Shark Tank :: millennialentrepreneurs.com

Archive for Shark Tank

Touch Up Cup – Carson and Jason Grill

Posted by kuscevicke24

· Friday, November 15th, 2024

· 3 Comments

A few years back, Carson and Jason Grill were doing some touch up painting in their house. With little kids running around and fingerprints everywhere, touch ups always need to be done. Most people save messy paint cans for future touch ups, but this leaves spaces cluttered and smelling like paint. They knew there had to be a better way to save paint for future touch ups that doesn’t involve saving large cans with very little paint left in them.

Carson Grill is the inventor of Touch Up Cup, the most innovative solution to all paint storage problems. Touch Up Cup has an air-tight silicone seal to keep paint fresh for over ten years, eliminating bulky, rusty cans and clumpy paint. Touch Up Cup is a patented product that also has a stainless-steel blending sphere for easy mixing.

Carson Grill and his dad Jason appeared on season 12 of Shark Tank when Carson was just 15 years old. They came in seeking $150,000 in exchange for 10% equity in their company, Touch Up Cup. When they came onto Shark Tank, Touch Up Cup had $220,000 in sales, was in 4,000 stores, and had a private-label partnership with one of the most recognizable brands in Painter’s Tape today.

Carson and Jason received offers from Blake and Damond, and they accepted Blake’s offer for $200,000 for 25% of their company. Touch Up Cup is now generating $2 million in annual revenue and has expanded into Lowe’s and Walmart Stores. Carson and Jason will continue to grow and expand their company to make the painting world easier and better than ever before!

Touch Up Cup - From Shark Tank to Lowe's, Touch Up Cup has you covered ...

Kaitlyn Kuscevic

3 Comments

Categories : Business, Design, Entrepreneurship, Gen Z, Painting, Shark Tank

Shark Tank – Ring Doorbell

Posted by thomasre24

· Sunday, October 27th, 2024

· 5 Comments

The journey of Ring is one of enterprise and grit. Founded in 2013 by Jamie Siminoff, Ring started off with this one potent idea-to create a smart doorbell that would make homeowners more secure by helping them see and talk to visitors through their smartphones. The felt need for this security adjustment and convenience-one that was getting increasingly prepared well for the product to be received by tech-savvy customers-was there in this case.

Despite the revolutionary idea, Siminoff struggled a great deal to find investors. Shark Tank in 2013 proved to be a turning point. He did not land a deal with the Sharks; however, the show proved priceless exposure. The exposure on a national scale set Ring into motion and attracted investors outside of the show. It was really about overcoming that first significant hurdle: his conviction in the product, and that he could change course on a dime.

And boy, did persistence pay off for Ring. The company continued to grow, and in 2018, Amazon bought Ring for a reported $1 billion. More than the validation of Siminoff’s vision, the acquisition epitomized resilience and adaptability-part of the very tenets of entrepreneurship. This story of Ring reminds one that the setbacks become the steppingstones to success, and with will and innovation, entrepreneurs can turn their dreams into reality.

https://www.geekwire.com/2019/shark-tanks-billion-dollar-blunder-startup-ring-went-tv-rejection-amazon-acquisition/

https://ring.com/products/battery-doorbell

Battery Doorbell - Satin Nickel

Reagan Thomas

5 Comments

Categories : Business, Sales, Business::Entrepreneurs, Male Entrepreneurs, Millennial Entrepreneurs, Shark Tank, Technology

Scrub Daddy Business

Posted by thomasre24

· Monday, September 30th, 2024

· 4 Comments

Scrub Daddy is a company that has revolutionized the cleaning industry with its innovative products, particularly the Scrub Daddy sponge. Founded by Aaron Krause, the brand became widely recognized after appearing on the popular TV show “Shark Tank” in 2012. Krause’s pitch was memorable not only for the product’s unique features but also for the enthusiastic support it received from the Sharks, especially Lori Greiner, who saw its potential and invested $200,000 for a 20% stake in the company.

The Scrub Daddy sponge stands out due to its unique material, which changes texture based on water temperature. In cold water, it becomes firm, making it ideal for tough scrubbing jobs. In warm water, it softens, allowing for gentle cleaning. The smiley face design is not just cute but functional, as the eyes can be used to clean utensils, and the mouth can clean both sides of a spoon simultaneously. This combination of functionality and design has made Scrub Daddy a household favorite.

