S09.E22: GUNNAR Optiks, Avocaderia, SolSource, Sunniva

[SnarkyTart]

Quote

An entrepreneur from San Clemente, Cal. familiarizes the Sharks with his eyewear design engineered to eliminate digital eyestain and block harmful rays; an entrepreneur from New York City introduces the world to the first avocado bar that serves healthy fast food; an entrepreneur from Burlingame, Cal., shows the Sharks that they can cook anywhere under the sun with her portable solar invention; and a trio of brothers from Arlington, Va., present their all-natural super beverage.

[madpsych78]

Very, VERY surprised that Mark took that deal with the solar lady considering that was quite a bit of money for the 4% equity. If this had been Mr. Wonderful he would have told her that he doesn't get up for anything less than 10%. I think it was all about wanting to beat Elon Musk.

I really liked the Italian guy but I totally get what some of the sharks were saying about how it was everything avocado and that might be too much for people who don't love avocado.

[RHJunkie]

I got what Barbara was saying about the solar lady's presentation. She did seem really robotic and her 'pleasant face' seemed too forced that it came across a bit creepy. I do commend her work and the inspiration behind the creation. Really surprised that Mark made the deal so quick at such a small percentage. 

As someone who loves avocados, I ain't mad about an avocado restaurant. I can put it on anything and never tired of it. The food looked very delicious as well. It was nice to see the thought put behind the presentation in the food as well. 

Really surprised they ended the episode with a pitch that landed with no deal. Maybe I don't pay enough attention so maybe they do it quite often but for some reason it struck me this time - I guess because I thought that one of the sharks would have ended up talking themselves into offering a deal. 

[aemom]

I agree with some of the sharks about avocado being a one trick pony. I also think that avocados are very trendy right now, but in 2 years, 5 years? I eat half an avocado every day in my salad. Do I like it? Not really, but I eat it because it's good for me. I would never set foot in a restaurant that would have me eat more of them. I disagree with Barbara - not everyone likes avocado.

I was also shocked that Mark went in with the sun BBQ lady. I'll bet that one falls through as I also think that Lori's deal with the glasses guy won't pass either.

I was also surprised that they ended the show without a deal for the coffee brothers.

[retrograde]

The avocado place always seems busy any time I go past, although I've never gone in. It's in a big hipster office/manufacturing complex that's otherwise kinda isolated, so it probably does pretty well with workers buying breakfast and lunch there regularly (although the whole place is pretty quiet on weekends). Not sure how well it will do outside of Industry City, though. Trendy food halls haven't actually proven to be that profitable and New York rents for actual storefronts are sky-high (especially in the kind of areas that will support an all-avocado eatery). 

I'm Australian so I grew up eating avocado toast and will die eating avocado toast, but I do think it's maybe going to be more of a short trend in the US, especially NYC, which is very quick to jump from food fad to food fad. 

[SnarkyTart]

I could happily eat an avocado dish every day.  All the Avocaderia's meal recipes looked delicious and their presentation was beautiful.

But I looked up Avocaderia's website and it states: "We only use avocados from Mexico, all year round".  No thanks. I only buy California-grown avocados, because Mexican-grown avocados have an inferior taste and texture.  If that weren't enough, the Mexican avocado industry is controlled by drug cartels in every link of the supply chain. http://lmgtfy.com/?q=mexican+avocado+cartel

[seacliffsal]

I thought that the solar grill woman had tunnel vision while Mark saw all of the potential.  I wouldn't be surprised if she ended up being pushed out or primarily in research and development.  Also, there's been an ad on t.v. for quite a while now where there are people using a solar device to pop popcorn in the desert, so I don't think she's the only company that is focused on this type of venture.  I also thought it was wildly over valued.  However, Mark is pretty shrewd and he'll back out during due diligence if all is not as it appears.

I noticed that the Italian avocado guy didn't have as strong of an accent after he left the Shark Tank and was being interviewed.  Things that make you go hmmmm...

Coffee brothers were also vastly overpriced.  Geesch, not every IDEA is worth over a million dollars in valuation.  It used to bother me when most presenters had a million dollar valuation; this season it seems like everything is "worth" over five million dollars when there has only been about $10,000 in sales.

[vinnieprice]

I am surprised Lori went through with the deal for the Gunnar glasses. Maybe she's thinking she can make them into QVC-demo-friendly "vision helpers". I kept thinking of the old Blu Blockers commercials that aired nonstop on cable tv back in the day. If I were her when the guy was like 2.5% I would have been insulted and told him to shove off.

