" your own mixologist.
In a BarBees class,
an instructor guides you
through making
delicious cocktails.
Whether you want to stir things
up at your bachelorette party,
corporate team building,
or birthday celebration,
a BarBees cocktail
class provides a fresh way
to celebrate and
connect together.
So, Sharks, we're seeking
$75,000 for 10% equity
to join the BarBees hive.
So take a sh*t on us...
Both: And get
buzzed with BarBees.
Sharks, in front of
you is our most popular
two BarBees cocktails...
The Rosemary Honey Paloma
and Strawberry Old Fashioned.
Let's drink up,
Sharks. Let's drink up.
We'll join ya.
All: Chevaliers du Tastevin!
Just like that. Cheers, Sharks.
Whoo!
Cheers! Whoo-whoo! Whoo-whoo!
[ Laughter ] Very tasty.
So, guys, in the new
world we're living,
where everybody's
working hybrid or offline,
there is a need for
community in corporations.
A lot of people
are feeling lonely.
There is a need
for us to connect.
Well, we fill that
need, for sure.
We launched in 2019 as
an event bartending company
pre-COVID.
- What city was that in?
- Where? What city?
In Nashville, Tennessee.
We were slinging drinks
at large-scale events,
weddings, things like that.
Are you both bartenderesses?
We are, yes. We are.
We used to be just us. And
now we have a team of 25.
Greiner: Tell us about
your background.
We met at Belmont University
in Nashville, Tennessee,
and we actually started
BarBees while I was still in school.
I got a call one day from
Willow, and she said, "Hey.
Do you want to go
to bartending school?"
On a complete whim.
O'Leary: So what are your sales?
So in 2019, we grossed $19,000.
Got it. In 2020,
when we transitioned
to virtual classes,
we were still able to
almost double our revenue
and hit $38,000.
Got it. In 2021,
as we came out of the pandemic,
we transitioned to those virtual
classes into in-person classes,
and we nearly doubled
again, at $76,000.
Got it. And last year,
we expanded to four new cities,
and we grossed
just under $190,000.
Good for you. Good for you.
What's gonna happen this year?
This year, we are
expected to gross $400,000.
- Whoo! - Oh!
- Wow.
We have just expanded
to four brand-new cities.
So now we are in seven cities.
People are not too
busy for connection.
And specifically bachelorettes
and corporate groups,
which are our top
two demographics,
they eat this up over and over and over
again. Lubetzky: How do those break down?
We do 52% of our business
in the bachelorette scene
and 26% is corporate.
Greiner: What do you
need from a Shark?
So what we need from a
Shark is help with expansion.
We know that as a
service, our number-one
strategic advantage
is taking up the market.
There's no one doing what we
do in as many places as we do it,
and we want to make
sure it stays that way.
So we want to spend $20,000
on an automated
booking platform.
We want to automate everything.
Secondly, we want to spend
$20,000 on enhanced onboarding.
We need to be able to bring
people on quickly and efficiently.
And so that means branding...
You're talking about the bartender.
Yep, our cocktail
class instructors.
Okay. And then
lastly, we want to spend
the remainder
of... Of your money
on expanding to new cities.
"Your money." [ Laughter ]
Which takes approximately
$5,000 for each city
in the first six months.
Cuban: So look, what
you're doing is great.
And obviously, you
both are entrepreneurs.
I'll give you the snaps. Right?
Thank you so much. Well done.
The challenge for me is
that opening up in a city
now helps you grow.
Mm-hmm. Yeah.
But once you get to all
the cities you want to go to,
growing from there gets
really hard and really expensive.
And I think that kind of
puts a lid on your business
in terms of what I need to
see in terms of scale. Yeah.
I'm out.
John: I love what you're
doing, but I don't want to be
in the service industry,
so good luck. I'm out.
Both: Thank you.
O'Leary: Here's
where I'm at with it.
I think you guys
are the real deal.
Thank you. I
sell a lot of wine...
Millions and millions and
millions of bottles of wine.
