Narrator: Tonight, Michael Rubin, founder of
the multi-billion dollar sports retail behemoth Fanatics,
joins the Tank.
I want to give the opportunity to the consumer,
to the fan.
We prep. You bake.
There had to be a better way.
And now there is, because I invented it.
O'Leary: You have to change your business model.
You're cheating.
We're helping the common person.
I like business. I like making money.
There is no goofing off in this business.
Get realistic about this.
No, I like this. I want these guys all to myself.
Guys, do not be bullied by him.
You got me. That's a better Shark, anyway.
Ooh. It's the battle of billionaires. Let's go.
♪♪
Narrator: First in the Tank is a way for the everyday consumer
to compete with technology.
♪♪
Hi, Sharks. My name is Maurice Bachelor,
and I'm from Cleveland, Ohio.
And my name is Joel Griffith,
and I'm from Trenton, New Jersey.
And together we founded Bot-It,
a website and mobile app
that uses artificial intelligence
to complete online tasks.
We're seeking a $150,000 investment
for a 10% stake in our company.
So, Sharks, have you ever gone online
to reserve a dinner reservation,
book a golf tee time,
or buy concert tickets,
and notice that they're gone in seconds?
Well, that's because an online robot,
also known as a bot,
probably just outbooked you.
Bots now control 50% of online traffic
for things like booking reservations
and making online purchases.
But how can humans compete?
It's almost impossible to click as fast as a bot.
And it's annoying to have to sit at a computer,
keep clicking refresh... [ Laughter ]
...hoping that you're the lucky one
to buy those concert tickets before they disappear.
Or having to set your alarm for the crack of dawn,
hoping to book a reservation for a popular restaurant... [ Laughter ]
...only to find that a bot has already beat you to it.
Let's say, for example,
you're looking to book a reservation
at one of our favorite restaurants,
Mr. Wonderful's Fish and Chips,
one of the best restaurants in the world.
You can select from one of our pre-built bots
to start automating in seconds.
Or you can customize,
and we'll build one for you.
It's that simple.
So, Sharks, next time you're looking
to book a golf tee time...
Bot-It.
Need tickets to a popular concert?
Bot-It.
Want to impress your friends
by having a reservation
at the hottest restaurant in town?
Bot-It. Bot-It.
So, Sharks, now that you got it,
let's Bot-It. [ Laughter ]
Good presentation. That's a great start.
If you don't mind, gentlemen, help me understand
why a bot beats you to the reservation,
why it has such an advantage.
And I'm sure not everyone knows,
what is a bot?
A bot is -- well, it's a robot.
It's going to automate a manual process.
So it's a program? Yeah, yeah.
We built an application that allows you to be able
to go on any website and be able to say,
"Hey, step one, click this button.
Step two, log in.
Step three, type in this information."
Our back-end system then takes that information
and automates that process for you.
So, it just does it over and over and over and over again
until it gets through? As many times --
You can set the schedule, you can do anything you like.
So a popular female singer that sells out in seconds.
If you have Bot-It, you can be in that stack, too.
Absolutely. Absolutely.
Okay, so, humans don't really matter anymore.
This is good. [ Laughter ]
This is a real issue.
We have probably billions of dollars of products
that bots try to buy from us each year.
We, at Topps, when we make a card release,
bots come to get everything.
When we release a new Mitchell & Ness jersey,
same thing -- A bot tries to come in.
We've built software to eliminate that.
And aren't all the bigger companies
gonna build something to really eliminate a bot from being able
to successfully do what it's supposed to do?
That's a great question, Michael.
So, we've built our technology
to now be able to be undetectable.
So we can get on any website that we need to
in order to run our software systems. Cuban: So what you're saying --
"I can get whatever I want from a drop at Fanatics." [ Laughs ]
So, yeah, that's the beauty.
But we're doing it in --
We follow all the standard practices
when it comes to automation,
and we make sure that we don't do anything
that's outside of what's regulated.
What are your sales? You making any money?
So, right now, we have a subscription-based model.
So, currently, we have over $30,000 in sales.
We just started three months ago,
and we have over 350 current subscribers.
And one thing that Joel didn't mention --
We also do B2B.
So, we signed up the largest shipping logistics company
in Turkey using our service.
What does it cost for a subscription?
The cost for one subscription
will be up to $40 for our standard package,
then up to $300 for our pro package.
And then we have a couple upsell items.
You can run a bot every 15 minutes
to pick up canceled tee times, anything like that.
Like, if I want to do this as a consumer,
if I want to go buy a Travis Scott release at Nike,
how quick is it for me to sign up?
Seconds, seconds. Seconds?
Our bots build themselves.
Sometimes we do have to set it up manually.
Yeah. An example. So, this is the process of setting up a bot,
and all of our technology is custom-built by my hands.
So, I'm a -- My background is in software engineering.
We want to hear more about you. So tell us about you, tell us about you.
-Yeah, yeah. -Yeah.
So, like, over the last 15 years,
I've been starting and scaling businesses.
I helped start the mobile division at LegalZoom.
How did you guys get together?
So, we met through a mutual friend playing golf.
I'm originally from Trenton, New Jersey.
After graduating from Morehouse College,
I spent 10 years working in social media advertising
for companies like LinkedIn, Snapchat,
Amazon advertising, and most recently, TikTok.
