Mitch Allen was asked to appear as Santa Claus during a Christmas party for a company he had founded. This one appearance led to a passion of spreading Christmas cheer throughout the world with his company HireSanta. Now, not only is HireSanta the perfect place to Rent a Santa for a home or office, but also, helps companies associate their brands with Christmas and drive traffic to retail locations through the use of Santa Claus and other holiday entertainers.
Marquez and Ondrea Fernandez
Marquez and Ondrea Fernandez started The Dough Bar in order to provide a fun, healthier alternative to typically unhealthy treats. While Marquez was at the gym one day, craving a doughnut, he begged Ondrea to start a baking experiment that would allow him to eat doughnuts every single day. Shortly thereafter, the Dough Bar’s Protein Doughnuts hit social media like a firestorm and the journey to Shark Tank soon followed suit. This couple is passionate about their customers, products and promoting an active lifestyle, while proudly delivering protein packed snacks directly to thousands of customers across the country.
Jason Burns
As a Hollywood Producer struggling with ADHD, Jason Burns was desperate to find a fidget to help stop his distracting knee from bouncing during meetings. Frustrated with the lack of options on the market, Jason created his own fidget with two interlocking rings; small enough to fit in his pocket and quiet enough to use anywhere! In 2007, Jason created Fidgetland, which now manufacturers over ten different, discreet, office and school appropriate models sold to fidgeters around the world.
Bryan & Caleb Lewis
Brothers Bryan and Caleb Lewis are on a mission to teach America a new way to waffle! Press Waffle Co. specializes in fully customizable Belgian waffles (Liege style), savory waffle creations, and locally roasted coffee. Founded as a food truck in 2016, and now rapidly growing via both company owned and franchised stores, Press is redefining the waffle experience with their unique take on this sweet treat. Move over mornings: waffles aren’t just for breakfast anymore!
Kyle Allen
Kyle Allen, entrepreneur and owner of SkiJunk LLC, invented the pocket-sized ski tote called Ski-Z. Kyle and his wife split their time between their home in Lafayette, LA and Snowmass, CO. After growing tired of carrying his young daughter’s skis to the slopes… Kyle took apart his oldest daughter’s rollerblades in effort to use the wheel as part of his new invention. Ski-Z allows skiers of ALL AGES to ROLL their skis instead of having to carry them. Ski-Z is the world’s first patented “ski caddy” made with a single wheel. It simply attaches to the front of your skis with a handy Velcro strap. You can push it, pull it and turn it on a dime. SKI-Z MAKES IT EASY!
Jim Tselikis & Sabin Lomac
Cousins Maine Lobster is an international food franchise that brings the Maine Lobster shack experience to unique neighborhoods by way of their food trucks and brick & mortar restaurants. Cousins Maine offers an authentic Maine seafood experience by staying close to the source, proudly serving wild-caught, sustainably harvested, premium lobster from Maine — all sourced from the icy Downeast waters to the Mid-Coast. Cousins Maine Lobster is proud to support a local Maine lobster fishery that employs thousands of hard-working men and women.
Melissa & Rick Hinnant
Melissa Hinnant, owner of Grace and Lace, is a lifelong DIY girl who made a pair of lacey legwarmers for herself in 2011 that received raving compliments everywhere she went. She listed some for sale online and within days was overwhelmed with orders she could not possibly fulfill on her own! What started as an “accidental company” quickly turned into a full-blown women’s clothing line, with fashion pieces for every woman and every season!! A true Shark Tank success story, Grace & Lace is also passionate about making a difference in the world. A portion of every sale goes toward building orphanages in India, taking orphans off the street and providing for their core needs.
Jen & Jeff Martin
At 26 and 23 brother and sister duo Jeff and Jen Martin discovered the absolute best popcorn they had ever had. So with no money but lots of ambition they decided not only were they going to start a popcorn company but it was going to be a huge success. They started hand stamping bags and selling Pipcorn at outdoor markets in Brooklyn. Now in every single Whole Foods, they have innovated the popcorn aisle, while standing by their core belief that a product should be good for you and for the world we live in.
