28 Businesses Featured in Shark Tank and Powered by Shopify
Jairene Cruz-Eusebio on Jun 21, 2021 7:37:44 AM
Shark Tank — a hit TV show that features up and coming business ventures looking for funding and media exposure — is one of the most-watched reality shows of today. It can quickly turn from interesting to hilarious to amazing in a split second, which is why viewers from all over the country, nay, all over the world can’t help but stay tuned.
Shark Tank gives selected brand owners a chance to present their work to some of the most powerful and richest investors and business influencers in the United States. Catch their attention and keep their interest, and you might actually receive an investment deal to get your business running.
But did you know that many of these successful businesses actually run their online stores on Shopify? We think it’s the right decision. After all, one of the keys to running a successful online business is to focus on the marketing aspect and leave the technical details to those whom you can trust to keep your website running at all times!
With the magnitude of the media exposure you can get from being featured in the show, business owners from hither and yon do their best to be selected. So if you fail to get investors, you will still get a huge wave of recognition, sales, and traffic. How great is that?
Let’s have a look at the most interesting Shark Tank featured businesses that are powered by Shopify. For full episodes, visit ABC’s Shark Tank page.
Shopify Stores that Got Investment Deals
Have a look at these companies that run their business using Shopify’s platform, that were not eaten alive inside the tank, and came out with awesome deals in the end:
1. Buttercloth
Do you like comfortable shirts? Who doesn’t? Buttercloth paves the way to a world of comfort with their stylishly made dress shirts. Wrinkle-free, long-fiber cotton, comfortable and stretchable are the words that best describe Buttercloth’s dress shirts. It’s like wearing your favorite T-shirt while looking sophisticated and casual.
The company is a purely eCommerce company, which means they don’t have physical stores, and they only run their business on Shopify. Sweet!
Robert Herjavec, one of Shark Tank’s investors, seemed quite impressed with Buttercloth and even offered them the deal in season 10, episode 4. He commented that he had never seen anything like it and was wowed by how comfortable the shirts were. Once you have a taste of it, you will become a customer for life.
2. Pan’s Mushroom Jerky
Trying to stick to your vegetarian diet but still crave the taste and feel of meat? Pan’s Mushroom Jerky can just save your day! Pan’s makes jerkies out of mushrooms with a meaty texture that’s perfect for vegetarians and vegans.
The Mushroom Jerkies are made of Shiitake mushrooms with a satisfying Umami taste, courtesy of the founder’s original family recipe. You might be wondering, how on earth can a plant-based food be meaty. Well, Pan says Shiitake mushrooms are popular for their dense and fibrous textures which makes the jerkies similar to meat.
How awesome is that? Pan’s mushroom jerky sealed the deal on season 12, episode 6 on Shark Tank by getting an investment from Mark Cuban, but not before receiving a few more offers on the table (and a nice debate between Sharks). Way to go Pan’s Mushroom Jerky!
3. Mad Rabbit Tattoo
Getting a tattoo is not easy. Taking care of the tattoo is an entirely different story. Luckily, Mad Rabbit Tatoo is here to make tattoo aftercare as easy as it can be. This company specializes in tattoo aftercare creams that help keep your tattoos moisturized, make them vibrant, and shine just like the day you got them.
Mad Rabbit Tattoo uses healthy ingredients to make its products effective. They are so effective that they have preserved over one million tattoos. What an impressive feat! Not only does the balm keep your tattoos fresh, but it also does wonders to the skin. It heals and replenishes your skin in no time.
The company got its investment deal on the 18th episode of Shark Tank season 12 and was gotten from Mark Cuban.
4. Supply
No one speaks of a more powerful shave like Supply. This company sells one of the best quality men’s grooming products that have graced the market called The Single Edge Razor. It comes with a single powerful blade that gives the perfect shave.
It’s like a genie for your shaving needs as it can grant three wishes: freedom from irritation, the great feeling after a clean shave, and best of all, a grooming tool that lasts forever! The company is so confident of its products that they even offer a lifetime warranty. You can simply replace the blades and even adjust the grazing strength to find the perfect shave for your skin.
Supply has now expanded to include shaving kits and other high-performance grooming products. Even if they add dozens more products, their website can handle it since they use Shopify as their eCommerce platform.
Supply got an investment from Robert Herjavec on Shark Tank’s season 11. Episode 6.
5. Group hug
Most people dream about saving the world, but Grouphug makes this dream a reality. Grouphug is a business that sells easily accessible and stress-free renewable energy.
Group hug’s products are portable window solar chargers. You can charge with clean energy while in the kitchen or from the comfort of your couch or near any window of your choice.
The business appeared on Shark Tank in episode 16 of season 11 and got the investment deal from Mark Cuban.
