Top 20 Rejected Shark Tank Pitches That Became Successful

Season 6 of “Shark Tank” gave NASA engineer Mark Aramli the financial opportunity of a lifetime. His invention: the BedJet. A climate control system made especially for beds, this device helps to alleviate the discomfort of a bed getting too hot or too cold. All five Sharks rejected the pitch, with Kevin O’Leary, (Mr.) wonderful as ever, going as far as to say: “You will never sell this device”. Well Sharks, we’ve got some news for you. This sold--and it sold well. In fact, by the end of 2020, the company had sold its 100,000th unit, and launched additional add-on products.

This entry is unique in that it was both a success and a failure when it came to working with “Shark Tank”. Built for fire departments as a faster way to attach fire hoses to hydrants, Hy-Conn was originally funded by Mark Cuban, but the deal fell through shortly after the episode aired. So, although this pitch was accepted, Hy-Conn founder Jeff Stroope had to go his own way and, according to NerdWallet, eventually grew the company’s value up to as high as five million dollars. Since then, however, it seems this hose adapter may have lost its ‘adaptability’. Both the company’s website and their social media presence have gone cold, and their online store is no longer available.

Aside from possibly getting funded, the biggest advantage to appearing on a show like “Shark Tank” is the opportunity for visibility. Kodiak Cakes were already selling in Safeways and Targets, but the business owners, Joel Clark and Cameron Smith, decided Shark Tank would be a good way to gain more exposure. They managed to get two offers but felt that the Sharks undervalued the company’s worth, so they walked away. It turned out they’d been right about gaining exposure, though, because within six weeks of the episode airing, they’d brought in a million dollars of additional revenue. Shortly after, the success of their business was taken to whole new heights with the launch of new Protein Power Cakes. The Sharks certainly missed a ‘sweet’ opportunity!

You’d think a flower shop wouldn’t have anything all that unique to offer. Well, how about getting your flowers shipped straight from a flower farm…at the bottom of a volcano! In season 5, John Tabis tried to get funding for his flower delivery company. The Sharks were very impressed by the quality, but took issue with the lengthy delivery time. That killed any chance of John getting an offer and he left Shark-less. That didn’t stop him from persevering in his business though, and, three years later, one of the Sharks came back to bite. Robert Herjavec was looking for wedding flowers and remembered the company. After being so impressed by how they had grown, he became an investor.

Husband-and-wife team, Daniel and Stephanie Rensing, launched an entire business out of a measurement conversion “cheat sheet” Daniel created for his wife in the form of an apron. When she lost her job, Stephanie put all of her time and effort into turning her baking accessories into a business. In order to get their products out to a larger market, they appeared on Shark Tank in search of an investor. They did secure a deal with Barbara Corcoran, but it ultimately fell through and they continued on their own. The exposure from the show was well-worth the trip, however, because the following year saw their revenue grow to $600,000. They have since added several other products to their repertoire including cake towers, and specialized parchment paper.

If you’ve ever had to transport a guitar anywhere, this is a product that’ll catch your eye. Jeff Cohen and his son, Josh, came on season one to pitch a unique acoustic guitar with a foldable neck. In the original episode, they were offered $500,000 for 51% of the company, but Jeff was not interested in giving up that much. After walking away, the company received a lot of exposure due to the episode and saw major successes. Jeff returned in season 3 and secured a deal with Kevin O’Leary, only to have it cut from the episode. They have since secured a licensing deal with Fender, one of the largest manufacturers of string instruments in the world.

Upon hearing this name, you might be fooled into believing this is another one of those healthy snack options. Turns out, this product isn’t even edible! Mona Weiss and Scott Shields entered the tank to pitch their eco-friendly soap substitute, which is made from the “soap nuts” of a Himalayan Lychee tree--hence the name! Even before appearing on the show, their little business was quite busy, racking in $100,000 in sales the year prior. Scott estimated that it was a million-dollar market, but the Sharks didn’t buy it, and the two were sent packing. Their time in the tank yielded them a boost in sales, and actually did put them past the million-dollar mark! The company is still around today and has expanded to include other products.

Breaking into the beauty industry isn’t an easy thing to do, but these two makeup artists were determined. Pitching their all-natural and extensively colored line of lipsticks, entrepreneurs Melissa Butler and Rosco Spears managed to impress the Sharks with the quality of their product. However, the duo’s weak numbers and confused marketing strategy had the Sharks bowing out. Apparently magazines like Cosmopolitan and Ebony thought otherwise, however, as the two have enjoyed coverage from both, and have launched their own mobile Lip Bar tour to further spread their brand.

Have you ever finished a meal and felt completely full, yet you still reached for an extra snack? Yeah, happens to the best of us. MealEnders gets it though! Their product comes in the form of lozenges intended to discourage overeating. After selling more than a million dollars’ worth of product, founder Mark Bernstein went into the tank looking for additional investors to grow his business. Although they were intrigued at first, in the end, none of the Sharks wanted in. However, as we’ve mentioned, exposure can sometimes be worth just as much as a deal, and his product made over $400,000 in just a few days after the episode aired. The lozenges are still currently for sale on Amazon and on MealEnders’ website.

