S07.E18: Sworkit, Clean Sleep, TUTUblue, Nohbo

[yeswedo]

A 16-year-old environmentalist has an eco-friendly way to say goodbye to plastic bottles; a former soap star villainess wants the sharks to make a deal with her one-piece swimsuit that can keep you sun-safe and stylish; two men pitch an app that creates exercise playlists for the everyday person; and a man promises to expose the hidden, dirty secrets lurking in your mattress. Plus, a follow-up on Signal Vault that protects consumers from crowd-hack-attacks, in which Lori Greiner and Robert Herjavec invested in during Season 7.

[A Boston Gal]

What if I don't WANNA know what's lurking in my mattress?? :(

[Pjxf99]

Sworkit!! This is the first time I've actually had the product before it came on the show! I like it, be interesting to see if they get a deal.

[wisteria]

I'm surprised that the swimsuit discussion didn't mention women who might want full-coverage suits for modesty reasons related to their religion. That could be a huge growth market.

[mjc570]

I thought the sworkit app looked great, and downloaded it.  I can't decide if the $3/mo upgrade is worth it. 

 

I found that swimsuit woman to be  amazingly annoying, and I did not in the least understand how the sharks thought that would be a flattering look for older women since it didn't seems very compressed.  Yeah, if they have no rear ends, like that actress.  I really wish the show's producers would put in place some kind of minimum time requirement (ie, the business has to be in operation for at least 6 months or something).

 

I don't understand why the mattress cleaner didn't get a deal, unless there was a lot of editing going on.  It did seem like he was trying to cover too many bases (franchise, trucks, institutions, hospitals), but that technology clearly would be great given the concern about bedbugs and infections.  I can see it being useful in places like hospitals and hotels (Which to me seems to be the same market), where there is a lot of bed turnover.  Personally, I don't care if my mattress has my old skin embedded in it, it's part of me, after all.  Strangers - that's another story.  I think he could have used their help in the patenting process.

 

I'm glad the kid and his bubbe got a deal, but I don't really understand all the excitement about the "delivery system" - pods are already used in all kinds of applications and I don't see what is different about his, other than the fact that it containers shampoo or conditioner rather than detergent. 

[KaveDweller]

I don't understand why the mattress cleaner didn't get a deal, unless there was a lot of editing going on.  It did seem like he was trying to cover too many bases (franchise, trucks, institutions, hospitals), but that technology clearly would be great given the concern about bedbugs and infections.  I can see it being useful in places like hospitals and hotels (Which to me seems to be the same market), where there is a lot of bed turnover.  Personally, I don't care if my mattress has my old skin embedded in it, it's part of me, after all.  Strangers - that's another story.  I think he could have used their help in the patenting process.

 

I can see the mattress thing being good for hotels.  When the guy first started talking about how dirty mattresses are from other people's body fluids, I was like, how many other people do you think use my mattress? But then he mentioned the hotels and I realized how dirty hotel beds must be.

 

I feel like it's something individuals would do once if they had a bed bugs scare, but then not use again. Things like that don't seem to do well with the Sharks.

 

I'm glad the kid and his bubbe got a deal, but I don't really understand all the excitement about the "delivery system" - pods are already used in all kinds of applications and I don't see what is different about his, other than the fact that it containers shampoo or conditioner rather than detergent.

 

Yeah, I don't really see what was so great about it. The licensing thing seems smart, since people tend to stick to their hair-care brand.  But my take away from the segment was, "Okay, I should really recycle my shampoo bottles." Not that I need to find a different kind of shampoo with an eco-friendly wrapper.

 

I felt bad for Robert because he offered a decent deal, and then he looks annoyed when Mark started talking, because he knew the kid would pick Mark over him. Has anyone ever not picked Mark when they had a choice between Sharks?

[anonymiss]

I understand Mark's exasperation with having to pretend that anyone else had the $ for that deal at 10%, but I don't care for his belittling women when it comes to technology. 

 

I wasn't excited about the kid's product but I think he's my favorite kid that's been on the show.

[cooksdelight]

If mattress guy had come out swinging with the hospital/hotel angle I think he would have gotten a deal. Those two places need clean mattresses, and I could see hotels using it as a pitch in their advertising. I don't see Joe and Jill Homeowner using it more than once in a blue moon.

