Boating is fun, but it can leave you wet and cold. Pretty Rugged’s waterproof, windproof, and stylish blankets are made to protect you from harsh weather conditions. Founded by Tracy Slocum, she appeared on Shark Tank and got a deal with Lori and Robert. As of 2024, Pretty Rugged is worth $2 million.
Tracy Slocum’s Background
Tracy Slocum hails from Latham, New York and comes from a family of sailors. Her great-great-grandfather is Captain Joshua Slocum, the first person to single-handedly sail around the world!
Because of the family’s genes, she enjoyed boating as a hobby and studied psychology at Le Moyne College. After graduating in 1996, she wanted to start a business.
The serial entrepreneur already has two successful businesses. Her first startup, J. Slocum, produces clothing lines and she owns an award-winning specialty food store in Albany.
Founding Pretty Rugged
Despite having a busy lifestyle, Tracy always made time to go to Lake George and drive boats. However, she didn’t like that she always went home wet and cold. To tackle this problem, she tried making a blanket that was both practical and fashionable.
She noticed that her great-great-grandfather used a fur blanket to wrap himself up during his long travels. Tracy consulted with fashion experts and came up with luxe faux fur blankets that were resistant to water and wind. And unlike many fur apparels, they are washable.
Pretty Rugged officially launched in 2017. Not long after that, the company got recognition from NY NOW and Oprah Winfrey. After five years in business, she has sold over 30,000 units.
Getting on Shark Tank
Tracy has been a long-time Shark Tank fan and she initially applied for season 13 but didn’t get a callback. With the new season nearing, a Shark Tank producer convinced her to apply again and this time around she got accepted! The savvy entrepreneur pitched her business on episode 5 of season 14 with Emma Grede as the guest Shark replacing Barbara.
After Shark Tank
The 50-year-old shared that pitching her business to the Sharks was one of the most challenging moments of her life. Within a week, publicity from Shark Tank helped generate hundreds of thousands in sales as reported by BizJournals.com. Tracy has also invested in new equipment to meet demand. As of October 2022, the deal wasn’t closed but was nearly finalized.
She saw a second bump in orders when her episode re-aired in January 2023. Thankfully ABC gave her a heads up. As a result, Slocum had to lease more space from her landlord and now has 10,000 square feet at two locations.
You can only purchase her product on Amazon and their website, PrettyRuggedShop.com. But after Shark Tank, these distribution channels may expand. Some of the faux fur blankets alone retail for $290! Pretty Rugged is now in over 1,000 stores but it appears the deal with Lori and Robert hasn’t closed yet.
Many of their blankets have 5-star reviews on their website. Apart from blankets, they sell luxury coats, vests, and bags. Their product line is expected to grow along with the company’s value in the coming years. Currently, Pretty Rugged is valued at $2 million.
