Name/location: DDP Yoga in Smyrna
Founder: Former pro wrestler Diamond Dallas Page
Business: DVD program of exercise, stretching and nutrition advice
Original Shark Tank airing: 2014
What asked for: Page asked for $200,000 for five percent of company. No deal.
Annual revenue last year: About $4 million
Revenue projected this year: More than $7.5 million
Impact of show: Maybe $2 million in sales
What he liked best about Shark Tank experience: Chance to talk about his product
What he didn’t like: Nothing
Name/location: The Red Dress Boutique in Athens
Founder: Diana Harbour
Business: Fashion clothing sales online as well as in an Athens boutique
Original airing: October, 2014
What asked for/got: $600,000 in return for five percent of the business. Mark Cuban and Robert Herjavec agreed to pay $1.2 million for 20 percent of the company, but after the show the deal was reduced to Mark Cuban alone paying $600,000 for 15 percent of the company.
Annual revenue last year: $7.8 million
Annual revenue this year: $12 million-plus (projected)
Impact of show: More than $500,000 in sales just in the first three days
Best thing about Shark Tank experience: Getting a new investor and mentor in Mark Cuban
Worst thing about Shark Tank experience: Not enough time to prepare for the impact of the airing
Name/location: Buzzy4shots/MMJ Labs, Atlanta
Founder: Amy Baxter, an emergency room doctor
Business: Vibrating and cooling device to ease the pain and fear of needle injections. Now adding products for adults.
Original airing: February, 2014
What asked for/got: $500,000 investment in return for five percent of the company. Sharks countered but no deal made.
Annual revenue last year: About $700,000
Annual revenue this year: $1.2 million (projected)
Impact of show: About $400,000 in sales, overseas deals etc.
Best thing about Shark Tank experience: Mentors and contacts made via people who saw the show
Worst thing about Shark Tank experience: Anxiety over not knowing how comments on the show would be edited for TV and not being able to tell staff what happened until the segment aired
Name/location: Alpha M in Kennesaw
Founder: Aaron Marino
Business: DVD system to show guys how to dress with style. Part of a broader group of businesses to instill confidence in men.
Original airing: 2012
What asked for/got: $50,000 for 10 percent of the company. No deal.
Annual revenue before: About $200,000 for all his businesses
Annual revenue now: Declined to provide
Impact of show: One DVD package sold because of the show
Best thing about Shark Tank experience: Meeting other entrepreneurs going on the show. “I had not been around that many smart people who get it.”
Worst thing about Shark Tank experience: Not having expectations met: not much in sales and didn’t air any mention of his YouTube and website following.
Name/location: Southern Culture Artisan Foods in Decatur
Founder: Erica and Andre Barrett
Business: Fun food and mixes, such as red velvet pancake mix
Original airing: February, 2014
What asked for/got: $100,000 for a 25 percent stake. Investor Barbara Corcoran agreed to pay $100,000 for 38 percent. But after the show, Corcoran decided not to complete the deal.
Annual revenue last year: $240,000
Annual revenue this year: About $500,000 (projected)
Impact of show: $100,000 in sales
Best thing about Shark Tank experience: Great exposure
Worst thing about Shark Tank experience: “It can give a little bit of false hope” to entrepreneurs.
Name/location: Cycloramic, made by Egos Ventures in Atlanta
Founder: Bruno Francois
Business: App that allows users to take 360-degree photos and continuous video in a circle, hands-free. Also making other apps.
Original airing: January, 2014
What asked for/got: An investment of $90,000 for five percent of the company. Got $500,000 from Mark Cuban for 15 percent of the company.
Annual revenue last year: About $600,000
Annual revenue this year: More than $1 million (projected)
Impact of show: $200,000 in sales the first hour and a half
Best thing about Shark Tank experience: Partnership with Cuban. “He is well connected, and he is a great mentor.”
Worst thing about Shark Tank experience: Going through the process to get on the show and doing lots of waiting
Name/location: Hold Your Haunches in Macon
Founders: Erin Bickley and Jenny Greer
Business: Shaping line of compression pants for women
Original airing: April, 2014
What asked for/got: Sought an investment of $75,000 for 20 percent of the company. Investors Barbara Corcoran and Lori Greiner agreed to pay $75,000 for a 40 percent stake. The deal changed after the show, with both investors paying “a couple thousand dollars” for 1 percent of the company. They have discussed expanding the deal.
Annual revenue last year: About $122,000
Annual revenue this: More than $1 million (projected)
Impact of show: Sold $500,000 in product in about three weeks before temporarily running out of inventory
Best thing about Shark Tank experience: A big increase in sales
Worst thing about Shark Tank experience: The emotional toll and stress. And putting some of the company’s activities on hold to keep schedules cleared for the airing and its aftermath.
Name/location: Stress Free Kids in Marietta
Founder: Lori Lite
Business: Books and other products that use and teach stress management techniques. A new book, “Stress Free Kids, A Parent’s Guide” came out this year.
Original airing: 2009
What asked for/got: Sought $250,000 for a 20 percent stake in the company. On the show, she and Barbara Corcoran agreed to a deal of $250,000 for 50 percent of the company. But the deal changed significantly after the show. Lite declined to share particulars, except to say it turned out better for her and she did not give up half the company.
Annual revenue before: About $180,000
Annual revenue this year: Declined to provide
Impact of show: Sales increased 20 percent the year she was on the show versus the year before. Helped in landing a book deal.
Best thing about Shark Tank experience: “It was the highlight of my career. I got to be the voice for the children.”
Worst thing about Shark Tank experience: Stress from the process and pitching to the sharks. “I literally felt like I was going to pass out after I got off the set.”
Name/location: AVA the Elephant in Auburn, Ga.
Founder: Tiffany Krumins
Business: Talking medicine droppers for kids.
Original airing: 2009
What asked for/got: Asked for $50,000 for a 15 percent stake in her business. She agreed to give Barbara Corcoran a 55 percent stake in the company for $50,000.
Annual revenue before Shark Tank: Zero
Annual revenue this year: Unclear. Product is no longer being sold on the company’s website and some retailers no longer list AVA on their sites. Krumins said in an email to the AJC that work is underway to produce products in the U.S. Manufacturing had been overseas.
Impact of show: The product went from a clay prototype to real products sold in several national retail chains.
Best thing about Shark Tank experience: Working with Corcoran and getting global exposure
What was the worst thing? “The assumption that my product was an overnight success. All small businesses have hiccups and we had a fair share of our own.”
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