'Shark Tank' judge calls US war veteran a 'cockroach' — then she gets offered a life-changing deal

Clothing is perhaps one of the most competitive industries in the world today, but that doesn’t stop nascent entrepreneurs from jumping into the industry with unique products and trying to make a mark. That’s what United States Air Force veteran Haley McClain Hill had in mind when she came to “Shark Tank.” Hill founded Torch Warriorwear, a company specializing in manufacturing comfortable bodysuits for women in tactical fields like soldiers, army pilots, and firefighters. As a military woman, getting into the world of business is not an easy shift, but her grandmother’s constant support inspired her and helped her get the business off and running. She also pitched in $50,000 for her granddaughter’s company. Hill had also asked for $150,000 for 10% of her company from the sharks. 

For those in the military, a strict dress code has to be followed. The attire must be of a certain color, and there are rules about the specifics of the apparel as well, like the length of the sleeves for a short-sleeved outfit, for example. However, these rules do not mean that one can’t look good. 

Kevin O’Leary was the first to ask questions. “I got a big question about military protocol,” he said. “In the military, is it okay to look hot? I’m not sure.” He got an answer in the affirmative as Haley laid down some of the rules they have to follow apparel-wise. As a military woman, getting into the world of business is not an easy shift, but her grandmother’s constant support inspired her and helped her get the business off and running. She also pitched in $50,000 for her granddaughter’s company.

Guest shark Emma Grede, a founding partner of Skims, was one of the sharks on the show. She knew the clothing industry like the back of her hand and was interested in learning more about the rules for women in tactical fields like the army, law enforcement, and firefighting. Grede’s company makes bodysuits as well, but most of them would not be allowed for a woman in Haley’s profession.

“It has to be the exact color that we are authorized to wear in our uniforms, and then our short sleeves have to be a certain length as well,” she said. “And the cool part...for what our vision for the company is, it’s not just a bodysuit. There are women in every stage of their career - maternity, nursing - who are in career fields such as [these], but they need a fire-resistant bodysuit, so we want to get into the tactical and blend that thing together,” she said.

Haley had done $16,000 in sales in the year her company was launched (2021). The next year, that number was up to $86,000, and at the time of recording, she said that she was on course for $500,000 by the end of the year. The entrepreneur also revealed that she had become an official vendor for the largest military retailer around the world. All this was impressive, but there were still doubts about the business. Mr. Wonderful cut straight to the point and laid out those challenges.

“My concern with this deal is you get an Emma or somebody else that’s already a behemoth, and then they just crush you like the cockroach you are at this point. Clothing is a total commodity and really driven by large unit volumes,” he said before saying no to a deal. Cuban and Herjavec followed suit, stating concerns over it having a narrow customer base. Haley ideally would have wanted Grede as her investor, but she too backed out, stating concerns over a bigger brand coming into the military clothing space and wiping out a smaller company like Torch Warriorwear.

The entrepreneur’s disappointment was clear, but Lori Grenier turned out to be her savior. “I am going to take a flyer on you,” she said. The shark offered the money but wanted 25% of the business. Haley countered with 20%, which was again countered with 22.5%. That was the percentage settled upon, and Haley got herself a deal.