Many times, we find ourselves stuck; all we need is a positive reaffirmation. We want someone to remind us of our strength and worth. See The Way I See clothing does exactly that. Founder Sophie Nistico found herself in a phase where she struggled with negative thoughts, and that’s how the foundation of See The Way I See happened.
Sophie Nistico hopes to find a fit for See The Way I See, her clothing line that seeks to destigmatize mental health, in Shark Tank episode 1418. Sophie has suffered from migraines since she was 15. The migraines are brought on by her severe anxiety. She began creating stickers from her artwork, which she posted on Instagram. She then decided to put some of her art to another level. She started making art on sweatshirts and T-shirts, and her business was born.
She likely wants a Shark’s help in securing consistent inventory. Will she be able to catch the Sharks’ interest?
About See The Way I See
| Category | Details |
| Founder (Plural if multiple) | Sophie Nistico |
| Product Type | Mental health awareness clothing |
| Funding (Pre-Shark Tank) | Self-Funded |
| Investment Asked | $250,000 |
| Equity Offered | 10% |
What Happened on the Shark Tank Episode?
Sophie begins her pitch on Shark Tank Season 14 by explaining the need to focus on mental health. She highlights how normal it is for us to be sad or overwhelmed. She says she cries, and she cries a lot. Everyone cries—she’s even seen Kevin shed a tear in the Tank. Sophie is on a mission to destigmatize mental health because it’s not something we should hide but rather embrace. That’s why she created See the Way I See, a size-inclusive mental health awareness clothing brand that emphasizes positive affirmations in a way that’s never been done before. They add signature positive affirmations on the sleeve.
In addition to apparel, she sells rings, stickers, and keychains that will keep you going throughout the day. She has built a community that supports her every step of the way in breaking down barriers to mental health issues.
The Sharks look at their samples, and Barbara asks Sophie how she came up with her business idea. Sophie tells her story to the Sharks. She shares how much she likes helping others; it is in her nature to help those in need. This could be because when she was in high school, she struggled with anxiety. Even in nursing school, she was dealing with the same problem. But slowly, along the way, she found her love for art and decided to give her passion a life.
With just $500, she bought a sticker machine and started selling stickers with positive messages online. She kept putting the money back in, and when did she get her first crewnecks? Boom! Sold a hundred in two days.
More about the business
Sophie spends nothing on advertising; all sales come through her social media channels. Kevin asks about sales, and Sophie says $260,000—in 24 hours! The Sharks are impressed. Mark says she’s selling with “drops,” and Sophie says she tries to do one per month.
Crewnecks cost $21, and they are sold for $60. Hoodies cost $25, but they are sold for $75. Year-to-date sales are $790,000, and Sophie is the only employee. Mark congratulates her on making “a boatload of money.” When she tells the Sharks she has $450,000 in the bank, they applaud.
Daymond wants to know why she needs a Shark when she’s doing so well. Sophie is proud of how far she’s gotten on her own, but she has no business background and feels like she needs a mentor.
Kevin questions the valuation, and Sophie says she’s done $2.3 million in lifetime sales. She expects to finish 2022 at $1 million and 2023 at $1.75 million. She sees the business continuing to grow and scale. In her first year (2020), she made $900,000 in sales and profited $115,000. In 2021, sales were $640,000, with $235,000 in profits.
What Makes See The Way I See Unique?
The clothing contains phrases that help people work their way through whatever mental health issues they may be experiencing. For instance, there’s a sweatshirt that says “Anxious” on the front of it with the phrase “This too shall pass” on the sleeve. Another says “Practice Empathy” on the front with the words “always act kinder than you feel” on the sleeve. In addition to sweatshirts, she sells tee shirts, sweatpants, shorts, phone cases, tote bags and more.
Apparently, business is booming. She used to run the business out of her parents’ home, but she recently moved into a warehouse. She’s sold over $1 million worth of her clothing in only one year in business. Her goal is to ” help anyone who struggles with their mental health and bring more awareness and normality to the subject.” She’s been operating on a “sell-out of a product, then restock” mode for a year.
If you are interested in reading more posts about See The Way I See on the Shark Tank Blog, visit The Way I See to get deeper insights about the business.
View this post on Instagram
Did See The Way I See Get a Deal on Shark Tank?
Kevin says he does not buy that “she does not know the business”; she’s killing it and is doing better than 90% of the people who stand in front of him, but he doesn’t know how to help her; he’s out. Daymond applauds Sophie for what she’s doing but says she doesn’t need him; he’s out.
Lori says Sophie is already a good businesswoman, and she wouldn’t feel comfortable taking a piece of her business; she’s out. Mark applauds Sophie and says she should grow with her community, not create a team that would suck cash out of the business; he’s out.
Barbara says Sophie’s greatest strength is her vulnerability, and she’s been hard-pressed to convince anyone she was the least bit anxious in the Tank. Barbara asks what she could do for Sophie, and she says Mark’s comment about not needing a team resonates with her.
Sophie says that maybe wanting a shark is the “overthinker in me.” Barbara says since she’s come full circle on that, she’s out.
Daymond says at the end, “So we’re all out. We’re sorry for wasting your time,” suggesting that Sophie could have been doing something better with her time, as she clearly does not need them for her business—she is already enough!
And with that, Sophie returns with no deals. However, it would be wrong to say she returned empty-handed when the Sharks themselves didn’t find her to be lacking in the first place.
What Happened to See The Way I See After Shark Tank?
The Shark Tank Blog keeps track of the businesses that appear on Shark Tank. We provide updates and follow-ups about entrepreneurs and the company, as well as anything that happened after the show.
The first rerun of this episode in July 2023 is just 2 months after the original air date. Since then, Barbara has ordered a bunch of crewnecks and hoodies from Sophie, who continues to grow her community. There were some rumblings after the original air date about products “lost in transit,” but those issues appear to be ironed out.
In April 2023, she got her clothing on the shelves at Target. As of April 2024, she’s still selling via “drops.” She has 592,000 TikTok followers, and her product videos regularly get millions of views. At this time, she’s doing over $1 million per year in revenue.
The Shark Tank Blog will follow up on See The Way I See & Sophie Nistico as more details become available.
Where Can You Buy It?
Get the beautiful, affirming clothes that will help you navigate your day with positivity and strength. See The Way I See offers a range of apparel and accessories designed to promote mental wellness and self-affirmation. Visit their official website to explore the full collection and discover unique pieces that resonate with you. Alternatively, find select items conveniently available on Amazon, bringing these empowering products directly to your doorstep.
Check out their social media for more information.
Quick Summary
- Sophie Nistico pitches See The Way I See, a mental health-focused clothing line, on Shark Tank.
- The brand has sold over $1 million worth of clothing in its first year, with no advertising spend.
- The Sharks are impressed with its sales and strong social media presence. They believe Sophie’s business is on the right track and question whether she even needs their help.
More products from this episode! Check out other businesses that participated alongside See The Way I See.