Guys, is there another competitive product to this?
Is somebody else doing this for consumers?
So, on the B2B side, yes.
Can individuals use it?
If I just want to buy one Taylor Swift ticket
or I want to buy one... No, as far as --
It's only for businesses? That's what separates us,
is that we have the B2C side.
No, you can, they just -- it's just not pre-configured
for typical consumer things.
Let me ask you a different question.
In society today,
the use of bots is becoming a moral issue.
If you think about it from being a very public investor...
Sure. ...what does it say about us if we're supporting this
for those that think you're cheating?
So, that's part of the reason why we're here today.
We want to help change the perception of bots amongst consumers.
Bots aren't always the bad guy,
and you can have one, too,
and it can do the same thing to help you.
See, we're trying to eliminate them,
to be honest, at Fanatics.
You may say it's a moral dilemma.
I'd much rather an individual try to get us with a bot,
than a business try to get us with a bot. Corcoran: For sure.
So at least, you know, they're supporting --
O'Leary: Well, how do you feel about the world knowing
that Michael Rubin invested in bots? I-I don't know.
I'd be fine with it -- for me. I'm thinking about that.
But I'd rather disrupt myself
than have someone else disrupt me. Always. Always.
And so, right now, I know we're fighting.
We're doing everything we can to stop B2B bots, because, for us,
we want to give things to the actual consumer.
So, in a lot of ways... Right.
We're helping the common person.
That's exactly what -- In a lot of ways --
Well, it's already existing.
Being a common person here...
You're not common, Lori. I'm not super tech-y.
I actually think I'm pretty normal.
I am not super tech-y. Yeah, right.
And I'm thinking, like, restaurants.
A lot of people, they go, "Oh, you know,
I want to go to my favorite X, Y, Z restaurant tonight.
Can't get in."
This is not gonna really help you for that, right? No.
But where there's contention
is when something opens up at a specific time. Right.
So, they're going to say,
"We have 62 tee times at 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday,"
or, "We're opening up online reservations
to our new restaurant..." And they immediately grab it.
But it's future site things. Griffith: It immediately grabs it.
There's nothing that you have to do from your end.
It's interesting to me, because I think there's a lot
of different directions you can go.
But then, with all the new
AI stuff that's coming out... Exactly.
...people are going to be more aware
and more interested in doing these types of things
if you can create the right user interface.
Oh, yes. Exactly.
So, I'll give you the 150K, but I want 20%.
Rubin: Hold on.
Before you guys respond to that...
Mark, would you have me as your partner?
No, I like this.
I want these guys all to myself.
[ Bachelor and Griffith laugh ]
What did you offer 'em?
$150,000 for 20%.
Great. I'll do $150,000 for 15%, then.
♪♪
-Yeah. -Whew.
So, you can work with a guy who doesn't understand it
or a guy who does.
He makes a fair point.
But if someone's going to use a bot,
I'd much rather be the consumer. I want to learn from you,
the way you guys can learn from me. O'Leary: It's a Shark fight.
I offered to partner with you,
which I thought was smart. Eh, you know.
Listen, if you're better than me, you don't want a partner...
I didn't say that. I didn't say that. No, it's fine, it's fine.
Hey, listen, I love it.
It's the battle of billionaires. Let's go.
You know me, I don't stick around.
I got that 24-second clock. Just a second, Mark.
Just give us a second, please.
Guys, do not be bullied by him.
You got me. That's a better Shark, anyway.
So, guys, what do you want to do?
♪♪
Narrator: All Sharks are still in.
Maurice and Joel have two offers on the table
from Mark and Michael
for their bot service for consumers, Bot-It.
So, what do you guys want to do?
So, we appreciate the offer,
and we wanted to see if anyone, other Sharks,
had any opportunities to jump in as well.
Griffith: Just to give them a chance.
I love the fact that you kind of level the playing field
between the little guy and the big guy. Exactly.
And I think that's respectable and honorable.
But I won't compete with these big guys.
They got the billions. I've got the millions. I'm out.
Cuban: Guys, what do you want to do? Thank you.
Because if you don't want to work with me, that's fine.
No, no, that's not the case at all.
We just want to be respectful and hear everyone's offer.
But it's the Shark Tank, it's not the Respect Tank.
You don't have to be respectful.
And, very often, you lose a deal that way.
What would you like to do? Greiner: Well, you guys,
the thing is, I will say this --
I do think that there are some better Sharks here
that understand what you're doing better than myself.
And therefore, to give you a better chance,
I am taking myself out,
and I would make a decision quickly,
because one of them can swim away fast.
Yes. Yeah, we don't want that.
Guys, I look at it from the moral issue,
and I'm highly regulated
in every financial market I work in.
They don't all agree with the idea that it's fair ball.
I'm out. Sure.
Rubin: And by the way, I want to say,
I don't agree with part of this, as well,
but I'd rather -- again, as I always say --
I'd rather disrupt myself... Yeah, you -- always.
...than have someone else disrupt me.
I'd like to see you kick Cuban under the bus.
And for me, I really hate when businesses
take all the inventory, because I want
to give the opportunity to the consumer, to the fan.
We love both offers,
and we appreciate everybody's feedback. Yes.
We would love to have both of you guys.
Mark said no. Mark, you know what?
