Everyone loves Shark Tank. Who hasn’t dreamed of inventing something awesome, and making their fortune? All you need to turn that big idea into big money is the right funding partner.
Best Shark Tank Pitches Ever
That’s where Shark Tank comes in. Entrepreneurs make their pitch to four “sharks” who are business moguls ready to invest in great companies and ideas. Of all the Shark Tank pitches, some are very memorable. These are the best Shark Tank pitches ever.
Cousins Maine Lobster
Cousins Maine Lobster was founded by two cousins, Sabin Lomac and Jim Tselikis. They grew up in Maine, and dreamed of enjoying the lobster and other fare they grew up enjoying in California, their present home.
The Deal
They appeared on Season 4 of Shark Tank. Barbara Corcoran made the deal. She got 15% of their company for a $55,000 investment. The company earned $8 million in 2016, making them a huge success.
Where are They Now?
Today, Cousins Maine Lobster offers three ways to get delicious Maine lobster. You can find a local food truck, a restaurant, or order lobster directly from the source.
Wicked Good Cupcakes
Tracey Noonan and daughter Dani Vilage had a dream of offering gourmet cupcakes around the country. The twist? The cupcakes would be shipped in jars.
Each jar is the equivalent of two delicious cupcakes. Best of all, they keep for 10 days without being refrigerated, and can last for six months if you freeze them.
The Deal
Kevin O’Leary invested in Wicked Good Cupcakes. He invested $75,000 for royalties, and $1 for every cupcake sold until he recouped his investment. Then, he received $0.50 per cupcake.
Where are They Now?
Today, the company has a net worth of over $15 million dollars. Their business is obviously thriving. In addition to fun cupcakes, they now offer gift sets that can include fine wine that pairs perfectly with the cupcakes.
Bombas
Bombas were invented by Randy Goldberg and David Heath. They had two goals. First, to create better socks. Second, they wanted to give back to their local community.
The socks are brightly colored athletic socks. They feature a honeycomb design, which provides support. Y stitching at the ankle provides a better fit. The seamless toes make them more comfortable.
They also have a blister tab and extra cushioning. They truly are wonderful socks. They also planned to give away one pair of socks to homeless shelters for each pair they sold.
The Deal
Daymond John made the deal. He invested $200,000 for 17.5% equity in the company. He seemed as excited by the prospect of donating socks to the homeless as he was about potential profit.
Where are They Now?
Today, Bombas is worth $100 million, which is astounding for such a company. They’ve also donated over 45 million socks to homeless shelters.
Today, they offer a range of clothing items, in addition to socks. No matter the product, they donate one of each item sold to homeless shelters.
Lollacup
This is the Shark Tank pitch I remember best. As a parent, I know the struggle. You want a safe cup your child can actually drink from, that won’t spill all over your furniture.
Many toddler straw cups didn’t meet these criteria. Either they would allow spills, or they would be nearly impossible to drink from. There’s nothing like seeing your child’s frustration with a cup, and attempting to drink from it yourself, expecting to show them how easy it is. Then you realize that it’s actually very difficult, and toss the cup.
By the time they appeared on shark tank, the Lollacup business was going well. They presented their cup to the sharks, and were a big hit.
The Deal
Mark Cuban and Robert Herjavec invested $100,000 for 40% equity in the company. Let’s see how they did.
Where are They Now?
Today, Lollacup is no more. No, the business didn’t close. It expanded to an entire line of kids plates, bowls, and cups. Since the name no longer made since, they are now Lollaland.
When they appeared on Shark Tank, the company was worth $6,666,666. I know, it’s an odd number. Perhaps you’ll find their current worth of $2 million more comforting.
Scrub Daddy
Scrub Daddy is arguably the most well known product to come from Shark Tank, and the best performing. It was invented by Aaron Krause in 2012. It’s surprising that a sponge, a scrub sponge, would be the greatest thing to come from such a show.
The sponge has a big smiley face, and comes in bright colors. It’s key feature is that it turns stiff in cold water, and pliable in warm water. It’s made from a material called Reso cellulose. It’s semi closed structure keeps food particles from getting stuck in the sponge.
The Investment
Lori Greiner invested $20,000. In return, she got 20% equity in the company. It’s a move that paid off very well.
Where Are They Now?
Today, Scrub Daddy offers many products, including the scrub mommy. The mommy has a standard sponge side, and a scrubby side, and is rumored to be an improvement over the scrub daddy.
Other offerings include scrub paste, and the eco daddy, which is biodegradable. It seems the Scrub Daddy line can meet many, if not all, of your cleaning needs.
As of 2022, Scrub Daddy is worth $209 million. It’s the third largest sponge company in America.
DoorBot
DoorBot is proof that you don’t have to make a deal on Shark Tank to hit it big. You may not be familiar with DoorBot, because the company was rebranded after not getting a deal on the show.
Today, they are known as Ring. Jamie Siminoff struggled to get the sharks to understand the value of what he was offering on the show, so perhaps it’s far from one of the greatest pitches on Shark Tank.
However, it’s success after the show proves that there’s always hope.
Where are They Now
Jamie Siminoff sold Ring to Amazon in 2018 for over $1 billion. It’s likely the biggest product to appear on Shark Tank without getting a deal.