When the swimsuit actress started talking about her former acting roles, I kept trying to place her but she's got one of those faces that tends to look like every other soap actress. I have had skin cancer removed a half dozen times and I'm not interested in wearing one of those suits. I use sunscreen and I stay out of the sun. Period. I was that girl who'd lay out in the sun slathered in oil, but I've happily given up that part of my life in order to stay alive. I still go to the beach, still wear a normal bathing suit, I just stay under a big umbrella and use a great sunscreen that doesn't wash or sweat off.

[Latverian Diplomat]

I understand Mark's exasperation with having to pretend that anyone else had the $ for that deal at 10%, but I don't care for his belittling women when it comes to technology. 

 

I wasn't excited about the kid's product but I think he's my favorite kid that's been on the show.

Usually Mark hangs back and let's others drop out. This time he wanted to make a deal and be done for some reason. While I can understand not wanting to sit through another long-winded "I'm out" speech, he was being a huge dick about it. He should stick to playing it cool.

 

The thing about dishwasher pods, for example, is the pods usually come in container to hold them and protect them from getting wet. In a bathroom, you would definitely have a need for such a container, I think. So we're back to having a shampoo "bottle" again.

 

The kid's business depends on how well his patent holds up. Robert was smart to make that a condition of his investment. Mark didn't care, because it wasn't an investment for him, it was an opportunity to have a mini-mark.

 

I'm a little skeptical as far as the mattress cleaining goes, because it's too quick to be effective. Especially since he's cycling through multiple treatments in 15 minutes. The recommendation for bedbug treatment is 90 minutes at at least 120 F. I understand wanting to use dry steam, but wikipedia says that takes longer to sterilize than wet steam, so again, more time may be required to actually be useful.

Edited February 20, 2016 by Latverian Diplomat

[designing1]

I'm surprised that the swimsuit discussion didn't mention women who might want full-coverage suits for modesty reasons related to their religion. That could be a huge growth market.

 

Would skintight body suits be considered modest just because all your skin is covered? I really can't see anyone with modesty issues -- whether based in their religion or their own body insecurity -- choosing to wear what is essentially a second skin. The dippy presenter's "I haven't sold much and I don't know anything about anything but that's where you guys come in" attitude bugged the living daylights out of me.

 

Why the Sworkit guys didn't jump on Mark's deal is beyond me, unless they were waiting for Robert to join in. Even if Lori had made an offer (she did do her patented long-winded "I love you and your product and I need a couple more minutes of screen time but I'm out", didn't she?) I don't see what value she'd have to their company aside from the cash itself. I liked the flexibility of the app and may give it a try.

 

The shampoo product didn't really seem all that new and different (or necessary), except that it was being used for shampoo rather than detergent. I guess they'd be a handy way for travelers to skirt the liquid restrictions at the airport. The company would also need to be insured for a fortune because even with different packaging, someone's little darling is going to pop one of those in their mouth and end up in the hospital.

[Primetimer]

Three Shark Tank pitches challenge Barbara, Lori, Robert and Kevin's understanding of what the people of today and tomorrow might want to spend their money on. Mark Cuban, however, is confident in his visionary investing prowess.

Read the story

[starri]

When the swimsuit actress started talking about her former acting roles, I kept trying to place her but she's got one of those faces that tends to look like every other soap actress.

I sadly knew exactly who she was.  I didn't even need her to be identified.  She also reminded me more than a little of June Diane Raphael from Grace and Frankie and How Did This Get Made.

 

Miracle of miracles, they managed to find a kid-trepenueur I didn't recoil from on sight.  I don't know if I'm his customer (since my hair is really close-cropped and that was way too much shampoo for me), but it was an interesting idea.  Also, unlike a lot of the junior set, he didn't come out as a mouthpiece for Bubbe,

 

I honestly didn't understand the mattress guy at all.  I mean, I guess I get what the appeal is, because like with that credit card blocker, no one ever went broke scaring people.  But I don't get why he was so convinced this was a consumer and not an industrial application.

[Gregg247]

The mattress cleaner guy would have gotten my investment right away, had I been on the show.  I thought his product was brilliant, and I'd use the service.  I have no interest in buying a new mattress every 8 years like they recommend, but I'd definitely spend < $100 to get my mattresses "dry-cleaned" once a year.  I think the Sharks missed out on this one.

 

The exercise app looked like a good idea, and the Sharks couldn't find an Achilles Heel with their presentation.  It seemed like every time a Shark brought up a "Yes, but what about....", they had an answer.  Nice job.

