'Shark Tank' judge Barbara Corcoran dumps Mark Cuban shortly after making a joint offer with him
Corcoran wanted to do the deal with Cuban, but left him out at the entrepreneurs' request.
Sept. 26 2025, Published 1:45 p.m. ET
It's nothing new for "Shark Tank" investors to cut each other off with better offers to sign a deal for a promising venture. But sometimes they don't hesitate to throw a fellow shark under the bus, even after initially partnering with them. That’s what happened in an earlier episode of the show in which Barbara Corcoran kicked Mark Cuban out of a two-shark deal to come to an agreement with the entrepreneurs.
The entrepreneurs were three black women named Madia Willis, Jasmine Hudson, and J'Aaron Merchant. They sought $250,000 for a 5% stake in their company, Black Paper Party, which sells simple Christmas decorations, but unlike other brands, these items champion black representation.
They came up with decorations that represented black families and celebrated the history and culture of the people. Even though the brand sold commonly found items, the design of the products and the message they carry make them unique. The sharks loved the entrepreneurs and the products. They even liked the numbers they heard. When the episode was filmed, the company had reached an agreement with several major companies, like Target, Walmart, and Macy’s, to name a few.
Black Paper Party’s product would be sold in a whopping 6,000 outlets during Christmas at year. The business also makes its money from licensing and wholesale, opening up several avenues for the sharks to play with. That same year, the business was on track to make $1.1 million. They even had a decent profit, which allowed the entrepreneurs to pay themselves and still be left with a six-figure sum.
All of this was fantastic, but the one thing that did not sit well with Kevin O’Leary was the lack of a proper distribution network. That was the reason he said no to making an offer. Lori Greiner also dropped out, as she did not want to work with a company that made seasonal products, since it was just not her cup of tea. Daymond John might have made an offer, but was interrupted as he was working things out by Barbara Corcoran.
Corcoran offered to pay $250,000 but wanted 15% of the business. Greiner called it a great offer as she was someone who had seen success with seasonal products. Corcoran then pulled in Mark Cuban, and the two asked for a 20% stake. The entrepreneurs countered with $450,000 for 18%, but that was never going to happen.
So, the three women asked Corcoran if she’d be willing to do $250,000 for a 10% stake. “And leave my poor guy Mark out?” she asked. “Of course I will!” That was the deal signed between the parties that day.
More on Market Realist