Matt Bliss
Modern Christmas Trees puts a modern spin on the traditional Christmas tree. Founder Matt Bliss was inspired by the A-Frame Christmas tree his grandfather made when he was a child. Bliss’s Modern Christmas tree, a Shark Tank success story, features stunning acrylic rings with elegant glass balls and chandelier crystals, illuminated from within by an LED light that reflects a rotating mirror ball. In addition to its striking modern design, the trees collapse flat for easy storage.
Danny, Kyle & DJ Mastronardo
Over ten years ago, the four Nardo Brothers started mixing skincare products in their parents’ kitchen. Sounds pretty normal for four brothers, right? This idea of formulating their own botanically-based skincare came to them when they realized the health hazards in everyday consumer products. Today, they are proud to distribute skincare world-wide to customers with a passion for health and well-being. Their hand-crafted formulas are specifically designed to help improve skin texture while replenishing and rejuvenating skin cells. The Nardo’s Natural mission is to provide quality in every bottle and they invite you to enjoy skincare’s age-defying secret.
Kim Nelson
Kim learned to bake at the apron strings of her grandmothers and great aunt Daisy. She figured out early on that her superpowers were unleashed in the kitchen and that her greatest happiness came from sharing her dessert creations with family and friends. After more than 30 years in the food business, Kim, along with her Southern accent, has become a nationally recognized baker and speaker. Her first big television appearance came when she walked into ABC’s Shark Tank and shared her Daisy Cakes with the Sharks. Getting a deal with Barbara Corcoran has allowed her Daisy Cakes business to skyrocket. Kim continues to bake and ship her hand-sifted, made-from-scratch cakes to all 50 states.
Shelly Hyde & Kara Haught
Floridian sisters, Kara Haught and Shelly Hyde, launched their own line of swimsuits as an answer to their ongoing struggle to find fashionable suits for active women. Raising Wild swimwear empowers women to get out of their beach chairs and confidently enjoy life’s adventures. After only two years in business – and one day in the Tank – Raising Wild is the answer to “the swimsuit struggle” for thousands of women across the globe.
Katie Sanchez & Melissa Elms
While trying to make apple jelly, Katie Sanchez made an unfortunate, yet fortuitous mistake, she discovered how to make HONEE from Apples! In 2013 Melissa Elms, a sales and brand building executive, joined the company and Bee Free Honee launched into 1000+ brick & mortar stores. With their focus on educating the public about saving pollinators and specifically the honey bee, they’ve created quite a buzz! Their campaign, Saving Bees One Apple at a Time, as well as their financial commitment to donating $.10 from the sale of every bottle, has created a sea of opportunity for this women-owned and operated company.
Jenny Greer & Erin Bickley
Jenny Greer and Erin Bickley, the “Head Haunchos,” started Hold Your Haunches started back in 2010. The idea came to life during their daily walk, while discussing their dissatisfaction with body shaper clothing not keeping everything in place! They put their heads together and developed Hold Your Haunches, a line of luxury fashion pants that feature a layer of highly graded compression shapewear for the shapely and smooth silhouette every woman is looking for.
Heath Hall & Brett Thompson
Were Washington lobbyists hustling pork barrel spending on the US senate floor. They decided to launch their BBQ sauce business to supplement their income on weekends. It was their Shark Tank appearance that got them the cash from Barbara and notoriety they needed to go from selling 5 small stores to 500 large grocery stores within months. They’ll also be opening the new Pork Barrel BBQ restaurant chain this spring. The catch? Heath Hall looks just like an adorable pig and Barbara made dressing like a pig the marketing gimmick part of the deal.
Andrea Cao
Andrea Cao is a 15 year old CEO, entrepreneur, and horse trainer from San Luis Obispo, CA. At just age 13 she created the Q-Flex, an acupressure and massage tool after her mom, Hong Cao, started coming home from work with extreme back pain. Partnering with her mom, Andrea started marketing the Q-Flex locally door-to-door. Fast-forward a couple of years and the Q-Flex is now selling nationally in Walmart, Amazon, and other retailers and websites.