If this was more of a wine
play, I think I'd be all over it.
But this would be
against the energy
I put in to supporting
O'Leary Fine Wines.
I-I wish you the best. I'm out.
Listen, guys, you
know what you're doing.
I think it'd be fun to
work with you guys.
We built a full marketing team
across the country with Kind,
and we had to build
all of the systems
to be able to create calendars,
to create tracking, to
create resource books. Cool.
So we've done a lot of that.
I don't think you came
with a crazy number,
but I-I would do this for 20%.
I love you guys, and I
think what you're doing
is phenomenal.
I think he gave you
a fantastic offer...
Cuban: A great offer.
Better than what I would have.
And I think he's the
right partner for you.
I'm out.
♪♪
I am getting a
little bit worried.
John: Daniel, now
you're the only person,
and everybody said that
it was a very good deal.
Daniel, I... Your
offer is so wonderful.
So you should say yes.
We're honored. Would you do 15%?
No, but if we take
longer, it might go to 25%.
Greiner: Oh! What do we do?
♪♪
[ Whispers ] I think
that's too much.
Would you do 20% for...
For $75,000. $115,000?
Is there any wiggle room here?
Oh, you're about to...
You're about to lose this.
I am thinking my kids just
earned the right to get a pet,
and I will advocate for us
to name their pet BarBee.
[ Laughs ] That's...
We are honored. [ Laughter ]
Oh, my God.
You're about to lose this thing.
♪♪
Okay. You've got a
deal. You have a deal.
[ Cheers and applause ]
Cuban: Let's drink.
Greiner: Good job, good job.
Thank you so much,
Daniel. Thank you for caring
about this the way
we care about it.
Let's build it. Let's do this.
Congratulations, guys.
[ Laughter ]
Sprague: I think this
is just a testament to us
saying yes to things.
I really hope that
entrepreneurs out there
are watching this
saying, "I can say yes, too.
I can just jump
in. I can just try it."
It might be ramshackle
at first, but that's okay.
We all start that way.
Just try it, say yes,
find a really good partner
that you trust with
your whole heart,
and it's gonna be
such a beautiful journey.
I mean, we never expected
that a yes to bartending school
would lead us to "Shark t*nk."
♪♪
Over the years on "Shark t*nk,"
there's been many instances
where I was forced
to kiss Barbara.
Herjavec: Don't grab her!
I'm ready, baby.
- Kevin, no fondling.
- You have to commit to it.
Don't get your dentures
locked up, guys.
Cuban: Oh, Lord.
I'm gonna get ill.
You know the good
news? I didn't turn to stone.
Man: A little longer.
[ Laughter ]
- Oh!
- Oh, my God!
Tasty.
If I had to kiss
Kevin one more time,
I think I'll quit the show.
- Yay!
- Very sweet.
- Aww.
- Nicely done.
But I have to admit,
he's a pretty good kisser.
He is.
♪♪
Narrator: Next into the
t*nk is a nutritional product
from experts in
physical fitness.
♪♪
Hey, Sharks, I'm Brandan Fokken.
And, Sharks, I'm Jay
Cutler, four-time Mr. Olympia.
And this is Daisy,
and this is Capone.
And we're here seeking
$50,000 for 10% of our company.
Sharks, pet owners
like to treat their pets
like they're their
babies... Case in point.
And we love to share
everything with them,
including peanut butter.
Unfortunately, most
commercial-brand peanut butter
is full of things
that just aren't good
for these little
guys, such as salt,
sugar, hydrogenated
oil, and even xylitol.
Sharks, for over 20 years, I
competed at the highest level
in professional bodybuilding.
I paid attention to
everything I put in my body.
Wow.
And I thought, why
not for my babies also?
Introducing Jay's Pet Butter.
So Jay's Pet Butter
is a unique line
of pet-safe peanut butter
made with the best ingredients
such as glucosamine
for joint health,
banana, blueberry, sweet
potato, vitamin E, and biotin,
all to make our pets
happy and healthy.
