The Biggest Shark Tank Successes and Failures in the History of the Show

Episode Air Date: September 26, 2014 
Total Revenue to Date: $100 million*
Verdict: Success 

Shark Tank investor Daymond John made a bundle when he invested in Bombas, an inventive sock company. John himself made his wealth from retail, but one thing he was never able to sell well were socks. Bombas, however, offers totally re-engineered athletic socks – and for every pair Bombas sells, the company donates one to charity.

Bombas @bombassocks / Facebok.com

The charities are usually homeless shelters or charities related to homeless prevention, something that the founders have been passionate about according to an interview with CNN. By April of 2020, Bombas announced that it had donated 35 million pairs of socks. A few months later, it released an LGBTQ collection. For every item purchased from that collection, an LGBTQ youth shelter got a pair of socks. 

Founders Randy Goldberg and David Heath were able to win over John with their pitch by convincing him that an online-only model was the best way to sell socks. The charity aspect also helped. John invested $200,000 for 17.5% equity after agreeing that selling socks directly to customers was the way to go.

Episode Air Date: February 5, 2010
Total Revenue to Date: $60 million*
Verdict: Failure 

Qubits Toys was one of the first companies featured on Shark Tank, and it remains a fan favorite. These interlinking toys were STEM-based, and the pitch itself was, according to the company’s founder, “unorthodox” and “clumsy” at best – making it one of the weirdest pitches the sharks ever saw.

Qubits @QubitsToy / Facebook.com

Shark Tank investors questioned whether Qubit would be able to compete with billion-dollar companies like LEGO, which had just inked an industry-dominating deal with Disney. In the end, this “David and Goliath” effect was why the Sharks didn’t invest. Qubit is still available to buy on Amazon, but it has yet to truly crack the mainstream toy market.  

Qubits has continued to sell, but it likely hasn’t done as well as it would have had it been a Shark Tank success. However, it did win the Mission Main Street Award from Chase Bank, and it has inked deals with classrooms and museums, so maybe one of the Sharks will reconsider. 

Episode Air Date: May 2, 2014 
Total Revenue to Date: Total Undisclosed 
Verdict: Success 

The Bouqs is a farm-to-table flower delivery service. It was on Shark Tank, where inventor John Tabis asked for $258,000 for 3%. He got no deal, but The Bouqs, which boasted an ability to save customers 80% on their flowers, has since flourished regardless. It won the Weddingwire Couple’s Choice Awards twice in 2016 and 2017, for great service and value.

The Bouqs @TheBouqsCo / Facebook.com

The Bouqs would get an investor three years after appearing on Shark Tank. Robert Herjavec was looking for flowers for his wedding, and he was stunned at the high prices, even from places like 1-800-Flowers. He reached out to The Bouq and was so impressed, he made an investment. The Bouqs has since become one of the most successful businesses to appear on the show, boasting $6 million in revenue in just one day in 2016.

One of the best things about The Bouqs Co. is that it is easy on the environment. The company only partners with farms that practice eco-friendly, sustainable farming, including recycling water, minimizing waste, and protecting “workers’ well-being.” The Bouqs credits that approach to why their flowers “last longer” and “stay fresher” than competitors’. 

Episode Air Date: February 3, 2012 
Total Revenue to Date: Unknown 
Verdict: Failure 

Young entrepreneur Megan Cummins appeared on Shark Tank with an idea for a product called You Smell Soap. Following her pitch, she actually turned down offers from two of the other sharks, instead offering to cut a deal with software mogul Rob Herjavec. Herjavec paid her $55,000 for 20% of her company.

You Smell Soap @Dieline / @Emmaline Bride® / Pinterest.com

Herjavec and Cummins’ deal later soured, with Cummins saying she never even received the money promised by the BRAK Systems CEO. Herjavec mailed Cummins a contract that was different from the original offer. He offered $55,000 for half the company, and Cummins rejected that deal. 

Cummins also said that You Smell Soap’s publicity on Shark Tank had a downside. She got too many orders to fill, something that led to her company folding.  As it turns out, the investors lost faith in the idea – which eventually proved to be true, as You Smell Soap’s later incorporations never successfully materialized with much revenue.  

Episode Air Date: May 6, 2011 
Total Revenue to Date: $8 million*
Verdict: Success 

Rebecca Rescate founded CitiKitty, a company dedicated to helping you potty train your cat. Rescate has been on Shark Tank twice, and her second idea was not as successful (or weird) as her first: CitiKitty, the potty-training kit for your cat. Rescate invented CitiKitty because “cat litter is gross.”

