15x01 - Episode 1

[bunniefuu]

[ Footsteps echoing ]

I have a great idea
for you. She says,

"One, two, three. Open wide."

And then she tells him a
good job. Toy: Good job!

I've made you a good offer.

What are you
going to do about it?

♪ Don't stop me, don't stop me ♪

Cuban: Alright.
Come on. Come on.

♪ Hey, hey, hey ♪

♪ Don't stop me, don't stop me ♪

♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh ♪ [ All cheer ]

♪ Don't stop me, don't stop me ♪

Lori, oh, my God! Yeah!

Narrator: It's been a
remarkable 15 years.

♪ Don't stop me now ♪

I'm ready to do
whatever it takes

to blow the lid off this thing.

Narrator: The show that is
synonymous with entrepreneurship...

I'm gonna believe in you.
We're gonna ride together.

Whoo-hoo! Now, that's
what I'm talkin' about!

Narrator: ...launched
household names...

Scrub Daddy will be scrubbing
in every kitchen in the world.

It allows the user to
squat in a healthy position.

For every pair of socks
we sell, we donate a pair.

Is that comfy, or
what? Look at that.

It's pretty comfy. Yeah.

You can see and speak
with visitors from anywhere.

Narrator: ...and showcased
business superstars...

[ All gasp, laughter ]

There's only one Mr. Wonderful.

And thank God
for that. [ Laughs ]

A dream is dope
because it's yours.

I want you to
become a unicorn, too.

Actor to entrepreneur, I
have a lot of respect for you.

Nice. [ Laughter ]

Sold. We got a deal.

Narrator: ...and
inspired a generation

of new entrepreneurs.

Our dad invented
the Cup Board Pro.

We are here to
continue his legacy

and make that dream a reality.

If that's not the American
dream, I don't know what is.

Man: Wow!

♪♪

Narrator: And this season,

exciting, brand-new
Guest Sharks join the t*nk.

Michael Rubin is the founder

of the multi-billion dollar
sports retail behemoth Fanatics.

Jason Blum, who changed
the business of the film industry

with his independent
production company, Blumhouse.

And, tonight, Candace
Nelson, the founder of Sprinkles,

revolutionized the cupcake
and created a new category

in the luxury dessert space.

I started Sprinkles
with $200,000,

bootstrapped that
to a national brand,

and I hope the same for you.

Narrator: A brand-new
season begins now.

O'Leary: Remember
the environment we're in.

Venture capital's dried up.

We're back to where we were
when we started "Shark t*nk," 2008.

No money out there.

I have built businesses
worth billions

and billions of dollars.

I can't sit around
waiting all day.

You need to decide if you
want to swim with a Shark

or be eaten by one.

♪ Oh, we pray that
change is coming ♪

Yes! Yes!

Did I hear "royalty"?

Oh, my God.

-Wow.
-That is so cool!

We made this with no Plan B.

This has to work.
It has to work.

My entrepreneurs will
tell you I'm the best thing

that's ever happened
to them in their life.

This is a bigger picture,
about saving lives.

♪♪

I want to have some
fun. Okay? [ Laughter ]

This is your moment. Go, go, go!

Grams? Woman: Hey.

I got a deal. I'm
so happy for you!

Let's go! Hoo-hoo-hoo!

♪♪

Greiner: What do you
need from a Shark?

What are you looking for?

Money, honey.

♪ Yes, we're ready ♪

♪♪

Narrator: First in the t*nk

is a guiltless version
of a favorite treat.

♪♪

Hey, I'm Ryan, but
he calls me Rodge.

I'm Doug, but he calls me Dodge.

We're brothers, Rodge and
Dodge, and also business partners.

Sharks, don't we all love to
indulge ourselves in the rich

and satisfactory taste
of delicious chocolate?

But most of those other
chocolates out there,

they're loaded with
calories, sugar, fat.

Well, what if we told you
that we created a chocolate

that has about half the calories
and up to 75% less sugar

than most of the other
chocolates out there --

GATSBY Chocolate.

We make products

that have mind-blowing flavors,

melt-in-your-mouth texture,

yes, with health in mind,

but, most importantly,
zero compromise on taste.

We call it the Halo
Top of chocolate,

and, Sharks, we can
actually say that, because...

I'm the co-founder of Halo Top.

No! Oh, my God.

Oh, my gosh.
That's right, Sharks.

We are the brothers

behind the iconic,
better-for-you ice cream

that is Halo Top,
forged with less calories,

less sugar, and -- sound familiar?
--

no compromise on taste.

After years of hard work,

I led the sale of the business,

which was the
ultimate cherry on top.

Now, we're poised
to do the same thing

that we did with Halo
Top, but with chocolate.

We're asking for $500,000
for a 5% stake in our company.

I'm out. So, what do
you say, old sports?

Cheers to GATSBY Chocolate.

Okay.

In front of you is a
variety of our chocolates.

We know you got to try
it to believe it, so dig in.

And by the way, I'm just joking.

What's your hero product?
What's the best seller?

The Peanut Butter Madness
is our best seller today.

-Ooh.
-Peanut Butter Madness.

This Fudge Brownie
is really good.

Doug: Oh, yeah.
That is my favorite.

Tastes like brownie batter. Wow.

This is good.

Are there any artificial
sweeteners in here?

We use allulose as our main
sugar replacement. Mmm!

But here's something I want
to share that I really love --



For the whole bar. Where
are you selling it now?