You can use it
as a healthy treat,
a food topper, a
cover for medication,
or a distraction while bathing.
The possibilities are endless.
And, Sharks, it comes
in four unique flavors.
And listen, my
happiness is my pets.
I do everything with my pets.
They travel with me, so why not?
Treat?
♪♪
Let me try some. Want some?
[ Laughter ] Oh, yeah.
Alright, Sharks. So who's
ready to spread the love
and change the lives
of dogs everywhere
with Jay's Pet Butter? Look
at the tongue on that little guy.
[ Laughs ]
It's twice the size of his body.
John: Is it... Jay, I don't...
I don't think you came
out with a big enough...
Is that a dog or a snake?
I don't think people... I
mean, everybody watching...
Well, I mean, you're Jay
Cutler. Like, you are that guy.
Cuban: He's the
man. No, he's a beast.
That picture of you was insane.
I know. John: Jay, Jay, how
many years ago was that?
O'Leary: Is that
real? Cutler: 2009.
Oh, my God.
How many championships
have you won?
Four. Wow.
Cuban: That's insane.
That's incredible.
Wow. Alright. I-I probably
missed half the pitch.
So these are them.
So we have three...
And, clearly... clearly,
though, for humans, too.
Yes. So it's... it's
human safe, as you saw.
I mean, this was
his secret all along.
And we encourage
you to try them.
Everyone talks about
essential fats and things
that are good for you,
and that's one thing...
We've added a lot of
things in this product,
which I took as supplementation.
I mean, I'm an owner
of a supplement brand,
a very large supplement brand.
What's that brand?
It's called Cutler Nutrition.
I'm very active on social media.
I have about 16
million social followers.
A lot of it's educational,
whether it's
nutrition or training.
Does that translate well into
selling peanut butter for dogs?
Well, everyone knows
me, really, for my dogs.
I mean, the dogs have
their own Instagram.
I see. [ Laughter ]
And by the way, Jay,
this is really good.
Which one do you have?
Which one do you have?
I have... I have the
sweet potato blueberry.
I use this instead of using
any kind of other
peanut butters.
So why couldn't you just
feed them peanut butter?
What makes it special
and unique is the fact
that we do put the additives
that are good for their health.
You know, a lot of people give
their pets vitamins and minerals
and special foods
and stuff like that,
but this was something unique.
And with his background,
you know, in... in nutrition,
it made sense to
put the two together.
Let's talk about the business.
What does it cost to make
this? What do you sell it for?
Sell it direct? Is it in
retail? Let's get into it.
So we started the
business last year.
We had success
right out of the gate.
We did some launches
to see how it would do.
Again, getting
into a pet product,
we wanted to see how his market
and my market
at the same time...
John: I'm sorry,
Brandan. We didn't ask...
What do you mean your market?
So I'm an influencer
also. I have a following.
I had a base in the
peanut butter industry.
I ran a company for three years.
I had some success with that.
But your influence is
concentrating on what area?
Fitness and lifestyle.
I-I-I show a lot of my... My
relationship with my son.
I have a six-year-old son.
- There you go.
- Oh, hey. Wow.
Hey, man.
- I'm not a slouch.
Cutler: He's being
humble a little bit, guys.
No, man. You look great, baby.
Look at that body.
Okay, so, I mean, you
guys are very credible
from this perspective.
Keep going on the business.
So we launched in September,
and we had a success
right out of the gate.
We had Hy-Vee
come to us right away,
and they wanted to put us
on some of their test stores
to see how we would
do. Hy-Vee stores.
And then we had a
big box warehouse
come to us right
away. And they were...
What price? What
did you sell it for?
We sell them for $14.99.
Whoa. Okay. Wow.
That's expensive. Yes.
What's a normal
jar of peanut butter?
A high-end jar of peanut butter
will sell within that range.
So what's it cost you to
make this $14.99 item?
So currently, it costs us $3.10.
Oh, those are
lip-smacking margins there.
So the thing that
happened up front
is we had a little success
with... with Hy-Vee.
Okay. We're in 80 stores.
