Carrying your baby in your arms during outings can be exhausting and places significant strain on your spine. Poor posture negatively impacts overall health, and holding a baby limits your ability to carry other essential items. Parenting is already challenging; adding aching arms, a sore back, and the struggle of managing both your baby and belongings can be overwhelming.
Tammy Rant, a mother of two and founder of Tushbaby, sought investment from the Sharks in Season 10, Episode 9 of Shark Tank. Tushbaby is an ergonomic baby carrier designed to shift the baby’s weight to the hips instead of the back, featuring a padded seat for the child. Chiropractors and pediatricians recommend Tushbaby for providing proper support to both parent and child.
Rant has good people working with her, but she probably wants a Shark’s help getting her product into mass production and out into retail. Will a Shark like this innovative baby carrier be enough to invest in?
About TushBaby
| Category | Details |
| Founder (Plural if multiple) | Tammy Rant |
| Product Type | Ergonomic baby carrier |
| Funding (Pre-Shark Tank) | Raised $124,212 on Kickstarter and $127,498 on IndieGoGo |
| Investment Asked | $200,000 |
| Equity Offered | 10% |
What Happened on the Shark Tank Episode?
Tammy entered the Shark Tank accompanied by her husband and daughter, who was seated in the Tushbaby carrier. She sought $200,000 for a 10% equity stake. During her presentation, her husband demonstrated the product’s usage. Robert Herjavec joined onstage to try the carrier, holding another child named Ben. After the demonstrations, Tammy distributed samples to the remaining Sharks.
The TushBaby is a memory foam, padded seat that straps around the hips. This distributes the weight evenly for parents while keeping the baby in the upright “M” position. There are pockets for storing diapers and wipes, cell phones, keys, and anything else parents need to tote around. They work for kids up to 44 pounds and come in either grey or black. A Tush Baby will set you back $79.
Rant, a career software salesperson, got the business off the ground with a successful Kickstarter campaign that raised $124,212 in the spring of 2018. The motivation for the product came from her second daughter. She wanted to be held a lot, and Tammy got tired of putting her in and out of backpack-style carriers. The old-style carriers were uncomfortable, too. When she designed it for herself back in 2017, other moms came up to her and asked about it. That’s when she decided to get going on the Kickstarter campaign. She also raised another $127,498 on IndieGoGo.
Each one costs $21.81 landed and retails for $79.00. She sold 2500 units, and she just launched 5 weeks ago; the Sharks like that. Mark is worrying about dropping babies. Of the 2500 sold, they only delivered 25. She raised $75,000 for 5% to cover the pre-order inventory and it’s already sold out before it will be delivered. She’s having inventory issues. She is in sales on LinkedIn and will go full-time in two months.
What Makes TushBaby Unique?
- Tushbaby has an ergonomic hip seat design that supports the baby while reducing pressure on the caregiver’s back and arms.
- The product allows you to carry the baby in more than one position. It can be used in four ways:
- Feeding position
- Side carrying
- Front-facing
- Face-to-face
- Tushbaby baby carriers have multiple built-in pockets where you can securely store essentials like diapers, wipes, bottles, and personal items.
- These baby carriers are compact and can be easily folded, unlike traditional bulky ones.
- Tushbaby baby carriers are designed to be lightweight. They are very simple to wear and take off.
- The product is recommended by paediatricians and chiropractors for hip health and posture support.
- It has a strong and durable weight capacity and is suitable for babies up to 45 lbs.
- The baby carrier is made with breathable fabric, a secure Velcro waistband, and a strong buckle. It is comfortable for both the baby and the parent.
Find more interesting posts about different businesses that appeared on Shark Tank on the Shark Tank Blog. Also, read the article Tush Baby Baby Carrier for additional information about the company Coldest.
Did TushBaby Get a Deal on Shark Tank?
The entrepreneur explains the business model, her vision, and the story of its foundation. She also explains why and how she relates to the product. After a detailed discussion, the Sharks begin sharing their views.
Daymond thinks she works harder than he does, and he offers $200,000 for 10%—just what she asked for. Kevin points out that there may be other offers for the entrepreneur. Daymond reminds Tammy that she might lose his offer if she takes too much time to decide.
Robert shares his concerns over the fact that the business is still in a risky spot. Although he says that he does not mean she can’t do it, he just means that he is not interested in investing. Mark goes out, too.
Kevin offers $200,000 for 15%, and he also, in fact, says that he brings more value than Daymond does. Daymond laughs sarcastically at that comment and asks Kevin what value he brings. He further points out that he has a baby in diapers, whereas Kevin does not.
As the entrepreneur takes more time responding to Daymond’s offer, he gets a little miffed.
Tammy is pitching Lori hard. Daymond and Kevin ultimately pull their offers as it’s clear Tammy wants a deal with Lori. Lori offers $200,000 for 20%, and Tammy accepts.
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What Happened to TushBaby 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 deal with Lori never closed. Since airing, the company has begun donating Tush Babies to the LENN Foundation to help support children with cerebral palsy. Apparently, she taped her segment just after her Kickstarter and IndieGoGo campaigns were funded (June 2018), so money became a nonissue. They didn’t air her segment until the following year. There have been many knock-offs of this product and Tammy has had to defend her IP multiple times.
They introduced new products, too. The company now sells changing mats, pacifier protectors, tote bags, and “many packs.” As of April 2024, the company is still in business and has over $11 million in lifetime sales.
Where Can You Buy It?
Simplify carrying your little one with TushBaby’s ergonomic hip carrier, available on their official website. Ditch the bulky, uncomfortable carriers and find a comfortable, convenient solution by ordering your TushBaby from Amazon.
For more information about the company and their baby-carrying innovation, visit their Social media.
Quick Summary
- Tammy Rant presents TushBaby, an ergonomic baby carrier, on Shark Tank.
- The TushBaby carrier features a padded seat that distributes weight onto the hips and includes storage pockets.
- Tammy enters seeking $200K for 10% equity.
See what else is new! View other businesses featured in this episode.