Since its Shark Tank debut, Scrub Daddy has expanded its product line to include a variety of cleaning tools, such as Scrub Mommy, Eraser Daddy, and Scour Daddy. The company’s success story is a testament to the power of innovation and the impact of a well-executed pitch on a platform like Shark Tank. Aaron Krause’s journey from a small business owner to the head of a multi-million-dollar company is truly inspiring and highlights the importance of perseverance, creativity, and seizing opportunities when they arise.

https://scrubdaddy.com/

Reagan Thomas

4 Comments

Categories : Business::Entrepreneurs, Design, Millennial Enrepreneuers, Shark Tank

Cassidy Crowley & “The Baby Toon”

Posted by fiscuseg21

· Sunday, October 29th, 2023

· 1 Comment

Cassidy Crowley was only 7 years old when she identified a problem that sparked the beginnings of her company, “The Baby Toon.” She had entered a Science and Engineering Fair at her school and needed to find a problem in order to enter the fair. At home, she noticed that her baby sister had a tendency of chewing on the hard back end of her spoon. This would always concern her mother; she didn’t want the baby to choke or hurt herself.

To solve this problem, Cassidy came up with “The Baby Toon,” a 2-in-1 baby spoon and teething toy made of soft FDA silicone and designed to eliminate the long, hard spoon back. Instead, The Baby Toon comes in a variety of animal shapes with rounded corners and edges, making it safe for babies to chew on as well as a helpful teething device. This newly-patented shape also allows parents and/or younger siblings to easily hold the spoon and feed the baby without the spoon accidentally going too far into the baby’s mouth.

Cassidy notes that The Baby Toon is also educational for babies, as it comes in a variety of colors (blue, pink, and green), shapes (rectangle, square, and circle), and animals (elephant, alligator, and koala). The Baby Toon is a new, fun, safe baby spoon and teething toy with various benefits.

At age 10, Cassidy appeared on season 11 of Shark Tank (2019) to pitch her business idea. She received a deal with Lori Greiner for $50,000 and 50% equity. Today, “The Baby Toon” has grown into a successful company with around $1 million in revenue each year. The Baby Toon is now sold through several major retailers, including Munchkin, Target, Walmart, and Amazon.

Cassidy Crowley’s entrepreneurship story is truly astounding, especially given that she started her business and appeared on Shark Tank at such a young age. Cassidy should be a reminder to all young entrepreneurs that the key to a successful business is finding a problem or need in an extremely niche area, and then solving the problem in a way no one else has before while providing several benefits.

1 Comment

Categories : Babies, Kids, parent, Shark Tank, Toys

Mo’s Bows

Posted by Anna Scott

· Friday, September 29th, 2023

· 2 Comments

When Moziah (Mo) Bridges was 9 years old, he made his first product for his business that would eventually become an internationally recognized brand. Originally, he was looking for an accessory to “help [him] look sharp”. All he found were ugly-colored, clip-on bow ties. When he couldn’t find anything that expressed his personality and fit his fashion taste, Mo decided to take matters into his own hands (literally).

With the help of his grandmother, Mo sewed his own bow tie at his grandmother’s kitchen table. Then, he began selling bow ties on the side of the road. He then expanded to selling on Etsy. Later, in 2013, Mo appeared on the 5^th season of Shark Tank but failed to receive financial support. He did receive Daymond John’s mentoring. Since then, Mo has created bow ties for all 30 NBA teams and former President Obama.

In 2012, Mo founded a charity called Go Mo! Summer Camp Scholarship Fund to send Memphis kids to summer camp. As of 2021, his charity has sent more than 50 kids to summer camp. At age 17, Mo expanded to neckties, pocket squares, and facemasks. He even wrote a book. His Memphis-based business now sells products to other stores such as Bloomingdale’s.

Mo’s charisma, family, and media outlets also greatly influenced his success. His mother helped him run his business while other family members helped sew the ties and ship them. Later, news outlets found his story interesting and provided publicity. Publicity would have been useless though, if Mo was not a personable character. In 2022, Mo’s net worth was $2 million.

