Past Seasons Talk: Previously on Shark Tank

[psychoticstate]

I had a cat that suffered with megacolon and had major surgery, removing about 90% of his colon. The vet specialist that treated him told me to feed him a natural foods diet - - pretty much what the Shark Tank vet is encouraging.

I checked out Dr. Broderick's website and sent a message, asking questions as I currently have a dog that is on prescription food that I'm "iffy" about. The doctor called me personally and spoke with me about my dog's medical history and my concerns. I found him credible and ordered some of his food and supplements. I'll report back with my opinions after we give the goods a try.

[cooksdelight]

I wish the best for your pet, and I hope that his supplements work for you. I didn't mean to sound so negative earlier, but he really didn't come across as credible, to me personally. I recently lost a beloved cat to liver disease and I know the emotional upheaval people go through when their fur babies are ill.

[psychoticstate]

No hard feelings, cooksdelight! There are a lot of crooks out there. I'm sorry about your precious furbaby. I have lost three cats over the years, including the one I mentioned above, and it's like losing a member of the family. ((Hugs))

[NikSac]

Psychoticstate I wish the best for you and your furry one!  I spent a freaking-insane-amount-of-money on dog food, treat, nutrients, and options when my girl was sick. I don't regret it as I think it gave us another year together, but it's a hard decision.  I'm glad Dr. Broderick was so responsive to you and look forward to hearing how it goes for your pet. When these people present their products I always wonder if they have enough time to really show the good side.

Edited March 1, 2015 by NikSac

[nobodyyoucare]

Curiosity finally drove me to try a "glass" of Copa di Vino.  Wow!  It really is like drinking urine.  I got the Moscato, and there's not even a hint of sweet.  It's like a really dry Chardonnay ... after passing through someone's liver.  It's very difficult to imagine this novelty item ever getting repeat business.  It's about 6 ounces of liquid total, and I've barely been able to finish 1.

Kevin who supports cheap boxed wine sales couldn't stomach Copa di Vino. He was interested in the container aspect but didnt want to support the guy's winery in which he only wanted his wine in it. Mind you anyone told they are drinking a 3000 or more bottle of wine will swear it is good but in blind taste tests a number of expensive wines taste worse then two buck chuck. 

 

He's a quack. He couldn't support any claims with any type of research or reports. He's selling an herbal food that he says keeps pets alive longer and can keep them from getting cancer. Robert asked him why he's not presenting his findings at major medical centers to help people....and he just stood there with his mouth open, saying he wants to help animals that he treats at his vet clinic.

He claimed he had cats routinely live to 30 or something when such cats would be world record holders. I think I read a message board one time that said his product actually killed animals. 

 

Toygaroo was a flop (and by Cuban's own estimation, the worst investment he'd ever made) simply because she was more interested in being on TV than running the business.  Cuban's been very blunt about it.

According to Cuban it was also the two other people who had equity. He loved the idea and so did his kids and if they all together worked on the business Cuban thought it would have been successful. 

[cooksdelight]

I finally got to see "I Want To Draw A Cat For You" guy. What a hoot! Seeing him do his little dance with Mark made me laugh. Then he was followed up by the guy who thought he was the world's greatest salesman. Please. He was a blowhard buffoon.

Then came Las Vegas Magic Guy. I liked that he burned Kevin's ass. Does anyone know if he ever made it?

There wasn't a dry in my house or anywhere else when the Invis-A-Rack inventor made his pitch. Once Robert lost it, so did I. He didn't get a shark deal, but he did get a manufacturer in Iowa to make it in the U.S. so I'm happy it worked out for him in the long run. I live in a small town in N.C., both my parents worked in textile factories. My father's company switched from textiles to brake manufacturing, because they had to. Textiles were going away. My heart really ached when he was telling his story.

[Skittl1321]

 

I'd never have expected much of Ava the Elephant, but Tiffany Krumins and Barbara have turned that into an entire line of products which are made in the United States.

It kind of makes me sad that something like Ava the Elephant would never get a deal now. They'd be told "you are a product, not a business"  or "it's just too early".

 

I think they need new sharks, just because these ones have SO many businesses that they have to be hands on with- their standards have to be so much higher now.

[psychoticstate]

I finally got to see "I Want To Draw A Cat For You" guy. What a hoot! Seeing him do his little dance with Mark made me laugh. Then he was followed up by the guy who thought he was the world's greatest salesman. Please. He was a blowhard buffoon.