Then we landed some
smaller nutrition stores.
And then from there, we got the
call from the big box warehouse
and they said, look, we're
really interested in you
for 80 of our warehouses in the
northwest region of the country.
The order itself
could go anywhere
from $500,000 to $1 million.
So, Brandan, Jay, what
are your sales up to date?
Our sales up to
date are $39,000.
Oh.
And in what period
of time was that?
In about a 10-month period.
Greiner: Well,
here's a question...
Jay, you said that you have
on social media.
Have you put out any
videos, any postings saying,
"Hey, check out my
Jay's Pet Butter?"
We have, and we've had
great success with that.
Is that how you got
the $39,000 in sales?
Mostly, but we just were
having delays in shipping.
We just weren't
ramped up enough.
Lubetzky: You know, for me,
the most interesting question is
if Mr. Wonderful
starts calling you cockroaches
or anything like that,
will you demonstrate
some of your prowess...
I'll put him in a
headlock for you.
And you can... you can
take care of him from there.
You think I'm gonna
call this guy a cockroach?
Lubetzky: I agree with
you, dogs love peanut butter.
And I agree with you, sodium
is not good for the dogs.
It's a good opportunity
that you're taking.
Have other people
entered this space?
There's a few other
companies out there.
The largest actually
contacted us,
asking if they
could co-pack for us.
They are a smaller company,
and they seem to be
happy with what... with that.
So you don't have
any large competitors?
No.
Jay, you have a... You
have a really successful
supplement brand, which,
basically, you're looking
at the same profile
of a consumer, right?
Somebody who wants...
Yes. Which I have not even
tapped that market necessarily.
But why aren't you putting
it through that distribution?
I-It's a little different.
And we just have not
put those wheels in motion
because of the manufacturing
has been our biggest hiccup.
I can do supplements
all day long.
But butters was
a little different
because of where it was made.
Yeah. Guys, look, I
think it's a great product.
I liked it, right?
But the challenge
for a product like this,
it takes time for pet owners
to really appreciate the benefit.
So I see this more
as a slow-burn product
as opposed to an
investable product.
So for those reasons, I'm out.
Thank you. Fokken: Thank you.
Unfortunately, I
don't eat peanuts.
They don't really agree with me.
I do have to love and
I think participate in
what I really get involved
with in a business.
I wish you good
luck, but I'm out.
Listen, guys, it's an
honor to meet you.
Those pictures
are very impressive.
I'm a little bit intimidated
that if we disagree,
you might put me
on the headlock.
But in all seriousness, this is
just not my type of business.
So for those reasons, I'm out.
Thank you.
John: Hey, my... My
biggest challenge is
I'd be doing this
just for training.
[ Laughter ]
Alright, you know, there's
nothing I can do here
in this one. I don't
think you need a Shark.
I'm out. Thank you.
So, guys, I don't
see it as a company.
I see it as a product within
your sphere of influence.
Because clearly, you're
a very successful guy
in the supplement space,
so it's very difficult to
invest in this as a business.
However, the direct-to-consumer
play is a very good business
'cause I think your
customer acquisition costs,
given you have 16 million
followers, is gonna be low.
I'll do the deal... $50,000.
The margins are good enough
to give me a royalty, no equity.
I'll do it for a buck
a jar. Buck a jar?
Yeah. How long?
In perpetuity.
You guys came in
here to the Shark t*nk.
Everybody said,
"No, I don't see it."
I see it.
I'll do the deal for a royalty.
What do you say, guys? Jay...
♪♪
Probably not something
we'd like to do.
We appreciate the
offer. [ Laughter ]
Yeah!
Then thank you very
much. We appreciate it.
Thank you very
much. I appreciate it.
Would you like to counter, man?
You can counter to
say, look, you know,
"We'll do that till you get
two times your money back."
♪♪
Why would I do that?
'Cause you get two
times your money back,
and you get to be
friends with Jay.
Oh, I make $50,000.
I'm thinking about doing it
just because I like these guys.
Just do the deal you
guys think is right.