So, we're sold
nationally in Walmart,

Safeway, Albertsons,
and Sprouts.

We have more than


Oh. What are your sales
in the last 12 months?

So, sales last year were
about -- just over $2.5 million.

Congrats, man. That's amazing.

And most of that was in Q4.

What do you charge for this?
What does it cost you to make?

So, that retails for $3.99.

That's it? We sell that
wholesale for $2.70.

It costs us, to make,
about $1.90 a bar today.

That's tough. So we're
running at about a 35%...

Yeah, that's tough.
...to 40% margin.

However, we have a
clear path to 50%-plus,

and we were negative margin
last year. You can fix that.

Yes. Nelson: Obviously, you've
done really well for yourselves.

What do you need a Shark for?

Yeah. Well, the main thing is,

if you had asked me
that a couple years ago,

I probably would have
thought that I didn't need you.

But I romanticized
the early days

of startup life way too much.

And there's a missing puzzle
piece here where we need help,

because we have
national distribution

without national awareness.

That's the problem. Yeah.
Where does the name come from?

Yeah. That's exactly what I was
going to say. I am so lost on the name.

Yeah, yeah. So, we read that
"The Great Gatsby," the book,

was going into what's
called the public domain,

and we thought, you know,
that would be a great brand name

to play on premium,
decadence, indulgence.

Greiner: But it doesn't
fit. I don't love it.

I know. And you know
what? I agree with you 100%.

I look at this, I knew
it was a chocolate bar.

But beyond that, I didn't
know what this was.

Calories per bar,
the 190's really big.

But reading this, I missed it.

And then the name GATSBY,

and there's a martini
in the end for the "Y."

I was thinking that
this was somehow,

like, liquor-flavored chocolate.

Mm-hmm. Doug: That's fair.

And I lost -- I didn't
get what it was.

You forecast
sales for this year,

and you're not making
any money yet, are you?

So, no free cash flow,
and sales for this year,

we expect them to actually
approach just under $2 million.

How much did you lose?

We lost $3.5 million last year.

So, $500,000 for 5%

imputes a $10 million
valuation. Correct.

Sales are $2 million... Correct.

...with no free cash flow.

See any problem with that?

In context, I don't.

When you think about
the credibility of who we are

and what we've done at Halo
Top... You're paying for him.

...when you think about
where we've taken this product.

Yeah, but, I mean, look. We have
a patent-pending formula, as well.

With all due respect, and you
guys have done an amazing job,

this is "Shark t*nk." Yes.

I don't pay retail for anything.

John: You know, here's my thing.

You're very credible.

I don't have any problem
with the valuation.

I just add no value here.

I would be calling you,
asking you for advice.

So, good luck, man. I'm out.

Thank you. Thank you.

What possessed you, after
you had such an incredible ride

with Halo Top, to go back in
and start another company?

I'm so glad you
asked that. Stupidity.

[ Laughter ]

It's amazing how
arrogant you get

after you sell a company, right?

True. Because you think
you know everything, yeah.

You forget, and you
romanticize those early days

and you forget the grind,
and, like... Absolutely.

...we've got the product
to where it is today

that you've tried.

We're in enough distribution.

The last thing we're
missing is the spark.

Greiner: I really like
it. I'll make you an offer.

It's a little bit risky, right?

Sure. I would do it
as half as equity...

Okay. ...and half
as a short-term loan.

What are the terms of the
loan? At 6%. I'm going to be nice.

Okay. Okay. A nice loan shark.

[ Both chuckle ]

And I would do it -- I want 20%.

Ooh! I want 20%, though.

But I'll be in it
to win it with you.

I will help you
redesign this packaging.

I will be a voice. I'm
your demo, and I love this.

Do you care about
the equity more?

In other words, Lori's
asking you for 20% equity.

What I would say is 100%
of zero dollars is zero.

[ Laughs ] A true entrepreneur,
right? Nelson: Yes.

You guys have been
through it. You get it.

$500,000. Okay.

All venture debt.

Okay. And I'll do
it for 12% equity.

Okay. Mm.

So, you know... Well, are
you not entertaining my offer?

I'm just curious.

Yes, absolutely. Yes.

Because if that's
more exciting to you...

This product is delicious.
It actually... Thank you.

It's really good, yeah. I am
surprised by how delicious it is.

Mm-hmm. A few things, though.

One, the calories so emblazoned

on this package --
Millennial and Gen Z,

they consider this
toxic diet culture,

and I think there's gonna be a
backlash against that, a little bit.

So I'm concerned about that.

When I saw this packaging, I
knew there were men behind it.

This does not appeal
to me as a woman.

So you desperately
need Lori for your rebrand.

Thank you. And I wish you the best
because this is delicious, but I'm out.

Alright, guys, are you
open to 20% equity?

Yes. Oh, you are?

For the right deal.

However, I would like to tie

to the face of the
brand-type partnership...

-Mm. -Ooh. That's expensive.

...where you become the face

of the new brand that
you help us create.

For me, that's Ryan
Reynolds and Mint Mobile,

that's The Rock and his tequila.

That's the creator-led
brands. Mm-hmm. Yeah.

That's what they're
having at exit,

because they're
the face of that,

and essentially makes it zero
dollars of marketing spend.

So, very open to 20%.

If that's what you
want, then give me 25%.

♪♪

Okay. We'd be open to that.

Done.

Can I hear -- Did Mark
have an offer? No, it's done.

No, Mark has an offer, but I
don't want to be... It's done.

My brand's too big to
be face of a brand, right?