Then came Las Vegas Magic Guy. I liked that he burned Kevin's ass. Does anyone know if he ever made it?

There wasn't a dry in my house or anywhere else when the Invis-A-Rack inventor made his pitch. Once Robert lost it, so did I. He didn't get a shark deal, but he did get a manufacturer in Iowa to make it in the U.S. so I'm happy it worked out for him in the long run. I live in a small town in N.C., both my parents worked in textile factories. My father's company switched from textiles to brake manufacturing, because they had to. Textiles were going away. My heart really ached when he was telling his story.

 

 

It kind of makes me sad that something like Ava the Elephant would never get a deal now. They'd be told "you are a product, not a business"  or "it's just too early".

 

I think they need new sharks, just because these ones have SO many businesses that they have to be hands on with- their standards have to be so much higher now.

 

Re: I Want to Draw a Cat For You.  I saw an update on him before seeing the original episode and I just didn't get it.  The original epi had me laughing because that guy was hilarious.  I do wonder what Barbara and Daymond were going to offer before Mark swooped in because they both clearly were ready.  Anyhow, if he doesn't do it already, Mr. Cat definitely should be drawing custom made to order greeting cards.

 

I was teary too, cooks!  Robert's voice breaking and his emotion . . . sheesh.  I'm glad the entrepreneur got a US distributor.  I was worried for him when he didn't get a deal.  I did understand what the sharks were saying - - sometimes you have to make that sacrifice and go overseas in the beginning to grow your company and provide more jobs.  And he was stubborn, which could be a negative aspect if you were to partner with him. 

 

Re Ava the Elephant - - Sometimes it's the simplest idea . . .  I too have been confused when the sharks say something about it being a product and not a business.  Coca Cola started out as a simple product, just one product, and now look at them.  If the sharks can't invest in single products because they are too small, then such entrepreneurs shouldn't be allowed in the Tank or they need to start rotating the sharks with guest sharks who can and will invest in single products.

[Lola16]

He's a quack. He couldn't support any claims with any type of research or reports. He's selling an herbal food that he says keeps pets alive longer and can keep them from getting cancer. Robert asked him why he's not presenting his findings at major medical centers to help people....and he just stood there with his mouth open, saying he wants to help animals that he treats at his vet clinic.

I saw this on CNBC recently.  I didn't think he was a quack but a little out there.  Besides all the fillers that are in pet foods, there have been many recalls due to unsafe dry food and chew toys - many of them from China where they mix unsafe chemicals and byproducts into pet and people food. 

 

During my kitchen renovation, I sent my 2 healthy persians to my mom's for 3 months. She spoiled them.  No longer did they get the ucky tasting Hill's Science Diet CD and KD food but she was giving them Fancy Feast and tons of treats.  My persian boy was lethargic so I brought them into the vets.  He was in liver failure.  I had the girl tested and she was in kidney failure.  They had a clean bill of health 6 months prior.  The vet said it was most likely the food from China.  He had seen many dogs come in in renal failure.  I googled it and it was widespread.  My little girl made it only 4 more months - she was hospitalized a few times, on IVs at home, she got shots, pills, powders - everything.  I had to have a spreadsheet to track her med schedule.  I was heartbroken.  My little boy miraculously turned around after 6 months of intensive treatments.  He lived another 3 years before succumbing to complications due to renal failure. 

 

So while I don't think his food and supplements can cure cancer and I don't think they will prevent most cancers --- I do believe they will prevent illnesses caused by unsafe and unhealthy food.

 

I don't think they pitched it well.

 

His daughter though, she was fascinating.  I want to set her up with Charles Pol, the son of the country vet Dr. Jan Pol on Animal Planet.

[cooksdelight]

I am watching the rerun which had the bobblehead guy. What an ass. Robert offered him more than he was originally asking for and he didn't take it. He was there for the PR and nothing more.

The pee-golf club thing was a riot in a weird sort of way. Kevin H. got 75% of that.

[Lola16]

 

The pee-golf club thing was a riot in a weird sort of way. Kevin H. got 75% of that.

I didn't mind Kevin H.  I like how he made deals that were smart for him.  He bought inventory is what he did with that move.  And the doc got to recoup a little cash.

[nobodyyoucare]

".  I too have been confused when the sharks say something about it being a product and not a business"

 

There is a huge difference between a product and a company that sells the product and or products.   When they say it is not a business they mean any other company could add this to their line or make a competing product that would put the original out to pasture.  That the product will not grow or expand to be a company that the patents etc should just be sold to a company so they handle production and distribution etc since that business has the resources. 

