15x10 - Episode 10

[bunniefuu]

Narrator: Tonight
on "Shark t*nk"...

What's your teacher gonna
say when I call your cell

and you're in
school in the class?

They're not gonna
let you answer,

and that really pisses me off.

Rose is the social media queen.

This is Rose from Poplight. I'm
kinda famous on TikTok, guys.

Robert. Hello, Maaaark.

Everybody that sees the
mat says, "That is genius.

When are you going
on 'Shark t*nk'?"

All the time. What?

You're gonna need a
hell of a lot more money

than you think you need.

I mean, is this just a
commercial for you guys or...?

Yeah! [ Laughter ]

♪♪

Narrator: First into the
t*nk is an easy way

to brighten your living space.

♪♪

Where are they?

[ Chuckles ]

They changed their mind.

[ Rooster crows ]

Good morning, Sharks!

I'm Caroline. And I'm Rose.

And we're the
wife-and-wife dynamic duo

from Denver, Colorado, and
we're here seeking $150,000

for 8% in our company, Poplight.

When we first moved in together,
we needed to install wall lights

on both sides of our bed.

Now, Sharks, we're pretty handy,

but installing wall
lighting is a real hassle.

Punching holes in your wall,

running wires for
electricity, patching drywall.

Who has the time?

We could hire an
electrician to do it,

but that could cost over $1,000.

In this economy?

We thought there
could be a better way

to install wall
lighting, and Sharks,

that's when we had
our light-bulb moment.

Let's show them how it's done.

This is Poplight.

Poplight is modern,
stylish wall lighting

that's as easy to
install as it is to remove.

Poplight installs in seconds.

The base attaches to your wall
using double-sided adhesive.

No tools required.

Plus, the Poplight
base has a built-in level,

so you'll always stick
the landing the first time.

- That's cool.
- Oh, good idea.

All that's left to do is swivel
and click Poplight into place.

Cuban: That's cool. Wow.
Wall lighting in seconds.

Corcoran: That's it?
Plus, it's dimmable.

Sorry. What was that, Lori?

You want to know how
Poplight's powered?

Great question.

Poplight is USB-C rechargeable.

Simply pop out the battery
when you need to charge it,

or leave it plugged
in if you like the look.

Options. And we
agree, Mr. Wonderful.

Time is "shmoney."

It is not a very executive
move to have to get up

and adjust your wall lighting.

And that's why we
created the Poplight app,

where you can choose between
three different color warmths,

set a sleep timer,
dim your Poplight,

and control multiple at once.

Whether you're a
first-time homeowner

moving into an apartment,
setting up a dorm room,

or just want wall lighting
that's easy to install,

Poplight is modern wall
lighting designed for everyone.

So, Sharks, who's ready
to revolutionize wall lighting

with Poplight?

Sharks, in front of
you is your very own

gorgeous Poplight
for you to check out.

- Super cool.
- Thank you.

What happens to the wall
when you take off the adhesive?

Nothing.

We designed Poplight so
that when you remove the tape,

you don't leave any
damage on your wall.

Herjavec: Where's
the button to turn it on?

Caroline: If you
look at the bottom,

you'll see a little
power... Robert!

And you just have to tap it.

Got it. Robert.

Greiner: So that's... it's
very... Hello, Maaaark.

Great idea.

- Thank you.
- Thank you.

This is a prototype,

so we just did our
first round of tooling.

So you have our first
tooling prototypes.

- Oh, wow.
- Don't drop it.

Rose: It's our baby.

They did a nice job, though.
The tooling looks good.

It's very clean, yeah.

Herjavec: How much
are you gonna sell it for?

So they retail for $95.

And what is it going to
cost you to make? For one?

Yeah, for one. Mm-hmm,
yeah. So it costs $25 to make,

about $30 landed, $95 retail,

which puts our profit
margin around 68%.

You're gonna sell direct to consumer
only? That's kinda expensive, guys.

Caroline: Sorry? That's kind
of expensive, don't you think?

We also ran a lot of tests.

We found that people
were more responsive

if we priced it higher and
offered a bigger discount.

- I don't think $95 is expensive.
- And offered a what?

Offered a bigger
discount, yeah. Discount.

How long does the charge last?

Yeah, it takes about four
hours to get fully charged.

And then the battery lasts
between five and nine hours,

depending on how bright it is.

But you can leave it plugged
in all the time using that cord.

So I'm curious... are there
any others out there like this

where it's an adhesive back,

besides the ones where
you pop-on, pop-off?

You know what I'm talking
about? Yeah, yeah. Tap lights.

The under cabinet,
like... tap lights.

- Yeah.
- Thank you.

Yeah, it actually didn't
exist. So, we needed it.

We looked for it.
We couldn't find it.

And we actually have a patent.

So we have three
patents on this.

What do they cover?
We have a design patent.

And then we have
two pending patents

on the technology
behind Poplight.

One is the way that
Poplight swivels and clicks

and the way it's removable,
the base from the wall light.

- The base to it.
- Smart.

And then also the way the
tape attaches to the base.

And that's the part
we wanted to protect,

because that means that
if you were to put another

stick-on wall light on the
wall, you would rip off the paint.

Herjavec: Have you sold any?

So we launched an incredibly
successful Kickstarter

at the beginning of this year.

We did over...
Ooh, tell us more.

We did over $178,000 in
a little under four weeks.