6. Stasher Bag
A lot of people want to save the world from the terror of plastics, but only a few actually make the move. Stasher Bag is one of the few. This business sells non-toxic and reusable silicone bags as a replacement for toxic one-time-use plastic bags.
The bags are made of Pure Platinum Silicone, which actually lasts years longer than regular silicone bags.
In a way, this helps to improve waste management in the country as there is no need to throw away these awesome silicone bags anytime soon. The bags can be kept in freezers, used when cooking and even when dishwashing. Stasher bags got an investment from Mark Cuban on Shark Tank season 9, episode 15.
7. Hug Sleep
Getting enough sleep is one thing, being comfortable while sleeping is a whole other game. As the name implies, Hug Sleep sells compression blankets that give you comfortable sleep.
The sleep pod blankets provide a calming pressure that helps people with anxiety, stress, and other sensory disorders to rest easily. It’s pretty nice of them to think of people that have trouble sleeping.
The sleep pods are available for both kids and adults. As proof of the awesomeness of the concept, Hug Sleep received offers from all sharks. They initially wanted $150 thousand for 15% equity, but they received an offer of $300 thousand for 20% equity. Everybody else followed suit. To make things more interesting, Hug Sleep founders asked if anyone was interested in combining offers, so Mark Cuban and Lori Grenier joined forces. This prompted the remaining three to team up as well.
In the end, Hug Sleep owners decided to go with Mark and Lori. The business has been featured in Shark Tank season 12, episode 3.
8. Pair Eyewear
One common problem people have about glasses is the nerdy looks and the jest that comes with them. Luckily, there is a solution. Pair Eyewear sells customizable glasses that allow you to rock your style.
How does it work? First, select your base frames, then add some styled tops to express yourself, and finally, rock your style! The glasses also come with changeable frames and are affordable. You can switch from sunglasses to prescription glasses without having to take them off. Awesome!
No wonder the company got a double investment from Katrina Lake and Lori Grenier on Shark Tank season 11, episode 14.
9. Ash & Erie
Shorter men usually have difficulties when picking out clothes that fit. The sleeves might be too long or the trousers being too small. There is a company aware of this difficulty and has set a goal to make shorter men look their best no matter what they pick. That company is Ash & Erie.
Ash & Erie focuses on making designs that make men 5’8” or below look their best. All clothes sold by this business are exclusively designed for shorter men. The clothes come with refined collars, properly scaled sleeves so that every shape and size can find the perfect fit! There are 10+ sizes for each person to choose from in order to ensure a comfortable purchase. In addition, there is an option of shorter body lengths or correct sleeve lengths depending on preference.
With a mission like that, the company was sure to get an investment. And it did. Mark Cuban sealed the deal on season 9, episode 5.
10. Yellow Leaf Hammocks
Who doesn’t like to relax? Relaxing is very satisfying, but things like a bad hammock can easily ruin your moment. Yellow Leaf Hammocks sells durable hand-made hammocks that make you feel deeply comfortable.
The hammocks are lightweight and feather-soft, and also super strong. The best part is these hammocks are hand-made by expert craftswomen and their families from the Mlabri Tribe in Northern Thailand.
The company creates opportunities for residents in rural areas to break the cycle of poverty and build a better future. Daniel Lubetsky invested in this company in season 11, episode 24 of Shark Tank.
11. Blueland
Blueland knows that it’s not easy being eco-friendly. That is why they’ve created innovative products and packaging in reusable containers to make the process easier for consumers everywhere!While the mission to purify our ecosystem from dangerous plastic is not an easy task, Blueland has proven that it is not impossible to do. This business sells cleaning products, but what’s unique about them is their design. The products are designed to be reusable and refillable.
So far, Blueland has been successful in its mission to make more eco-friendly products. Blueland was featured on episode 1 of season 11 and got an investment from Kevin O’Leary.
12. Freshly Picked
Everyone loves babies for their cuteness. Although beauty is in the face, outfits also contribute to how adorable a baby looks, especially footwear! Freshly Picked sells hand-made leather moccasins made with care and love by talented artisans at affordable prices. It also has other gorgeous products like swaddles and diaper bags!
The company got an investment from Daymond John for its service dedicated to babies on season 5, episode 15.
13. Jiggy Puzzles
Jiggy Puzzles is a company founded by females that support female artists globally. It sells artworks in the form of jigsaw puzzles. Every puzzle you complete is beautiful and worthy of being framed. Empowering female artists is the key motivation of the company, which the sharks seemed to like.
If membership is your thing, you can sign up in Jiggy Puzzle and have access to lots of rewards. Mark Cuban seemed to like this idea as he sealed an investment deal with them on season 12, episode 22.