 

I didn't get the appeal of the bathing suit company.  If you watch old movies from 1900, you see all the women wearing basically the same thing this company was pushing, just without all the trendy prints.  Back then, they wore those silly looking things for modesty; now, its for sun protection.  Either way, its a very old idea that seems to be coming back into vogue (well, at least in one shop in Laguna Beach).  This was a bad idea, so I'm surprised Kevin didn't use the old "step on you like a cockroach" line regarding the behemoth swimwear/bikini companies jumping into the pantaloons bathing suit rage that's about to descend on America.

 

I don't know how the kid could get a patent on his shampoo balls, since they already use the same "delivery system" for detergent and dishwasher cleaners.  Are patents really THAT specific?  I didn't realize people use so many plastic bottles for hair care products, anyway.  Apparently, buying a giant bottle of Head & Shoulders at Costco and taking a year to use it up puts me in the great minority!

[zxy556575]

I wonder if the mattress cleaning van could extend to hotel bedspreads, because those never pass the black light test. I would definitely pick a hotel that advertised steam-cleaned bedding over one that didn't.

 

I can see it being a successful franchise business in the same vein as carpet cleaning. Someone could make a decent living going after the commercial applications in a largish city -- I imagine it would take 4-5 days parking the van outside a hotel or hospital to get through all the mattresses, then on to the next one. That's a ton less effort than driving to 6 houses every day.

[Eolivet]

One thing I think the kid-trepeneur missed in his pitch to hotels is the fact that I think small bottles of shampoo that you can take home with you (or at least, my family always does) is part of the...premium services (for lack of a better phrase) one expects from nicer hotels. "Single-use shampoo" feels like one of those "environmental" (read: cost-cutting) hotel services, along with "Save the planet! Change your sheets every three days!" and "If you hang your towels up, we'll think you don't want fresh ones!" The difference with the latter two is one can opt out.

 

And on the subject of hotels, I think the last thing they would want to do is advertise they have clean mattresses -- they don't want attention drawn to the fact that you're sleeping on a mattress as thousands of other people. And unless there was an actual health benefit (or lack of perceived cleanliness was hurting their bottom line), I don't think hospitals would care. The last thing one is likely thinking about during a hospital stay.

[Shibori]

I understand Mark's exasperation with having to pretend that anyone else had the $ for that deal at 10%, but I don't care for his belittling women when it comes to technology.

I'd agree if it was anyone but Lori, but she irks me so much I can only imagine what's it's like to the rest of the Sharks that have to listen to her blather for hours on end. And since the speech he kept interrupting turned out to have no content other than "I'm out," I think she proved his point. Lori's fine as a checkbook for QVC ready projects, but I haven't seen much value fof on her beyond that, and I personally think her marketing instincts are often way off. (I'm looking at you, bagel stuffins!)

I think Mark was buying a mini-me more than he was the actual product. That kid will return many times the investment for him doing something-he was the real deal.

That bathing suit lady was the worst. She had that Lisa Rinna look that many older LA botoxed, fillered actresses have, and the whole "business is hard, giggle!" vibe she was giving off made me stabby. That said, this seemed like a great Lori product, except that I suspect the majority of QVC'ers aren't as in to the bodycon look as the LA set. I'm a plus sized girl myself and I'm fine with my tankini, and I'd feel ridiculous in that even if they did make them in my size. Oddly, when the full coverage is skintight Lycra I think it's even more likely to highlight every figure flaw than a regular suit. That said, props to Barbara, who would totally rock one!

[starri]

 I don't think hospitals would care. The last thing one is likely thinking about during a hospital stay.

Maybe my hospital is the exception, but our mattresses are covered by plastic, not cloth, so they're just wiped down with cleaner between patients.

[Auntie Anxiety]

The hospitals I've been to in the recent past don't need that kind of a mattress cleaner because the mattresses themselves are not covered in cloth or fabric, but plastic. Not sure how things are in smaller hospitals, but the ones

I've been to are big city, well-known medical centers.

I knew Mark was going to love that kid. Mark is Jewish and I figured he'd fall head over heels for the 80 yo Bubbe. Actually, the kid even looked like a mini-Mark. The kid is bright, ambitious and probably a really good bet. Glad to see him get a positive response. Even more refreshing was the fact that the kid wasn't going for the hipster "giving a fraction of each purchase to a deserving charity" b.s. angle which always annoys me. If I want my money to go to a charity, I'll donate it myself and don't need to be made to believe (because I don't) how righteous the company is.

ETA--looks like starri beat me to it!

Edited February 20, 2016 by Auntie Anxiety

[PepperMonkey]

Yeah, Lori makes me stabby when I just see her face. She doesn't even have to blather.

 

Mark totally just wanted to work with that kid, no matter what he was pitching. It was a smart bet/ investment. I agree that young man was totally the real deal.