Despite launching at 6:00 a.m.,

we met our goal at
around 22 minutes.

Wow. And then what we're
running into is inventory.

We are slated to
run out of our first run

in about four months.

To meet the Kickstarter
order? Mm-hmm.

And have you
shipped any of that yet?

- Not yet.
- No.

Do you have any orders
outside of crowdfunding?

We launched a website.

Rose is the social media queen.

This is Rose from Poplight. I'm
kinda famous on TikTok, guys.

You are? What for? A little bit.

We went viral on TikTok.

We've actually gone
viral several times.

But all of our sales
since our Kickstarter

have been just
through organic content.

Tell us the sales
after Kickstarter online.

It's not very exciting
because we just got

our website live.
Yeah. But about $5,000.

I'm guessing you both have
other jobs still at this point?

We both still have
full-time jobs, which is great

because it helps us fund the...
What we're doing with Poplight.

There's nothing wrong
with it. What do you guys do?

Yeah. Well, tell us about
you. What's your background?

I've been working in
tech for several years,

working in fast-paced startups.

I am a data whiz, and I
think the most important thing

I can tell you about
myself is I'm the daughter

of multiple generations
of entrepreneurs.

My grandfather,
most importantly,

moved to America with
not much except his skills

and built an incredible
life for himself.

And I, like, really can
say if he could see

what I'm doing right now
and who I'm talking to,

the Manischewitz
would be flowing.

It's just like, it's such
an honor to be here.

Caroline: Yeah, it really is.

Mazel tov to your
grandfather. Thank you.

So I'm a licensed
clinical social worker.

I provide therapy to
individuals and couples,

and at the end of the
day, Poplight or people,

I just love figuring
out how things work.

All right, guys, look, the
whole deal is very nascent.

It's a total crapshoot, I think.
But I'll make you an offer.

Hold my hand. I'll give you
the $150,000 for the 8%,

but I want a royalty of $2
on it until I get back $500,000.

Then the royalty drops
to $1 in perpetuity.

We thought you'd
throw in a royalty.

- Of course I would!
- Shocking, right? Just shocking.

It's actually a
really good deal.

That's not his worst
deal ever, trust me. No.

I think you guys are incredible.

Or Kevin is getting
softer in his old years,

because that is a
really good offer.

- No, it's definitely us.
- Yeah.

I'd like to give you a rather
simple offer. Caroline: Uh-huh.

I'll give you the $150,000.

I don't even want the
stock, honest to God.

But I would like to
get a $20 royalty.

$20? Yes.

- But no equity.
- Whoa!

No equity at all.

$20 per unit?

- Wow.
- $20 per unit.

- Wow.
- That's just brutal.

♪♪

Narrator: All
Sharks are still in.

Caroline and Rose have
two offers on the table

for their removable
wall light, Poplight.

Kevin has offered
$150,000 for an 8% stake,

plus a $2 royalty
until $500,000 is paid.

Then the royalty drops
to $1 per unit sold.

Barbara has offered
$150,000 for no equity,

but wants a $20 royalty.

I don't think they make
enough money, Barb.

No, I think you do make
enough money at $20.

When will that end? And
you keep your total stock.

When does that end, Barbara?

Never ending.
That's the best part.

Never, ever ending. Wow.

Never ending. Wow.

Herjavec: I don't know
what's happened here.

Barbara and Kevin changed spots.

-So you're gonna be
left with... -Yeah. Yeah.

- Nothing, yeah.
- It eats into some of our...

- You can't invest, yeah.
- That's a brutal offer.

Caroline, Rose, you
guys, I love the product.

You two are really impressive.

Thank you. I think
you'll figure it out.

I think Kevin made
you a pretty good offer.

I would take his offer,
I gotta tell you. Really?

Barbara's offer
is absolutely nuts.

I don't know what she's doing.
There's nothing wrong with that.

Yeah. I'm out.

Yeah. Thank you for that.

What are you doing, Lori?

I am not sure about
your marketplace.

I'm familiar with
quite a few things

that stick on the
wall that light up.

So I have a little
bit of concern

about your competition.

For those reasons,
it makes me hesitate,

and I'm out.

There's absolutely
stick-on lighting.

One thing that keeps ours
a little bit different from that

is that the stick-on is hidden.

So most stick-on lighting,

it either is showing
underneath the light,

so when you remove it, you
have that access to the tab.

But then you see the plastic
bits that are behind your light.

Or even worse, you
can't access the tape

and you have to rip it off
your wall and take off the paint.

That's the win-or-lose
to your business, right?

Because if it's transient,
if I can just stick it

and then pull it off and move
it when I need to move it,

and you're the only one
and that's pretty protective,

you win.

If you're not, you battle.

But I'm just not
convinced. Right?

So for those reasons, I'm out.

So can I clarify
it? The question...

O'Leary: Hey,
these guys are out.

Time to focus on the deals now.

Barbara, would you
consider any less than $20?

On the royalty? What do
you feel you can afford?

I think $12 would be
more comfortable for us.

- Damn.
- Wow.

If you'll take $100,000 in cash
and $50,000 in a credit line,

I'll do that deal.

Wow. All of a sudden,
a really good offer.

Okay, guys, you
gotta make a decision.

Okay. All right. Kevin,
would you consider

having that royalty go
until you hit $350,000?

No.

What would you consider?

What I ga... the
offer I gave you.

