Author: Charles Judd

For dads, wearing an expensive tie around children isn’t always a good idea. Ties are made of delicate fabric and can be damaged easily. Kevin Shoemaker and Skylar Bennett realized this which led them to create Tough Tie. They pitched their company on Shark Tank and got a deal with Robert Herjavec. As of 2023, Tough Tie is worth an estimated $3 million. About the Founders Kevin Shoemaker hails from Mesa, Arizona and holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and management from Arizona State University. His partner, Skylar Bennett is also from Arizona, but resides in Phoenix. Skylar studied…

Bread is a basic necessity in households as it’s rich in complex carbohydrates. However, some people avoid bread because it’s unhealthy, at least that’s how it used to be until Uprising Food came onto the scene. Founders William and Kristen Schumacher pitched their product on Shark Tank but weren’t able to secure a deal. As of 2023, Uprising Food is worth $4 million. About the Founders William and Kristen Schumacher are a married couple based in Cincinnati, Ohio. William has a degree in marketing from Wright State University, and his wife studied psychology at Ohio State University. After college, William…

Dentists recommend that people brush their teeth for at least two minutes, but some people won’t spend that much time on oral care. Dr. Bobbi Peterson created the electric Big Mouth Toothbrush, which has an ultra-wide brushing surface to reduce the time needed for cleaning your pearly whites. Bobbi recently pitched her business on Shark Tank and got a deal with Barbara Corcoran. As of 2023, Big Mouth Toothbrush is worth an estimated $1.5 million. About the Founder Bobbi Peterson hails from Newark, New Jersey and is the youngest of seven kids! Peterson became a doctor of dental surgery after…

TikTok is the perfect platform for savvy marketers looking to get attention. One company that has cracked the viral marketing code is Youthforia, a sustainable makeup line that is revolutionizing how we think about makeup. Founder Fiona Co Chan pitched her brand on Shark Tank and got a deal with Mark Cuban. As of 2023, Youthforia is worth an estimated $5 million. About the Founder Fiona Co Chan is an Asian-American beauty entrepreneur based in Miami, Florida. Despite having a strong interest in makeup, she initially studied economics at Dartmouth College. After getting her bachelor’s degree, she sold advanced software…

Windcatcher created a technology to efficiently inflate mattress pads with air. Founder Ryan Frayne blew the Sharks away when pitched on the show and landed a deal with Lori Greiner. Unfortunately, it didn’t close because of legal issues, and Ryan soon passed away from cancer. Windcatcher shut down, but it was worth $4 million at its peak. About the Founder Ryan Frayne was from Brooklyn, New York. He got a computer science degree from the DigiPen Institute of Technology and a degree in marketing from the University of South Florida. He started his career as a software tester at Amaze…

Charcuterie boards and their beautiful mix of flavors are a sight for sore eyes. Boarderie sells premade cheese and charcuterie boards, and delivers them fresh to your doorstep. Founders Rachel Solomon and Aaron Menitoff pitched their company on Shark Tank and grabbed a deal with Lori Greiner. As of 2023, Boarderie is worth an estimated $15 million. About the Founders Aaron Menitoff is from West Palm Beach, Florida. Menitoff has an associate’s degree in food and beverage management and a bachelor’s degree in communications and psychology from the University of Michigan. Although she is originally from New York City, Rachel Solomon…

Electric cars are expensive, but Zoli Honig and Isaac Deutsch created a way for people to drive them for free for a limited time. It was made possible with their ride-sharing startup, WaiveCar. Advertisers paid for the ride, as their ads would be displayed on the vehicle. The founders pitched the company on Shark Tank and got a deal with Kevin O’Leary. As of 2023, WaiveCar is worth an estimated $5 million. About the Founders Zoli Honig is an entrepreneur from Miami, Florida and studied mechanical engineering at NYU’s Polytechnic School of Engineering before pursuing economics at Queens College. To…

Oral care is important and should be given more attention on a daily basis. But now, you can also do it on the go with FunkkOFF! The compact device is a hybrid of a toothbrush and toothpaste. Founders Joelle Flynn and Sonia Hounsell recently pitched their business on Shark Tank. As of 2023, FunkkOFF! is worth an estimated $4 million. About the Founders Joelle Flynn and Sonia Hounsell hail from Dana Point, California and have been best friends since 7th grade. Sonia hasn’t made her professional background public but it’s known she has 25+ years experience in brand marketing experience…

Coffee has a long history in Africa, and up to 80% of the country’s coffee production is carried out by women. However, the workers are not compensated fairly and Margaret Nyamumbo is looking to change this! She founded Kahawa 1893 and pitched her business on Shark Tank. As of 2023, Kahawa 1893 is worth an estimated $5 million. About the Founder Margaret Nyamumbo is a Kenyan native who witnessed her grandfather start a coffee farm during the colonial era. Her grandfather was one of the first native farmers allowed to grow coffee by British settlers. In 2007, she moved to…

BeSomebody was an experiential learning platform that started out as a blog. Founder Kash Shaikh pitched his business to Shark Tank but didn’t get a deal. Later on, the app shutdown and Kash focused on job placement services. As of 2023, BeSomebody is worth $15 million. The pitch doesn’t go as planned but the company has bounced back nicely! About the Founder Kash Shaikh is an entrepreneur from Cincinnati, Ohio. In 2002, he got a bachelor’s degree from The University of Texas at Austin. As a student he worked as the indirect sales team leader for the Southwest region of…