♪♪
Yeah, that's not
the right deal for us.
I-I thank you for the offer.
Thank you. Thank you, guys.
- Alright, guys.
- Good luck, guys.
- Appreciate it.
- Good luck on this.
It was a pleasure meeting you.
Thank you so much. Thank you.
♪♪
Cutler: We wanted to
present a great product.
We believe in the product.
I know that it's going
to be successful.
And, you know, we couldn't
get a deal done with the Sharks,
but we're gonna make it happen.
I hope he comes back
and kicks your ass, Kevin.
That's what I was hoping for.
♪♪
Narrator: Next up
is a meaningful way
to connect with the
children in your life.
♪♪
Hi, Sharks. I'm Amanda.
I'm Valerie. And I'm Danny.
And we're here seeking
$125,000 for 10% equity
in our company,
Mama Sing My Song.
As parents, we know that our
deepest desire for our children
is for them to be happy
and healthy inside and out.
Parents today, though,
are facing more pressure
than ever to provide
our kids with the tools
that they need to be wonderful,
confident, and resilient.
And it can be tough to
always be there for our children.
That's where Mama
Sing My Song comes in.
We write custom songs
for kids that help them know
they are seen,
valued, and loved.
Anyone who knows kids knows that
they become completely obsessed
with, one, their
favorite stuffed animal,
and, two, their favorite
song on repeat for days.
With that in mind, Mama
Sing My Song packages
each child's custom song
into a huggable stuffed animal.
Our singing stuffed animals
are designed to be
more than just a toy.
They're a companion
that kids can turn to
whenever they need a little
extra love and encouragement.
Daymond, you are a great dad.
You're also a
hard-working businessman,
and I'm sure you can't
always be there with your wife,
Heather, to put your
daughter, Minka, to bed.
You've been following me.
I have. Well, now, with
Mama Sing My Song, you can.
And we want to show
you how, with the help
of some very special guests
who you might just recognize.
Oh, that is really sucking up!
John: Oh, my God.
You didn't know, Daymond?
I didn't know.
Hello. Welcome,
Heather and Minka.
Valerie: Daymond's lovely
wife, Heather, worked with us
to create a custom
song especially for Minka.
Minka, do you want
to play your song?
♪ Sweet Minka Jagger
with sparkly brown eyes ♪
♪ You light up the world
with your sunshine smile ♪
♪ Such beautiful curls
and a beautiful heart ♪
♪ Bubsy, you're amazing
just the way you are ♪
♪ Cuddling with Mommy
and singing all day ♪
♪ Hot chocolate with
Daddy on breakfast dates ♪
♪ Pumpkin, I love you
way up to the stars ♪
♪ More than I could write
on a million postcards ♪
♪ Minka, you're more than
we could have dreamed ♪
♪ Your heart is as sweet
as strawberry ice cream ♪
♪ And no matter what,
this will not change ♪
♪ Minka, we love
you for all our days ♪
♪ Minka, we love
you forever, always ♪
Don't cry. Don't cry.
Greiner: Wow, that's great.
Aww!
John: Don't cry. Don't cry.
Amanda: Just like Minka.
You can. You can
let it out. Let it out.
So we're all out. Daymond,
go ahead and make your offer.
John: Babe, I thought
you were shopping all day.
I didn't know you
were gonna be here.
Surprise.
Wow. Okay, let's...
Let's go to the pitch.
Just like Minka,
we've already touched
thousands of kids' lives
with our songs and
singing stuffed animals.
And we're especially proud
of our foster care program,
which gives free songs
and stuffed animals
to children in foster care,
a song of love that
they can carry with them
wherever their journey leads.
So, Sharks, who's
ready to join us
in making a difference
one song at a time?
First of all, thank you so much to Heather
and Minka for being here. Yes, thank you.
Give me... Yeah, I have
to give my family a hug.
Of course. Take a moment.
My goodness. Come here, baby.
Hi.
- Oh, my God.
- Oh, my God.
Aww.
I love you.
I love you, too.
