Sharks Listen To A Pitch In Season 16 Episode 8
Shark Tank Season 16 returned with Episode 8 on January 17, 2025, offering viewers a chance to dive deeper into new business ventures. Following the standard format, this episode too had four pitches made to Mark Cuban, Robert Herjavec, Kevin O’Leary, Lori Greiner and Daniel Lubetzky.
From a new instant noodle brand to an innovative patented flashlight, sharks were blown away with what the new entrepreneurs had to offer. The episode was filled with notable moments where sharks not only battled to lock the deals but also offered priceless suggestions whenever needed. One of the highlights include Kevin’s harsh comment to a budding entrepreneur.
After the second pitch by TripleLite, the episode featured an update segment showcasing what happened to Play Maysie after its appearance on Shark Tank Season 14. Here’s a detailed recap of all the pitches, deals and updates from Shark Tank Season 16 Episode 8:
Shark Tank Season 16 Episode 8 Pitches
The latest episode of Shark Tank Season 16 kicked off with a pitch from a self-tanning brand that surprised sharks with their sales numbers. An innovative flashlight and a new instant noodle also made the sharks interested.
The pitches were well articulated where each entrepreneur gave an in-depth introduction of their products and business model, followed by relevant details such as sales, revenue, and unit economics.
Bro Glo
Shark Tank Season 16 Episode 8 began with high energy brought to the stage by Jaron, Tom and Joe. The entrepreneur trio was seeking $200,000 for 5% stake in their company called Bro Glo which offers self-tanner for men.
Launched in 2021, Bro Glo impressed all the sharks with their sale numbers that jumped from $482,000 in 2022 to nearly $3.1 million in 2023. The entrepreneurs, with small participation from Kevin, demonstrated how to apply the product. Not only their product and sales numbers but also the packaging stood out during the pitch, leading sharks to make lucrative offers.
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TripleLite
San Diego based married couple and co-owners of TripleLite, Ronnie Pritchett and Nancy Pritchett introduced sharks to their unique 180 degree flashlight. Bringing innovation in the flashlight business, they patented the technology and made $4 million in the last four years.
The couple was seeking $400,000 for 10% equity in their company. During the pitch, Nancy got emotional recalling how their previous investor sued them for control and they fought back and regained 100% control of TripleLite. She also came out with honesty that she never had business knowledge and only learned it when they started working on TripleLite.
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Hiccup
The third pitch came from Kristina, who was seeking $200,000 in exchange for 10% equity in her company, Hiccup. This brand provides reusable cup service for aid stations at running events. Kristina explained that she offers silicon cups, collects them post-race, and cleans them for reuse at another event.
With Hiccup cups, Kristina aims to make a difference in the bigger goal of saving the planet. Coming to business, she did $67,000 in sales in 2023.
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PhoLicious
The episode’s last pitch came from another married couple and business partners, Joseph and Anh. They were looking for a shark to invest $500,000 for 10% stake in PhoLicious. The couple explained that they offer instant Vietnamese rice noodle soup and started their business in 2021.
As they offered their delicious instant pho bowl to the sharks for tasting, they revealed that to raise capital for their business, they sold their house and lived in a camper with their two children and dogs for two years. As of now, they have their own manufacturing facility and manage their own distribution channels.
Currently selling at big retail stores like Walmart and Sam’s Club, they did $2.1 million in sales in 2023. Their projections for 2024 stood at $5-6 million.
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Entrepreneurs Featured in Shark Tank Season 16 Episode 8
Not everyone received a deal on Shark Tank Season 16 Episode 8, but each of the entrepreneurs walked away with valuable suggestions, inspiration and a will-power to make their business bigger and better.
Each of these entrepreneurs also exhibited what it takes to start and grow a business. The journey of entrepreneurship doesn’t get any easier with time. With challenges on every step, one just learns to get tougher and smart as it goes. Let’s take a look into the products the entrepreneurs from Episode 8 offer and if they received a deal or not.