I think it's very
fair. I like it a lot.

There's absolutely
no wiggle room there?

No. Okay.

Um, what do you think?

Kevin, we'd love to
do that offer with you.

- What?!
- Absolutely.

- Congratulations, ladies.
- Let's have some fun.

Thank you for your consideration
and your patience, for real.

Thank you. We're so excited.

Thank you. Congratulations,
guys. Well done.

- Thank you, guys.
- Bye.

Have a good rest of your night.

Greiner: Bye.

Don't you just love them?
Yeah, I do. They're great.

I think I want to adopt them.

- They're great.
- Exactly.

How are you feeling?
I'm really good.

I can't believe that happened.

[ Exhales ] That was wild. Yeah.

Now that we have Mr. Wonderful,

we are just gonna go
back to the drawing board

and keep working, keep
working, keep working.

There's so much
to do with Poplight.

We can't wait to
get it out there.

Narrator: In season 14,
Ashley and Charles Young

made a deal with Emma Grede

for their inclusive bridesmaid
gown line, Bridal Babes.

I know this business
incredibly well.

I make inclusive sizing at
both Skims and Good American.

Let's see what
they're up to now.

Ashley: Bridal Babes
is the first size-inclusive

bridesmaid gown line for women
of color and women with curves.

After the episode aired, we
were flooded with inquiries.

So many people were excited
to shop with us, support us.

It was life-changing.

We saw a 600%
increase in web traffic.

The exposure allowed
us to switch from

a paid advertising strategy
to a more organic strategy,

because the customers
were already there

and so invested in the brand.

We need to make women feel
seen, heard, and represented.

Investing in Bridal Babes
was a total no-brainer.

I know this space
better than most,

and I thought their
approach was just so special.

And, ultimately, they've
completely cornered the market

when it comes to
inclusive dresses

at this beautiful price point.

Charles: Three years
before "Shark t*nk,"

we had $2 million
in lifetime sales.

After closing the deal
with Emma last year,

we generated over $1
million in just one year,

and now we've
generated over $3.3 million

in lifetime sales.

Ashley: Today, we're hosting

the Bridal Babes
end-of-season celebration,

where we're gonna see
a fabulous fashion show,

chat with some of
our industry experts,

and create that buzz before
the upcoming wedding season.

I'm so proud of
Charles and Ashley.

They're truly innovating
for a community

that is massively
underserved in the market,

and they're doing it for
them and their family.

This is gonna be a great
legacy business for them.

I want to thank you, Ash,

because I told you when
we were getting married

that you had a special vision.

Ashley: Disrupting the bridal
industry has been difficult,

but also rewarding.

We have created this
community of women

who've been overlooked by
the bridal industry for decades.

Our kids look to
us and they say,

"I want to be an
entrepreneur one day,

just like Mom and Dad."

It's so important for
them to be able to see that

and to be able to model it

and know that it's
possible for them as well.

♪♪

♪♪

Narrator: Next into the t*nk

is a way to keep
everyone dry on rainy days.

♪♪

Hello, Sharks. My name
is Nathaniel Wellen.

I'm from Los
Angeles, California.

This is my mom.
This is my sister.

And I'm seeking $100,000

for 10% equity in my company.

Sharks, we've all been there.

You get caught in the rain
and you take out your umbrella,

but you're with someone
of a different height.

Maybe it's your tallest friend.

Maybe it's your fast-walking,
fast-talking business partner.

Or, ugh, maybe
it's your little sister.

No matter how hard you try,

the two of you can't stay
dry under that tiny brim.

There isn't even enough room
for both your hands on the handle,

so you struggle for control.

Maybe she pulls it
down to her height

and it smacks you
in the head. Aah!

Or... and I'm sorry
it had to happen

like this, little sister...

But she walks too fast to
stay under the umbrella.

She's hit by a sudden
torrential downpour!

[ Laughter ]

Sharks, either way, no
one's safe, no one's dry,

and no one's happy.

It's been thousands of years,

and the standard
umbrellas we use today

have not changed much.

That's why I invented The Duo,

the dual-handle umbrella
designed for two. Voilà!

The Duo conveniently
adds a second hidden,

adjustable handle so that
two people of different heights

can share the umbrella
at the same time,

walk in the rain, stay
safe, they stay dry.

And most importantly,
they're feeling right as rain.

Because you know what, Sharks?

Everyone deserves
their own handle.

The Duo comes with a


so two people comfortably
fit underneath it.

We have our compact Duo
that fits in any purse or bag,

or our stick umbrella.

It makes you look
like a million bucks.

Either way, we've got
you covered, literally.

Sharks, again, it's
been thousands of years,

and the umbrella
really hasn't changed.

Why don't we make umbrellas

the way they should have been
created from the very beginning?

Help me make it
rain with The Duo.

Herjavec: Yeah! [ Laughter ]

- Good, good.
- Good job.

You sound like a kid out of
a 1985 movie or something.

- Yeah.
- Thank you.

Tom Cruise in "Risky Business."

Okay, while my mom
and sister go dry off,

why don't you take
a look at the samples

that I have in front of you.

Oh, wow. That is a
good size for a little...

You know, the compact umbrella.

Hey, how does the...
Oh, you just pull it down.

Yes. If you pull on the
strap on the bottom...

Now, where's the second handle?

It'll come exactly down.

So that umbrella...
There you go.