I'm sorry. So, for
you, I would ask,

would you be open to helping
us find a face of the brand,

in addition to come
in? Oh. Uh-oh.

You know what? You know what?

♪♪

♪♪

Narrator: Two Sharks are out.

Ryan and Doug have two offers
on the table from Lori and Kevin

for their low-calorie,

yet delicious chocolate
brand, GATSBY.

But their hesitation in
accepting Lori's offer

may cost them the deal.

Would you be open to helping
us find a face of the brand

in addition to come
in? Oh. Uh-oh.

You know what? You know what?

I'm sorry. I don't just
put my face on anything.

I'm very, very selective
about what I would do that with.

A minute ago, I was
going to do it at 25%.

Now I'm back to the
original deal at -- it's 20%.

Will you tie any vesting to that equity? Though
I won't give you a hard guarantee of my face

on any package beyond this.

So, how many people
have an offer, please?

Lori, you have
that offer at 20%.

Come here. Kevin,
what's your offer?

O'Leary: I made just
a very clean offer.

I look at it and say, "You
need as much awareness

to the product as
you possibly get."

Yes. So, my offer
is pretty straight.

I'm going to look
at it and say...

Alright, you're done with
him. Alright. Yoo-hoo! Hello.

[ Laughter ]

So, we were talking.

So, now we have a
different offer to give you.

Alright. So, we're going
to give you the $500,000.

Okay. We're doing
it half as a loan...

Okay. ...and we're doing
it half as equity for 20%.

Okay. But when we hit
the first $10 million in sales,

we each get 5% more.

So, the kicker comes -- If
we get to $10 million in sales,

that's another 10%. Sure.

Right. And then if we get to
$20 million in sales, right...

We get another 5%
each. Each. Right?

Okay.

My only issue with
the 10 and the 20

is I can't sell the
company at the end.

If we wanna exit this, I need
those to be a little higher.

Okay. Oh, so the threshold.

Yeah, the threshold --
Yeah, I need the threshold.

Because if we can get to...



...50, we're cooking
with gas. Right.

We can do some fun things
at 50. Right. Right. Right. Right.

So do it at 25 and then 50.
No, because it's going from 10.

No. So we want it at 10.
Yeah. The first trigger can be 10.

Okay. The first trigger's 10. It
would be the second trigger, 50,

because then we can sell. Okay.

Done. Done. [ Laughs ]

Whoo! Greiner: Oh, my God.

Congrats, guys. I'm so excited.

[ All speaking indistinctly ]

What a great partnership.
Oh! I always wanted to meet

who was behind Halo
Top. I appreciate it.

Congratulations, you guys.

-Thank you, guys.
-Thank y'all.

Yeah. Doug: Thank you.

♪♪

[ Both laugh ]

Agh!

Let's go, baby.

Doug: We have a
missing puzzle piece,

and we almost are
on our last leg here.

So, this was super impactful,

where had we not
come on the "t*nk,"

had we not gotten a deal done,

I don't know that GATSBY
Chocolate exists beyond this year,

so it is unbelievably
meaningful and really adds

some much-needed
momentum to the brand.

Nelson: This may
surprise a lot of people,

but I was born in
Jakarta, Indonesia.

My dad worked for an
American company overseas,

so I was constantly
moving as a child.

My mom was a great
hostess and cook.

She spent hours teaching
me the science of baking,

and I remember just
being mesmerized by it.

But I was raised to believe

I should pursue
a corporate path.

I never thought I could
pursue baking as a career.

I went to Wesleyan University.
I majored in economics.

After graduating college, I
went out to San Francisco

to work at an investment bank.

But in 2001, the
Internet market crashed,

and I was left without a job.

That led to an epiphany

that I wanted to proclaim
my love for baking

and attend pastry school
instead of business school.

After pastry school, I started
this custom-cake business.

But these cakes
took forever to make,

and it just wasn't a
scalable business,

and my banking brain
started kicking in again.

Sprinkles is the world's
first cupcakes-only bakery.

My goal was to take
the simple cupcake

and make it into a true luxury,

something that people
could even give as a gift.

I was panicked on opening
day that no one would show up,

but when we opened,
we had a line out the door.

Eight months in, I
picked up the phone,

and the producer
on the other end said,

"Oprah loves your cupcakes."

The next morning, Oprah
Winfrey basically delivered

a love letter about our
cupcakes to the entire world.

From that point on, Sprinkles
became a worldwide brand name.

Today, Sprinkles
has over 50 locations

across the U.S., and
even internationally.

Sprinkles was a
category creator,

but within a few years, we
were in a crowded market,

and we knew we
needed to innovate again.

I started thinking about
what it would look like

if you could get a cupcake
anytime day or night, and boom,

the idea for the
cupcake ATM was born.

I wrote a New York Times
best-selling cookbook

called "The Sprinkles
Baking Book,"

and now a best-selling business
book called "Sweet Success."

Make sure our whipped
cream is nice and fluffy.

In 2014, my husband
and I decided to step away

from the business
operationally, bring on a partner

who could help accelerate
the growth of Sprinkles

and allow us to spend more
time with our growing family.

The last thing I
thought was that I would

get right back into
the food business.

But one bite of pizza
changed all of that.

Pizzana is bringing the best
of Italy to the United States.

Daniele Uditi was a
passionate and talented chef

who I wanted to partner
with and bring his incredible

artisanal pies to America.

I love taking foods
people think they know

and giving them a fresh spin.

