Highlights
- Carson and Jason Grill pitch Touch Up Cup, a container for preserving leftover paint, on Shark Tank
- The product features an air-tight seal and a stainless steel mixing ball, keeping paint fresh for up to ten years
- Blake Mycoskie invests $200,000 for 25% equity, helping the company achieve significant retail success
Overview
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Name | Touch Up Cup |
| Founders | Carson and Jason Grill |
| Industry | Home Improvement |
| Product | Paint storage container |
| Funding | N/A |
| Investment Ask | $150,000 |
| Equity Offered | 10% |
| Valuation | $1,500,000 |
Carson Grill and his dad, Jason, seek a Shark investor for the Touch Up Cup, their leftover paint storage container. Carson invented the product two years ago. He was helping his dad touch up some paint around their house. When they opened the cans, the paint was rusty and clumpy; it was ruined.
Carson’s problem solving brain came up with the Touch Up Cup. It’s a plastic container that has an air-tight seal. There’s also a stainless steel mixing ball inside it to stir the paint. Simply put any leftover paint in the container, and when it comes time to touch up a paint job, simply shake and paint. Paint lasts up to ten years in the Touch Up Cup.
Carson has other inventions in the works, too. He created a donut storage container that keeps donuts from going stale. Whether it’s his painting invention or some of his others, Carson has it going on. His dad, Jason, helps with patents and negotiating with overseas manufacturers, but Carson handles most of the business. The product is available at Walmart, Lowes, Home Depot, Amazon and many other outlets. This father/son team likely needs a Shark’s savvy with manufacturing and distribution. Will a Shark want to touch this business?
Company Information
Video
Posts about Touch Up Cup on Shark Tank Blog
Touch Up Cup Shark Tank Recap
Carson and Jason enter seeking $150,000 for 10% of their business. Carson does most of the talking both during the pitch and in the Q&A that follows. The Sharks are impressed with his knowledge of the business and getting a product manufactured. He already has the product in over 4000 retail locations and he has a licensing deal with paint accessories brand Frog Tape. Carson does most of the day to day operations while Jason deals with the patents. Father Jason is a full time medical sales rep and Jason is still in school, so they want a Shark who will help them run the business.
Daymond and Blake both show some interest. Daymond does not want to run the business however, and he has concerns about who will. He’s also reluctant to fund purchase orders. Blake is interested and says he would fund purchase orders, since it’s in his best interests as an investor. Carson also offers to kick in three other patented products he invented. Blake thinks they need more cash, so he offers $200,000 for 25% of the business. Daymond counters with $200,000 for 17.5% of the business. They end up going with Blake because he is more invested in the success of the business.
Touch Up Cup Shark Tank Update
The Shark Tank Blog constantly provides updates and follow-ups about entrepreneurs who have appeared on the Shark Tank TV show. The deal with Blake closed. After the show, Blake Tweeted: “One of the reasons why I invested in @TouchUpCup is that I felt an instant connection to Carson and Jason. I too was a young entrepreneur and started my own company when I was 19 & Carson is 15. I’m really excited to be involved with these two. #TouchUpCup #SharkTank.”
As of July, 2021, the business is on track to top $2 million in revenue for the year. Touch Up Cup gets an update segment in episode 1317. In the update segment, Carson says he started high school, grew a foot and turned Touch Up Cup into a million dollar company. They did $50,000 in sales on show night. Sales for the past year were $1 million. They closed a 3000 store deal with Wal Mart and a 1700 store deal with Lowes. Those deals put them on track for over $3 million in sales for 2022. They’ve expanded the line to include brushes, rollers, a roller cleaner, brush and roller savers and the touch up tarp. Carson bought his first car and Jason says they want to bring the company to $5 million in sales by the time he gets to college. After that, they want to position the company for acquisition.
Carson graduated high school in May, 2024. He doesn’t list any college plans on his LinkedIn page, but he started an auto detailing business and has a keen interest in the Culinary Arts. As of August, 2024, Touch Up Cup was doing $5 million in annual revenue and had close to $10 million in lifetime sales.