 

What is it with Kevin and cougars? Good gods, he loves that word and loves to use it as much as possible, whenever apropos.

 

Poor Robert, again. I wonder if they're thinking of replacing him with Sacca full time? I'd be sad.

[seacliffsal]

I think that Mark was the best fit for the 16 year old as I think Mark's ego won't let him fail as Mark sees him as a mini-me However, I think Robert would have been the best partner for him. I would want Robert as a partner as I think he's smart and kind.

[Teddybear]

This has bugged me since the show….what does sworkit mean?  The company name of the shampoo balls wasn't a real word either but its letters stood for something.  Did they explain?  They weren't even pronouncing it like work out--that's initially where I thought the workit part came from.  

[Latverian Diplomat]

This has bugged me since the show….what does sworkit mean?  The company name of the shampoo balls wasn't a real word either but its letters stood for something.  Did they explain?  They weren't even pronouncing it like work out--that's initially where I thought the workit part came from.  

They didn't explain it, but according to their website it is a contraction of Simply WORK IT.

[Quickbeam]

I've been using a solid shampoo from Lush for years as well as other solid bath products that don't need packaging so not so new. Grandma bugged me. The kid was earnest.

I liked the swimwear/ coverage product. I was annoyed that we didn't get answers to the wetsuit comparison questions which were asked at least twice. I can see doing yoga in the suit as well as for beach applications. The woman was pretty scattered but I liked the design. I also can see some modesty applications.

Re the mattress cleaning guy, great idea. I will point out that every hospital and nursing home mattress I have seen in the past 30 years ( I am a nurse) has been vinyl covered so not a lot of actual need there. Hotels would be prime for that.

[theatremouse]

I'm surprised that the swimsuit discussion didn't mention women who might want full-coverage suits for modesty reasons related to their religion.

 I was waiting for her to list that as an option and for the sharks to tell her other companies exist that already do that. Especially since she was brand new and basically had no sales, she didn't have the good refutation that she was somehow better or already outdoing the competitors in the space or whatever. So she was doomed anyway.

 

I understand Mark's exasperation with having to pretend that anyone else had the $ for that deal at 10%, but I don't care for his belittling women when it comes to technology.

It read to me more like he could tell/assumed she was just going to give a rambling "I'm out" speech and didn't want to sit through it with his deal on the table. I don't quite know how I feel. On the one hand, they always do "I'm out" speeches...so why be so snarky. On the other hand, if you're not making an offer why bother trying to stall someone who did from getting an answer? So they were both kind of being asses. Edited February 21, 2016 by theatremouse

[anonymiss]

It read to me more like he could tell/assumed she was just going to give a rambling "I'm out" speech and didn't want to sit through it with his deal on the table. I don't quite know how I feel. On the one hand, they always do "I'm out" speeches...so why be so snarky. On the other hand, if you're not making an offer why bother trying to stall someone who did from getting an answer? So they were both kind of being asses.

I don't think Lori was being an ass for taking the time to give a polite, encouraging "I'm out" response. Robert did and tends to do the same. I don't think it'd be remarkable if Mark didn't do the same thing just last episode with Barb when he said she can offer "handholding" to the Bee Free women. I laughed then in spite of myself because I don't particularly care for Barb. 

Edited February 21, 2016 by anonymiss

[theatremouse]

Right, I'm not saying it's an ass to give a polite reason why one's out before going out. The part I'm questioning is her insistence upon doing so when Mark had just made an offer and was all "Do we have a deal?" If you're out anyway and he wants an answer to his offer, and the pitch-person didn't specifically say "hey anybody else?" it just sort of seemed like she was kinda grandstanding a little. Which they all do constantly. Still, to be all "let me talk! let me talk!" like, if he's pushing for an answer to his offer and she's going to make her own, sure, I see wanting to get hers in, but I don't see why it was so important for her to elaborate on why she's out before dude accepts the other offer, when the kid didn't seem particularly interesting in hearing from everyone else. I mean, at least the way they edited it, he was sort of looking at Mark a lot anyway. Even Robert's body language showed he knew as soon as Mark was in, R was toast. So, why the fuss to make sure the kid knows you're out when he seemed mostly interested in the one who was in already? At that point Mark and Lori seemed like they were just trying to irritate each other for the hell of it.

Edited February 21, 2016 by theatremouse

[ratgirlagogo]

 

I liked the swimwear/ coverage product. I was annoyed that we didn't get answers to the wetsuit comparison questions which were asked at least twice.