I did it with cupcakes, and
we're doing it again with pizza.

I plan to scale
Pizzana across the U.S.

Willy!

I love that "Shark t*nk"
celebrates the spirit

of entrepreneurship.

Being an entrepreneur has
been so meaningful to me.

It's really taught me
what I'm capable of.

I think I'm most proud of
veering off the expected path.

I took a risk, and I was
courageous and bet on myself.

No one believed in my idea,

but I doggedly
listened to my gut

and saw my vision to life.

♪♪

♪♪

Narrator: Next
up are best friends

who believe they
have the perfect pairing

for one of America's
favorite foods.

♪♪

Kevin: Hello, Sharks. What's up?

-Hello.
-Hi.

My name is Kevin Klein.

And I'm his best
friend of over 30 years,

Joshua Green from
Los Angeles, California.

We're here today
seeking $200,000

and your friendship

for 7.5% of the
greatest company ever.

Mm. Now, Sharks,
what if I told you

that our product could
instantly make you smarter...

More attractive.

Younger. And even regrow hair?

Well, guess what?

It can't do any of those things.

[ Laughter ] Sorry,
Mr. Wonderful.

There are just
some things in life

that will never get any better.

But there are some things
in life that can get better,

like pizza when
you pair it with...

Pie Wine. Pie Wine.

Pie Wine is a sweet, sparkling,
easy-drinking canned table wine

that goes great with
your favorite slice.

That's why we say Pie Wine
is the OG pizza wine. AKA...

Pizza's new side piece. AKA...

It puts the "ahh"
in "pizza." AKA...

Dude, that's it.
We're out of slogans.

We knew we had to reimagine and
reintroduce to the masses... [ Laughter ]

...what pizza-loving Italians
have known for generations --

That pizza goes best with a
sweet, slightly bubbly wine,

traditionally known
as a Lambrusco. Mm.

That's why we say...

"Born in Italy.

Perfected in California."

So, Sharks, who's ready to meet

the greatest thing
to happen to pizza

since the pepperoni...

And turn any old pizza...

...into a pizza...

Together: ...party,
with Pie Wine!

-Whoo-hoo!
-Good job.

Alright. Salute! Salute!

Salud.

Wow, you guys
understood the assignment.

Well done. Nice pitch. Thank
you. We do what we can.

Of course, it'd be rude if
we were drinking alone,

so we brought you all three
of our SKUs to try. "White."

The red is our Sweet Za.

The blue is our White
Crisp. Classic Crisp.

And the black is our
World Famous Red.

Let's stand up. Nelson: Okay.

Very big tradition for many, many years here
in the t*nk. This is "Shark t*nk" tradition.

Un, deux, trois.

All: Chevaliers du Tastevin!

Hey! Mm.

Ahh!

Mmm!

It's pretty darn
good. It's good!

Thank you. We brought
you some pizza, by the way.

O'Leary: They're
very, very good.

I've never had wine with pizza,

and I didn't realize
it's so delicious.

We're thinking, there's never
been an official drink of pizza.

Now, they've tried to tell us to drink beer
with pizza. Some people think it's beer.

Yeah, but beer with pizza...

It's terrible. ...flavor
profiles don't work.

I agree with that. Too filling. I
need something with bubbles,

so I think of a cola... Exactly.

...and I never thought
that... But you're a man.

You're a grown man.

Yeah. So, boom.

There you go. I
like that. Exactly.

Greiner: Here's what's
confusing for me.

I pick up the can. I don't
understand what this is.

It says "World Famous Red,"
"Pizza & New Side Piece," "Pie."

And I'm looking
at this, and I'm like,

"This has something
to do with pizza,

but I don't know what it is."

I do find it really confusing,

and I think it's
going to hurt you.

Well, why don't we find out
if that issue is valid or not?

What are your sales? Yeah.

So, we launched two weeks ago.

-Oh. -Oh!

Okay. Two weeks ago.

And here's the good news
-- As of -- Early as today...

We have distribution
in eight states.

We've already had
distributor commitments

for between $300,000
and $400,000 already,

and we're talking
to 18 other states.

Nevada -- Well, first
of all, congratulations.

Congratulations. But no
sell-through date, right?

Happy day. What does
that mean for dollars?

$300,000 to $400,000
in wholesale dollars.

Okay. And we expect that

to be well north of a
half a million in 30 days.

And what we're projecting
for the first six months

is about $1.5 million.

In the end of the year,
about $6.5 million.

Something I'm
really curious about --

You started this two weeks ago.

This can't possibly be
your full-time job. Is it?

We've been working
on this for two years.

I actually host a morning radio
show on KROQ in Los Angeles. Oh.

Oh! I knew you were familiar.

I'm a radio guy. I'm
looking at you, and I'm like,

"I've seen your face."

I host the morning radio show.

I've been doing morning
radio for about 20 years.

So, I'm in the fun business.

-Nice.
-Yes, you are.

This guy's the smart
one. I'm the smart ass.

That's why we kind of
complement each other.

My background is I
went to law school,

got a master's in accounting.

I worked at bulge bracket
investment banking,

and now I help run
one of the largest

spatial computing video
game companies in the country.

Wow. Wow.

I'm the CFO of the company.

I came in to help turn
around the business.

So, guys, this is a
side hustle for you.

No, it's not a side hustle.
I sold my 401[k\ to do this.

Like, I wish I could
say -- Oh, wow.

How much have you
invested in the business?

We've invested over $300,000.