That's a prototype.
That's not the final product.

We're getting ready
to go to market.

Oh, you're a
pre-revenue company.

We are a pre-revenue company,

but we're getting
ready to go to market.

So three things
constantly bring me

to that million-dollar
valuation.

- Tell us.
- Number one...

We can't wait to hear.

Our IP, our patents.
I don't want to...

We have one utility
patent granted.

- You do? Good for you.
- Yes, we do.

- That's a big accomplishment.
- But for what, Nathaniel?

- For the idea of two handles.
- Got it.

Now, we have one other
utility patent pending.

That's for the second handle, the
locking mechanism inside it. Oh.

Nathaniel, how old are
you? I'm 15 years old.

- What?!
- You're 15?

Thank you. So I
made the prototype.

I developed the design. I
even applied for and received

that first utility
patent when I was 9.

Greiner: Oh, my
gosh! You're so cute.

That's me and my dad
when I was young, yep. Aww!

And then I got invited to
the Henry Ford Museum

to compete in the National
Invention Convention.

- Wow.
- Uh, yeah,

where I won Most Original
Invention... Good for you.

In the country out
of 144,000 participants.

- Wow. Good for you.
- Wow. That's amazing.

How did you get from your
original idea to where it is today?

Yeah, so that's where our
partner comes in, Shed Rain.

They are the number-one
U.S. market leader for everything

umbrellas in volume and
distribution and sales. You're kidding.

So you've already cut a
deal with your manufacturer?

Exactly. That's...

-Well! -Yes. They own...

Tell us about that deal.
Don't talk to him anymore.

They own 49% of the company.

But they sell over 15 million umbrellas
every single year. Herjavec: Wow.

- Now you're talking.
- That's smart.

And what was the
deal you did with them

for them to get 49%?

For 49%, they're gonna
help us in the prototypes.

They're gonna help us in
manufacturing, distribution.

They're gonna get us
into places like Target,

Walmart, Kroger, Costco.
But they didn't pay you

for that 49%. They
did not, no. We're...

So they have equity
and you have equity.

Exactly. And you're
going to share the profits

and whatever comes
into the company together.

- Of course, yeah.
- And how did they find you?

Well, I made a cold
call to Shed Rain.

Thank you. Wow. On your own?

Yes. You just picked up
the phone and called them?

Yeah. I e-mailed, called up,

reached out to a
bunch of companies.

Shed Rain really stuck out.

I formed a really good
bond with their CEO,

and their entire
staff's amazing.

Can I go back to the
product for a sec? Of course.

So what do you think
you're gonna sell it for?

There's two separate SKUs.

The estimated landed
cost for the compact is $4.

We'll sell it wholesale for $10.

We'll sell it direct to
consumer for $25. Wow.

The stick umbrella
we manufacture,

estimated landed
cost is gonna be $8.

We'll sell it for $20 wholesale,

and direct to consumer
is gonna be $50.

Those aren't bad
margins. Thank you. Yeah.

And who's gonna
do that, Nathaniel?

Because you're in school. I
know you have this partner.

It's not clear what
they're gonna do,

you're gonna do.
You'll figure that out.

Well, they'll do
all our distribution,

and they'll create all
the umbrellas, so...

They're doing all
your manufacturing.

They're doing all our manufacturing
and they'll pay for it too.

And they're fronting the money
for the manufacturing. Yeah.

So that's been
clearly stated by them?

I'm gonna go out on this

because I don't think you
have a need for a Shark.

You've got an ideal
partner, Shed Rain.

So I really don't think you
need the help of a Shark.

I'm out. Thank you, Barbara.

I'm very impressed
with your presentation,

but I have a basic rule.

I have to be able to call
my CEO 24 hours a day.

I don't like the fact
you're in school.

What's your teacher gonna
say when I call your cell

and you're in
school in the class?

They're not gonna
let you answer,

and that really pisses me off.

So for that reason, I'm out.

Okay. Cuban: Yeah,
Nathaniel, along the same lines,

a couple things.

One... great example
for kids out there

that want to be entrepreneurs.

I can't tell you how
many times I hear,

"Well, I'm too young, I'm
too young, I'm too young."

No, you picked up the
phone. You called the CEO,

created a connection,
obviously met with them.

You did that on your own.
That's a great example.

Two... if you dilute your
equity at all, even 10%,

you're under 50%.

And that's an issue going
into what you're doing.

I know they get diluted
the same amount,

but given the circumstances,
you want to stay over 50%.

So for those reasons,
I'm out, Nathaniel.

But congratulations
on what you've done.

It's amazing. Thank you, Mark.

Nathaniel, here's
kind of where I'm at.

I think all the Sharks
made really great points.

Yes, you're in school.

Yes, you're gonna get diluted.

But you've built
in a natural buyer.

I love deals where
there's a potential exit

already built in.

You create this product,
you partner with them,

and it takes off,

there's no way they're
not gonna buy you out.

Great point.

So all you gotta do, man,

is you gotta go out
there and prove it works.

You've got the distribution.
You've got that money.

I mean, I really like the deal.

I'll give you the
$100,000 for 20%.

You've done an amazing job.

There are some nuances
to it we can make better.

And then I think you
just gotta go market them,

figure out the distribution.

I can help you with all
that. Thank you, Robert.

That's my offer. And then you'd
be getting in on the ground floor, too.