For the greater good of their business, let's partner.
If there's two of us, right, there'd have to be more equity.
If we go 20%...
No, 20% is what I want.
$150,000 for 20%. O'Leary: Whoa-wee.
Mark, why don't we give them $175,000 for 20%?
What we want is both of you guys in at $300,000 for 20%.
Yeah, that's not happening. You went up in money.
Yeah, now you're quickly going to lose us.
Why don't we talk about a higher price
for 30% or 40%?
Cuban and Rubin -- Come on, y'all be great.
Cuban and Rubin. [ Laughs ]
Mark, what do you think is reasonable?
So, make us an offer we can't refuse.
So, we can make an offer of $500,000,
and we'll do for 25%.
Okay, now you've gone way backwards very quickly.
You're actually -- You're about to lose us
'cause your math isn't making sense.
No. You didn't mean $500,000. No? No, no, I'm sorry.
I did mean $350,000. Sorry. So $300,000 for -- for 25%.
You're not giving us a whole lot. So -- So --
Because you asked $150,000 for 10%.
To get both of us in --
'Cause I like Michael, right?
Why don't we do 30%, go 15%/15% each for $300,000?
If you guys can meet us at 20% with that,
then you have a deal.
No, it'd have to be -- It was $150,000? Go ahead.
I think that's a fair offer, personally, but --
So tell us what offer you'll accept.
[ Both speaking indistinctly ]
I think this is our final, Mark, from our end.
♪♪
Alright, let's do a deal. Let's do it.
Okay, tell me exactly, so we know.
Tell us. Sorry?
Tell us the number that we agree. 30% for $300,000, correct?
Yes. Yes.
-There you go. -Good job.
Cuban and Rubin, baby, let's go.
Cuban and Rubin, that's what's up right there.
Thanks, man. Rubin: Let's go kill it, man.
Yeah. Thanks a lot. Let's go kill it.
-Thanks, man. -Thanks, man.
Congrats, guys. It'll be good. Thanks, guys.
Excited. Thanks, guys. Kick ass.
Thanks, everyone. Hey.
Let's go. Let's go.
This is the most important day of the Bot-It life.
We've been working so hard to get to this point.
To have both of those Sharks on our team right now
is going to take us to the next level,
and we're going to be at a global scale,
and you're going to hear about Bot-It everywhere.
Cuban: Just an aside -- When I opened my bar
when I was a senior in college,
the first sandwich we ever served,
the Cuban Reuben.
Really? [ Laughter ]
I like. And this leads to our new partnership.
Right? The Cuban Rubin, Inc.
Mark, you do all the work,
and we'll just add a little bit of value.
Right? That's what I always do.
♪♪
I was born in suburban Philadelphia.
I came from a very middle-class background.
I was never a good athlete. I was never a good student.
The only thing I was good at was working.
At 12 years old, I started a ski-tuning shop
in my parents' basement.
First year, I did $2,500.
Next year, there was something called a ski swap
where a bunch of other local ski shops
took all their last year's inventory
and put it on consignment.
And I said, "Hey, why don't you lend me
some of the skis,
and I'll pay you for them as I go."
The next year, at 13 years old,
I did $25,000 in business.
After that, I opened my first ski shop.
The first year was amazing. I did $125,000.
By the time I was 15, I started getting cocky.
I actually went out and bought a Porsche
before I was old enough to drive it.
At 16 years old,
I had a major problem -- It didn't snow.
So, the first time I almost went bankrupt,
I was only 16 years old.
I had $80,000 of inventory left.
So I literally went through the yellow pages
finding different ski shops
that could sell this inventory to.
Now, the great thing about that story
is that taught me about the close-out business.
Now, by the time I'm 21 years old,
I've got a $100 million-plus closeout business
buying and selling excess sneakers and skis.
What I learned there is every failure
turns into your next opportunity.
Now, 1998 comes, and I asked everyone,
"What are you doing about this Internet thing?"
Everyone said the same thing --
"We don't really have an answer."
And that's what led me to start GSI Commerce
to reinvent my company.
GSI Commerce became the leading provider of e-commerce
for the biggest retailers in the world.
eBay acquired GSI Commerce in 2011 for $2.4 billion.
Fanatics was started within GSI Commerce,
but by the time eBay bought it, they didn't want Fanatics,
they asked me to buy it, I did exactly that.
Fanatics today is the largest retailer in the world
of licensed sports merchandise.
That means, you want to buy any player merchandise,
team merchandise, we've got it all.
Today, Fanatics has 18,000 employees.
We're a company that was last valued at $31 billion.
We have over $8 billion of revenue this year.
I use that craziness to, like, be more focused.
Was I ever afraid of failure? Hell no.
So many people in this world,
they're scared to fail, and that's why they never get ahead.
I mean, if you sit there trying to figure out,
"Is this going to work,
am I going to fail?" then guess what?
You've kind of failed before you even started.
I want to take my shot all the time.
I'm the person who wants the ball.
I want to go for it. That's who I am.
I'm a true entrepreneur. I was born an entrepreneur.
It's the only thing I've ever been good at.
For me, to be part of "Shark Tank,"
it's an honor, it's a privilege.
I can't wait to see all these bright faces
who want to come in and show us their ideas.
And I can't wait to invest in some of them.