Between the two of you? So,
are you 50/50 partners? Correct.

We're 50/50 partners. You put
in the same amount of money?

He's put in a little
more than me.

What have you done? [
Scoffs ] What have I done?

I ended up talking to my
wife, we sold the house...

-Oh. -Wow.

...so that we could use
some of that money... Damn!

So you're all in? Wow.

Green: We're invested.
Yeah, we're all in, big time.

What are their margins?

So, it costs us $1.50
right now to make.

We have a plan to get it down
to $1.25 with more production,

and we'll sell it to
distributors for $3.25.

$3.25 a can.

And then it would sell, if you
were at Ralphs or Kroger, whatever,

around $5, $5.50.

There are other
canned sparkling wines.

There are. Who is
your biggest competitor?

Because I feel like the
market is really saturated.

Looking at comps, Bev is one of
the comps that came out, and...

Bev just got sold.
...Bev just got sold.

They went out with a
pre-money valuation,

before they had any
sales, at $7 million.

We're doing a discount because
the truth is, we want a Shark.

And I just want to circle
back to, like, what started this.

I've known him since
we were 8 years old.

I love the guy. He's
a big part of my life.

I have an amazing wife and kids.

The last four years have
been a little challenging

because my wife, unfortunately,
has metastatic cancer...

-Oh, no.
-No.

...and doing something

with your best friend
is really exciting,

and I want to teach my kids.

Hard work is so important.
Like, nothing's given.

It's not a side hustle. I
zeroed out my 401[k\.

I don't think about, like,
oh, saving for the future.

I wanted to do a
business with him

because I love him and I
want to see him successful.

I'm in business. He hasn't been.

But I want him to see some
of the successes I've had,

and I love the idea, and
I wanted to be a part of it.

Okay, guys,
fantastic presentation.

Good news is, this
category's growing.

For me, I'm launching
my own sparkling line,

so I can't compete
with myself, obviously.

But I hope you get a deal here.

It can't be me. I'm out.

Thank you so much for --

We predicted which Shark would be
the first one to go out, and look at this.

I knew it. I knew
it. [ Laughter ]

Isn't that amazing? We knew.

Well, you were right.
Well, we really appreciate it.

We'll be selling that
after the show today.

I gotta keep that. I look good
in that. Guys, let me go ahead --

Look, I love what
you guys are doing.

The branding makes
perfect sense to me.

This is right on target,
right on trend, right?

Problem for me is I've
got BeatBox Beverages

that's going to do $100
million in sales this year,

just raised at a $200
million valuation.

So, for those reasons, I'm out.

So, guys, I'm trying to think, where can I
add value in this? Thank you so much, Mark.

Um...

Can I -- Can I make
you guys all an offer?

If you don't like the deal,
we'll buy you out after a year.

No strings attached.
No, you know what?

That is very honorable.
It's not about liking the deal.

It's about, there's
so many big players

coming into this
market that I don't know

if I'm really ready
to take that fight on,

especially when there's
other Sharks right here

that are doing the
same, exact thing.

So, with that
being said, I'm out.

Thank you, Daymond.

Look, for me, there's just a few
boxes that aren't checked yet.

It's just too early to invest.
I don't know enough yet.

So, I'm sorry. I wish you good luck,
but I'm out. Thank you so much, Lori.

Nelson: Listen, I think you've
found a hyper niche here.

Right? It's kitschy. It's fun.

I think it could potentially
have mass appeal.

But it's a little
too kitschy for me.

It's not the space
that I like to play in.

I just don't think I'm
your target market.

And I'm worried --
Before you say it,

I proposed to my
wife with a ring

inside of a Sprinkles
cupcake. [ Laughter ]

Oh, you're k*lling me!

I think your product
is really good.

You guys are awesome.

But it's just not the
right investment for me.

And so for that reason, I'm out.

♪♪

We will respectfully give
you all another chance

to come back in
right now. [ Laughter ]

Any chance? While we're here?

Thank you, guys. Thank you.

-It was a fantastic...
-Congrats, guys.

Thank you. Good luck, you guys.

Go k*ll it. Go k*ll it.
Have a wonderful day.

Thank you, guys. Take care.

♪♪

[ Laughter ]

Green: I wouldn't want to be
standing here with anybody else.

We had a great time,

and, like, this is a
life-defining moment.

People are gonna love it.

They loved it, but it just
didn't work out for us today.

Barbara, Robert, call us.

Yes, exactly. Call us.

Narrator: For our
milestone 15th season,

we're counting down the top


with the highest
total retail sales.

Number 15 is Blueland,
with $160 million.

Number 14 is Simply Fit
Board, with $174 million.

And number 13 is
PhoneSoap, with $187 million

in total retail sales.

Tune in to next week's
episode for the next three.

♪♪

Narrator: Next up is
a kid-friendly version

of an important
medical accessory.

♪♪

Hi. I'm Paige Brattin, and
I'm from Waimea, Hawaii,

and I'm seeking $250,000

for 10% equity in my business.

You see, Sharks, when
my daughter Eddy was 5,

my whole world changed
when we found out she was blind.

She was diagnosed
with refractive amblyopia,

which is one of the leading
causes of childhood vision loss.

And while it's likely
you've never heard of it,

amblyopia shockingly
affects 1 in 45 children.

But, luckily, it's treatable

by wearing an eye patch
over the stronger eye

to strengthen the
vision of the weaker eye.

But the existing
patches on the market

were uninspiring, uncomfortable,

and really difficult to
convince children to wear.

