Storm Stoppers from Shark Tank

Storm Stoppers shark tank

Trust a Florida man to design something so unique that it leaves the world permanently changed and never the same as before. John Smith did something similar by inventing Storm Stoppers. Being from Florida meant he was accustomed to the hurricanes and the very challenging monsoon season. That’s why he came up with the idea of what served as an alternative to plywood windows and doors.

Basically, Storm Stoppers are window and door panels made of corrugated plastic that allow the user to get them fixed or fasten them by using 3M Dual Locks. While the idea may seem new, people all over the East Coasts have been using it for a decade now. However, there wasn’t a brand selling them or accounting for their quality, but now there are, thanks to Storm Stoppers and John Smith.

The process that this company follows is through its online retailing website. You can send them your window and door measurements. Next, the Storm Stoppers team uses the markings to generate measurements of the oversized panels that would fit over them. They use a proprietary program to do this for accurate and efficient results. They also develop a cutting diagram, usually 8 × 11 inches, and then ship it to the customer.

From then on, you can take help from a third-party professional to get the panels cut and fixed upon your plywood fixtures, or you can use the Storm Stoppers guide to do it yourself. Quite obviously, there are many advantages of installing the Storm Stoppers, especially if you are a resident of a monsoon-prone state like Florida. And the product’s success even before John showed up on Shark Tank shows that many people tend to agree with its usefulness.

Firstly, they are incredibly lightweight. This means you can install them singlehandedly and require no replacement after every storm. Moreover, they don’t work as shades against natural light. So you can be assured to receive plenty of light despite having them on. Moreover, it is a no-fuss solution to protecting your windows and doors against harsh winds, rain, and sleet that can be dangerous for the glass facets of the fixtures.

John had made $6 million worth of Storm Stopper’s sales in a decade of doing business before he felt that he needed to expand his distribution cycle, and for that, he wanted to visit the Sharks. Therefore, he made it to the show with his stats and a proposal of $100k for 10% of the equity in his business. Naturally, all the judges were thoroughly impressed with all that he had brought to the table with samples of his product, sales amounts, and statistics.

However, soon it was time for negotiations, but much to the disappointment of both John and the audience members, none of the judges, even tried to make a counter offer. It was almost like a unanimous decision where all the judges, for one reason or another, simply didn’t want to invest and work with John and Storm Stoppers despite liking the product and the business side of things. However, it is safe to say it didn’t shame the product at all.

In fact, ever since his Shark Tank appearance, the products got a much-anticipated booster in their sales. Today, they are doing a good enough business and proudly claim themselves as “Plywood Alternative.” You can easily visit their official website, where they retail for good enough, affordable price points. As of August 2021, his business revenue generation is more than $3 million annually.

Our Review of Storm Stoppers

We were fortunate enough to get our hands on these famous Storm Stoppers DIY panels. The whole process of ordering was extraordinarily smooth and streamlined through their online retailing website. We sent them the window fixture measurements and requested a quote. The price was based on yield per panel, and it took them 48 hours to get back to us. However, the best part was finally getting the hang of the products and how easy it was to install them by ourselves.

Pros of Storm Stoppers

  • Made of recyclable, corrugated plastic.
  • Easy to install.
  • DIY-friendly (Do it yourself)
  • Affordable pricing.
  • Sturdy and resilient against storms.
  • Allows safe escape in case of emergency.
  • Looks aesthetically pleasing.
  • No holes.
  • Allows natural light to pass.

Cons of Storm Stoppers

  • Only retail through their website.
  • Some people may not know how to install it themselves and pay extra to get it installed.

Who Is Storm Stoppers For?

Storm Stoppers is not targeted toward a particular niche. However, it is obviously best suited for people who are residents of states and cities prone to hurricanes, storms, and monsoon season. You can easily order it by sending in your measurements and letting the Storm Stoppers team do their work. It is an easy DIY installation process after that. It will greatly help you save your windows and doors against rain, sleet, storm, hurricanes, and generally bad weather.

Are There Any Alternatives?

Home Side Raised Panel Vinyl Shutter

Although there aren’t any products that are an exact copy of Storm Stoppers, you can search through Amazon and find similar products that can do the job too. Moreover, you can also enjoy more color options with such products and have them coordinate with your home’s exterior outlook. However, it is essential to note that they won’t be an alternative to plywood and guarantee safety against bad weather conditions like Storm Stoppers. In addition, it will only cover your windows and not doors.

Our Final Thoughts

It was a shame for Shark Tank and its judges that John didn’t succeed in acquiring a deal on Shark Tank. Because the business had always been on the steady upward trend of doing business and also continued despite the failed attempt, hence, it is safe to say that it was more of the judge’s failure not to have earned an investment opportunity in one of the more flourishing businesses that would have definitely taken the Shark Tank success rate higher.