♪♪
Narrator: Next up is a convenient way
to enjoy a luxurious but labor-intensive dish.
♪♪
Hi, Sharks. I'm Arya.
And I'm Tasha.
We're seeking $200,000
for a 10% stake in our business.
Sharks, we all know that great food
makes for even better days,
and we can all use more of those.
That's why we -- Sharks --
That's why we created...
Wellingtons! Wellingtons!
Sharks, a traditional beef Wellington
is a filet mignon wrapped in a flaky puff pastry.
It's a mouthwatering, luxurious dish.
Question is, have any of you
ever tried making a beef Wellington? [ Chuckles ]
If you have, you'd know that it's incredibly complicated
and time consuming,
which is why most people only have it at a restaurant
or on a special occasion.
We thought, there has to be a simpler way
to enjoy our favorite dish at home.
So, we set out to create Wellingtons,
incredible frozen beef Wellingtons
shipped directly to you.
We do the legwork
on a traditional beef Wellington
so you don't have to spend the time
prepping or reading a difficult recipe.
We prep. You bake.
[ Greiner chuckles ]
Here, we have our classic full-size beef Wellington,
which we prepare in our commercial kitchen
here in Los Angeles.
All you have to do is pop it in the oven
for 35 minutes, and boom, you're ready to serve.
We've pretty much Wellified all your favorite dishes.
We have our classic beef Welly,
our cheeseburger Welly,
our breakfast Welly,
and our hazelnut chocolate Welly.
My personal favorite.
We also have our new bite-size line.
We have the buffalo chicken Welly bites
and our cheeseburger Welly bites.
Corcoran: Oh. Wow. That's a lot of product.
So, Sharks, are you ready to join us and get...
Wellified?! Wellified?!
Sharks, time to get some Wellies in your bellies.
Dig in. Wah-wah-wah-wah!
We would love to hear your feedback.
Greiner: Thank you.
♪♪
Are you vegan-ish today or... Mm, wow!
...not vegan, Mark?
Cuban: Oh! Is it good? Do you like it?
Oh! We tried really hard.
[ Both laugh ]
O'Leary: So, guys, I'll have you know that... Oh, my God.
...Chef Wonderful makes beef Wellington. Mmm!
And I must attest to one fact you are correct on --
It is extremely difficult and time consuming.
It is. Michael, what do you think?
Really good. That's -- You love it?
Great, not good. Arya: Welcome to "Shark Tank."
I'm so happy to hear that. Oh!
Well, let's get to the economics.
By the way, that's delicious.
Ooh! Let's just take us right through the number-one seller.
It's gotta be the classic Welly, right?
For sure. Yes.
So, we sell the classic Welly for $35.
That's all? Our food costs,
including our kitchen and labor, is $9.41.
And when you say you sell for $35,
is it all direct to consumer?
How do you -- Where are you selling it?
So, we actually sell on Goldbelly
and, more recently, on our own website.
So, now we're selling direct to consumer.
Is that where you sell most of it now or all of it?
We still have -- A majority of our business is on Goldbelly... Less than 2%. Yeah.
...especially during the holidays.
Am I going to look really dumb when it ask what Goldbelly is?
It's like Postmates, but with overnight shipping.
It's all direct to consumer.
So, on Goldbelly, they sell a four-pack of the classic Wellies
for 169 bucks. Greiner: Wow.
Cuban: Does that include shipping?
That includes shipping to the customer. Tasha: Yep.
So, for the four-pack on your website,
$140. It's 140 bucks.
Yeah, but -- And our cost on it is about $37.
Okay. Rubin: Plus shipping.
Plus $27 shipping. Right.
Yeah. Plus $9 for the box and dry ice.
Are you trying to move away from Goldbelly
onto your own website for all of your orders?
Is that your goal?
That's kind of -- that's the goal. Yeah.
You know, we were thinking about
going straight into grocery stores
and go national and try to get into 1,200 stores,
but I just think it's premature for that. There's competition.
Cuban: What are your sales?
Last year, we did $313,000 in sales.
Wow. About $240,000 of that was Goldbelly.
O'Leary: Are you making any money?
No. Last year... How much did you lose?
...we lost $260,000.
So, you really need to shift this
direct to consumer from your own site
or you'll never make money. Exactly.
So, guys, I can't do your deal.
I'll tell you why -- I also sell sous vide,
including prime rib and filet mignon
and lots of other meats on QVC as Chef Wonderful.
Okay. I'm your competitor.
Yeah. While you have to --
You're not gonna try to do Wonderful Wellies, are you?
Greiner: Oh! [ Laughter ]
Better not, Kevin.
You have to change your business model. You really do.
You'll never make money under this structure.
But good luck to you. I'm out.
Thank you.
Guys, I think you have tremendous potential,
but I don't think it's working.
You need to turn this
into your own direct-to-consumer business.
I think the business is just so young and so small.
And for that reason, I'm out.
Thank you, Michael. We appreciate your time.
This is a hard business, and you're in between,
where you have a great product,
but it's really expensive to ship.
You've got to find a different way to sell, seriously.
You know, whether it's going to event services,
whether it's working up with party planners.
Because, otherwise, you're never going to find a way to scale.
So for those reasons, I'm out.
So, thank you, Mark.
We actually just closed our first PO
with a food service business.