See Mark haggle with Jiggy Puzzles founder here:
14. Bombas
There aren’t many charitable companies around. Bombas is one of the few companies that actively participate in charities. The company sells high-quality underwear, socks, and other apparel. The products are durable and quite comfortable.
Bombas donates one item to the needy for every purchase made and the company has donated over 40 million worth of items with this strategy. They walked away with an investment from Daymond John on episode 1 of Shark Tank’s season 6.
15. Aura Bora
Want a tasty drink without anything artificial? Let Aura Bora give you a treat. Aura Bora makes sparkling water with herbs, fruits, and flowers as flavors. The drink is 100% natural and free from sugar and calories. Tasty and healthy: that’s their main premise. They also offer a subscription plan that lets you save 15% on every purchase.
Aura Bora is a one-of-a-kind variety that strays away from the line of artificial drinks. The product has no artificial flavors, is non-GMO, it’s gluten-free and vegan!
With its unique aroma and refreshing taste, you’re guaranteed to have good feelings. Robert Herjavec liked the idea of an all-natural drink, so Aura Bora walked away with an investment deal on season 12, episode 11.
16. Third Wave Water
It’s important to protect your prized coffee maker. But, don’t forget about the water! Third Wave Water has a perfect profile for espresso machines that will make sure you never have limescale buildup again to ruin those delicious cups of joe.
Third Wave Water offers a way to make your coffee taste even better. The company developed capsules that greatly enhance the flavor of coffee when dissolved in water. The product was born out of two coffee shop owners’ desires to make the perfect coffee with the perfect water.
The product was effective enough to earn TWW an investment from Barbara Corcoran on Shark Tank Season 9, Episode 3.
17. Emazing Lights
Emazing Lights is on a mission to pioneer gloving and other forms of light shows into an expressive form. They lead the market by providing everything from high-quality LED gloves, orbits, light-up poi balls, festival apparel as well as everyday products for our community of talented light show artists.
What began with just some nice-looking lights has evolved into something much more than that – it’s become their goal to teach people all about how they can create mesmerizing displays in times when there isn’t even music playing!
Emazing Lights got a double investment from Mark Cuban and Daymond John on the show’s 6th season, episode 20.
18. Bad Birdie
A lot of people love golf and so do the founders of Bad Birdie. They aim at solving the problem that is boring golf clothing. Black Birdie offers an array of eye-catching golf wears.
Each product has a fun design that still maintains the comfort needed to win on the golf course. Bad birdie is not your normal golf brand, but a company that strives to give you a perfect golf experience.
The company featured on episode 18 of Shark Tank season 11 and got a deal from Robert Herjavec. Watch the video below to see the interesting haggling before the business owners decided to accept the offer (this one’s fun!)
19. Rareform
Alec, a visionary entrepreneur from El Salvador who saw his friends and neighbors using billboards as roofing. He realized the quality of these durable weather-resistant vinyl sheets was perfect for creating high-quality surfboard bags. Alec came back to America with his brother and secured someone to sew billboard curtains into one of today’s most popular products: their signature Surfboard Bag! The brothers got in touch with some large American billboard companies before truckloads started showing up. And so it began – an idea that will eventually take them face to face with the investors of Shark Tank.
Rareform is another eco-friendly company on this list that makes use of out-of-commission freeway billboards vinyl and transforms them into awesome bags and accessories. Each product Rareform product is thoughtfully designed and properly tested to ensure you get only the best quality.
The company sells its products online in over 300 locations globally. It also partners with top companies like Disney, Nike, Apple, and many more for more recycling projects. Rareform made its debut on Shark Tank season 8, episode 19, and secured an investment from Kevin 0’Leary.
20. Lovepop
LovePop comes with an out-of-the-box design that gives new meaning to greeting cards. The company uses the beautiful Kirigami, the Asian slice form art to make beautiful and innovative card designs. How do they do it? Well, they design the card with special software before laser cutting each piece of paper is assemble manually.
The card is a combination of both machine and handwork and it’s beautiful enough to reward the stress. The company now offers more products and event cards like fathers day cards, giant gifts, bouquets, and bundles.
The company featured on season 7, episode 11, and got an investment with Kevin O’Leary. Here’s an update on how LovePop is going:
21. Pipsnacks
Pipcorn, a hybrid popcorn-pretzel snack, started off as an outdoor market finds before being picked by Oprah for her Favorite Things list. But when they needed investors to keep up with the growing demand for their product…
The company pitched their business in Shark Tank and got invested!
PipCorn adds brings new meaning to the traditional snacks we know and love. The company sells miniature popcorn as its main products and several other offers which include corn drippers, cheese balls, crunchies, and snack crackers. All products have high-quality and tasty flavors. These gourmet snacks have premium tastes like never before.