The market for men’s hygiene and personal care is ever-increasingly on the rise. Unfortunately, for men interested in hand care and foot care, there aren’t a lot of options that don’t involve salons directly targeted to women. Michael Elliot wanted to change that with a line of salons dedicated to men. In the end, Elliott wasn’t able to convince any of the Sharks to go into business with him, but his appearance on the show gave him the $200,000 he was looking for from other investors. Elliott opted to franchise his brand, which allowed the business to expand beyond a few shops here and there. Hair & Nails salons for men are now available all across the United States.

Get a little coleslaw, a little salsa, throw in some mustard, and you’ve got the unique condiment called Slawsa. While Julie Busha isn’t the creator of the hamburger and hot dog topping, she is the owner of the company, after having purchased it in 2013. She was thus the one to pitch the brand on season five of “Shark Tank”, subsequent to introducing the product to more than 4,000 stores across the U.S. Her tenacity earned her admiration from the Sharks but, unfortunately, not their funds. Since her appearance on the show, Slawsa has expanded to the shelves of more than 7,000 stores.

Making it to #1 on Amazon is every developer’s dream - and these two managed to do it without the Sharks’ help. Pitching their idea for a reusable digital notebook that was reset by putting it in the microwave, entrepreneurs Jake Epstein and Joe LeMay claimed to have a revolutionary idea on their hands. However, not only did the Sharks not see an opportunity with the product; they laughed the duo off the show, right into the arms of success. Shortly after airing, Epstein and LeMay reported earnings of over $10 million, and the Rocketbook was Amazon’s #1 best selling notebook in November 2016.

These sisters said it themselves - it’s yet another dating site. However, the idea behind the app, which allows users to meet potential dates through mutual friends on social media, was unique enough that it sparked a huge offer from Shark Mark Cuban - 30 million dollars for the entire company. The sisters refused, preferring to keep the company for themselves. Though the offer itself fell through, seeing the interest from Cuban drew other investors to the app once the show aired. Enjoying massive amounts of marketing exposure and investor interest, the app continues to grow and make its mark in the world of online dating.

Even billionaires drop their phones sometimes. To avoid the problem of smashed phone screens, David Artuso and Mike Kane came up with an idea for a tougher phone case, as well as a guaranteed repair or replacement if the phone broke while within it. Unfortunately, the Sharks weren’t biting. Predicting that bigger companies with larger budgets would pounce on the idea as soon as CellHelmet became big, it didn’t take long for the investors to scatter. But upon arriving home, the two founders immediately discovered that their inbox was filled with offers from other investors. CellHelmet has been available at over 3000 wireless stores across the U.S.

Even with the Sharks expert financial advice, sometimes you might be able to see your company’s potential better than they ever could. After pitching an ultra-minimal sandal for either day-to-day or running use, Steve Sashen and Lena Phoenix predicted that their product was worth $5 million. Calling the sandals nothing more than “rubber and a string,” the Sharks scattered, but the money soon started rolling in. In the week after the show aired, Xero Shoes managed to sell the same amount they usually sold in three months. The sandals might be simple, but they sell.

Hindsight is always 20/20. When the three Dame brothers from Idaho pitched their idea for Proof Eyewear – one-of-a-kind glasses frames crafted from wood – the concept itself impressed the Sharks. Though the brothers presented some impressive numbers for a fairly new company, only Sharks Robert and Kevin offered deals, both of which the brothers refused. After the show, Proof used the “wood” trend to its advantage, almost tripling their sales shortly afterwards and continuing to grow and build their brand. After all, what’s more appealing than being eco-friendly AND stylish?

In the words of founder Derek Pacqué, this business turned “an inconvenience into an opportunity.” Pitching his high-tech coat checking system to the Sharks with zero sales under his belt was a risky move, and resulted in the recent business-school graduate walking away after rejections and a declined offer. However, since appearing on the show, CoatChex has been hired by prestigious events like New York Fashion Week, the Super Bowl, and Life in Color. This inconvenience sure was an opportunity; and one that this company was quick to seize.

There’s a burger for everyone’s taste nowadays - turkey, beef, veggie, vegan, shrimp… wait, what was that last one? When chef Shawn Davis came into the Tank and proposed his idea of shrimp burgers, the Sharks were all about the taste, but not about the valuation of the company. Leaving with no offer on the table but plenty of praise for the food itself, Davis went home to a hero's welcome and another investor who granted a better offer than what he’d originally asked for. With his burgers having being sold in over 2,000 grocery stores, Davis’ appetite for business didn’t slow down.

Here’s an entrepreneur so confident in his product that he not only managed to get onto the show twice; he refused offers both times. Pitching his “wine by the glass” concept, James Martin butted heads with the Sharks during his two separate appearances on the show. Experiencing a flood of sales and exposure after both his first and second appearances, Martin grew the company to the point where he was making over $25 million in revenue. Kevin O’Leary has called Martin “the one that got away,” and we can imagine that nowadays wine might taste a little less sweet to Mr. Wonderful.

The Sharks aren’t the only investors prowling the waters. Originally named the DoorBot, this product kickstarted a new type of smart-home security. It’s a doorbell equipped with a camera that streams footage to your smartphone. After rejection from most of the Sharks and a declined offer, the product attracted other huge investors including Richard Branson, Goldman Sachs, and Qualcomm Ventures. Developer Jamie Siminoff has since rebranded the DoorBot into the “Ring” app, and continues to expand and create new products for his line. Good thing he opened the door when opportunity came knocking.