I think the food service business is actually gonna be
a really good route. That's your best business.
Yeah, we just closed it. Yeah, so, it's a 70 --
And could you give me an example of what that is?
Yeah, so, for this hotel in particular,
the product that's going to resonate
with their customer base is the Welly bites.
And they want to do about 200 units.
The PO's for 200 units at two hotels
to start per month.
And that's just, you know, just to get started.
So, make sure you guys get rooms at that hotel,
and all your friends,
and you go and buy all the bites, right?
Exactly. Exactly. [ Laughs ] Mark.
Rubin: Yeah, I think that'll work -- Hell yeah.
Control your own destiny, right? I like that.
[ Laughs ] You've done that, right?
Of course. Gotta get it started.
Buy them all. Of course.
Listen, you guys, everything here was great.
The problem for me is, is when I'm an investor in something,
I feel I have to be passionate, not only about the people,
but also about the product.
I eat meat, but I don't eat very much meat.
So, I wish you guys both good luck,
but I'm sorry, I'm out.
May I ask you what you're looking for in a Shark?
We're looking for a partnership. We're looking for support.
We're looking for a partner.
To do what specifically?
We need mentors. Access to distribution channels...
Mm-hmm. ...co-packers.
We're really wanting to invest in our own operational setup.
I'm kind of on the fence about it.
I'm in a lot of food businesses,
but I'm not sure I can deliver what you need, honestly.
I've gone the co-packing route.
We've had as many disasters as we've had successes.
I feel almost like building a food business is try everything.
It's not an accurate business, by any means.
Well, you have two passionate founders right here.
I think, um...
And we're ready to learn. I think we can work together.
Yeah.
We just -- We need mentorship.
And we're ready.
♪♪
I think -- I think I'm going to pass on this.
I like to feel like I'm making such a difference
to my partners, and I do,
but I'm afraid I might disappoint you.
So I'm going to say I'm out.
Okay. Okay. Thank you.
Thank you.
Greiner: Thank you for giving us your food... Cuban: Good luck, guys.
Thank you, guys. The food was amazing.
Thank you, guys.
Take care. Take care.
-Thank you. -Good luck.
Thank you.
Tasha: I think they were just a little scared,
I'm not going to lie.
But we're a young company,
and we're not playing it safe,
and we're ready to take risks.
And I'm excited to see what the future has in store for us
and Wellingtons. Yep.
My old company, GSI Commerce,
we were in the business, we ran Godiva's business.
And it is hard, to Mark's point, from a shipping perspective.
But it's just, I look at this and say,
"For every one of these,
there might be five successful businesses
that are more than $100 million
that sell these type of products."
And I think 99% don't work.
And so, I just think it's too hard.
Kevin, you make those? I make them.
I can't make toast, so you're killing it.
No, no, I can make them.
It's all day. Greiner: Yeah.
You spend all day making this.
I mean, this is a crazy day.
But, God, is it good.
Narrator: For our milestone 15th season,
we're counting down the top 15 "Shark Tank" companies
with the highest total retail sales.
Number 9 is Lovepop, with $304 million.
Number 8 is Tipsy Elves, with $317 million.
And number 7 is Dude Wipes,
with $341 million in total retail sales.
Tune in to next week's episode
for the next three.
♪♪
Narrator: Next into the Tank
is an easier way to prepare for the big game.
♪♪
Hi, Sharks. I'm Gavin.
[ Laughter ]
And I'm his big sister, Morgan.
And I'm their dad and coach, Jon.
We're from Orange County, California,
and we're here seeking $50,000
for 20% of Gavin's business.
Sharks, I love playing baseball,
and I learned that the secret to catching a ball
is by breaking in and shaping your glove.
Because when you buy a brand-new glove,
it's so stiff, rigid, and so hard to close.
So, whether you play tee ball
or you're in the pros,
you have to break in your glove somehow,
unless you like dropping the ball.
Players do the craziest things
to try and break in their gloves.
Like driving a car over it.
Poor glove!
Or covering it in shaving cream
and throwing it in the oven.
What in the world?!
[ Laughter ]
When I was growing up,
we'd even put it under my mattress.
There had to be a better way.
And now there is, because I invented it.
Introducing...
Together: Glove Wrap!
Gavin: Glove Wrap is the elastic band
with exact width, length, and thickness
needed to break in and shape your entire baseball glove
while forming a perfect pocket.
Sharks, there's nothing else like it.
Just place a ball in a glove
and wrap it up with Glove Wrap.
That's literally it.
So, which one of you Sharks
want to join us and make this business...
Together: A grand slam?
Good job, guys. Sharks, each one of you
have a glove in front of you wrapped with Glove Wrap. Greiner: Good job.
Awesome.
Gavin would love to demonstrate for all of you
how to wrap your glove.
Sharks, first, place a ball in the pocket.
Next, begin wrapping the entirety of the glove.
No other product on the market
wraps the entirety of the glove.
When you get to the end,
simply tuck it into itself,
and it sticks together in place.
Gavin, How did you come to figure this out?
So, my dad and I just bought me a new glove,
and we were going to use the old-fashioned way
to break in it, with rubber bands,
but we didn't have enough.
So I found a piece of rubber
that my dad used when he hurt his leg,
and I asked him if we can wrap
the entirety of the glove with it.