CityKitty @lesleynka_LA / twitter.com | ©Eric Isselee / Shutterstock.com

She developed her idea in part because of her cat, Samantha. Since then, the company has become very successful, making more than $8 million in sales and selling over 300,000 units. She struck a deal with Kevin Harrington for $100,000 for 20%. The Corcoran Group’s Barbara Corcoran was edged out after she offered $100,000 for 15%.

However, whether toilet training your cat is a good idea or not is a little more unclear. Preventive Vet says no, pointing out a few major reasons. One of the main arguments against potty-training your cat is that you can’t see if there are any changes in their urine, which is one of the few ways you can tell if something’s wrong with your cat.

Episode Air Date: May 10, 2013 
Total Revenue to Date: $400,000
Verdict: Failure

Squirrel Boss is a squirrel-proof bird feeder. Squirrels love getting into food that isn’t for them, and one Shark Tank inventor, Michael J. Desanti, from Hawley, PA, discovered a way to squirrel-proof bird feeders. Squirrel Boss is an interactive feeder, and it has a remote that you can use to give squirrels a gentle static shock when they try to break in.

Squirrel Boss @Every Shark Tank Product / Youtube.com @Michelle Sanchez / Facebook.com

Desanti assured people that it wasn’t harmful to the squirrel, and it was similar to a tingle. Desanti went on Shark Tank looking for a $130,000 investment with 40% equity, but he didn’t seal the deal. Now, Wild Bills makes his bird feeder, which sells on Amazon for $49 each – but years later, the product has failed to really become mainstream.

Though Squirrel Boss hasn’t really been a smash-hit success, it did rack up a few sales on Amazon. It got a 3.2/5 stars. Many of the negative reviews have pointed out that the squirrels have managed to outsmart the feeder. They hold on to the perches and pole, which aren’t electrified, bypassing the system entirely.

Episode Air Date: March 28, 2015
Total Revenue to Date: $2 million*
Verdict: Success 

Lollacup struggled to find an audience before it was on Shark Tank. Entrepreneurs Hanna and Mark Lim invented the device, which is a spill-proof cup ideal for young kids learning how to sip. The Lims had faced a lot of rejection before they were on Shark Tank, and they waited in line for seven hours to audition for the show.

Lollacup @Kimber - The Pinning Mama / Pinterest.com

In a stroke of luck, one of the sharks actually spilled water on their shirt just prior to the pitch, so they were incredibly open to the idea. The company walked away with the funds needed and now Lollacup currently sells for $16 apiece. It has raked in more than $2 million in sales over the last few years.

Lollacup is a top-selling baby product on sites like Amazon. The weighted straw sippy cup has a 4.4/5-star rating. As time has gone on, Shark Tank fans have looked at the weighted cup’s pitch as one of the top unforgettable deals on the show. Everyone wanted the Lim family to win, and we’re happy to report that it appears that they did.

Episode Air Date: January 10, 2014 
Total Revenue to Date: $3 million*
Verdict: Success 

Groovebook founder Julie Whiteman was inspired to start her monthly photo album creator when she accidentally lost thousands of family photos that were on her phone. She and her husband decided to start the subscription photo album-maker, which costs $3.99 per month.

GrooveBook @Shark Tank / Pinterest.com

Groovebook was pitched on Shark Tank, where it landed a deal with Kevin O’Leary, the $400 million founder of SoftKey Software Products. Later, in 2014, Shutterfly bought the company for $14.5 million – over nineteen times what O’Leary had offered for it. Groovebook became the first company on Shark Tank to be acquired by a publicly-traded company.

KidTrail listed Groovebook as one of the best apps of its kind. It has competition in the market from apps like Chatbooks, Snapfish, Blurb, and Artifact Uprising, but the acquisition by Shutterfly is a heavy-hitter in Groovebook’s corner. Shutterfly is worth $2.7 billion, and it is owned by Apollo Global Management.

Episode Air Date: April 6, 2012 
Total Revenue to Date: $13 million*
Verdict: Success 

Rick Hopper founded ReadeREST after he noticed that he kept losing his reading glasses after turning forty. So, he began making prototypes for a magnetic eyeglass holder. Hopper later discovered that his prototype had already been invented, but he was able to buy the patent and start his own company.

ReadeREST @readerest / Facebook.com

Friends and family, originally, were his most loyal clients. Even strangers would ask him about his ReadeREST, wanting their own. After he bought the patent, Hopper went to farmer’s markets, gun shows, golf shows, and quilt shows, seeking to get a better concept of who his target audience was and what they wanted.  

He appeared on Shark Tank in 2012, landing a deal with Lori Greiner. Since then, his product has made millions thanks to air time on QVCC and availability at big-box retailers like Ace Hardware, Staples, and Walmart. In addition to glasses, ReadeREST can hold earbuds and ID badges. 