That's why I created
See Worthy Eye Patches.

My innovated and patented
design has breathable materials,

medical adhesives that
stick safely to the skin,

and a whole-new shape
that fits the eye socket

a lot more comfortably,
and fits infants to adults.

I started See Worthy
Patches for my daughter Eddy,

now a 14-year-old honors
student with strong vision

and an even
stronger sense of self.

So, you see, Sharks, I'm worthy.

Who wants to help me
help others patch proudly?

I love that you're bringing
dignity and joy and fun

to what can really be a
tough situation for kids.

Mm-hmm. I know you said 1 in 45
kids, but what does that equate to?

So, that's about 2 million
children in the U.S. alone.

Tell us when and how long

the child has to
wear the patch to --

That's a great question.

So, each diagnosis is different.

Some kids have to
wear an eye patch

for two hours a
day for six months.

My daughter had to wear
it for eight hours a day

for six years.

I had to deal with patches
for my father all the time.

When I was 11, he lost
his eye in an accident.

He did upholstery on cars,
and a staple broke and hit him.

So we lived with
patches all the time.

This would have been amazing.

But there are others out
there, right? Mm-hmm.

And so, just what
is the industry?

There's only one other bigger,

larger corporation/company
making these.

Are they designed
like yours are?

Do they have patterns?

The traditional eye
patch is pear-shaped.

So, this new shape
is, to me, everything,

because the heavy
lifting of the adhesive

goes up here, where
the skin is tougher,

not in the sensitive under-eye.

And the shape -- the
shape isn't patented, though?

It's just the
adhesive? Is that right?

The combination of the three.

O'Leary: Talk to us
about the business.

Give us a ramp in sales.

Well, 2019 was my first year,

and I sold about
$150,000 in my first year.

Dollars? $150,000?

Yes. John: That's a lot.

I have $1.7 million in sales

in the past 4 years.

Really? Wow. Wow.

O'Leary: And this year?

I'm just under
$200,000 at this point.

And what do they sell for?
Are they making any money?

Yeah. What do they sell for?

They sell for $27.50
on my website

and $28.50 on Amazon.

And that's how many patches?

Each box holds 50 patches.

So, what does it
cost you to make one?

It's $7 landed.

How are you
finding the customer?

Yeah, are you using social media
at all for customer acquisition?

Barely. I mean, I am, but I'm not very
good at it. Cuban: Yeah. You don't have to.

You probably don't spend any
money on marketing at all, do you?

Hardly. 'Cause
you don't have to.

Greiner: So how do
you get your sales?

I go to one pediatric ophthalmology
conference. The doctors -- Yeah.

I meet with all the doctors.
Oh, and they suggest them?

And so, that's what happens.

When you go to
the doctor's office,

they say, "Your child
needs to wear a patch.

Just go to Amazon and find it."

So, I'm in direct competition
with this larger corporation,

and I'm -- That is why I'm here.

I am looking more for the doors
you can open than the money,

to be honest, because
I am cash flow positive.

And is it just you
running this business?

Me, myself and I.
Just you. Wow. Go, girl.

Those are the best
partners, always.

[ Laughter ] I
keep hearing that.

That is awesome. I started
Sprinkles with $200,000,

and cash-flowed and
bootstrapped that business

to a national brand.

There were only two
people on the cap table

when I sold it
to private equity.

Cuban: Good for you. And I
hope the same goes for you.

Thank you.

I prefer, in my
"Shark t*nk" deals,

to be an advocate for the
product by usage. Mm-hmm.

By actually using it.

And I hope I never
have to use this,

but I obviously see
why it's important.

This isn't a journey I'm
going to take with you,

but I am amazed
at what you've done.

Thank you very much. I'm out.

Okay. Thank you.

Paige, I think you've got
the best partners already --

the me, myself, and I.

I think you've got
it all under control.

I don't think you
need a partner.

And so, for those
reasons, I'm out.

I mean, I also
feel like licensing

could do a great deal for this.

I have, in my mind,
the "iconic" eyes.

Like, how great would it be to
see a Minion eye, a Spider-Man,

something like that?

I mean, that's an arena

that's totally untapped
for this entire market.

You know, that's an easy
call that you can make.

To be very honest, right?
You don't need any help.

You're doing great, and
you're gonna do better. I'm out.

Well, thank you.

I mean... Greiner: Listen.

I don't see it as the
right investment for me,

but I am happy to talk
to you about licensing,

because I think that this is
something that helps people,

and it helps the world.

I would truly appreciate
that. Thank you.

I am out, but I
wish you good luck.

Paige, I am so moved
by what you've done.

Honestly, from mom to mom, I
would never bet against a mom

doing something for their child.

I think you're doing great
on your own, as Mark said.

So for that reason, I'm out,

but I wish you a lot
more success. Thank you.

O'Leary: Thank you,
Paige. John: Congratulations.

-Thank you.
-Thank you. -Thank you.

Thank you, Paige. Good luck.

Nelson: Good luck. Thanks.

I feel really confident
about going forward alone

based on the Sharks' advice.

Clearly, if they think that
I'm doing it well alone,

I should probably
continue doing it that way.

Had any of you ever heard
of this affliction or its cure?

No. Never heard of it.
Greiner: I never heard of this.

"Shark t*nk," that's
where you come to learn.

Yeah, really educating
America. Yeah.

Amazing. Who knew?

♪♪

♪♪

Narrator: Next into the t*nk

is a botanical solution
to a growing problem.