[ Laughter ] Greiner: Nathaniel,
let me tell you where I'm at...

Thank you, Nathaniel.
Because he's given you an offer.

So, first of all,
you blow me away.

You've done what so
many people would die to do,

which is you got a partner

of the world's largest
manufacturer of your idea.

I think you have
the perfect partner.

So for those reasons,
I'm gonna take myself out.

But Robert did
give you an offer.

$100,000 for 20%.

I'm not making it
to a 15-year-old kid.

I'm making it to a
real entrepreneur

who's done a lot of the legwork.

What do you say?

Can I counter?

- Yes.
- Of course.

Would you be open
to 15% for $100,000?

I'll do it for 18%.

You got a deal, Robert. Done!

Ta-da!

Congratulations.

- Good deal.
- Awesome.

[ Laughter ]

- Great job.
- Thank you, Robert.

- Congratulations.
- Great job.

Advice for other kid-preneurs

is to just keep
moving, keep going.

Even if something
doesn't go your way,

just keep going for it,
reach for your goals,

and maybe you'll
make a deal with Robert,

something amazing like that.

Kaley: Our dad invented
the Cup Board Pro,

and it was his dream to
pitch it on "Shark t*nk."

Unfortunately, he passed away
before he had that chance. Oh, I'm sorry.

But we're here today
to continue his legacy

and make that dream a reality.

One of the most
heartwarming pitches

in "Shark t*nk" history
was Cup Board Pro.

As he was getting
his first prototypes,

our mom was diagnosed
with breast cancer.

Cuban: Ohh.

And he put everything
on hold to be by her side.

And we're only able to be here

because of how
strong our parents were.

Three lovely kids came out,

and their father had
just passed away.

They had also lost their mother,

and they touched all
of our hearts so deeply.

We decided to work together.

Wow. And so all five Sharks
are gonna come together...

[ Laughter ] Which is a rarity.

It's a deal.

- It's a deal.
- It's a deal. All right.

- Oh, yay.
- Thank you so much.

Greiner: We all went in
together and gave them the deal,

and they're doing
fabulous today.

Bring it in. Bring it in.

♪♪

Narrator: Next in
the t*nk is a product

that helps prevent
meal-time accidents.

♪♪

Hi, Sharks. My name
is Berlyn Haughton.

I'm from Franklin, Tennessee,

and I am seeking $100,000
for 10% of my company,

The Table Tyke.

Meal time with
kids is exhausting,

especially when
they're so little,

they're still learning
to keep their heads

above their own necks.

They hit their heads,
they chew on tables,

or they just create
a disaster zone.

And eating out with
them? Forget about it.

I would take my
son to the restaurant,

pull him up to the table, boom!

He'd hit his mouth or
he'd start gnawing on

that germ-infested table
edge because he's teething.

That's why I invented
The Table Tyke.

It's the only multifunctional
silicone placemat

with a table-edge bumper.

It's the parenting hack
you won't regret buying.

Our half-inch-tall bumper
not only protects them

from hitting their head and
chewing on the table... [ Laughter ]

but it also catches
spills... Herjavec: Oh.

Making cleanup so
much easier for the parents.

You can put the food right on our
non-slip grip mat. Cuban: Clever.

As soon as they're done
eating it, you can shake it off,

roll it up, pull the
loops over each end.

Smart. The mess
stays in the mat.

As soon as you get
home, you can unroll it

and throw it in the dishwasher.

The Table Tyke is great for
snacks, meals, and activities,

and it grows with your kids,

from babies to
toddlers to big kids,

and now even adults.

The Table Tyke XL

is double the size
for double the fun.

That's for really old guys?

[ Chuckles ] For
you. For the old guy.

This is perfect for
baking, crafting, potting.

The uses are endless,
because sometimes us big kids

like to make a mess, too.

Sharks, don't miss out on
the opportunity to roll with us

as we are keeping babies safe,

kids entertained,

and messes contained
with The Table Tyke.

- Good job. Good job.
- Thanks.

Sharks, you have
samples in front of you.

Herjavec: Wow. Is a child
hitting their head on the edge

of the table a big deal?

I actually have a
friend whose baby

knocked their tooth out. Ouch!

Yes. The reason that I
started The Table Tyke

is because when we were
eating out at restaurants,

my younger son would
always hit his mouth,

or there's just germs.

I'm not even a germophobe,
and it grossed me out.

So when I started
talking to other friends,

I'm like, "Do your
kids do this, too?"

And sure enough, it
was, like, unanimous.

Everybody had this
problem with their kids.

This is when my
idea started. I'm like,

if I made this mat with a
bumper, would people buy it?

Across the board, people
thought it was brilliant.

Everybody that sees the
mat says, "That is genius.

When are you going
on 'Shark t*nk'?"

All the time.

And here you are. And here I am!

Just like that. Just like that.

Tell us about the sales.

So we launched at
the very end of 2020.

$10,000 in sales.

The next year, we did $24,000.
That was 100% grassroots.

I didn't do nothing
on social media.

It was, like, really
word of mouth.

And then...

And then my goal was to
double in sales last year.

I quadrupled in sales,
did just under 100K,

and this year
projected to do 200K.

Why do you think word of
mouth hasn't carried it further

to generate more sales?

Over 60% of my sales
last year happened in Q4.

So we hit our boom
through that word of mouth

because I started using TikTok.

-Ah! -Ah!