Episode Air Date: March 29, 2013 
Total Revenue to Date: $24 million*
Verdict: Success 

Marc Newburger and Jeffrey Simon, two Los Angeles natives, came up with their idea for the Drop Stop after Newburger dropped his phone in the impossible-to-reach space between a car’s front seat and its center console. The Drop Stop is a patented device that prevents items from falling between the console and front seats.

Drop Stop @BuyDropStop / Youtube.com

Lori Greiner made a deal with the inventors for $300,000 for 20%. Greiner inked the deal with them beforehand, and she presented the product with the inventors on Shark Tank. Drop Stop has gone on to be one of Greiner’s most successful deals, and it has made over $20 million in revenue. 

Episode Air Date: October 30, 2015 
Total Revenue to Date: $160 million*
Verdict: Success 

For $19.99, Simply Fit Board promises to help customers get in shape. The board is low-impact, and you can use it to do a variety of exercise. It can also help you improve your balance. The Simply Fit Board is best for strengthening your core and abdominal muscles. Inventor Linda Clark cut a deal with Lori Greiner on Shark Tank.

Simply Fit Board @simplyfitboard / Facebook.com

According to Fitness Test Lab, which tests out “fad” exercise equipment and determines whether they really work, the Simply Fit Board is a slam-dunk. It is “very accessible,” and it is useful for “pretty much anyone” because it is low impact and “does work” the legs and core muscles that it claims it helps.

Simply Fit Board has made $160 million in sales’ revenue since the episode aired. The Simply Fit Board is sold for half its price on Amazon, but it has still racked up 4/5 stars from thousands of reviews.  

Episode Air Date: September 20, 2013
Total Revenue to Date: $700,000*
Verdict: Failure

Cole Egger and James McDonald founded Sweet Ballz, a cake company that sold little spheres of cake. Sweet Ballz attracted the attention of the sharks, walking away for a deal worth $250,000 for 25% equity. The company appeared to have a happy ending on the show, but that changed when the founders and former friends quickly abandoned the deal.

Sweet Ballz @Sweet Ballz / Pinterest.com

A week after the episode aired, co-founders McDonald and Egger parted ways – mere days after grocery retailer 7-11, a huge Dunkin’ competitor, had agreed to buy $400,000 worth of Sweet Ballz. Sweet Ballz is still available to buy online, but the business has all but fallen from grace due to inner company turmoil.

Hopefully, the former friends can work it out but, looking at the website, inner company turmoil aside, Sweet Ballz is still active. The flavors offered include cookies and cream, red velvet, chocolate, birthday cake, lemon, salted caramel, and more. The Sweet Ballz are “guaranteed fresh,” no matter where you order them from.

Episode Air Date: January 13, 2019 
Total Revenue to Date: $400 million*
Verdict: Success

Within just a few years after its premiere on Shark Tank, Poo Pourri was able to grow its revenue a huge 275%. It has been one of the most successful Shark Tank companies, generating $60 million in revenue in 2018. The company is now worth over $400 million – so what is it? Poo Pourri toilet spray to help you freshen up the bathroom.

Poo Pourri @RealDealsTwinFalls / Facebook.com

Poo Pourri’s inventor, Suzy Batiz, sealed the deal with Lori Greiner for $50,000. The spray is available in stores like Target, CVS, Walgreens, and pretty much anywhere you need to buy bathroom products. Daymond John said that Poo Pourri was a perfect example of how “smart” companies can make it on Shark Tank.

Poo Pourri has a 4.7/5-star rating on Amazon. People really love the company, and the concept of a spray that can stop odors before they even start is definitely helpful. That, in addition to the quirky ad campaign (which, love or hate, is unforgettable), has led the company to become a success. 

Episode Air Date: September 6, 2009 
Total Revenue to Date: N/A
Verdict: Failure 

Barbara Corcoran would later go on to call this her worst investment on Shark Tank. Cactus Jack was the inventor of this strange fitness machine, Body Jac. He brought his daughter, a bodybuilder who was way more in shape than him, onto the show to test it for the judges.

The Body Jac @BodyJac / Facebook.com

The whole concept behind the Body Jac was that it would help everyone do a push-up, no matter their physical condition. The Body Jac stated that it would help you align your body correctly, reducing the risk of injury. Sharks have jumped on the fitness equipment train before, but not with the Body Jac.

Long story short: despite inking a deal on the show, the Body Jac was not a success. Corcoran, the founder of The Corcoran Group, made a deal with Jack for $90,000 (as did Kevin Harrington), but the invention simply failed to sell. Though he rang the NASDAQ bell, the deal fell through. The Body Jac is no longer for sale.