♪♪

Hi, Sharks. My name
is Kristen Dunning,

and I'm a recent MBA
grad from Athens, Georgia.

Today, I'm here seeking
a $75,000 investment

for a 10% equity stake in
my company, Gently Soap.

Sharks, humans
deserve to feel joy,

and no one should
be robbed of joy

because of their sensitive skin.

I've had eczema my entire
life, and because of that,

bath products would
cause my skin extreme pain.

Bath bombs, soaps,
and bubble baths

would make my skin
feel like... [ Screams ]

...because they were full
of additives and chemicals.

I thought I was
doomed to a single bar

of boring white soap
for the rest of my life.

So, I set out to create
a joyful, yet gentle,

bathing experience
for people like me,

rooted in the agricultural
legacy of my grandparents.

Aww. I spent three years

in greenhouses
studying horticulture

to learn more about
the power of plants.

Harnessing that power,
I created Gently Soap,

a line of bath products

that eliminates essential
oils and synthetic fragrances,

the stuff that causes
serious irritations,

but still maintains an
incredible, gentle aroma.

People with ultra-sensitive skin

finally have a choice
and can indulge in

light and clean botanical
soaps that are ultra gentle,

more sustainable, and
filled with joy. [ Chuckles ]

It's not just for people
with sensitive skin.

It's for everybody.

So, Sharks, who
would like to help me

in completely washing away

the bathing industry
expectations as we know it?

Sharks, each of you have
all four Gently Soap bars

right in front of you.

Feel free to pick them
up and experience the joy.

So, this one, I'm guessing,
is lavender-based?

Yes, it is.

And, ooh, smells good. And
that's our best-seller, as well.

That's Reign Cloud, so it's infused
with lavender. Smells like lavender.

It smells like soap to me.

Kristen, I am really
sensitive to fragrance,

but these are so lovely,

because you can
tell they're natural.

They're from the
earth... Yes. Exactly.

...and they look so beautiful.

You can see the flecks of
the herbs and the flowers.

Yeah, and they're
not overbearing.

Greiner: They're subtle.
Yeah. They're subtle.

Dunning: The smell that
you're smelling is actually

from proprietary
herbal infusions

that I created from
my greenhouse work.

Proprietary? So, how did
you get to this point, right?

Because getting
your MBA to soaps?

Yeah, so, I actually am
an agricultural researcher.

I have my undergrad degrees

in agricultural communication
and in horticulture.

My grandparents owned
an 84-acre farm in Alabama,

and I would go down
there in summers.

But it was also more important

because it was an entire
community of Black farmers,

and that was very
empowering to me.

Where are they
being sold right now?

We are fully e-commerce,

and we are about to launch on
Amazon in literally two weeks.

What have you done in sales?

So, our sales to date
have been $113,000.

When did you start?
And when did you start?

We officially launched
in February of 2021,

but through that entire period,

I was a full-time
student and researcher,

and I was still able
to increase my sales

to a 3X year-over-year rate.

Any repeat orders?

Yes. So our repeat
customer order is 78%.

[ Sharks exclaiming ] Yes.

Wow! Now, are these people
that are suffering from eczema,

or are they just people who
love the smell of the soap?

It's a mix of both. I
would say about, like,


of our customers

actually suffer from eczema,
psoriasis, sensitive skin.

What did you do last year?

Yeah, so, last year,
we did $66,000 in sales.

And did you make
any money off of that?

Yeah. So, we are profitable.
We profited about $38,000.

That's great. What
is your margin?

So, they cost us $2.38
to manufacture and box,

but we sell them for $11.

Oh! Wow!

And that's for a box of four?

That's very good margin.

No, $11 is one
singular bar soap.

And you sell them individually
or in this box? One bar?

Yeah. So, you can
do the four for $40,

or you can do one bar.

One bar is $11? Yes.

How big is the eczema and
sensitive-skin market in the U.S.?

People with sensitive skin,
it's 71% of the population. Yeah.

And this is an increase of


It's increasing. Yeah. Yes.

Growing market. So people
with hypersensitive skin

is growing exponentially,

but there's still
only one bar of soap

to take care of that
entire population.

How did you come
up with $11 a bar?

Look, I'm not -- I'm
just -- I'm stunned,

because this is expensive. Yeah.

But this is so beautiful.

This is such an elevated
product. I get it, but...

It's a work of art!

It's gorgeous. I just want to
know what the other pricings are

for other soaps that also
solve for sensitive skin.

Right. They're
around $14 to $16.

I mean, I designed it
out of necessity for me.

So, I've literally had
eczema my entire life.

When I was 3 years
old, my hair fell out

due to scalp eczema. Wow.

And kids are kind of
cruel, and -- sorry --

[Voice breaking] I experienced
a lot of bullying because of it,

because my skin
was just really bad.

And, of course,
like, middle school,

you want boys to
look at you at that age,

and that obviously
wasn't happening.

So it took a really, like,
hard hit on my confidence.

I would walk down
aisles and aisles

of all my favorite
stores, pharmacies, retail,

and I couldn't find it for me.

So, Gently Soap was
born out of necessity.

It was born out of my passion.

It was born out of
my agricultural legacy.

Wow. Good for you. Good for you.

I'm so proud of you
for turning that adversity

into something so beautiful.

I love that you solved a problem

that came from your own need.

I think you've
done a beautiful job

of putting this together.

It's just not the right
business for me at this time,

because of something
else that I am working on.

