Colt and Stacy Hall invented The Potty Safe to solve a problem. Back in 2013, they were potty training their first child. Their daughter liked playing with her potty trainer and frequently spilled the contents all over their bathroom. It was, to put it mildly, disgusting. The new parents went searching for a potty trainer that locked so kids couldn’t spill it. Like any entrepreneurial soul, when they couldn’t find the product they wanted, they invented it.
The Potty Safe is fairly simple. It works like other potty trainers, except your kid cant spill it. Stacy envisioned the idea, went out and bought some materials, and asked Colt to make what was the first prototype. Colt is a welder and has some experience in fabrication, so he was able to get it done.
The couple took years from that first step back in 2013 to bring their product to market. They worked at it after their kids went to bed for years while holding down full time jobs. As they moved forward, they learned about the manufacturing process and bringing products to market along the way. They also patented their invention.
Finally, in 2018, they turned on their website and started selling online. Sales were slow at first, but the couple kept plugging along and now they sell The Potty Safe in major online retail outlets and on Amazon. Priced at $28.99, it’s an affordable option for most parents. The couple is starting to gain traction and they’d love it if a Shark helped take them to the next level.
My Take on The Potty Safe
I remember asking my aunt, who is a nurse and had a daughter one year older than our oldest, about potty training. She said she “tried all that Dr. Spock crap” with her older kids but resorted to bribery with her younger ones. She’d give them a piece of candy when they went potty successfully. I tried that route and it worked out well.
We had potty training seats. I seem to remember one that clamped right onto the toilet. Training was quite an adventure. This looks like a sensible product. Kids can be grimy little things. I remember more than one spilled potty trainer when my kids were little! This is one of those “why didn’t I think of that” products and it looks like something we probably would have purchased back in the day.
Will Sharks Get off the Pot and Invest?
This is a Lori type product. She invested in Squatty Potty in season six and took it to well over $50 million in sales. This product is in the same price range and it has the same potential for sales. It looks like Mr. Wonderful gives Colt and Stacy a hard time during their pitch, so I don’t think he invests.
This has all the markings of a Lori deal. The Potty Safe is in Target, buybuyBaby, Walmart and Amazon. That’s quite a feeat for two people who admittedly don’t know much about manufacturing and distribution. My hunch is Lori invested in this and is taking them down the same path as Squatty Potty.
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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