Being short has its perks, but it also has drawbacks, such as placing objects on the top rack of a car. This was a problem for Alyssa Brown, so she and her husband Zach, created the vehicle rooftop assistance device Moki Doorstep. Daymond John offered to buy the entire company on Shark Tank and make them multi-millionaires. As of 2023, Moki Doorstep is worth $5 million.
About the Founders
Zachary and Alyssa Brown are a married couple from Newington, Connecticut. After earning a fire protection degree from Eastern Kentucky University, Zach became a firefighter. His partner is a registered nurse.
The husband and wife duo love outdoor adventures, so their car’s roof rack is always in use. Zach is the tall one, and he usually handles all the mounting and dismounting of their gear.
However, his work frequently required him to work 12-hour shifts. In these instances, his other half sometimes takes care of their stuff. But Alyssa was short, and it was a safety hazard for her to climb up on the vehicle’s roof.
Founding the Company
As a firefighter, Zach knew that vehicles have firm door strikers that could handle enough weight. Then, he developed a tool that can be attached to this part of the car. Zach called his invention the Moki Doorstep, which launched in 2017. Zach’s uncle is a silent partner in the business but helped with capital and filing a patent. Alyssa assisted with daily operations.
They raised more than $110,000 from 2,000 backers on Kickstarter as Zach didn’t want to borrow money. Before appearing on Shark Tank, they were in talks with Rightline Gear for a distribution deal for the US market.
Shark Tank Appearance
By 2019, Moki Doorstep already had a bright future in the US. However, Zach and Alyssa Brown wanted to go global and believed a Shark could help them do so. The couple appeared on season 9 of the show, asking for $150,000 for 5% equity.
The Sharks were impressed by the ingenuity of the couple’s product. They all had different reactions when they revealed the partnerships and licensing deals. Once the Sharks heard about Zach’s uncle’s royalty deal, it raised some red flags.
Daymond John was intrigued and had connections at Cox Automotive, so he made an opening offer of $450,000 for 20%. The founders said the equity was too high and indicated they would rather sell the entire business. Daymond took the hint and bought the company for $3 million. They could have sold it for more but they were
After Shark Tank
After Shark Tank, Daymond’s deal to buy Moki Doorstep did not close as reported by SharkTankRecap.com. More than likely Daymond wasn’t able to get a global distribution deal. Nevertheless, Zach and Alyssa continued running the business and sold over 150,000 units.
Partnering with Rightline Gear has got them into major retailers such as Dick’s Sporting Goods, Duluth Trading Post and REI. The product can also be purchased on Amazon and MokiDoorstep.com, it costs $5 more to purchase directly on the official website.
Rightline Gear was later acquired by MacNeill Group in November 2021 for an undisclosed sum. Zach is still involved with running the business and helps out at tradeshows.
Overall customer reviews are overwhelmingly positive. On Amazon, the Moki Doorstep averages 4.6 stars from 5,045 reviews. The annual revenue is around $780,000 with an estimated valuation of $5 million. In personal news, the Browns also welcomed their second child, Alyssa was pregnant during the filming!