I found this odd too.  Wetsuits seem hipper than this product to me and are a fraction of the price.  Which doesn't mean these things couldn't catch on , but the question should have been answered.

[bilgistic]

The whole time Sworkit was being presented, I had this in my head:

[LittleIggy]

That actress played "Morgan de Witt" on the Bold and the Beautiful. I used to call her Morgan de Half-Wit. As far as her presentation went, that name still applies.

[Amarsir]

I really wish the show's producers would put in place some kind of minimum time requirement (ie, the business has to be in operation for at least 6 months or something).

I'm impressed by their processing time. If she just started 6 weeks before taping, how early must it have been when she got in touch with the show and how quickly did they determine it was an airworthy idea? (I'm actually suspecting they contacted her since she didn't seem to know the show's rules, but that raises further questions about how they knew so early.)

 

Right, I'm not saying it's an ass to give a polite reason why one's out before going out. The part I'm questioning is her insistence upon doing so when Mark had just made an offer and was all "Do we have a deal?" If you're out anyway and he wants an answer to his offer, and the pitch-person didn't specifically say "hey anybody else?" it just sort of seemed like she was kinda grandstanding a little.

I thought Mark was being incredibly rude ... until Lori actually finished and then I felt I owed him an apology. Listening again, the part where Mark interrupts has a camera cut and Lori starting with "I also thought to myself". Which implies that was a much longer speech than what we saw. And when she went "So I'm thinking 8% ... mmm ... 10% ... mmm ...", I can't imagine anyone in the audience sitting there going "What about nine?  Did she consider 9%?"

 

And since Mark didn't demand an immediate answer, and didn't object to Robert or Barbara responding, I think his complaint was very specific.

[hkit]

I thought the mattress cleaning was genius. Just this week, I had to do some cleanup on my home mattress. When I pulled off the mattress pad - GROSS! It's only a couple of years old, so I was surprised. I'd be a customer.

Also, I had the misfortune of staying in a hotel last year that was far too nice to have bedbugs. But they did, and it wasn't fun. It was a pretty miserable experience. There is a need for this type of service. I think he should be focusing on the hotel business.

For the shampoo balls - I travel a bit for work and would love these. I'm tired of filling up my little TSA approved carry on bottles, only to run out while on the road. I'm tired of the garbage brands that hotels have for you. I want my paraben and sulfate free formulas that I know leave my hair healthy and looking good. The fact that these don't appear to be liquid means I could toss a whole handful into my carry-on and be all set. I hope this gets licensed to some of the more prestige brands and becomes an option for me. Plus, I really liked the kid. He did better than 90% of adults on this show!

And finally, producers, knock it the fuck off with the sob stories. I can tell it turns the Sharks off, and it does me too. These entrepreneurs have to be primed by the producers to start spewing this shit on queue. Who says they get into mattress cleaning by telling a super long story about running away as a kid? Even the skin cancer scare was told in the most melodramatic fashion possible. This is a business transaction - the Sharks didn't get where they were by surrounding themselves with drama queens.

[starri]

That actress played "Morgan de Witt" on the Bold and the Beautiful. I used to call her Morgan de Half-Wit. As far as her presentation went, that name still applies.

She was Annie Douglas on Aaron Spelling's Sunset Beach first.  The jokes that inspired earned me a seat on the express bus to Hell.

[Auntie Anxiety]

 

Also, I had the misfortune of staying in a hotel last year that was far too nice to have bedbugs. But they did, and it wasn't fun. It was a pretty miserable experience. There is a need for this type of service. I think he should be focusing on the hotel business.

Before I book a room anywhere, I check the Bed Bug Registry.  Coming home with bed bugs would be an absolute nightmare to me.  For that reason, the mattress cleaner would be a welcome addition to hotels, as far as I'm concerned.  Now if they could only bed bug proof the upholstered chairs, rugs, bedspreads, curtains, etc., I'd be all set.  And I might be one of few people in the world who do this, but I leave my suitcase in the hotel room's bathroom, where there is less chance of a bed bug hitching a ride out.

[columbot]

I felt bad for Robert because he offered a decent deal, and then he looks annoyed when Mark started talking, because he knew the kid would pick Mark over him. Has anyone ever not picked Mark when they had a choice between Sharks?

 

I'm sure Lori has beaten Mark at least once. Maybe Barbara too. Those two have something different to offer than Mark does, and I think most people don't see any reason to go with Robert over him.

 

The mattress guy lost me, too, when he started talking about running away from home. How did we get there?