[chocolatine]

I love avocado, but I won't buy the overpriced food from Avocaderia. I went on their website to check their menu, and the cheapest item is the most basic avocado toast for $7. I can make one at home for a fraction of the price, thank you very much. The price goes up quite a bit if you want additional toppings - adding smoked salmon will set you back $12.

[Whimsy]

2 hours ago, seacliffsal said:

I thought that the solar grill woman had tunnel vision while Mark saw all of the potential.  I wouldn't be surprised if she ended up being pushed out or primarily in research and development. 

This is exactly what I was thinking.  Everyone else was admonishing her for not using her tech for something GREATER when Mark realized he could get in on the ground floor and help make it greater.

[Gregg247]

The solar lady had such a great idea that I was screaming at the TV to please let me invest!  Seriously, as soon as she started talking about the biological solution to the solar battery, I was All-In on her company.  I thought this was going to be one of those deals where all 5 Sharks would join forces, so I was really surprised when they all started dropping out, one after another.  Thank goodness Mark saw the potential here.  If that battery she's developing works even only half as well as she thinks, it could be a world-wide game changer for energy production and usage.  Very exciting.

I figured Barbara would go for the avacado restaurant.  She's had good luck with the grilled cheese sandwich/tomato soup restaurant chain and the cousins-with-a-lobster-food-truck company.  This one is right up her alley.

The sunglasses company that protects your eyes from computer screens makes sense, but I have a possibly stupid question:  Why not skip the glasses and simply make a screen that's made out of the same material that attaches to your computer?  That seems much more convenient.

[bilgistic]

Those kind of computer glasses have been in the market for years, so Robert was right: why isn't his whole office using them? That guy was just there for publicity. And I thought about BluBlockers as well. It's essentially the same "technology".

Also, you can turn down the blue light (and increase the red) on any modern screen now. I use a red light filter on my phone at night under the guise that it makes me use it less (ha) because it's not keeping me as alert and awake.

I don't have an issue with Avocadaria (sp?), though I wouldn't pay $7 for a piece of toast ($5, maybe). I once had chocolate gelato made with avocado and it was damn delicious. The avocado provided the fat and made it creamy instead of dairy. For the Sharks knocking the concept, how is it different than a restaurant based on salad? Or coffee, for that matter?

I don't quite understand the solar grill, but I'm all for technology that is less impactful on the environment.

I was glad to see the absence of Kevin on the panel and BOTH women there!

Edited February 13, 2018 by bilgistic

[Amarsir]

4 hours ago, Gregg247 said:

The solar lady had such a great idea that I was screaming at the TV to please let me invest!  Seriously, as soon as she started talking about the biological solution to the solar battery, I was All-In on her company. 

Can you explain it to me then? Solar cookers are literally centuries old, so clearly the only new thing here was this battery-type-thing she briefly mentioned. But I really had no idea what she was getting at.

[theatremouse]

As they were cutting away at the end Mark said something like "it's not every day you get a pitch in the tank that could potentially be worth billions". He seemed to be saying, if it pans out it'll be way way way worth it that the risk to him was negligible.

[cooksdelight]

I haven’t watched my recording yet.... but did anyone mention that if you eat too much avocado, you’ll get the runs? LOL

[roctavia]

7 hours ago, bilgistic said:

Those kind of computer glasses have been in the market for years, so Robert was right: why isn't his whole office using them? That guy was just there for publicity. And I thought about BluBlockers as well. It's essentially the same "technology".

Also, you can turn down the blue light (and increase the red) on any modern screen now. I use a red light filter on my phone at night under the guise that it makes me use it less (ha) because it's not keeping me as alert and awake.

 

Iphones now have a 'night shift' setting that basically yellows the screen, so I'm assuming it's doing the exact same thing. 

[Jennlee]

The Avocado place made me chuckle because several of their options were toast with avocado (and other stuff) on it, and there's an avocado toast meme going around recently (Millennials would have money if they'd only stop buying stuff like avocado toast).

http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/avocado-toast

I have had a pair of the Gunnar glasses for several years now and like them - I have really dry eyes and work on a computer all day and these do help, and they seem to be good quality.  I was surprised to see a company that I know in the Tank.  I would think Robert's people would use them, but most of them are probably young and don't feel the affects of screen use as much yet, or just don't want to bother with something like that, or don't know about it.  Anyway, I think they work and do recommend.

[SnarkyTart]

5 hours ago, Jennlee said:

I have had a pair of the Gunnar glasses for several years now and like them - I have really dry eyes and work on a computer all day and these do help, and they seem to be good quality. 

