Rob Merlino: Blogger, Writer, Entrepreneur & Foodie

“Winetrepreneur” Chase Hoyt and his father pitch a high tech cork, called the Wine Doctor, in Shark Tank episode 529 on April 18. The Wine Doctor is much more than a high tech cork, it’s a vacuum pump system that pumps air out of an open bottle of wine then seals it with an “intelli-stopper,” […]

Erika Pope unveils her fort building kit, called Fort Magic, to the Sharks in episode 529. Pope, a “momtrepreneur,” got the idea for the fort building kit when her son was playing in a dryer box. She wanted to create a toy that taught kids about construction while allowing them to create what every kids […]

It seems smart phones can control just about anything these days and entrepreneurs Swapnil Bora and Corey Egan figured out a way for smart phones to control a smart light bulb. Ilumi, the world’s first smart light bulb, was created by the pair back in 2010 when they met in business school. After winning the University of […]

Felix Brandon Lloyd and Jordan Lloyd Bookey have a new way to keep up with the best educational books and apps with their curated kid’s books service called Zoobean. They’ll pitch their business in Shark Tank episode 529 on April 18. They call the service a “Pandora for children’s apps and books.” Felix, a former teacher […]

Caleb Light and David Toledo introduce the Shark Tank panel to their portable thermoelectric generator called the Power Pot in episode 524. The Power Pot is just one of the products their company, Power Practical, sells; they have other power-related products in development. David, the inventor of Power Pot, found a way to use the […]

Stan Krozel and Kevin Ullery are two guys from Chicago who like to ride their train while running their business called the Fun Time Express. They’ll be pitching the company in Shark Tank episode 524 on April 11. Fun Time Express is a trackless train amusement ride the business partners operate in 7 malls in Indiana, […]

Matt Scarpuzzi pitches his Quick Stop Tool to the Sharks in episode 524. Matt is an engineer and a paramedic who developed the tool to stop fire sprinklers that have malfunctioned or been damaged from spraying water all over homes and businesses. Fire sprinklers are supposed to put out fires, but when they go off […]

Say you want to learn an instrument and you’re looking for music lessons – who do you call? Taylor Robinson hopes you call him, or one of his hundreds of nationwide instructors who give music lessons in your own home. Mr. Robinson hopes the Sharks like his music lessons business enough to further his nationwide […]

Hold Your Haunches Shark Tank fans, Erin Bickley and Jenny Greer pitch their butt slimming pants in Shark Tank episode 519, and their pitch is sure to have some fireworks! The two ladies are friends and walking partners. Back in 2010, they were commiserating about the shape of their posteriors and the lack of a quality […]

Josh Faherty and Scott Adams introduce the Sharks to Velocity Signs’ signature product, a sign waving machine, in Shark Tank episode 519. It’s an old cliché to say “a business without a sign is a sign of no business.” That’s why businesses have signs, to attract customers. Sign spinners have become a popular new method […]

Pat Yates hopes the Sharks slip into business with him when he shows them his brand of comfy slippers called Happy Feet in a special Thursday night Shark Tank on April 10. Happy Feet are oversized, sneaker themed slippers that make it feel like your feet are “walking on pillows.” If you’ve been in a […]

Lord Nut Levington is a brand of seasoned peanuts that consumer snack food veteran Sanjiv Patel pitches to the Sharks in a special Thursday night Shark Tank on April 10. Patel, who made his bones in the food business working for Stacy’s Pita Chips, is a British born man of Indian descent. The fictitious Lord […]

Cameron Smith and Joel Clark pitch Kodiak Cakes, a line of flapjacks and waffle mixes, in Shark Tank episode 528. Their whole grain flapjacks mix was what started it all. They’re made from a recipe Joel’s grandfather handed down. One day in 1982, then 8-year-old Joel canvassed the neighborhood with bags of the mix his […]

“Momtrepreneurs” Courtney Turich and Christie Barany pitch Monkey Mat, what they call a “portable floor” in Shark Tank Episode 528 this Friday. The two became friends when they worked together at a Fortune 500 medical device company. Courtney spilled red wine all over Christie’s white shirt and the pair became friends. Courtney got the idea […]

 Nick Taranto and Josh Hix pitch Plated, the gourmet food delivery service, and hope the Sharks take a bite and invest in episode 528. Have you ever wanted to whip up a dazzling gourmet meal for dinner, but didn’t have the time or energy to go grab the ingredients? Plated wants to end that conundrum with […]

Sal DePaola, John DePaola, and Anthony Caputo are three “paintrepreneurs” who wanted their paint brushes to last longer, so they invented the Paint Brush Cover to do it. They’ll pitch their patented invention in Shark Tank episode 528 on April 4. The Paint Brush Cover basically protects paint brushes so they last longer. With its […]

Entrepreneur Bryan White pitches ELockSys, his garage door lock company on March 21. White created a push button deadbolt, much like a remote garage door opener, back in 1999. He patented the product in 2002 and he’s been selling them since. The product makes a lot of sense. There were no real solutions for locking […]