So once I had that social
proof, people are seeing it,

then all of a sudden
people are buying it

and they're buying it
again for their friends.

So people love the product.

I just need help
getting it out there more.

Berlyn, I have 5-year-old
twins, as you may know.

Yes, I know. I've
lived this problem.

Yeah. This is a great product.

Thank you.

I've done a lot of
investments in this space.

Yep. Here's the challenge.

Is this big enough
to sustain a business,

or is it a one-hit wonder?

So I have that concern, too.

This is a product
that people love.

And the good thing
about The Table Tyke...

A lot of the placemats
that are out there

are used for a very
short period of time.

My almost-8-year-old...
We literally still use this mat.

People are willing to
spend 25 bucks on it

because they're
gonna use it for years.

But that's not good

if I buy it once and
it stays with the child.

Yeah, what do you sell it
for and what's your cost?

So it's $24.99. It
costs me $4.90.

- Wow.
- That's good margins.

And I just lowered
it by a dollar.

So we have great margins.

Are you doing this yourself?

I am. So it's a one-man band.

I have an Amazon consultant. I
know what my weaknesses are.

My strength is not Amazon.

So I have gotten it into 80
boutiques across the country.

We just started retail
less than a year ago.

I like the boutique space
because my margins are better

than big-box retailers.

I need to find a PR company
and get on BuzzFeed.

That goes viral. You
need to do it yourself.

You need to... I'm trying.

You need to do it
yourself. But I will tell you,

having a PR company
reach out for you

on your behalf gets
your e-mails read.

Sure, but PR is
not gonna get you

the sales you want on a consistent
basis. That's one piece, yeah.

Look, it's really hard
to play the PR game

because there's so
much noise out there.

The successful
companies in your space

have figured out how
to communicate on social

and do it in a way where
they acquire the customer

just when that baby
is at the right age.

And it ain't easy.

But I can't add a
lot of value here.

I had my kids a long time ago.

I remember them banging
their heads and everything else.

[ Laughter ]

It was... I just don't even
want to go back there.

Me either! So I like
to invest in products

that I actually use
so I can push my...

Give it five years, Kevin.

Well, maybe the XL.
That's what I'm thinking.

No, I appreciate that.
I'm gonna need the XL.

Look, I love it,
but it's not for me.

- I understand.
- I'm out.

Well, thank you.

You know, Berlyn, I'm
kind of in the same boat,

where I think you've
done an amazing job, right,

to go from where you
started to being able to have

a great product, putting
it together yourself. Yep.

You deserve a ton
of credit. Thank you.

But this is just not
my wheelhouse.

So for those reasons, I'm out.

Yeah, I appreciate that.

Greiner: Berlyn, you
made a really nice product.

There is competition out
there, but in a sea of others,

you came up with
something unique. Mm-hmm.

Sometimes it's not good
to bring in an investor.

I think you just need to
keep doing what you're doing

and make it a
great living for you.

I wish you good
luck, but I'm out.

Thank you.

Well, I would love to
have you as a partner.

I don't want to... Corcoran:
Well, what we have here right now

is a business that doesn't
have room for a Shark.

I think you've been terrific in
what you've produced here.

I just think you are

on the verge of really
doing a lot of sales.

And the answer
is in social media.

Yeah. This is a time and a
place for TikTok and Insta,

but there's no room
for a Shark, so I'm out.

Yeah. Thank you.

O'Leary: You still
have one Shark left.

Robert, what are you doing?

Um, look, after 15 years,
I want to invest in stuff

that I think has a
really big return. Yeah.

I don't see the vision
beyond a million or two.

And I want to
invest in bigger stuff.

Yeah, I understand. It's
just not for me right now.

Okay. Fantastic
design, but I'm out.

Well, I appreciate it.
Thank you so much.

Congrats, Berlyn. Good luck. And I
just really appreciate the advice, okay.

- Thank you.
- Thanks, everybody.

- Thank you, Berlyn.
- Thank you so much.

I, of course, wanted a deal,

but the Sharks were
so complimentary.

And, you know, they
said a lot of great things

about the product and
that it is a good product.

So getting the
validity from them

just makes me want
to push even harder.

♪♪

♪♪

Narrator: Next into the t*nk

is a better-for-you
version of a classic snack.

♪♪

Hi, Sharks. I'm Allison
Lin, co-founder of Like Air.

I'm Steve Atieh, co-founder.

And I'm Kevin Atieh, CFO.

And we're from
Madison, New Jersey.

And together...

Together: We're the snack sibs!

Sharks, we're here
today to ask for $300,000

for a 3.5% equity
stake in our company...

- Ooh.
- Ooh!

Like Air.

America is a snacking nation.

We love snacks.

And if you're anywhere from


our snack is for you.

So let's say you're
craving a tasty snack,

but you don't want the guilt

that comes with
unhealthy options.

That's where Like
Air Puffcorn comes in.

It's a delicious,
light, and airy snack

that melts in your mouth.

And unlike popcorn, it
contains no hard kernels,

so it won't get stuck
in your teeth. Huh.

There is nothing artificial
in Like Air Puffcorn.

It's made with non-GMO corn.

It's gluten-free and free
from eight major allergens.

The best part? It's
only 50 calories per cup.

You can have three
whole cups per serving.

While Like Air is
light in calories,

it's not light when
it comes to flavor.

Like Air comes in four
delicious varieties...