Aww.
This is really a special moment.
- Bye, Minka. Bye, Heather.
- Bye.
- See you.
- Bye, guys.
Say bye. Bye.
Are they gonna get royalties?
I think so.
How do you feel about
that song, Daymond?
John: You know,
the song was great.
It was a very warm feeling,
like when you go to Disney.
And it had in there,
I call her "pumpkin."
And any time that I'm home,
I'll either take her to school
or we're gonna make
sure we have breakfast.
So there's a lot of
little things in there.
I heard all that.
So do you customize each song?
We do. Do you use AI?
No. At the moment, it's
written by a real human.
Most of our songwriters
are moms, like myself.
And... And who sings? You
can definitely cut costs there.
'Cause the voice and
the music was beautiful.
That was this one.
Greiner: Wow! Yeah.
Walk us through the business
model and how this works.
So basically, the customer
will order the song.
Then she fills out a
questionnaire about the child,
and our songwriters write a
song based on the child's likes.
After that, they have the option
of doing a studio recording,
where an artist goes
into a recording studio,
produces a full track.
Being you.
Well, now we have a
whole team of people.
We have about 20 artists
total that work with us.
So the two price points we have,
it is $99 for an
a cappella song,
$250 is the price for a song
that is written
specifically for your child
and recorded in a studio
with music, like
the one you heard.
That includes the plush? No.
So the plush is
an add on for $55.
How much does it cost you to
get the song out of the artist?
Let her finish. So
our artists get about
But the $99 is also customized?
$99 is also custom. Either
way, it's a custom song.
Tell us about you and how
did you come up with this?
Well, Valerie and I met
as college roommates,
and we've been best
friends ever since.
And Danny is also my roommate
for life. For life.
We've been married for 10 years,
and we have three
beautiful children.
That's great. Congrats.
And how did you
come up with this?
I was driving with a really
fussy baby in the back seat,
and like any parent, I was
desperate to stop the crying.
So I made up a little
song, and it worked.
She completely stopped
crying. And so you can imagine,
I sang that song over
and over and over.
She would say to me,
"Mama, sing my song."
And then when my
second child was born,
I made up a song for him.
As he grew, he
would say to me...
Together: "Mama, sing my song."
And then I made songs for nieces
and nephews and friends' kids,
until one day a stranger from
across the country reached out
and said, "Can I pay you
to write songs for mine?"
How did that stranger find
that out? A friend of a friend.
I had written a song
for a friend's kid,
but I actually told her no.
But she insisted and I said,
"Okay, I'll take
Chick-fil-A gift cards,
and I'll write the
songs for your kids."
I'm really moved. I
love this kumbaya stuff.
How do I make
money? [ Chuckles ]
So we've done
$1.4 million in sales
over the last five
years. Sharks: Wow!
- Oh, that's a lot.
- Oh, five years? Okay.
Five years, but 90% of that
has come in the
last two and a half.
And this year, we're
on track to do around
that $450,000 to $500,000.
So it's a nice business for
you guys to make some money.
Yeah, absolutely. Right?
Because half the money
goes to the artist, right?
And so if you did $450,000,
you really $225,000...
So what do you make on the
$450,000, assuming sales are flat?
Our net lifetime is about 25%.
Our net so far this
year is about 32%.
But a competitor
that wanted to do this
doesn't need to pay
artists or even have artists.
You can write that song with
AI. Can anybody compete?
You can own it.
Why aren't you cutting
your biggest costs down?
What do you need an artist for?
At the moment, we feel like the
human element is really important.
We would love to be
able to incorporate AI
more on the back end,
and we are actively
looking into ways to do that.
Like, to write songs vs. sing them.
You can offer that to the parents...
"Do you want AI or you
want human created?"
And you can offer
the different menus.
That's very true, and
that's why we have used
our artists and continue
to come back to our artists,
because they
know how to write...
We write in our voice,
and that's what
customers really love.
Okay, look, I think what
you've been able to do
is phenomenal.
It's a great business for
individual entrepreneurs.
