Highlights
- Elephant Chat is a conversation tool designed to help couples address difficult topics by revealing a stuffed elephant.
- Jason and Amanda Adams created the product to facilitate communication in their blended family.
- Seeking $50,000 for 20% equity, they left without a deal, and the business ultimately failed.
Overview
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Name | Elephant Chat |
| Founders | Jason and Amanda Adams |
| Industry | Communication Tools |
| Product | Conversation-starting tool with a stuffed elephant |
| Funding | Self-funded, Kickstarter |
| Investment Ask | $50,000 |
| Equity Offered | 20% |
| Valuation | $250,000 |
Jason and Amanda Adams, founders of Elephant Chat, pitch their conversation starting tool in Shark Tank episode 509 on October 25, 2013. The couple met later in life and integrated their two families, kids and all, together. They found out quickly there was ALWAYS something to talk about and the “elephant in the room” was “stalking” them constantly. In order to open up sometimes uncomfortable conversations, they created Elephant Chat.
It’s a silver cube that hides a stuffed elephant in an acrylic “communication cube.” Leave the cube out in a prominent spot in your home. When something needs to be discussed, pull of the silver cover exposing the elephant and wait for your partner to be ready to talk. Next, all you do is talk it out. Elephant Chat helps break the ice and, as the website says “tame the elephant in the room.”
The Adams’ have a KickStarter campaign running to fund the tooling for the injection molds used to create the boxes. They’re about a third of the way toward their $13,120 goal. They’ll certainly get a lot of buzz for their cause on Shark Tank and may be looking to the Sharks to help fund production.
Elephant Chat Shark Tank Recap
Jason and Amanda open with a segment in their home. They met just a year ago on a blind date and were married just six weeks later. They “blended” their families together and revealed Amanda is pregnant. They say communication is key when blending established families – which was the inspiration for Elephant Chat. They say the product was born out of love to help couples communicate and reveal they’ve invested over $100K.
When they enter the Tank, they ask for $50K for 20% of their company. They say they made Elephant Chat for those “we need to talk” moments. Rather than “attack” a spouse with something that bothers them, they break out the elephant, signaling there’s a topic in the air.
Neither one of the Adamses are therapists, but they found their product works for them. Daymond says they should know the rules: “one person is right, and the other is the husband!” Each product costs $22 to make. Lori says a stuffed animal is inexpensive to make and questions their spending so much money on tooling. Lori questions the cost and goes out.
Jason says they’ve made inroads with marriage counselors and Kevin thinks consumers will feel ripped off paying $59 for a stuffed animal, he’s out. Robert says come talk to him after they’ve been married 23 years, he’s out. Daymond says it’s not for me – he’s out. Mark says they’re in the conflict resolution business, but they aren’t where they need to be; he’s out too. The elephant then leaves the room.
Elephant Chat Shark Tank Update
Jason and Amanda left the Shark Tank without a deal, and it wasn’t long before their elephant in the room became too big. The couple split, and the Elephant Chat box is no longer for sale. The social media went dark in 2013, and although the website still exists, a “purchase now” page announces that the Elephant Chat cube is no longer for sale.
Although the stuffed elephant in a plastic cube was a novel idea for sparking conversation between couples and families, the price tag was ultimately far too high. Even a Shark couldn’t swallow this elephant, and the company is now defunct. For more information on this classic Shark Tank failure, see the follow-up post.
Posts About Elephant Chat on Shark Tank Blog
Elephant Chat Fail – Shark Tank Failures
Elephant Chat Information
Video:
I thought this product was soooo stupid.
First of all that is way to much for a price $59 thats a lot for a little stuffy
The stove dial thing would save lives and no one can put a price in that I would invest cause it Cheever than a new stove and millions of people will get that just like a c02 sencer mandatory go home insurance
i would honestly rather defecate in a small box for free than pay that much moolah for a chinese made cheap elephant stuffed children’s toy… you cousins rhett and link bought this and good lord what fools are they… 0/10 will never buy again…
God, these guys were so lame and this product so juvenile.