Mo’s Bow was born out of a 9-year-old who wanted to add a bit of flare to his attire. He created what he wanted and saw potential. His business provided handmade bowties for both boys and men. From there, he expanded and continued to address another need. Mo saw yet another need in his community and decided to donate part of his profits to help.

Mo’s Bows (mosbowsmemphis.com)

Mo’s bows Shark Tank Net Worth 2023| What Happened To Mo’s bows After Shark Tank? 2023 (biznewske.com)

2 Comments

Categories : Apparel/Accessories, Fashion, Handmade, Shark Tank, Teen Entrepreneurs

Christopher Gray – Scholly

Posted by CallihanAV22

· Monday, November 14th, 2022

· 1 Comment

Christopher Gray was born and raised by a single mother in an extremely poor neighborhood in Birmingham, Alabama. Some of his favorite hobbies as a kid included video games and superhero comics. Gray won many academic competitions by the time he was in fourth grade. His academic future was looking very bright. However, he had trouble getting financial aid due to his mother’s credit record. He also didn’t possess the materials that were necessary to research and apply for scholarships. He had to go to the library that was close to where he lived. There was a 30 minute limit on computer usage, which meant that he was forced to take many breaks while requesting scholarships. He ended up applying for approximately 80 scholarships. Amazingly, with the assistance of the library and Google, he won $1.3 million in the form of scholarship money, leading to his decision to attend Drexel. When he got to college, he wanted to make the process of searching for scholarships online easier for other kids. He started Scholly with the help of a couple of coworkers. Scholly uses a student’s background to match them with the scholarships that are most fitting for their profession. It also gets rid of guesswork and makes research easier for other students. In 2015, Gray was invited to appear on Shark Tank while he was an undergraduate at Drexel. The Shark Tank investors liked Gray’s confidence and dedication to his company. Christopher Gray proved that you don’t need to have a large amount of money before you start a successful company.

https://esme.com/single-moms/sons-daughters/the-passion-of-christopher-gray

1 Comment

Categories : Research, Shark Tank

Lani Lazzari: Simple Sugars

Posted by hensontc21

· Friday, October 21st, 2022

· 2 Comments

Skin conditions can be extremely hard to find remedies for and also are just aggravating to those who suffer from them. Founder of Simple Sugars, Lani Lazzari suffered from eczema and tried so many products and doctors visit to try to help. Nothing was working, so Lani, being in high school at the time, took it upon herself to research and mix up her own home remedies. She finally made one that helped her clear her skin. This was the first time in her life she was eczema free; that is a long time to suffer from a condition, so to finally find a solution had to have been a wonderful feeling. After seeing results on herself, her aunt saw results from her psoriasis and her friend who had rosacea. She began her business after realizing that her product is actually helping people suffering from their skin conditions. As she was still only in high school, Lani took her junior year off to work on her business and decided to work on growing her business and not continue her education at college. She actually went on Shark Tank and received an offer from Mark Cuban. Needless to say, her business is doing well, and it all started in her high school years.

Lani’s story is so impactful to me because it again is another example of someone trying to solve a problem for themselves and it ends up helping others. What is so amazing is the authenticity of these young entrepreneurs who find a solution to their own problem, realizes it helps others, and they want to find a way to provide others with their solution to solve their problem. Lani is innovating with her organic products that help with a multitude of skin conditions. I personally feel that the area of skincare is so overwhelming and aggravating. But it is also an area that is very popular as people simply just want to find a way to clear and heal their skin. Lani found a solution herself because nothing worked for her, and now she shares it will others because she wants others to feel the way she felt. I love the story of this product and the genuine care Lani put into starting this business. It inspires me to want to solve a problem that will help others and provide it to them in a sincere, genuine way.