 

Ava the Elephant also has a thermometer sticker and there can be other products devised around the theme. So Barbara could see Ava the Elephant being a business from what Tiffany the inventor was saying and not just another product. 

 

You have to remember the sharks are business people and business people use terminology and phrases that regular people don't use or that have a different meaning. 

 

http://www.cnbc.com/id/101766778 the inventor of ava talks about her shark tank experience and what it is like working with Barbara. 

 

"In the tank, Kevin O' Leary said this was just an idea and not a business. How have you built up your product into becoming a large and successful business?

He was right in saying it was just a product at that time. Knowing what I know now I can see why he wasn't interested in that part of the process. Although everyone loved the idea of Ava, to become a successful business, there was a lot of work to be done."

Edited March 6, 2015 by nobodyyoucare

[starri]

From the episode 21 thread:

 

 

 

Eh, I'm on the fence, because I like Robert and this quote from the entrepreneur made me give her virtual stink-eye.

Cummins points to her bare ring finger as we are talking, and tells me, "I really wanted a ring, but we took the money my fiance had saved for it and put it into the company."

Why the stink eye?  She wanted to put money into her business, and she felt like that whatever money the fiance had saved was put to better use than for some bauble that's really only to show off.

 

...said the man wearing the $15 titanium wedding band.

[Guest]

".  I too have been confused when the sharks say something about it being a product and not a business"

 

There is a huge difference between a product and a company that sells the product and or products.   ...

You have to remember the sharks are business people and business people use terminology and phrases that regular people don't use or that have a different meaning. 

...

I have a couple finance degrees and have worked in equity valuation for 20 years and I've never heard that outside of Shark Tank.  I too don't know what they mean when they say it, except that they seem to mean "you're too small for me to bother with... one product, one inventor, no staff, too early."  

[nobodyyoucare]

I have a couple finance degrees and have worked in equity valuation for 20 years and I've never heard that outside of Shark Tank.  I too don't know what they mean when they say it, except that they seem to mean "you're too small for me to bother with... one product, one inventor, no staff, too early."  

I understood exactly what they mean. A product is not a business when it hasn't established itself, built it self up to take off etc. In other words a ton of work has to be done and probably not worth the effort so license the product to an actual business and just wait for the check.

 

http://www.businessinsider.com/the-difference-that-makes-all-the-difference-2011-6 

[Guest]

I agree, Mark is too important to peddle a product.  He wants a slice of a big pie.  Most of the ST products that have done well have been just a product.  Lori's portfolio is full of them.  

[nobodyyoucare]

I agree, Mark is too important to peddle a product.  He wants a slice of a big pie.  Most of the ST products that have done well have been just a product.  Lori's portfolio is full of them.  

Lori is queen of qvc. So she just puts the product on qvc and other shopping outlets. So she has other businesses sell the product and do the work. 

[trimthatfat]

I understood exactly what they mean. A product is not a business when it hasn't established itself, built it self up to take off etc. In other words a ton of work has to be done and probably not worth the effort so license the product to an actual business and just wait for the check.

 

http://www.businessinsider.com/the-difference-that-makes-all-the-difference-2011-6 

I understood as well. In the end, you can have a great idea for a product - doesn't mean you can build a business/customers for it.

[bilgistic]

From the episode 21 thread:

Why the stink eye? She wanted to put money into her business, and she felt like that whatever money the fiance had saved was put to better use than for some bauble that's really only to show off.

...said the man wearing the $15 titanium wedding band.

I gave her the stink-eye because she was whining about not having a ring. She wasn't proud of it. It seemed like she and her fiance built a great business together, but she'd rather have jewelry. Gross, and way to be a stereotype.

[starri]

I gave her the stink-eye because she was whining about not having a ring. She wasn't proud of it. It seemed like she and her fiance built a great business together, but she'd rather have jewelry. Gross, and way to be a stereotype.

That's really not the way I read it, but okay.

 

The takeaway, no matter how she does or doesn't feel about an engagement ring, it that Robert still screwed her over.

Edited March 21, 2015 by starri

[cooksdelight]

There's a mini-marathon on CNBC today. I just watched the coffee/attorney people. They define arrogance. And the woman prompting her husband what to say was embarrassing. I've never seen anyone talk back to the sharks like that.

