Whether you loved them or hated them, tonight’s episode was full of bold contestants, simple ideas, and big deals. Lori Grenier, of QVC fame, again joined the standard lineup of sharks: Daymond John, Robert Herjavec, Kevin O’Leary, and Mark Cuban. For the loyal Barbara Corcoran fans, she’ll be returning to the show next week—but this isn’t the last you’ve seen of Lori. She’ll be back in the tank again later in the season. Missed last night’s episode and want to catch up on all the deal-making drama?
Follow the link below for the whole recap…
First into the tank was Jared Joyce, inventor of 5 Minute Furniture, a line of furniture pieces that can be assembled easily and without tools. 5 Minute Furniture is already patented, and Joyce asked the Sharks for $250,000 in exchange for 25% equity in his company. After an impressive demonstration, the Sharks seemed intrigued, but as Joyce dove into his less-than-impressive sales record ($0 sold), the interest dwindled. Daymond asked Joyce why he isn’t offering the Sharks an option for ownership of his entire company (Joyce’s company sells all of his inventions), to which he responded, “You’re saying ‘hey, let’s get married!’ And I’m saying ‘hey, buy me a drink first.” Apparently Joyce’s sales pitch rubbed the Sharks the wrong way, because before you could assemble a 5 Minute Bookshelf… they were all out.
Long-time Shark Tank fans will remember The Original Man Candle from season two. While creator Johnson Bailey walked away without a deal, fans of his fart-scented candles will be happy to see that his business has done well since the show. Bailey’s sales last year were over $250,000, and The Original Man Candle now appears on the shelves of over 500 stores across the country, including Hallmark and Spencer’s.
Second into the tank was Raven Thomas, a former criminal intelligence agent, who now spends her time working on his business, The Painted Pretzel. There was a collective stomach-growl heard across the country as Thomas presented the Sharks with her fancy treats, which come in varieties such as caramel, nut lovers, and candy-covered. Thomas sought $100,000 for 25% of the company. Although the treats looked delicious, none of the Sharks saw why this company was any different from its competitors… until Thomas revealed the ace in her back pocket: she had recently been offered a $2 million deal from Sam’s Club, which she was unable to fill due to her lack of capital. Sensing sweet success, Cuban offered $100,000 for 25% of the company. When Cuban claimed he’d sell Painted Pretzels at Mavs games and Landmark Theaters nationwide, Thomas was in!
Next up to battle with the Sharks was Ryan Naylor, representing his company Esso Watches. Naylor was seeking $35,000 for 20% of his company. Naylor claimed his watches provide wearers with health benefits because the negative ions manufactured directly into the watchband. Naylor had barely had a chance to finish his spiel when Cuban claimed this was nothing new, that he was allergic to scams, and that he was out. Naylor’s experience went from bad to worse when he was unable to provide Lori any independent scientific verification of his health-enhancing claims. With that, all of the Sharks were quickly out.
Last into the tank was Rick Hopper and his Readerest, a product to hang your glasses on. Hopper’s entrance into the tank was reminiscent of Willy Wonka’s grand entrance in the original Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: he slowly sauntered towards the Sharks, and then dropped into a roll across the ground at the last minute. All of this was to demonstrate that his reading glasses were still securely attached to his shirt, using the Readerest. Hopper asked the Sharks for $150,000 for 15% of the company. Looking to bump up her share in the company, Lori offered $150,000 for 65% equity, telling Hopper that she’ll make him a millionaire. With $20 million in reading glasses sales under her belt, Hopper realized, “35% of $10 million is still a lot of money,” and they had a deal.
Fans, what did you think of tonight’s episode? Have you bought any of the products we’ve seen on the show? Will you buy anything from tonight’s show? Is there anything you would have done differently if you were in the contestant’s shoes? Let us know in the comments section!
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Lori invested in the Readerest item in this episode. I remembered seeing something like this on QVC, and when I checked their website, sure enough, there was something very much like it. Is this the same thing, anyone know?
Hi Rosa,
Yes, the product has been renamed by Lori and apparently sold over 10-15K units the first time it was promoted on her QVC show. She is selling 3 of the magnetic holders for $25 shipped.
Looks like a great investment by her and a great way for the inventor/entrepreneur to profit for a very long time!
Andrew
The sharks were not out with Jared, he turned down $250k and walked out.
Rosa,
Yes, I have also seen Laurie sell the holders for glasses several times on QVC. When I watched this episode I was waiting for her to say that she has the same thing. I then realized that this show must have been taped a while ago, long enough for her to make it her own.
Renee
Jared was an idiot, not to mention 5 minute furniture is a cool idea, but how many cubes do we need?
I can’t get enough of this show. I wish it was on for 2 hours at a time a couple times a week.