Okay. Good luck.

But I'm out.

Yeah, you know what?

It's just not something
that I can connect to.

I'm not a luxurious soap person.

Maybe someday.
I understand that.

So for those reasons, I'm out.

But congrats. Yeah. Congrats.
Thank you, Mark. Thank you.

I have been very fortunate
enough that I don't --

I don't really do
much for my skin.

And one of the only things

people compliment
me on is my skin,

and I gotta thank my
mommy. It looks amazing.

She gave it to me
for my birthday.

And that's all I know, right?

So, I don't believe
I can help you

as much as one other
person on this panel.

[ Laughs ]

So, I'm out. Okay.
Thank you, Daymond.

The thing that got
me on this deal --

I love your story, got all that.
Thank you. Thank you so much.

What I find so
attractive about you --

You're wonderful,

but your margins are
even more beautiful.

Thank you. So, tell me about
customer-acquisition costs.

We're able to get
customers for about $5.83,

but our average
order value is $42.38.

$5.83 is customer
acquisition? Wow.

Yes. I love the fact
that you know that.

So, we're trying to stay
between $5 and $15

as we continue to grow.

I smell a royalty. Oh, boy.

[ Laughs ] Okay. Yeah, because
you can afford to pay me a royalty.

♪♪

♪♪

Narrator: Three Sharks are out.

And Kevin may be interested

in Kristen's all-natural
botanical soap company,

Gently Soap.

You know, I don't
want to be greedy.

Dunning: [ Laughs ]
Okay. No. Greiner: Really?

No, I'll do the
$75,000. I'm not greedy.

I'll take the 10%. But I
want to get a buck a bar.

A dollar a bar. That's it. Greiner: A
buck a bar? He's trying to strangle you.

Cuban: That's insane! Wait, wait,
wait, wait. He's trying to strangle you.

Wait, wait, wait. And it's very simple.
He's trying to literally clean you out.

So, I want a buck a bar
until I make back $500,000,

and then it drops all the way
down to 20 cents in perpetuity.

And I'm all over it trying
to acquire customers.

That's all I'll do all day.

Kristen, I am mesmerized by you.

You literally glow
from the inside out.

And there's two
types of entrepreneurs.

There's, you know, the
Mr. Wonderfuls of the world.

They're analyzing the market,
looking for the white space,

and being very
analytical about it. Yeah.

And then there are
passion-driven entrepreneurs,

and I've always
been one of those.

And that's what I
look for in the founders

I want to partner with.

So, I'm going to make
you an offer today.

Awesome. Thank you.

I don't think you
want a royalty deal,

because I actually
have... Yes, you do.

...a great friend

who also has a beauty
platform for diverse founders,

and I could see you
plugging in real well with that.

I think I know. Thirteen Lune.

Yes, yeah. Yeah.
Yeah. Thirteen Lune.

I am going to give you $75,000
for 30% of your company.

Okay.

-Oh! -Oh, my goodness!

Greiner: Don't listen to them.

Here's the deal.

-Come on!
-Man!

Here's the deal.
Oh, wait a second.

Why don't you -- You
guys, leave her alone.

I am not strangling your
margin with any royalties.

Are you kidding?
You're good, you're good.

I am in it for the long run,

and I don't make
investments lightly.

You'll be able to call
me anytime, day or night.

I will blow you up on TikTok.

We will make this happen
together. Candace, excuse me.

This must be said.
So, what do you think?

Why don't you sprinkle
a little greed on it?

I mean, I can't believe
it. Greiner: Oh, my God.

Kristen, I think we can blow
this up and get acquired.

Yes. 30%?!

I need soap! My skin's
breaking out! 30%?! [ Laughter ]

That's crazy. Mine
is just a clean deal.

Candace, would you
consider the $75,000 at 15%?

No, I'm sorry.

Kevin, um... Mine looks
better every minute, doesn't it?

[ Laughs ] You don't have to give
up your entire future with my offer.

What do you think? I
just want to tell your story.

Would you do 20%?

Kristen, you're
over-negotiating.

Seriously. What's
your answer to that?

She asked you,
would you take 20%?

No. Okay.

Kristen, I'm worth it.

Candace, would you consider 25%?

Oh!

♪♪

I would! Yay!

Yes, then I'll take your
deal. Greiner: There you go.

I'll take your deal.
Thank you. Yay!

Good job. Good
job. I love your suit.

Oh, thank you. I love
your dress. I'm so happy!

Thank you so much. Thank you.
Thank you. I'm proud of you. Yay!

Good job. Congratulations,
Kristen. Well done.

Thank you. Thank you. Good luck.

Let's sell some soap!
Whoo! [ Chuckles ]

I just know that
Candace is going to help

my grandparents'
spirit be carried

throughout my product to
bathrooms across the nation,

which is literally
the best thing ever.

It's such a blessing, and
I'm just so excited to have

walked out of "Shark
t*nk" with a deal today.

So, yay!

Kevin, you know, we
know you love money,

but do you love the
structures that you create,

because you will reduce

your vulnerability or
your option to lose?

Daymond, after all these years, 15
years of "Shark t*nk"... Yes. Yes. Yeah.

...look at how much
I've taught you.

Nothing. You've
learned, grasshopper.

I learned more from Candace in


Cuban: No, no, no.
Daymond, I love you.

I disagree. Some of
the greatest knowledge

comes from learning
what not to do.

And Kevin has taught us that
every single show. [ Laughter ]


♪♪

♪♪

♪♪