I just don't see it as
an investable business,
'cause it's gonna be
really hard to scale
to anything of significance,
so for those reasons, I'm out.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank yo.
- Thank you so much.
- Thank you.
I respect the $450,000.
It's hard to get
anything up to that.
There's a lot of
variables in this thing,
and I love the kumbaya part.
I mean, you're very nice people.
But I give somebody $125,000,
I want to make back $2 million.
I mean, that's what
venture capital is all about.
Thank you very
much, but I'm out.
Thank you. Thanks, Kevin.
Thank you so much.
We do feel like there's so
much untapped potential.
We've been in the
business for five years,
and we've kind of
reached a ceiling.
You know what I find
interesting about this business
is that there's this
incredibly fascinating tension
between your
very, very beautiful,
nurturing aspect of who
you are and why you're here.
You just care so deeply,
and the need for
you to run a business.
Yes. And you need
to navigate that
because you don't want
to be caught... lose the soul.
But there's so many
opportunities for you
to run it better than the way
you're currently running it.
Yes. I actually think
the three Sharks here
with a soul...
Daymond, Lori, and I...
Should partner with you guys
to try to do something together,
but it's a very small business.
I don't know if there's
space for three Sharks or...
Well, you know, to me, you know,
it's not just about
money in the Shark t*nk.
What?!
Well, for you,
it's another story.
For me and us,
not necessarily so.
It's about helping
others in this world,
and there's nothing more
precious than our children
and making sure
that they grow up
feeling good about themselves.
So I think that Daymond
really likes it, too.
What do you think?
Would you like to go
in with me and Daniel?
Um...
♪♪
Narrator: Two Sharks are out.
Lori and Daniel are interested
in Mama Sing My Song,
a customized song
company for kids,
and want Daymond
to join them on an offer.
Um...
Daniel and I have wanted
to be in business for years,
and he's the kindest
person on the planet,
so it would be an honor.
Okay, now we have to
get the business part of it.
Yes. How is the
company broken down
in between you three?
We're equal
partners. Yeah. Yeah.
Third, third, and
a third. 33% each?
Yes. Correct.
Greiner: So let me
just throw out a thought.
What if you got the three
Sharks, and we were a third?
So $125,000 for 33.3%.
And then we're all
in it to win it together.
That's a lot of voices out there
in this world to help promote...
So what is that, Lori?
The offer is for three Sharks.
For three Sharks.
That's powerful.
That's how you get messages
to move around and be heard.
Absolutely. Would you do 25%?
♪♪
[ Laughs ]
Well, you have three of us.
Why don't we, instead of
$125,000, give him $150,000?
Then it's $50,000 each of us.
That gives you a
slightly better valuation.
I'm okay with that.
I'm okay with that.
And the truth is that
it's the sweat equity
that's gonna come in here.
So new offer...
$150,000 for 33.3%.
For three Sharks.
What do you think?
♪♪
Alright, let's make a deal.
[ Cheers and applause ]
Good job, everybody.
Oh, my goodness. [ Laughs ]
Didn't expect that, did you?
This wasn't even a
possibility in our minds.
Thank you so much. Thank you.
This is gonna be big.
I really appreciate
all that you're doing
and where you come
from. Thank you.
Good job.
Congrats, guys. Good luck.
[ Sighs ]
It's so hard to believe. I
mean, actually, I remember
when I was pregnant
with my daughter,
we watched "Shark t*nk"...
Like binged "Shark t*nk."
All the time.
Never would have
imagined that nine years later,
we would be here
on "Shark t*nk,"
making a deal, so, yeah.
This is just such an
honor, and we're so excited.
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
15x11 - Episode 11
Watch/Buy Amazon Merchandise
Shows entrepreneurs making business presentations to a panel of five venture capitalists (investors in start-ups) called "sharks" on the program, who decide whether to invest in their companies.
Shows entrepreneurs making business presentations to a panel of five venture capitalists (investors in start-ups) called "sharks" on the program, who decide whether to invest in their companies.