And he looked online, there was nothing else like it.
And that's when Glove Wrap was born.
How do you feel, that you have invented a product that works?
I feel great.
[ Laughter ] Are you selling it already?
You making any sales?
We have sold over 1,000 Glove Wraps.
1,000? Corcoran: Wow.
Lifetime sales are over $19,000.
How much do these Glove Wraps sell for?
And what do they cost you to make?
It costs us $3 landed to make.
We sell it for $19.99 retail and $10 wholesale.
Greiner: Wow! Good for you.
What a great price. Wow.
And, Gavin, where do you sell these?
Amazon and our website,
and in six mom-and-pop shops.
But I just presented to a major retailer,
and we're going to meet with him in a few weeks
and they want to put Glove Wrap
right next to where they sell their gloves.
O'Leary: Who's the major retailer, Gavin? Oh, that's a real win.
Who is it? It's Big 5.
Big 5.
You know, the first retailer I ever sold to
was Big 5 Sporting Goods.
That's where it all started for me. That's awesome.
Morgan, how do you fit into the business?
What do you do in the business?
I keep everybody on track.
There is no goofing off in this business.
We are a very serious company.
[ Laughter ] Tell me, Morgan,
do you guys ship the orders yourself?
Are you helping to ship the orders?
I help pack, label, and ship orders
every morning before I go to school.
Wow, that's great. Dang.
Mr. Mark, I know you know the people at Dick's Sporting Goods.
Yes, I do. [ Laughter ]
Glove Wrap would be good to go right next
to where they sell their gloves.
-Yes, it would. -That's right.
But, you know, what I was thinking is,
all the baseball teams in the country,
minor league and professional in particular,
would want their own to give to their players
and to give away to their fans.
So, instead of having to sell them one at a time,
you could sell them a bunch at a time.
Instead of having bat day,
you know, you can have Glove Wrap days
to give away to kids.
I think they would go for it.
That's a great idea. Corcoran: Wait a minute.
I have a question about the tape itself.
I work out a lot. Yes.
And I feel I have an identical band in my closet
that I use all the time.
So, I don't want to throw water on your product,
but what is the difference?
I would think I would just go out and buy one of these,
and I wouldn't need to buy your product.
So, we've figured out
the exact width, length, and thickness...
Mm-hmm. ...that can be used effectively with any glove.
So, guys, this pitch is fantastic,
because it's a simple product that really works.
My problem with your deal is,
and I insist on this in any deal from an 8-year-old,
you gotta drop out
and you gotta work for me full time.
♪♪
How do you feel about that, Gavin?
No. No.
I don't want you to do that.
But for that reason, I'm out.
[ Corcoran laughs ]
Thank you for your time.
Listen, I think, super clever.
You are amazing.
But I do think that there are some more sporty Sharks up here
that could help you more than me.
I will be rooting for you. But on this, I'm out.
Thank you so much for your time, Lori.
I think Mark is your partner for sure.
I wouldn't invest in this
'cause I am afraid -- Why would Mark be the partner and not me?
Oh, well, he'd make a better partner.
I think I'd be a better partner. Why do you say that?
I could tell -- I-I... I mean, wow.
I hardly know you, but I could tell.
-I mean... -Oh!
O'Leary: Look at that.
But I do believe, anyone watching, I think,
would just go out and buy what I have in my closet.
I'm out.
So, Gavin, I think this is an idea.
I don't know how big this could be.
I'm just being completely honest with you.
But here's why I want to invest in you,
is because I believe you're going to be a winner,
and I want to be able to invest
in anything you do in the future.
I own Fanatics. It's the largest retailer in the world
of licensed sports merchandise.
So, we sell all the baseball jerseys,
the football jerseys, the basketball jerseys.
MLB Store, the NFL Shop.
We also own Topps.
We own Lids, the leading headwear retailer in the world.
I live in this business,
so, for us, we'd love to introduce you
to some of the best baseball players in the world.
We'd love to introduce you to some of the biggest retailers.
So, Gavin, I'll make you an offer on one condition.
Mark, I want you to be my partner with me.
Yeah, I'll come in on that.
How much equity should we get from him?
You guys asked for 20%? Jon: We did.
♪♪
We have to be Sharks. You realize that.
$50,000 split between Michael and I for...
♪♪
...22%.
You got a deal. Deal!
Let's go! [ Laughter ]
Rubin: Now, one more thing I want a commitment from.
I want to make sure, anything you do in the future,
you give us a chance to invest in.
Because I know you're going to be a giant.
There you go. Thank you so much.
Of course. What position do you play?
I like first base the most.
Oh, I can tell.
Jon: Thank you for your time.
-Great presentation. -Great job. Great job, guys.
[ Laughs ] Oh, my gosh!
Morgan, good job!
When Mark said, "I have a Shark-y deal,"
I was expecting 40% or 50%, not 22%.
I was doing millions of dollars in business
when I was 18 years old.
He is a young me.
I want that kid running Fanatics in 10 years.
♪♪
Narrator: Next up, an entrepreneur
looking to spread the love.
♪♪
Hi, my name is Blaine Anderson,
and I am the founder and CEO of Dating By Blaine.
I am here seeking $100,000 in exchange for 2% of my company.
Y'all may have found your other halves,
or in a few cases, better halves.