Two savory versions,
Classic and White Cheddar,

and two sweet flavors,
Pancake and Cinnamon Bun.

And would you believe that
Pancake and Cinnamon Bun

have half the sugar as
the leading kettle corn?

We've created a delicious,
melt-in-your-mouth snack

that is better than popcorn.

So, Sharks, who's
ready to take a bite

out of the snacking market

and help take Like
Air to new heights?

We get to try it?

Yes, please. You have it
right in front of yourselves.

Oh, wow! This is so good.

- Thank you.
- Thank you.

Wow! Classic is kind of our
take on a movie-theater butter,

but none of the junk.

Do you grind the
corn up into a paste

and then use an
extrusion system to puff it?

Steve: Yeah, so it comes
as a cornmeal. Ooh!

And then it's kind of
mixed with a little bit of oil

and water, just a little bit.

And then it's still
very kind of powdery.

And it goes right in the
machine and puffs right out.

This actually has
a better flavor to me

than movie popcorn.
O'Leary: It's very, very good.

It's probably the best
low-cal snack... It's incredible.

We've seen on
"Shark t*nk" in 15 years.

- Thank you.
- Thank you.

How did you come up with this?

Lin: After having
my first daughter,

I got into what she was
eating, healthy snacking.

I saw a lot of areas for
innovation in the snack market.

So I came to my brother Steve,

and I said, "Let's start
a company together."

So in looking at
all the kids' snacks,

we wanted something
that we said,

"Okay, not just for
kids, but for everyone."

And puffcorn's something
that's been around.

There is a national brand,
but it uses a lot of junk.

So it has artificial
color and artificial flavor

and non-premium ingredients.

So we basically took that

and we put kind of that
up-market spin on it. Mmm.

I'm really proud
of what's in there.

I'm, like, proud to give it to my
kids. O'Leary: It tastes fantastic.

Every flavor is
fantastic. Thank you.

Steve, what were you
doing when Allison called you

and asked you to start
the business with her?

I started my career off
as an investment banker,

and then went to work at a
small pharmaceutical company

as their CFO. And then
we sold that company,

and I was kind of doing
some investments on my own

and was ready to
do something new.

Said, let's get him
back to work. Yes.

Yeah. And what were
you doing, Allison?

So I have a degree
in international politics.

I was a Fulbright Scholar. I
studied conflict resolution...

Greiner: What?! ...in Cyprus,

worked at the United
Nations... Wow!

Something that's a
passion of mine. Amazing.

And then, you know,
I'd always wanted

to do something
kind of on my own.

But I said, first, let
me work at a startup.

So I worked in
financial technology.

And then after having
my first daughter,

I started this company.

Wow! What a résumé.
What about you?

I also started my career
in investment banking.

Then I worked in private equity,

and since then I've worked in
a couple high-growth startups.

What's the price? How does
it compare to normal popcorn?

It's very similar in pricing
to kind of all the bag snacks

that are out there.
How much is this?

It retails about for $3.99.

And wholesale?

It's $2.50 wholesale.

What does it cost to make a bag?

Costs 88 cents to make.

So we actually just
invested in our own

dedicated production line
at a new... Herjavec: Really?

Co-packing partner in Chicago.

- You bought the machine?
- Ah, gotcha.

Yeah, we bought the machinery.

We spent a good
amount on the machinery,

about $2.5 million. O'Leary:
Okay, let's talk about...

Okay, so you've raised
a lot of money, then?

We've raised about... Which
explains what you asked for, right?

What did you raise?

So we raised... in 2019,
we raised $800,000.

We just raised $3.5 million more

in our kind of growth round.

And that's at a $23.5
million post-money valuation.

So I'm curious, if you
just raised all this money,

what do you need from a Shark?

Lin: It's a really
competitive market.

We need the partnership.

What are your sales?





[ Laughs ] What?!

Did you make any money on that?

We did... uh, we were
break-even on that.

Okay. What about


So 2022 we did over
$5 million in sales.

- Wow!
- Make money on that?

We did not make money
on that. We lost 190K.

- How is that possible?
- So where did all the money go?

Was it just new equipment or...

Okay, all right, so salaries,
inventory distribution.

We did 5.2 gross in 2022.

And then trade spend was
about 16% to get to net sales...

- 16%?
- Which was 4 1/2.

So you're paying
to get on the shelf.

It's hard to do that
because you're competing

in a really mature
market... popcorn.

Totally. So it's, how do
we stand apart, right?

So it's all about distribution.
So right now we sell in Kroger,

the number-one
retailer in the country.

We're working with launching
at all 2,200 Albertsons banners.

So, guys, you left out 2023.

The plan for... is to
do over 10 this year.

And so what do you
think you'll end up

on a free cash-flow basis?
You're investment bankers.

On that $10 million,
what's left over?

So the plan for the year

is to burn about
$1 million in cash.

Why can't you... Okay,
that says a lot about your...

That doesn't... Yeah.
That's the wrong answer.

No, it's not the wrong
answer. I think so.

It just says a lot
about their goal.

So if you're spending this
way and you're willing to lose

$1 million on $10 million,
$12 million in sales,

you must have
very big ambitions.

So what comes next?

Yeah. So, we do
have big ambitions.

We really think we can
grow this thing quickly.

That's kind of why we're
here. We need some help.

It's kind of a no-brainer
to be here. But you don't.