[theatremouse]

The mattress guy lost me, too, when he started talking about running away from home. How did we get there?

Presumably an edit, somewhere in which they were basically asking him to "talk about his background" more and so he went totally far back to get his story in about he was totally self-made, self-taught, whatever else. If I thought he were more manipulative, I'd think he threw that part in for sympathy, except it almost seemed like he caught himself off guard with how emotional he got about it. Almost like he thought he'd just say it and segue but then "oops! couldn't hold it together" and then just tried to speed up and get to the rest. He could've left the running away bit out and just started with his mechanical engineering at 16 (I think he said he was 16). Then again, for all we know, depending on where the cuts were, he might've been responding to a direct question. I am always suspicious of this type of show in these types of scenarios.

[UsernameFatigue]

I must have been in a pissy mood when I watched this epi as all of the pitchers annoyed me.

 

I would have no use for a mobile mattress cleaner. I have mattress pads on all of our beds and of course they have sheets. How many layers of protection do I need? And his comparison to clothes lost me. We wear clothes because it is mostly illegal, at least in public, not to. We wash them because they get dirty. The same reason we wash sheets on the bed. I really would want a hotel to buy new beds when the time comes, not wash and reuse for however long. And any hospital I know covers in plastic so I don't see a need there either.

 

The bathing suit lady's presentation was terrible. She said that somehow, the material keeps people cool. What is the material?? She never said. How long does it take to dry when one comes out of the water? She never said and they never asked. I don't see this as a product for older women - if you are going to look good in it you are still going to look good in any bathing suit you might wear.

 

I would be interested in what the poster upthread thought of the exercise app. I can't imagine exercising from an app on my phone, but then I also prefer to get my exercise via sports.

 

I have to say the kid bugged me the most. I detest when these twerpy teens come on and act they have invented enviornmentalism. Most likely his grandmother reused and recycled in a month more than he has in his 16 or whatever years combined. I never use shampoos in hotels, I always bring my own. I also always use conditioners - so if he is only offering shampoos that leaves out half of the hair care products you normally get in a hotel. Many high end hotels that I have stayed in, to be enviornmentally friendly, have large shampoo, conditioner and soap dispensers built into the shower stall to save on the small one use bottles/bars. I think it is a great idea as I never take those products anyway, preferring to use my own.  And the little shampoo bombs would still have to be contained/explained somehow so I don't see the point/attraction. That said I am not surprised that Cuban gave mini -Cuban a deal. He definitely saw himself in the kid.

 

I love that Robert told Cuban he was being rude to interrupt Lori. And then I laughed out loud when Lori went out. I hate when Cuban does that - he is not negotiating in a closed room, he is on an entertainment show. I am not entertained when I cannot hear all of the sharks who want to talk - regardless of what they might say. I hate Cuban's arrogance and am glad Robert shut him up. Until the next show at least.

Edited February 22, 2016 by UsernameFatigue

[NikSac]

I downloaded the free version of Sworkit today. I have limited mobility/strength so I had my doubts I'd be able to find anything useful (and obviously I'm not their primary market), but thought I'd check it out.  I can't do the numerous floor exercises because I'd never be able to get back up, but I was happy to find a number of standing exercises. I created a 'custom' workout that includes the stretches and exercises I  could possibly do. I haven't tried it yet, but found enough that I think it'll be a decent workout. I also found someone else's saved custom workout that was specifically for exercises you could do, or adapt to do, from your desk chair.  It was good to find all that in the free version.

 

We'll see how it goes when I try the actual exercises tomorrow. I think it'll be a little weird, but I needed to find something portable just to get me started on breaks from work and this seems good. I'll report back after a bit and would be curious to hear from anyone else who tries Sworkit too.

 

(edited to shorten - too wordy)

Edited February 22, 2016 by NikSac

[LittleIggy]

I wondered about the TutuBlue material as well. I'm extremely heat sensitive and would love clothes made out of a material that kept me cool. Also, does the material repel water? When they all pranced in, I thought they were wearing pajamas!

[aradia22]

I don't care if Mark was being rude. I didn't want to listen to Laurie talk either. Jesus, woman, we don't have all day. As for sworkit, it's nice in theory but it was a bit too slick for me. I wanted to know how much they'd guide you through the exercises. Why not just use the Nike app which is free with no ads and (sort of) teaches you how to do the exercises?

 

Tutublue wasn't a bad concept but those fabrics are eyesores. I disagreed with Barbara. That cut is NOT going to be flattering for everyone. Still, it's not the worst idea. She just came to the show way too early.