[silverspoons]

GrooveBook was just acquired by Shutterfly for $14.5 million:

 

https://gma.yahoo.com/shark-tank-success-story-groovebook-snapped-shutterfly-14-134527085--abc-news-personal-finance.html

Grovebook was the one item from shark tank I "bought" right after I saw it on tv. In fact I did not have an iphone because I have trouble using the touchscreen so my husband got me an iphone with an attachable keyboard because I loved grovebook. We have so many older family members that don't use phones or social media so for $2.99 this was perfect for us. It was the answer to my hours of time I had spent making small photo books for Christmas, birthday and grandparents day gifts.

 

The sale to shutterfly has been horrible. The app is just plain bad and the quality is bad and the turn around time is now triple what it used to be. Now I have the older family members asking where the latest grovebook is. The owners/sharks made great money selling it but the product is no longer what they created.

[LeGrandElephant]

I agree, I hoped it it would get better when Shutterly bought it, but instead the app has stayed just as buggy and badly designed, and the processing and shipping time has gotten longer and longer.

[Jamoche]

Kookn Kap: $10 for a mob cap, something you can find for $3 all over the place - or make for maybe 50 cents of fabric and elastic. And only one of them came close to recognizing it, with a quip about it being what somebody's grandmother would wear.

[HoosierJen]

Groovebook is the only Shark Tank item I've ever purchased and I loved it! My parents don't have iPhones, so it was a great way for me to snap pictures at family events and have the books printed for them. The books came quickly, and I was pleased with the quality -- until December. At first, I blamed the holidays for the delay, but since then the books have taken longer and longer each month, and the quality of the prints has decreased. I canceled my subscription yesterday, and I feel bad for recommending the books to so many of my friends and co-workers.

[Jamoche]

On the CNBC return for Chill soda, this cracked me up:

 

Sharks: How many cans of soda have you sold?

Soda guy: 250

Sharks *stunned*: ... what?

Soda guy: ... ?

Sharks: ... and you made how much money on 250 cans?

Soda guy: Oops. 250 thousand

 

Can't blame the Sharks, it wouldn't be the first time someone who'd barely started out got on the show.

[nobodyyoucare]

On the CNBC return for Chill soda, this cracked me up:

 

Sharks: How many cans of soda have you sold?

Soda guy: 250

Sharks *stunned*: ... what?

Soda guy: ... ?

Sharks: ... and you made how much money on 250 cans?

Soda guy: Oops. 250 thousand

 

Can't blame the Sharks, it wouldn't be the first time someone who'd barely started out got on the show.

Well usually you do want to say thousands, millions, purchase orders, letters of intent etc. Helps to clarify and strengthen your position when seeking investment. 

[cooksdelight]

I am just seeing Coolwazoo lady for the first time. Never have I seen someone cry their way back into a deal. All the sharks were out, she started bawling and talking about how many hours a day she's worked to go through her husband's $96,000... and Lori offers her a deal.

[cooksdelight]

Followed by having to sit through the Plate Topper guy who wanted a bidding war. OMG.... clueless.... and again, Lori offered him a deal.

[Eolivet]

Watching a season 3 episode -- Five Dollar Furniture, Painted Pretzel, some guy with a watch that transmitted ions that Mark called a scam, and ReaderRest.

 

I didn't start watching until season 4, but wow...the Sharks seem so much...happier? Relaxed? Natural I think is the word. Mark is smiling more, there's more intrashark banter, it feels less produced. Less polished, but in a good way. They haven't really grown into their "characters" yet -- they're just like real people interacting.

 

Mark told Kevin if he did a deal that was bad financially, he was going to go to his house and beat him up. Yet, it didn't feel like a planned "Mark hates Kevin" moment -- just an off-the-cuff comment. Kevin and Lori tried partnered on a deal, which would never happen now because of the "Everyone hates Kevin" narrative.

 

And wow, people offering 25% equity at baseline. Deals being made for 65% equity. None of this "5% equity" nonsense.

 

I'm happy the show got popular because that means it's still on the air, but I feel like it's lost something that it clearly once had. Like I'm seeing the struggling entrepeneur version of Shark Tank that led to the millionaire verison of Shark Tank.

[gameoff]

I haven't read through the thread yet (although I searched for 'rat' to see if this subject was already talked about) because I don't want to spoil myself on shows I haven't seen.  The reruns of this show on CNBC in the evening have become my go-to show to watch at night.  I ignored it all 6 seasons it was on in prime time before now.  I didn't think I would be interested in it and boy, was  I wrong.  I really enjoy this show.

