While playfulness and mischievous attitude are similar between toddlers and the elderly, their daily habits of spilling food mistakenly are also daily in many households. The floors don’t only become dirty, but the food sticks to the ground and needs scraping off. And that’s the most daunting task, especially in the middle of brooming as all the attention shifts to that one mark of sticky food with the rest of the space forgotten.
The stay-at-home Arizonian dad of 3, Shane Panell, was quite fed up with scraping off food from floors, especially while brooming. And the scraping itself seemed a challenge when the only handy tool was a butter knife. Shane wanted something that could scrape and sweep away the mess simultaneously. And that’s how SweepEasy was born.
SweepEasy was a to-be-patented broom that came with a built-in scraper. With just a press of a button, the small scraper came out to scrape away any sticky mess one comes across during brooming. This tool allowed the task of brooming and scraping almost simultaneously without needing to get on your fours.
Shane presented his product and company on Shark Tank’s Season 2, asking for $40,000 in exchange for 25% of his company. Even though SweepEasy hadn’t made any sales so far due to a pending patent and Shane’s experimentation on creating the prototype, Shane could lure the sharks in just with the prototype he had brought for display. Except for Barbara, who didn’t see Shane as the guy who has the drive or skills to run a business, all the other sharks started chasing SweepEasy hungrily.
Robert was the first to show his interest in the business and was interested in taking the licensing route for SweepEasy. Kevin O’Leary had a similar idea and upped Shane’s offer to $50K for 20% equity. On the other hand, Daymond John and Kevin Harrington, who had experience in retail marketing and distribution, believed that the product was better for a customer-based sale.
After going back and forth for a while and endless bickering of the Kevins, the sharks partnered up. Kevin O’Leary and Robert Haverjac offered $80,000 in exchange for a 25% stake in SweepEasy which Daymond John and Kevin Harrington challenged with the same. Both the teams had different strategies in mind for the SweepEasy product, and now Shane had to decide which route he wanted to take.
Barbara suggested Shane make a careful decision. Shane went with John and Harrington’s offer even after O’Leary’s constant efforts to get Shane to his side. The deal was sealed between Shane and the duo of John and Harrington for $80K in exchange for 25% equity.
Our Review of SweepEasy
Since its appearance on Shark Tank, SweepEasy has become patented and sold online to several customers and businesses. The company deals with Jan/san suppliers, retailers, and wholesalers nationwide. The product is widely famous and loved by the people who constantly deal with dried-up food, wax, tapes, slime, etc., on the floor.
SweepEasy has gained much traction due to its ergonomic design, and the customer base continues to grow. Its online store has brought numerous businesses to buy the product in bulk. Along with their trademark broom and scraper product, the company has also designed and manufactured dustpans on wheelies to allow people to collect the dust without bending down.
The company has had its fair share of ups and downs, with a complete shut down during 2012 on major social media platforms and online stores due to slow manufacturing and lack of inventory. However, SweepEasy made its comeback in 2017 with its marketing and business strategies stronger than before. The company soon reached the same level of fame as before, if not more.
SweepEasy had made no sales before appearing on Shark Tank, but its market research and demand showed promising results. Currently, the company has an annual revenue of $1 million as of 2022.
Pros of SweepEasy
SweepEasy has a patented broom and scrape product that cleaning companies haven’t been able to top with their own ergonomic design. Therefore, SweepEasy has quickly gained so much popularity over the years, and the potential to grow is endless. Here are some things that SweepEasy is famous for amongst its customers:
- The retractable scraper allows scraping dried-up mess from the floor without having to bend down
- The broom is designed with premium bristles that easily collect dust from all the surfaces
- SweepEasy broom and scraper combo is easy to use with only the push of a button to bring the scraper out
- The broom head, as well as the scraper, can be replaced at a fraction of the cost making the overall design reusable and sustainable
- The broom and scraper combo is a blessing for people with back pains as the floor cleaning now doesn’t demand to bend down or get on all fours
- The broom, as well as the scraper, do their jobs well and efficiently
- The decreased effort in cleaning up dried mess also eliminates the need for harsh cleaning products and paper towels, making it eco-friendly
- The broom requires zero electricity hence saves the power
- The handy scraper reduces the risk of injuries that may occur from using alternatives
Cons of SweepEasy
While the company is known for its patented products, there are some things that customers still think SweepEasy can improve on:
- The variety of products available is minimal
- Customers have received broken or defective products from online deliveries that break in just one use
- Some customers aren’t pleased with the scraper’s job as it only scrapes a limited number of products
- The broom should have an angular head to allow reaching underneath furniture for holistic cleaning
- The constant usage of broom and scraper can cause pain in the arms and elbow
- The bristles of the brush don’t hold up their alignment and become spread apart with only several uses
Who Is SweepEasy For?
If you’re a retailer or wholesaler of cleaning supplies or in the industry of Jan/san, you will love SweepEasy products. Even if you’re looking for a perfect dust collecting product for standard household cleaning, SweepEasy has products to cater to your needs. The product is famous among people of all ages, especially those with back issues who can’t bend down to clean efficiently.
Are There Any Alternatives?
While few businesses can top SweepEasy’s unique products, Fuller Brush is a competitor worth mentioning. Fuller Brush has delivered the feature SweepEasy has missed with the Fuller Angle Push Broom. The angular head allows the broom to reach tight areas underneath furniture and appliances, making sweeping easy and practical.
Fuller Brush also has different products in their store that the consumers demand. SweepEasy provides a niche product, but Fuller Brush is worth exploring if you’re looking for more general cleaning tools.
Our Final Thoughts
Shane’s struggle is every cleaner’s and home owner’s story. Dried-up food, gums, the mess of sticky tapes or glues, etc., are unsweepable and need to be scrapped, which is tiring. But with SweepEasy, you get a one-stop solution to your cleaning problems.
The retractable scrape on the broom allows you to scrape the mess off the floor and makes sweeping easy. The reusability and other benefits of power-saving make SweepEasy products worth the investment. If you want quality and affordable cleaning tools, head to their official online store today.