1. Jaron, Tom, and Joe
Business Name: Bro Glo
Product:
- Bro Glo offers self tanner for males. This water based product is lightweight and non sticky.
- Their product is easy to apply and it takes 6-8 hours to reflect the tan after its application.
- Bro Glo is currently selling Body Tanner, Face Tanner and a Travel Bundle on their website.
Deal Status: All the sharks except Robert Herjavec made offers to Bro Glo. However, the most lucrative one came from Mark Cuban who was ready to invest $200,000 in exchange for 10%.
Daniel Lubetzky stepped in, agreeing to lock at 8% equity. On the other hand, Mark stated that he was not ready to negotiate. While Daniel was ready for comparatively lesser equity, the founders of Bro Glo decided to go with Mark, giving away 10% stake of their company.
Net Worth: $3 million
2. Ronnie Pritchett and Nancy Pritchett
Business Name: TripleLite
Product:
- TripleLite offers an innovative flashlight that projects with 180 degree arc. The curved design of the TripleLite flashlight gives the user wider visibility.
- Ronnie and Nancy have patented their Triplelight technology in the US and around the world, including 5 utility patents and a design patent.
- Their flashlights range from $23 to $40. They also sell keychains that illuminate, currently priced at $9.95
Deal Status: The first offer came from Kevin, asking for 49% stake in the company. Daniel offered the asked amount against 25%, while Mark and Lori teamed up to match Daniel’s offer. Robert, who was initially reluctant later joined Daniel in his offer. However, TripleLite locked the deal with Lori and Mark.
Net Worth: $3.2 million
3. Kristina
Business Name: Hiccup
Product:
- Hiccup offers reusable cup service for aid stations at running events.
- With Hiccup, Kristina’s aim is to eliminate cup wastage that has been harming the planet.
- The running events can hire Hiccup to supply silicon made cups. Even though it currently costs 30% more than paper cups, Hiccup provides a more sustainable option.
Deal Status: Sharks, especially Robert, believed that there’s a demand in the market, but it’s not a scalable business model. However, Kevin was too harsh in his comments, saying that Hiccup “sucks”. Further calling it a “horrible business”, he asked Kristina to shut it down. For Hiccup, Shark Tank panelists had no deal to offer.
Net Worth: NA
4. Joseph and Anh
Business Name: PhoLicious
Product:
- PhoLicious offers the instant version of an authentic Vietnamese dish, called Pho, a rice noodle soup.
- The brand offers three types of noodles- Beef, Chicken and Vegetarian, all priced at $25.
- The product is available on PhoLicious website and e-commerce platforms like Amazon. It is also available in retail stores like Walmart, HEB and Sam’s Store.
Deal Status: To invest in PhoLicious, Kevin and Daniel were seen locking horns. Eventually, after a round of bargain, the founders sealed the deal with Kevin for $500,000 investment against 15% equity.
Net Worth: $3.3 million
Play Maysie Update in Shark Tank Season 16 Episode 8
The episode also featured a special segment where it gave an update on Play Maysie, a brand that appeared in Shark Tank Season 14. Kayla Lupean, who makes portable dollhouses, grabbed a deal from Barbara Corcoran.
During the interview, Kayla candidly told that she expected to become a millionaire after her appearance on Shark Tank. However, that didn’t happen. Although there was a surge in her sales, she still wasn’t making enough money to keep going.
Prior to her Shark Tank appearance, her lifetime sales were only $150,000. Following the episode, she made sales worth $370,000. However, she added that after all her expenses, she was only left with 10% revenue. Eventually, she began to lose interest in her venture and that’s when another exciting opportunity came her way.
She took up the job as a teacher at a local high school where she now gives entrepreneurship lessons. Kayla, with the help of Barbara, is selling off her business so that she could move forward with her new career. Barbara said that she respects Kayla’s decision to end her business.
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The episode was definitely a learning curve for all the entrepreneurs who made their pitches. Some got what they wanted while some walked out with disappointment. But each of them gained a once in a lifetime experience and valuable feedback from the sharks of their respective industries.