 

Nohbo sounded cute, especially with him being 16, but it didn't make sense to me at all. Maybe for hotels, packaged like adorable little candies. But for your home bathroom? Wouldn't they constantly be getting wet? And there's no way they could make up for each person's individualized hair care needs and all of those companies that already exist aren't going to license whatever he was going on about.

[Jersey Guy 87]

The kid pitching the shampoo pods seemed ambitious and hooking up with Mark was great for him.  But I don't see the pods as practical - from an environmental view you still have to package them in something, most likely a plastic container or plastic bag.  Second, laundry detergent and dishwashing detergent pods make sense - there's a concept of a standardized load, using a pre-measured amount makes sense.  Shampoo is different - different people need different amounts of shampoo.  So, most likely, a lot of people will be wasting shampoo with these pods.

 

The bed thing seemed best aimed at hotels, not a home service.  We have a mattress cover, a fitted sheet, etc. - there's a good amount of stuff between us and our mattress.  Plus, getting a king-sized mattress in and out of your bedroom (probably not on the first floor), down the stairs, outside, etc. is a pain in the butt.

 

Swimsuit lady was without a clue.

 

The workout app guys seemed to have answers to the questions posed, they seem to have a plan.  Dumb name for their app, though.

[slowpoked]

Mark started out as my favorite Shark but he's fast becoming a bully, more than Mr. Wonderful. Just because he gave an awesome offer doesn't mean that he gets sole authority of speaking and deciding whether or not other sharks get to talk or the entrepreneurs decide on who to go to. I don't hate on Lori as much as others, most of the times I'm just meh with her, but I'm glad she stuck it to him and then went out anyway. I'm glad Robert also called him out about it. He's becoming a two-year old child who throws tantrums when things don't go his way. Mark, you're not the only shark there. If you want to be the only one speaking, and the only person entrepreneurs deal with, then go produce your own show. 

 

I mean, even Mr. Wonderful, with all of his nastiness, hasn't given an ultimatum that entrepreneurs have to accept his deal pronto and the moment they entertain other sharks' offers, he's out (at least that I can remember). I can actually understand if he starts resorting to this tactic because he hasn't made a deal in awhile, and most entrepreneurs just seem to gloss over him. 

[Jersey Guy 87]

Mark started out as my favorite Shark but he's fast becoming a bully, more than Mr. Wonderful. Just because he gave an awesome offer doesn't mean that he gets sole authority of speaking and deciding whether or not other sharks get to talk or the entrepreneurs decide on who to go to. I don't hate on Lori as much as others, most of the times I'm just meh with her, but I'm glad she stuck it to him and then went out anyway. I'm glad Robert also called him out about it. He's becoming a two-year old child who throws tantrums when things don't go his way. Mark, you're not the only shark there. If you want to be the only one speaking, and the only person entrepreneurs deal with, then go produce your own show. 

 

I mean, even Mr. Wonderful, with all of his nastiness, hasn't given an ultimatum that entrepreneurs have to accept his deal pronto and the moment they entertain other sharks' offers, he's out (at least that I can remember). I can actually understand if he starts resorting to this tactic because he hasn't made a deal in awhile, and most entrepreneurs just seem to gloss over him. 

 

Damon has definitely done this in the past.  And I don't think Mark was objecting to Lori taking a long-winded approach to an offer, he was objecting to her taking a long-winded approach to "I'm out."  Which is exactly what she did.

[Charlesman]

So Mark paid $1.5mil to Sworkit for 10% plus $1.5mil of advertising space. So... if the ad space is valued fairly, hypothetically he gets 10% of their company for nothing? Or did I misunderstand that deal?

[designing1]

If I'm remembering correctly, the Sworkit deal was for unsold advertising space, no dollar value specified.

[needschocolate]

Sworkit seems like a great idea, but I thought their valuation was pretty steep.

 

Mattress guy would make more money if, instead of a huge expensive mattress cleaning machine, he invented a mattress pad that would block stains and you could wash it in a regular washing machine...Oh wait, they already have those.  The one on my bed works great.  Although, I suppose a mattress pad wouldn't help with bed bugs.  Did the mattress guy specifically say it would get rid of bed bugs?