But in the day and age of swiping and texting,
for many people, finding love is not so easy.
Let's take Mark, for example.
And let's say Mark was single
and Mark meets a girl... I'll take him.
...like Barbara. [ Chuckles ]
Yes, thank God!
But how does he flirt?
What does he text her?
Mark feels confused.
He hesitates, and, ultimately, he texts something awkward.
Mark, can you...?
"Hey, Barb, what's up?
Want to meet on my private jet next week?
Or maybe my yacht?"
Corcoran: Oh, God. What a [bleep]
[ Laughter ] Anderson: Oh, God, Mark!
Barbara decides she's not interested,
and that's that...again.
Mark is so sick of feeling confused
with the women he's interested in.
That's where I come in.
If Mark had taken my texting course,
he would have known the exact message
to send Barbara to land a date.
Something more like this.
"Barb, great to meet you.
Your podcast 'Business Unusual'
sounds fascinating.
I'd like to hear more about it over drinks.
I know the best whisky bar in town.
Want to go Thursday?"
Very good, Mark. Much better.
I knew you would get there. Thank you.
Sounds great. Thank you.
My work is devoted to helping single men
build the skills they need
to attract awesome partners
through my online courses and one-on-one coaching.
So, who wants to play cupid with me
and get more singles mixing, mingling,
and in happy relationships?
How many years have you been doing this...
Yeah. ...and what are your sales?
Absolutely. So, I started mid-way through 2020.
My overall sales are $2.2 million.
[ Sharks exclaim ] Yes.
-God, I didn't expect that. -$2.2 million?
Good for you. I did $22,000
in the first six months of my business.
2021, I did $484,000.
Yeah.
2022, I did $1 million.
And I'm expecting to do $1.5 million this year.
Dang!
How's the model work? How do you charge? Yeah, absolutely.
So, my primary course is my Dating Masterclass.
I sell this for $1,295.
It is an online course.
It is prerecorded and it allows the man to watch it
and go at his own pace.
It includes a small amount of one-on-one interaction.
They get a profile makeover, for example.
This is just you, or do you have staff?
I'm the only full-time employee.
I have... I'm in the wrong business.
Yeah, I have some contractors.
I'm curious to, why are you not doing this for women?
When I got into it,
I wasn't totally sure I wanted to work with just men.
But from a marketing perspective,
I realized very quickly
I needed to narrow who I was speaking to.
So, what makes you the expert of love? They need the most help.
Absolutely. I love love.
So, ever since I was a kid... Amore.
...I was so interested in relationships,
even on the playground -- "Who's going out with who,
who likes who," you know?
I didn't see a career in that.
I was working in the travel industry,
and then the pandemic hit.
And basically overnight,
I went from employed to unemployed.
And I thought, okay, what could I do?
My boyfriend at the time, who's now my husband,
he suggested, "What if you made a course?
It's infinitely scalable, you know,
you don't need any money to start it,"
which was good, because I didn't have any.
So, before I ever wrote my program,
I went on dating apps and I made a profile of myself,
and I said, "I'm a dating coach.
I'm not here to date.
Message me if you want my free pandemic dating guide."
What a clever thing to do. Cuban: Smart.
Really, really smart. Yeah. So, then, people would match with me.
And I got hundreds of e-mails this way. Wow.
Is anyone knocking you off?
There are competitors and there are other dating coaches.
But I am the leader in this space.
And the question is, a dating coach
is probably not really a scalable business,
versus if you could turn this into a scalable product.
Correct. My courses are absolutely scalable.
So, I have my texting course, which is $149.
And how many of those have you sold at $149? Um...
I'm not sure of actually my exact numbers on that one.
So, break it down for us, because we want to know what's scalable, right?
So, one-on-one coaching.
Text -- So, yeah, correct.
The one-on-one coaching is not as scalable.
My one-on-one coaching is $6,295
for six 45-minute one-on-one sessions.
Well, good for you. How much did you sell?
Let's just use last year, when you did over $1 million. Yeah.
Your texting class, you did how much in?
I'm not sure of the breakdown exactly
between my $149 and -- Ooh, that's a "Shark Tank" no-no.
Um...
Okay, so, the rest of it was in your classes? Yes.
And so, do you have an idea
of how many classes you sold?
Last year, I sold -- Let's see...
Can someone help me with some math?
$900,000 divided by...
So, 900, yes. Yeah.
Around 900, yeah. Mm-hmm. Yeah, 900.
Okay, that's cool. Blaine, you're not too sharp on the numbers.
But what are your margins?
So, last year, in profit, I had just under 500K.
Good for you. But I had some very big
one-time expenses last year
that won't be reoccurring. What were they?
I film on my iPhone in my car.
I bought myself a car to film in and I built a home office.
Blaine, why do you need a Shark?
The vision I have for my business is having a Shark
that the kind of men I work with look up to.
They think, "Wow, he has the type of life --
he has a family, he has a successful business."
Or she? It could be a she.
But what I think could be really valuable is having a guy say,
"It's okay that you need help dating."
The problem I have is I think you're a consultant.
Any dating company that sees you is going to immediately think,
"Well, I should just make this a product within my app."
And so, I don't see this as a scalable product.
And for that reason, I'm out.
Thank you.
