'Shark Tank' contestants bring along their furry friend during the pitch and win a $100,000 deal
From entering the stage on unicycles to making a judge roll on the floor, entrepreneurs on “Shark Tank” have pulled off unexpected stunts during their pitches. Things took an adorable turn when entrepreneurs brought a furry friend to the sets to demonstrate how effective their product was. They sought $100,000 for 20% of the company and impressed the sharks enough to bag a deal.
Their company was called ‘Shake It Pup’, which manufactured seasoning for dog food. Their dog, Cooper, was a part of the pitch, and he stood behind a counter wearing a chef’s hat, looking adorable. After the pitch was done, Cooper strutted over to the sharks.
The company had several flavours of seasoning, with each bottle selling for $12.99 and lasting 30 to 60 meals. In their first year of being in business, the entrepreneurs claimed that they had made $105,000 in sales. Kevin O’Leary, who was not big on pet products earlier, was the first to make an offer. However, he offered a ridiculous deal in which he asked for half of the company for $100,000.
Lori Greiner was next, and she only asked for 3% of the company for a $100,000 investment. However, she wanted a dollar per unit in royalty until she made her investment back, and then 25 cents in perpetuity. It was a better offer than Mr. Wonderful’s, but still not what the entrepreneurs were looking for. Their biggest concern was production, and they needed a shark to help with that. Crook and Maiolfi could not meet the rising demand for the product.
Mark Cuban did not see it as a challenge but as an opportunity. “It sounds like your biggest inhibitor has just been your ability to make (the product). You have more demand than you can fulfill right now,” he said, according to CNBC Make It. The shark had a lot of experience working with pet brands. One of the businesses that he steered to success was an organic dog food company called Wild Earth.
“Last year I did a deal with a company called Wild Earth that does organic dog food. Wild Earth has been a great success because dog owners really care about their pet health and will spend anything to do it the right way. I think this would be a great combination,” he said. The shark then offered $100,000 for 25% of the company, and this was a deal the entrepreneurs liked and accepted.
Unfortunately, according to a report in Shark Tank Recap, the company was shut down a few years ago. Crook left the company in 2021, after which, Maiolfi tried to make it work under a different name.
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