2 Comments

Categories : Shark Tank, Skin care

Moziah Bridges

Posted by joedeluca21

· Monday, October 17th, 2022

· 4 Comments

Moziah Bridges is a young entrepreneur, and his business is called “Mo’s Bows”. He started his business when he was just nine years old. He started it because he wanted a suitable bow tie and didn’t find anyone that he liked so he decided to make his own. This started the creation of his colorful bowties where he would use leftovers from his grandmother’s sewing projects. Ever since he learned how that skill, he mastered it, and it inspired him to start his own business. I was amazed how at that young of an age that he could put his time and dedication towards sewing and making bow ties. While on his site, I thought that his bow ties were very creative and unique, and I also noticed he also did neckties and squares with cool designs. What I found most interesting about the growth of Moziah’s business was that he appeared on shark tank at the age of 11 and actually made a deal with one of the sharks. He was fortunate enough to have Daymond John as a mentor that would guide him to leading a successful business. He was mature enough to realize that there was always room for improvement and listened to all the advice Daymond has given him thus far. In my opinion, this is when his business took the next step, and he has generated over 200,000 dollars with the sales of his ties. I also like how he is never complacent and is always looking to improve. His ultimate goal is to make his business a multimillion-dollar company and I think he can achieve this if he keeps on working the way he is.

Moziah Bridges talks bow ties, books and plans post-high school

4 Comments

Categories : Clothing, Creating, Design, Entrepreneurship, Male Entrepreneurs, Shark Tank, Young Entrepreneur

Benjamin Stern – Nohbo

Posted by CallihanAV22

· Monday, October 3rd, 2022

· 1 Comment

Benjamin Stern graduated from Viera High School, which is located in Florida, in 2017. During his junior year, he made an appearance on the TV show “Shark Tank.” He wanted to gather support for Nohbo, a newly established material packaging company. Mark Cuban, who was one of the “sharks” on the show, made a deal with Stern. Cuban was willing to invest $100,000 into Nohbo in exchange for 25% of the company. In 2020, Cuban went to Florida to provide an update on Stern and his company. Stern’s goal has been to get rid of single-use plastic containers sitting in landfills and polluting waterways. His solution to the problem is making raindrop-shaped pods, which are made up of plant-based materials. The pods include products including shampoo, conditioner, and body wash. Stern said that most of the shampoos are made up of approximately 90% water. He received a Thiel Fellowship and was awarded $100,000 over two years. This meant that he could not go to college during this time. Today, Ben Stern is 23 years old. He has raised $5.5 million, has secured three patents, and even has a factory in Palm Bay that can produce as much as 195,000 pods of shampoo, conditioner, and body wash daily. Nohbo works with over 60 personal care product businesses. Stern has stated that he wants to expand the company. He plans on getting the product into all drug stores, Targets, and many other places. Ben Stern’s story is very inspiring and shows that you can be successful and maintain that success long after it began.

https://www.vieravoice.com/community/viera-high-school-graduate-continues-to-succeed-long-after-shark-tank/article_8effb438-11a2-11ed-a551-5b1169d1c371.html

1 Comment

Categories : Shark Tank

Me & the Bees Lemonade: Saving the Honeybees

Posted by nuzumrk22

· Sunday, October 2nd, 2022

· 4 Comments

Perhaps fear can best drive someone towards success. Well, that was the case with young Mikaila Ulmer, whose fear of bees drove her to create a delicious honey and flaxseed lemonade concoction at the age of four. To conquer her fear of the little pollinators, Ulmer took initiative to understand bees and their environment and after looking through a cookbook from her great grandmother, she found her great grandma’s special recipe for flaxseed lemonade. She decided to add a bee-inspired twist to it: honey. What started as a lemonade stand in her front yard and at a few youth entrepreneurial fairs grew into Me & The Bees Lemonade.

The business started to take off when a local pizza shop asked her if they could sell her product. She agreed and in doing so, was forced to start bottling her lemonade. A few years later in 2015, Ulmer took Me & the Bees Lemonade to the TV screen, appearing on Shark Tank. She walked away with $60,000. Me & the Bees Lemonade has, since its beginnings, been sold in 1,500 stores all over America including Whole Foods Market, Kroger, and The Fresh Market, to name a few.

From the beginning, she’s been donating to save the honeybees since they are such an important part of agriculture. Ulmer donates ten percent of her profits to charities that support the honeybees. Furthermore, she has established The Healthy Hive Foundation, a nonprofit that educates people and supports beekeepers and research. Mikaila Ulmer is a great example of not creating something entirely brand new, but something with a brand new twist: honey-sweetened, flaxseed lemonade. Mikaila Ulmer is a great entrepreneur because she saw that something great (her grandma’s lemonade) could, with a little innovation, be made even better.

4 Comments

Categories : Bees, Beverages, Entrepreneurship, Lemonade, Shark Tank, Uncategorized, Young Entrepreneur