Blaine, I can see the challenge
and why you need help, right,
because since you're selling mostly classes,
to go from 900 to 9,000... Yeah.
...would be incredible. Yeah.
But you only offered us 2%.
If you really, really wanted a Shark,
you would have come in offering more.
And so, for those reasons, I'm out.
But, Mark, I would like to point out
the $100,000 investment
makes it much, much less downside for you.
$100,000 --
When I make an investment,
I'm not worried about the downside.
I'm investing because I think there's a lot of upside.
Because if you make $1 million, and I get my 2%...
But what if we make $10 million together?
$10 million, that's $200,000 on a $100,000 investment.
You know, that's just not gonna --
Blaine, numbers is not your strength.
Feelings are my strength.
Passion.
I'm fascinated,
and I can help you get it out there,
but I'm not doing it for 2%.
Now, I'm not going to negotiate with myself.
What else can you offer me?
[ Sighs ]
I mean, get realistic about this.
I'll give you the 100K. Give me -- He's the only man left, so what you would you offer --
Anderson: I'm interesting in hearing from the women.
I am absolutely open to women as well.
As are you open because the two gentlemen
to my left and to my far right dropped out?
I think so.
Listen, you are entitled to your opinion
and to what you think is right for your business.
But Barb and I both heard you really clearly say
that you wanted to have a man. Yeah.
I will not lie, I had my eye on a specific Shark
that I think has shown a lot of empathy and kindness.
That's got to be me.
[ Laughter ]
I appreciate that. That's nice of you to say.
You know, I-I-I --
I mean, nobody's more kind than I am, telling the truth.
You are. I have some concerns about
business being the most important --
I like business. I like making money.
Well, I hope you like business. Clearly, I'm building a business...
You're in the Shark Tank.
...that's going to make a lot of money.
But I operate from a place of empathy and kindness
and really feeling passionately about helping people.
Empathy and kindness are my middle names.
[ Laughter ]
I heard exactly what Lori heard,
and I happen to agree with you.
I think to have a happy, rich, good-looking guy,
whoever you choose -- and he's the best choice here,
of course -- I think it's very clever.
But I don't see what the heck any Shark could do for you.
You have the whole package.
So for that reason, I'm out.
Thank you, Barbara.
Lori?
Greiner: Well, I'll be honest with you.
I was listening, and I heard you say,
"I would like a man."
And I believe that is truly
what you feel is the best thing
for your business.
So for that reason, I'm out.
But I hope that he gives you an offer.
You know, Blaine, one thing I would say
about empathy and warmth is
it's very important to tell the truth,
even when it's something people don't want to hear.
You are sometimes forced to tell people the truth
in your business, too. It's true.
And they may not want to hear that,
but it doesn't mean you're not empathetic.
I'll give you the $100,000 for 15%.
Corcoran: Wait a second. Before you say anything,
let's just test Mark,
because you're obviously after Mark.
Would you reconsider?
♪♪
Narrator: Four Sharks are out.
Blaine has an offer on the table from Kevin
for her online dating coaching service,
Dating By Blaine.
But Blaine had her heart set on a deal with Mark,
who wasn't interested in her offer of only 2% equity.
I'll give you the $100,000 for 15%.
Corcoran: Before you say anything, let's just test Mark,
because you're obviously after Mark.
Would you reconsider?
Look, I'm the luckiest guy in the world.
You know, I wake up every day and try to never take
what's happened to me for granted.
When I die, I want to come back as me, you know?
But I've also been on the other side of it, right?
I was the ugly kid that was 16
and, you know, 5'7" and 220 pounds.
So, I've been on the can't talk to girls side either. Yeah.
So I see the value, and I understand.
But you've got to tell me a number
that makes it worth my while,
because you know how much time
and what you'd expect from me.
I'm going to do you a favor.
I'm going to be a matchmaker for you.
How about 15%? Would you give him 15%?
How about 8%? Ooh.
Well, Blaine, you don't have to take the offer.
I can't do 15%.
What is your flexibility?
I mean, I offered 8%...
for my special Shark. [ Laughs ]
He didn't take it.
Mark, she called you a special Shark.
Give her a counter in the middle. I mean...
Blaine, I'll do it at 10%. I'll do it at 10%.
You'll do it for 10%? Yeah.
There you go. Let's do it.
Rubin: Let's go.
[ Applause ]
Yay. [ Chuckles ]
Thanks. Thank you.
I Think we'll do really well. I'll help you a lot.
Thanks so much. I appreciate it. I'm excited.
I want a 6% commission.
[ Laughs ] Thank you for your help.
Congrats.
♪♪
Whoo!
Mark is the perfect match for Dating By Blaine.
He is kind, he is empathetic, and, most importantly,
he is a role model for the type of men I work with.
And that's really what I wanted in a Shark.
She'd be just great to talk to.
Oh, for sure. Yeah.
And I had to save her from you, Kevin.
Listen, I thought I was absolutely the right partner,
'cause she didn't know her numbers at all. Oh, God.
You're, like, anti-romance.
Narrator: ...for a chance to win a video chat with a Shark,
"Shark Tank" gear, or a visit to the "Shark Tank" set.
Winners will be contacted on Instagram.
We can only contact followers
of "Shark Tank's" official Instagram.
-- Captions by VITAC --
♪♪