I've had a pair of blue light blocking computer glasses for a few years too, though mine aren't made by Gunnar, and only cost me nine bucks on amazon.  I got them because I have major issues with insomnia, combined with spending too much time on the computer in the latenight hours before bedtime.  There's a lot of credible research showing that exposure to blue light in the hours before bedtime disrupts the  circadian rhythm and can contribute significantly to insomnia.  I can say that these have helped me more than anything I've tried, and likewise have helped other insomniacs to whom I've recommended them

But, as far as I can tell, Gunnar doesn't have anything patentable and there are a lot of similar products readily available for a LOT less cost.

[bilgistic]

3 hours ago, SnarkyTart said:

But, as far as I can tell, Gunnar doesn't have anything patentable and there are a lot of similar products readily available for a LOT less cost.

This is yet another way how the Sharks are inconsistent. They often hammer people on that point--how "anyone" can rip off the inventor's idea. They just pick and choose to whom they say that.

[nottopbravo]

I'm surprised no one addressed the elephant in the room re: the Gunnar glasses:  What if you already wear glasses?  Also, this was the first product I've seen on Shark Tank that I was familiar with.  Someone I know has them and wears them just for gaming.  I'm not in that demographic.

Something must have be edited in the Solar pitch for Mark to jump on it so quickly.  

[sasha206]

Does Lori wear a wig?  Her hair looks a little too Kim Zolciak.

Man, the Super Coffee kids are probably going to take a hit on their sales with nearly all of the Sharks commenting on the after taste.  

[bilgistic]

1 hour ago, sasha206 said:

Does Lori wear a wig?  Her hair looks a little too Kim Zolciak.

I would guess it's a "halo" hair extension. She's definitely got some extra something going on, which is fine, but with all that money, you'd think she could get something that looks more natural.

[Gregg247]

On 2/13/2018 at 5:38 PM, Amarsir said:

Can you explain it to me then? Solar cookers are literally centuries old, so clearly the only new thing here was this battery-type-thing she briefly mentioned. But I really had no idea what she was getting at.

The problem with solar power has always been that you must "use it or lose it".  It works great in the daytime, but at night you run out of power very quickly.  This is because we just can't charge batteries with it well enough to make enough of a difference for large-scale power production.  The grill lady was talking about a new form of battery that would store solar power much the way that plants do, hence the biological solution.  Plants soak in sunlight and use it for photosynthesis and can (somehow) store this energy long-term.  If she's able to reproduce this even a little in a battery, we could conceivably have a way of powering cities cleanly and efficiently on a large scale.  It could turn the world-wide energy industry on its head.

Having said that, I have no idea if this thing she's come up with could work.  Its just that after umpteen companies on the show selling a better energy drink, a new pot scrubber, or  some clothing subscription service, I'm happy to see someone with a really BIG idea and some credentials that seem to back it up. 

I'm simply a sucker for this kind of big-thinking technology.  I'd love to own a hydrogen-powered car, for example.  I once invested most of my money in a penny stock company that made "air-conditioned clothing". LOL

[sasha206]

13 hours ago, bilgistic said:

I would guess it's a "halo" hair extension. She's definitely got some extra something going on, which is fine, but with all that money, you'd think she could get something that looks more natural.

I don't even think the front of the hair looks natural. In pic it looks like her natural hair is popping out at the top a little.  

 

[cooksdelight]

Lori has that same line Kim does, a few inches back from the ront.

God, that’s Kim’s former face.... almost didn’t recognize her.

[sadiegirl]

1 hour ago, cooksdelight said:

Lori has that same line Kim does, a few inches back from the ront.

God, that’s Kim’s former face.... almost didn’t recognize her.

Seriously, Kim who?  I can't recognize that face at all.  Am I not watching enough TV :-)

[cooksdelight]

@sadiegirl, you aren’t missing much.

 

[LittleIggy]

Eww! ? 

[guilfoyleatpp]

Barbara calling the solar lady "a robot" was very off putting. I wonder if she would have said that to a white dude? The lady clearly wasn't trying to hustle them, she was well prepared, she's a damn scientist. Do you want her to behave like the Bird Dog dudes?

I think she was well aware of the potential of the product, but went in with a focus on a product attractive to an American audience in order to fund the additional uses. We've seen other entrepreneurs come in with small ideas that they have big plans for and the sharks cut them down for being too unfocused. 

That whole exchange gave me the idea that the sharks really are just looking for fads to make quick money. Novelties only need apply.