Credit: USA Today
Highlights
- Shark Tank has telecasted over 300 episodes to date.
- Whether it be companies brought by adults or kids, Sharks make an investment based on what they assess about a business.
- From intense negotiations for Scholly to a joint deal for Safety Nailer, this blog presents to you the best episodes of Shark Tank.
Shark Tank has offered its viewers 339 different episodes full of business talks, emotions, and drama. Sometimes, Sharks make million-dollar offers to entrepreneurs or criticize them for overvaluation. In others, they engage in bidding battles or join hands for a deal. All these scenarios have resulted in the best Shark Tank episodes to date.
From a heavily intense bidding fight for a scholarship app to kid entrepreneurs making their marks, we have selected some of the best Shark Tank episodes of all time. Have a look at the best Shark Tank episodes.
1. Season 6 Episode 20
This episode from the sixth season brought a refreshing wave of entrepreneurship to the show as college goers presented all four businesses to the investors. The names included Keen Home, LuminAID, Scholly, and Taaluma Totes. Here is a complete recap:
Keen Home
Keen Home was brought to the panelists by Ryan Fant, who sought $750K for 10% equity. The venture was focused on regulating the temperature through vents in homes using technology. Impressed by the pitch, he was offered multiple offers. However, the deal was finalized with Robert for $750K at 13% equity.
Taaluma Totes
Taaluma Totes was the following product presented by a young entrepreneur couple, Alley Heffren and Jack Dufour. Their traveling love led them to develop their backpack venture. Though they sought $110K for 15% equity, the judges felt the company was still in its early stages and did not invest.
LuminAID
Seeking a $200K investment for 10% of LuminAID, Andrea Sreshtha and Anna Stork threw light on their LED solution. Impressed by their sales figures and the well-prepared presentation, all five investors made their offers. They chose Mark Cuban for $200K at 15% of the venture.
Scholly
The highlight of the episode came when three of the judges walked out of the set after an intense bidding fight for Scholly. This scholarship-based app was created by Christopher Gray, an undergraduate student who sought $40K for 15% equity.
Lori Greiner stopped him midway and agreed to invest just what he wanted, i.e., $40K for 15%. This didn’t go well with the other Sharks, who were visibly annoyed. Daymond John, too, made the same offer as Lori. After some discussions, the two of them locked a joint deal with Christopher for $40K at 15%.
All the other three Sharks angrily went out of the set after this, something which had never happened before.
2. Season 5, Episode 20
In this episode, the concept of ‘kidpreneurs’ was introduced. Well-prepared pitches and negotiation skills, as demonstrated by the young kids, made this episode one of the best Shark Tank episodes. Here is a detailed description of what happened in all the pitches:
Henry’s Humdingers
Young Henry Miller approached the investors seeking $150K for 25% equity in his honey-making brand. Henry’s Humdingers had already found a presence in over 100 stores across 31 states. While the other Sharks felt he was doing good on his own, Mark Cuban and Robert Herjavec sealed a joint deal at $300K for 75% equity.
Define Bottle
Out of the four businesses brought to the judges, Define Bottle was the only product that did not receive a deal. Pitched by Carter Kostler, this was a unique water bottle that added fruity flavors to drinking water. The 15-year-old pitcher sought $100K for 20% equity.
While the Sharks seemed impressed with the profit margins and its retail reach, all of them chose not to invest, citing the highly competitive vertical.
IReTron
Kidpreneur Jaso Li showcased his negotiation abilities by convincing Mark Cuban to join Barbara Corcoran in making the final deal. He had come up seeking $100K for 20% equity in his electronics recycling venture IReTron. The deal was locked with Mark and Barbara for $100K at 20% equity.
Boo Boo Goo
The biggest highlight of the episode came when a six-year-old kid approached the judges with her dad, Andrew Kavovit. Seeking $100K for 17.5% equity, Kiowa Kavovit, the youngest entrepreneur on Shark Tank, pitched for ‘Boo Boo Goo,’ a liquid bandage prepared especially for children.
Kevin O’Leary proposed a deal at $100K for 25% equity in the company, which would be contingent on the patent. Andrew and Kiowa accepted the offer.
3. Season 11 Episode 16
All the businesses presented in this episode successfully managed to bag a deal on the show. Each of the pitchers was thoroughly prepared and convinced the Sharks to buy a share, making the episode one of the best Shark Tank episodes.
Boho
Boho was a camper van business brought to the panelists by David Sodemann and Brett Ellenson. The investment sought was $300K for a 10% equity. Receiving offers from four of the investors, the entrepreneurs chose Barbara Corcoran for a deal at $150K in cash and the remaining $150K as a line of credit.
GroupHug
Krystal Persaud approached the investors with GroupHug, asking for an investment of $150K at 10% equity. Impressed by her detailed pitch on the eco-friendly company that prepared solar panels, Mark Cuban made an offer of $150K for 25% equity. Krystal accepted the deal.
Bohana
Next was aspiring entrepreneur Nadine Habayeb who approached the judges seeking $200K for 10% equity in her food product named Bohana. The delicious snack was made out of popped water lily seeds.
After getting offers from Barbara Corcoran and Kevin O’Leary, Nadine ultimately chose Kevin’s offer of $200K as a loan at 9% interest, which would continue over three years in return for an 8% equity stake.
Safety Nailer
But the biggest highlight of the episode came during the Safety Nailer pitch that showed the amazing negotiation and convincing abilities of entrepreneur Drew Zirkle. Seeking $100K 14% of his venture, Drew explained to the Sharks about his product that was an ideal choice for putting nails the safe way.
None of the investors were keen to invest. Realizing this, he carried on with the demonstration by showing the product’s benefits. This impressed the judges, and Mark Cuban, Lori Greiner, and Guest Shark Rohan Oza sealed a joint deal with him for $100K at 33.3%.
Conclusion
The best Shark Tank episodes have been an ideal showcase of creative ideas and excellent negotiation abilities. Be it the refreshing business ideas of college entrepreneurs or passionate pitches by kid entrepreneurs; different episodes have delivered multiple moments of excitement and business lessons.
All the deals secured through the many pitches have not just entertained audiences but also inspired a whole new group of budding entrepreneurs.
References
List of Shark Tank episodes, Wikipedia
Entrepreneur, auteur, raconteur. Rob Merlino is a blogger and writer who enjoys the Shark Tank TV show and Hot Dogs. A father of five who freelances in a variety of publications, Rob has a stable of websites including Shark Tank Blog, Hot Dog Stories, Rob Merlino.com and more.
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