 

It's possible that Robert being on Dancing with the Stars is what made me decide to check out Shark Tank but I'm not entirely sure if that was my thought process.  Maybe it just happened.  Funny enough, I never watched DWTS either until this past year with the exception of a few minutes of an episode here and there.

 

Anyway ... what I came to the forum to say is I'm watching episode 7 of season 4 which is the one with the dog ice cream.  I was watching as Robert lured the little rat terrier over so he could pet him and thinking 'Awww.'  That "Awww" went to "Oh my God, that's not good" when RH picked the dog up and the poor thing started to turn circles in his arms which ultimately led to the dog escaping/being dropped and Robert looking horrified, along with the owners.  The dog seems to be okay luckily, and I must admit that the shenanigans had me laughing and I had to rewind a time or two.

 

And Boo! to Mr. Wonderful for bringing up that the 14 year old dog might not be around to be the face of the company in a few years. 

[Extremelee]

I am looking for which product and episode in which the person rejects all the sharks offers and then starts leaving the tank when at the last second, one of the sharks makes a final offer which is then accepted.

 

I am NOT referring to the Billy Blanks JR episode where Daymond runs after him after he rejects the offer.

 

This was another episode and for the life of me, I cannot recall.

 

Please, if someone can let me know.  It is driving me crazy.  Thanks.

Edited August 21, 2015 by Extremelee

[Whimsy]

I haven't read through the thread yet (although I searched for 'rat' to see if this subject was already talked about) because I don't want to spoil myself on shows I haven't seen.  The reruns of this show on CNBC in the evening have become my go-to show to watch at night.  I ignored it all 6 seasons it was on in prime time before now.  I didn't think I would be interested in it and boy, was  I wrong.  I really enjoy this show.

 

It's possible that Robert being on Dancing with the Stars is what made me decide to check out Shark Tank but I'm not entirely sure if that was my thought process.  Maybe it just happened.  Funny enough, I never watched DWTS either until this past year with the exception of a few minutes of an episode here and there.

 

Anyway ... what I came to the forum to say is I'm watching episode 7 of season 4 which is the one with the dog ice cream.  I was watching as Robert lured the little rat terrier over so he could pet him and thinking 'Awww.'  That "Awww" went to "Oh my God, that's not good" when RH picked the dog up and the poor thing started to turn circles in his arms which ultimately led to the dog escaping/being dropped and Robert looking horrified, along with the owners.  The dog seems to be okay luckily, and I must admit that the shenanigans had me laughing and I had to rewind a time or two.

 

And Boo! to Mr. Wonderful for bringing up that the 14 year old dog might not be around to be the face of the company in a few years. 

This was me, too. My husband's been watching ST for a little while and keeps saying how addicted he is.  I finally decided to put the show on my SeasonPass so I've been watching them way out of order and jumbled all around.  I always look at when it first aired to give me context.  It's funny because I don't think I've seen anything coming out of this show that's become a big name, but I do know that many have been successful. 

 

I also gasped when that poor puppy went flying out of Robert's arms.  I think it's sweet how much he loves dogs, but he should know to kind of feel the dogs out.  What if one bit him?

[Jamoche]

CNBC rerun: Freaker. That's the product name. It could describe the hipster-hippie-stoner-"entrepreneur" too. The product is bottle sleeves. If this had been filmed on April 1st, I'd swear the production team was pranking the Sharks.

[Jamoche]

I've noticed on the CNBC reruns that they've changed the "if they don't get a deal, they walk away with nothing" intro, which we've mocked here before, to something along the lines of "the Sharks will make offers and even fight each other for a deal", even on the episodes that I remember seeing with the old intro.

[Amarsir]

On 9/8/2016 at 8:35 PM, Jamoche said:

I've noticed on the CNBC reruns that they've changed the "if they don't get a deal, they walk away with nothing" intro, which we've mocked here before, to something along the lines of "the Sharks will make offers and even fight each other for a deal", even on the episodes that I remember seeing with the old intro.

That's interesting. I wonder what would prompt them to do that? Even if they feel it's more accurate, why go through the trouble of making the change?

[walterwho]

If anyone remember Coffee Meets Bagel, I just saw they have reached $150M in net worth on geeksaroundglobe https://geeksaroundglobe.com/coffee-meets-bagel-net-worth/. They appeared on Season 6 as I remembered and not a single shark was interested in their pitch and look at where are they now 🫢! This is truly something for me. Idk why sharks was not interested in online dating back in 2015. I mean If they did imagine where are they now on 2024.