Remyxx Recycled Sneakers Using Shark Tank Publicity Wisely

Remyxx founder, Gary Gagnon, who brings his recycled sneakers into the Shark Tank Friday night, has been EVERYWHERE this last week or so. I haven’t communicated with him directly, but we have tweeted back and forth a bit. He was excited about getting a shout out from Perez Hilton and we traded a few tweets on the subject. I will definitely try to wrangle an interview out of him next week.

I predicted Remyxx would not get funded, but I am of the opinion that Mr. Gagnon’s recycled sneaker company will be another example of a Shark Tank entrepreneur who “fails” on the show yet parlays his appearance into a successful product launch. The power of the Shark Tank for pure Public Relations and advertising is, as we have seen time and time again, is immense.

Gagnon has been all over TV, print, and electronic media in Charlotte, NC. A local TV station calls Gagnon “a natural showman,” so his segment promises to be entertaining. Entertainment is what makes the producers pick particular entrepreneurs to air, not necessarily the soundness of their business. The fact that Gagnon is talking to anyone who will listen means he “gets it.” The Shark Tank is entertainment first, whether you like the lessons in business and negotiations or not, the reason people tune in is largely to watch the Sharks fight.

And tune in they will- nearly 7 million people watch every week. Gagnon surely knows this and he has set up a KickStarter Campaign to help fund his first production run. This is sheer genius! Crowdfunding has become very trendy- I even have my own project I am trying to fund- but not many people can alert 7 million TV viewers about their KickStarter campaign the way Remyxx will tomorrow night. An appearance on Shark Tank has crashed many websites this season, I wonder if KickStarter can withstand the onslaught.

While the Remyxx KickStarter page will get a lot of views, the real proof of concept will be whether Remyxx gets fully funded or not. I have heard tales of other entrepreneurs who have received investment offers after their segment aired, but those were private investors. With KickStarter, funding comes in small amounts from many investors who like the business.

Whether Remyxx gets a deal on Shark Tank or not, the most interesting part of this particular pitch will be watching the KickStarter campaign. If Gagnon successfully funds his business through crowd funding, he could set a bold example for how future Shark Tank entrepreneurs utilize the hype the show generates.

Rob Merlino

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.