Open doors. To open doors.

Come on. You don't need
us to open doors on this.

You're at the point now where
your sales speaks for themselves

because everybody
sees all the reporting.

And so anybody who would be
able to sell this in volume at retail

just looks at the
reports and says,

"Oh, my goodness, Like
Air is moving up the charts.

We're interested."

So, I mean, is this just a
commercial for you guys?

♪♪

Narrator: All
Sharks are still in,

but Mark is suspicious
about Kevin, Allison,

and Steve's real motivation
for coming in the t*nk

with their puffed-corn
snack business, Like Air.

Cuban: I mean, is this just
a commercial for you guys?

Here's a good example. No.

So at a big
retailer like Kroger,

we've only been on-shelf at
Kroger in the last 15 months.

We've never gotten off-shelf.

Like, about 70% of
salty snacks are sold

on display and on promotion.

So we need to get off-shelf.

Steve, you talked
about big ambitions.

We heard the $10 million.
What's the big ambition?

So we think we can do,
in 2024, about $30 million

and then kind of go
from there... $50 million

and then potentially $80
million the year after that.

Guys, you're very,
very impressive.

I mean, you definitely
have the team to pull this off.

The problem for me is 3.5%...
I don't get out of bed for 3.5%.

I don't even... I'll do that
deal and forget about it.

This journey isn't
for me, guys. I'm out.

- Okay. Thank you.
- We appreciate it.

Corcoran: Let me share
with you a happy story

that turned out not so
happy in the end. Okay.

Yeah. I invested in a
company called Pipcorn

when they had one
snack. Now they have 68.

Phenomenally successful
by anyone's standard.

They have just passed
$70 million in sales. Yeah.

I only invested $100,000
in their business.

I took 20%. Boy, was I happy.

But with all their seed rounds,

with all the following
rounds that happened,

I found my investment
was shrinking up like crazy.

They're hoping to sell,
as I am hoping they sell.

But what I want to say
is you're gonna need

a hell of a lot more money
than you think you need.

You're gonna need millions of
dollars to make it a home run.

By the time you get there,

you will have your
investors watered down

and you will be putting
so much money in there.

I don't think I want to go
on that long trip with you.

Barbara... So I'll be out.

- Okay. Thank you. Barbara.
- Thank you, Barbara.

Appreciate it.
- Thank you, Barbara.

Herjavec: Guys, I can't
fault you for anything.

I mean, incredible
growth, incredible sales.

It's just not the reason
I'm on "Shark t*nk."

I'm on "Shark t*nk" to add
value where I can help with people.


me. I wish you all the best.

I'm out.

And, Mark, we'd just
like to say that we do think

that this is a real return
opportunity of many multiples,

tens of times your money back.

We're looking for a home run.

We're not looking
to hit a single and...

I hear you, Steve, but I
think to Barbara's point,

you're gonna need more money.

It's gonna be multiple rounds.

By the way, I'm the tall,
good-looking one, Robert.

Mark's on the other side.

[ Laughter ]

Thank you, Robert. Thank you.

Well, listen, I'll take a flier
and give you an offer, okay?

I will give you $300,000.

I would go 7.5%

if I'm non-dilutable.

I don't know if your
other partners...

That's called a ratchet. You
know these guys are bankers, right?

Will go with that.

I don't know if
they'll go for this,

but I'm... you know, listen,
you want a Shark for a reason.

You want a Shark
because of their cachet

and their connections.

And that means the
Shark has to work for you

in a different way than
your other investors.

I don't have to explain
what a non-dilutable...

- Steve knows what this is.
- Yeah, we're well aware.

Just for the sake of those
that don't understand it,

that means whatever happens

in whatever future
rounds of financing you do,

Lori never goes
below 7.5% equity.

And another term
for it is called a ratchet

because it really hurts,

but it keeps her at


It doesn't hurt if they see
the value in your Shark.

There's another
term for it... crazy.

Ooh. We wouldn't say that.

Would you rather me not do
that and want a higher percent?

No. Uh, we're open
to talking about it and...

Let's counter. We'd
love to counter.

Yeah, we'd love to
hear what you would...

Okay. Well, why don't you
counter before I give you

a different creative offer?

I think we would propose


We would say that we don't think

we're gonna need to
raise again if we do...

How about 10%?

And dilutable? Dilutable.

And dilutable? We would
say I think we would want...

It might wind up in the
same place, I don't know.

Would anybody else be
interested in joining at that 10%

for two Sharks? Kevin:
We haven't heard from Mark.

For 10%, I would do it,
yeah. We would do that deal.

- Two vegan flavors.
- Yeah.

Well, Mark and I would
do that deal for 10%.

- You guys have a deal!
- Okay!

[ Cheers and laughter ]

Corcoran: Nice job.

- Appreciate you, man.
- Thank you very much.

- Congratulations.
- Oh, thank you guys so much.

We're so excited.
- You're welcome. Yay!

Thank you. Everywhere
in America, here we go.

Thank you, guys. Thank
you, everyone. Thank you.

Great presentation.

- Hell yeah!
- Yeah!

Steve: 10%... we
weren't looking to do it,

but it's all about partnership.

We'd rather have a smaller
piece of the pie for the future

because that's what
it's all about.

It's a really competitive space,
salty snacks.

So having Mark and Lori
on board with us

will just help open doors.

♪♪

♪♪