 

I think the shampoo kid has a good idea but I think he should get away from the saving the planet angle and focus on the travel market instead.  I recycle my empty shampoo bottles, but I am pretty sure I would throw the pod wrapper in the trash.  More specifically, since I would be opening the pods while already in the shower, I would probably end up piling up a bunch of them on the soap tray and they would eventually end up on the shower floor and make a mess.  The pods are too cumbersome for home use.  Plus, as others have mentioned, different people use different amounts of shampoo.  I think it would be a much wiser idea to make the shampoo balls much smaller, like the size of those Dippin' Dots ice cream BBs they used to sell at amusement parks.  Put those into a bottle and people could take them on airplanes.

 

There are a lot of reasons why those swimsuits aren't going to sell, most of which have already been mentioned.  I think her best bet is to make it mostly flesh colored except "paint" a bikini on it - make it look (from a distance) that someone is wearing a swimsuit.  Then, hope it becomes the next Snuggie.  Her patterns seemed very 1980's too me - all they needed were head bands and "Let's Get Physical" on in the background.  

[Amarsir]

So Mark paid $1.5mil to Sworkit for 10% plus $1.5mil of advertising space. So... if the ad space is valued fairly, hypothetically he gets 10% of their company for nothing? Or did I misunderstand that deal?

It was a very clever deal. I had a finance professor in college who LOVED that kind of insightful financing areangements.

Mark's deal is for unsold ad space.

If the app does well, ad space gets sold out. He gets nothing for free but owns 10% of a successful app for $1.5 million.

If the app falters, Mark gets free ad space up to $1.5 million. That gets him his money's worth on the investment, but only happened because they're not generating ad sales.

So the ad space was less a free reward and more of a guarantee. And it's a guarantee that costs the company nothing since unsold ad space just goes wasted anyway. Compare that to the other things Sharks do for security, like royalties, debt structure, or just greater equity. This was a win/win and very smart of him to see.

[ae2]

Mattress guy would make more money if, instead of a huge expensive mattress cleaning machine, he invented a mattress pad that would block stains and you could wash it in a regular washing machine...Oh wait, they already have those.  The one on my bed works great.  Although, I suppose a mattress pad wouldn't help with bed bugs.  Did the mattress guy specifically say it would get rid of bed bugs?

 

There are mattress protectors that claim they help with bed bugs. They zip up to enclose the entire mattress.

[nutella fitzgerald]

I sadly knew exactly who she was. I didn't even need her to be identified. She also reminded me more than a little of June Diane Raphael from Grace and Frankie and How Did This Get Made.

"What, exactly, is a valuation?"

ELI5: When Little Cuban addressed Barbara's concern about the packaging looking like candy, he mentioned plans for a plant-based plastic packaging. Could liquid shampoo itself not be stored in containers made of said earth-friendly plastic?

[UsernameFatigue]

Damon has definitely done this in the past.  And I don't think Mark was objecting to Lori taking a long-winded approach to an offer, he was objecting to her taking a long-winded approach to "I'm out."  Which is exactly what she did.

 

But Cuban didn't know she was going to go out - which was why I was glad that she did. In another recent show Mark was dismissive of a question Lori asked a pitcher and cut her off with his own question, not letting the pitchers answer her. I find Cuban to be an arrogant bully and would take Kevin over him any day. He also never plays along when pitchers ask the dragons to wear something they may have brought. Kevin has a sense of humour about himself - Mark has none. It is like he has a perpetual stick up his butt. And yes, both he and Daymond often tell pitchers that they much accept their offer right away regardless of whether others have had a chance to talk or not. It ticks me off. Until they change the name of the show to The Mark Cuban Show, STFU Mark.

[LeGrandElephant]

I could see those swimsuits maybe catching on in LA. The pants look just like yoga pants that are already popular - I wonder if the material is about the same? If it really does keep you cool, they could build a reasonable niche with the fitness crowd in LA. There are enough people who are in good enough shape to look good in them and health conscious enough to be worried about sun exposure when jogging, swimming, and doing yoga on the beach, and it's usually very sunny.

The real question is how can it keep you cooler than wearing much less? I feel like it would feel sweaty and hot and gross if you're exerting yourself out in the sun.

I've read that cover-up bathing suits are a big deal for kids in Australia, with the ozone hole issues. Do adults also wear this kind of thing there? I think there is a market, if not a huge one. The bigger issue seemed to be that the woman had no idea what she was doing.

As for the comparison to wetsuits, I assume these are thinner and more like yoga pants than like a wetsuit. They don't really seem similar to me at all. Wetsuits are a thick rubbery material and a pain to get on and off. These just looked like cloth that is used to make athletic wear already.

Google full body swimsuit and it looks like this stuff already exists. So her mission is to make it seem hip in Laguna Beach.

Edited March 4, 2016 by LeGrandElephant