Credit: House Digest
Highlights
- The episodes of Shark Tank Season 12 were recorded during the pandemic.
- This season saw many guest Sharks, including Alex Rodriguez.
- While pitches like Hug Sleep invited offers from all the investors, others like Brumachen were rejected for overvaluation.
Every year, the creators of Shark Tank tease audiences with a promo showing how that season was better than others. Shark Tank Season 12 lived up to the claims by filming episodes in a pandemic environment. The impressive list of Guest Sharks, including Alex Rodriguez and Blake Mycoskie, further attracted viewers.
But what made the season even better was the diverse nature of pitches brought about by numerous entrepreneurs. From inventive electric vehicle charger to mobile desserts for kids, Shark Tank Season 12 was a showcase of diverse businesses. Have a look at the worst and best pitches of the season:
Shark Tank Season 12: Best Pitches
Shark Tank Season 12 entertained viewers with the most refreshing pitches and amazing presentations. Some of these were so good that negotiations became highly intense. From the exciting Bubbly Blaster to the intriguing Hug Sleep, read about the best pitches:
1. Bubbly Blaster
Bubbly Blaster finds its name in the list of best pitches on Shark Tank Season 12 due to the entrepreneurs’ clear-cut presentation, solid grasp of valuation, and visible passion for the product. The entrepreneur duo of Stason Stong and Bradley Hall went to the Sharks seeking $120K for 20% equity.
They began their energetic pitch by describing the basic nature of their ‘Champagne Gun,’ which helped to spray out Champagne from a bottle better than ever. Handing out samples to the investors, they revealed their sales to be $560K in 2020.
Their focus was visibly inclined toward Mark Cuban and Guest Alex Rodriguez, who were often involved in Champagne celebrations due to their sports background. Stason and Bradley wanted assistance in sales as well as marketing aspects.
While the other investors stepped out of the deal due to their fear about its scalability, Alex and Mark made an offer of $180K for 30%. The entrepreneur duo happily accepted the deal.
2. Dino Don
Dino Don was one of the best pitches on Shark Tank Season 12, owing to its unique nature. Unlike the products we see on the show, the pitch offered the judges an immersive experience with demo robot dinosaurs showcasing their business ideas. The investment sought was $500K for 10% equity.
The husband-wife duo of Dino Don Lessem and Val Jones tried to convince the judges to invest in their robotic dinosaur business. Dino started the pitch by throwing light on his decades of previous experience in the dinosaur-related business. The duo rented and sold the dinosaurs to museums, zoos, and aquariums.
But what impressed the investors the most was the amazing roar of dinosaurs on the set, which made them feel a real-time experience. The entrepreneurs had made $1.8 million in sales by 2022 and wanted to expand further with the help of one of the panelists.
Despite being excited during the pitch, the only investor to propose an offer was Mark Cuban. He offered $500K for 25% equity. The entrepreneurs took the deal.
3. Hug Sleep
If we are talking about the best pitches of Shark Tank Season 12, Hug Sleep cannot be left out. This is because the pitch was so well-prepared that all the five Sharks made an offer. Entrepreneurs Angie and Matt Mundt sought $150K for 10% equity.
As the name hints, the product offered sleep pods that could wrap adults like infants. Explaining further benefits of Hug Sleep, the duo stressed its great ability to deal with anxiety and other such mental health problems.
To keep the Sharks involved, they invited Robert Herjavec to try out their product live on set. The highlight of the pitch came when Robert fell off during the trial, inviting laughs from the other investors. Angie and Matt went on to reveal that they had gotten 41% margins in profits already.
Impressed by the pitch and product, all of the Sharks proposed their offers. But the final deal was locked with Lori Greiner and Mark Cuban for $300K at 20%.
Shark Tank Season 12: Worst Pitches
Though Shark Tank Season 12 saw fresh new ideas and pitches, it also witnessed the Sharks getting annoyed and criticizing entrepreneurs for multiple reasons. From Brumachen to Liftid, here are some of the worst pitches of the season:
1. Brumachen
Brumachen finds a place in the list of worst pitches on Shark Tank Season 12 due to an outrageously high valuation. The company made only $41K through a Kickstarter initiative but asked for a way higher investment amount.
Kweku Larbi and Ross Smith sought $1 million for 10% equity in their portable coffee brewer product. Larbi, a civil engineer, and Smith, an influencer, collaborated on this business plan to offer a ‘cheap’ way of making coffee.
Mark Cuban expressed his concerns about the complicated design of the product and felt it did not deserve the requested valuation. Kevin O’Leary and Robert Herjavec, too, called out them for the same reasons.
Guest Shark Daniel Lubetzky and Lori Greiner thought no different and marked themselves out. Ultimately, both the pitchers had to walk out without a deal.
2. The Scrubbie
The Scrubbie was one of the worst pitches on Shark Tank Season 12 for different reasons. Firstly, they refused to reveal sales figures to the judges. Secondly, they tried to bank on a deal with Lori Greiner, knowing her previous investment in a similar business, which visibly angered her.
Brought to the investors by the trio of Jeff Dakin, Matt Hosey, and Tyler Kessler, the product was a scrubbing sponge attachment that came along with a sink sprayer and garden hose. Lori seemed annoyed during the pitch and asked them about the packaging as it was similar to Scrub Daddy.
When Kevin O’leary inquired about the sales figures, they did not give a proper answer, which irritated him as well. Somehow, they stated it to be $13K, which did not impress the judges at all. Mark Cuban was shocked to know that the product required a subscription every month.
All these reasons collectively forced the investors to stay out of investing. This is what made the entrepreneurs walk out without a deal.
3. Liftid
Liftid is one of the worst pitches to have been presented on Shark Tank Season 12 due to its poor presentation. When the Sharks asked him about his passion that led him towards the venture, he started talking all about sales. He even discussed products not related to Liftid, which irritated the investors.
The entrepreneur couple of Ken and Allyson Davidov approached the panelists with Liftid, a neuro simulation device that could simulate different sections of our brain. Wearing the product, a headband, Ken sought $200K for 10% equity.
But soon Ken started making claims that it could bring changes in the functioning of the brain through activated neurons and give an unmatched energy boost. The judges asked for samples, and Mark Cuban then read the warning on its label, saying it would only offer cognitive benefits, no medical benefits.
The Sharks chose to step out of the deal, citing different reasons, including poor presentation and excessive claims. Thus, the entrepreneurs left empty-handed.
Conclusion
Shark Tank Season Season 12 was the perfect exemplification of an ideal season. From innovative products like Hug Sleep to bizarre ideas like Liftid, this season presented the audiences with a mix of exciting and disappointing pitches.
But overall, the happy pitches, along with the ones that attracted the wrath of the judges, made the season a special one.
References
1. Bubbly Blaster: Here’s What Happened After Shark Tank, Food Republic, Khyati Dand
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.
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