Pipsnacks successfully got an investment deal with Barbara Corcoran during the sixth season of the show.
22. Lollaland
Lollaland provides a straw cup for children that is easy to use, clean, and totally safe. The cups are also attractive and make it easy for toddlers to have a drink. The idea for this product was born out of a mother’s own desire to make it easy for a child to drink out of a straw, but everything in the market just won’t cut it. Through several observations, she discovered that the problem was also in other homes, thus Lollaland was born.
Lollaland hit a double investment from Robert Herjavec and Mark Cuban on Shark Tank’s season 3.
Shopify Stores that Were Featured but Were Eaten by Sharks
Not all businesses get lucky enough to be offered an investment deal. But many of them are still quirky enough to be interesting! Plus, some of these Shopify businesses continued to thrive even without back-up from any of the Sharks in the Tank.
Here are some:
1. Swoveralls
Back to the topic of comfort, Swoveralls takes comfort to a whole other level. Free the waistband they say, as Swoveralls combines two unlikely outfits: overalls and sweatpants!
This innovative design can be worn by anyone and looks really comfortable. It also comes with adjustable straps for you to decide if you want to keep it tight or loose. Here’s a bonus: if you want to protect your secret stuff, there is an inside zippered pocket made for that purpose.
Swoveralls pitched some amazing designs on Shark Tank season 10, episode 20. Unfortunately, no matter how fun their product seems to be, they could not secure an investment. Nevertheless, the business continues to thrive today through its online store. They even added more products to their line-up!
2. Rule Breaker Snacks
This is a vegetarian product that makes the impossible, possible. Rule Breaker Snacks manufacture snacks without the use of animal ingredients. No eggs, no butter, no milk! Just 100% plant.
This company literally follows its name by breaking a lot of rules when it comes to cooking. The best part is, the snacks are also gluten-free and free from ingredients that commonly cause allergic reactions like shellfish, nuts, coconut, and many more.
Healthy and nutritious, a great combo for a great brand. The company featured in episode 12 of Shark Tank’s season 12, but could not secure the deal, mainly because the innovator initially came in saying their product can help lose weight, but the cookie’s calorie count is roughly the same as non-healthy choices.
3. BeardBrand
BeardBrand makes sure you find the grooming kit for your beard. The company sells high-quality products and accessories for beards, mustaches, and skincare. BeardBrand helps you eliminate scent confusion, which simply means not having any particular scent after grooming your beard. It happens whenever you use styling, conditioning, and cleansing products with non-matching fragrances.
Thankfully, Beardbrand is here to save you from smelling basic. The company made its appearance in season 6 of Shark Tank episode 7. Sadly, no investors offered them a deal.
4. Boom Boom Naturals
The need to stay focused can be quite serious, which why Boom Boom Naturals is here for you. The company specializes in 100% natural nasal inhalers that keep you focused and refreshed. The ingredients are purely plant-based and it comes in different minty fragrances.
The premise is that you can always be a better you and enjoy every moment with the Boom Boom experience. The vapors are really cool and effective and best of all, works instantly! On Shark Tank season 10, episode 4, Boom Boom Naturals made an appearance but did not get any investors due to the fact that the product is pretty typical and not at all extraordinary.
5. Basic Outfitters
Basic Outfitters was born to make the basic fashion essentials of men easy to access. The company sells high-quality underwear, socks, and t-shirts at affordable prices. After all, most men have no clue what to buy and where.
They also introduced a new way to shop essentials with the Create-a-Drawer feature. You can customize an entire essentials drawer with new joggers, underwear, tees, and socks in under two minutes.
The best part? You can do all your shopping online and have your orders delivered to your doorstep. Granted, the business was created way before the pandemic and not a lot of shops offer online purchasing. Today though, online shopping is the best mode of purchase (for health reasons), so the novelty quickly wore off.
The company made its pitch on Shark Tank Season 8, Episode 12, but did not get any investment deals.
6. Rumpl
If you love camping, then you’ll love Rumpl. Rumpl sells all types of blankets for outdoor experiences. These blankets are waterproof and made with materials you would find in premium outdoor activewear and gears. Rumpl introduces the world to better blankets and offers top gear to help make the most of your summer.
Rumpl pitched its business ideas on season 12, episode 1, and got offers from three of the sharks. Unfortunately, Rumpl didn’t want to give out too much equity, so he walked away from all deals on the table.
Nevertheless, the business continued to prosper and make waves in the outdoor gear industry through their Shopify-based online store.
7. H.V.M.N
The H.V.M.N company is all about getting a better body and optimizing the way that your own body functions so you can have more energy to do what you love, whether it’s hitting up the gym or just chilling with friends on weekends! The modern nutritional supplements are designed by nutritionists who know everything there is to know about how food affects metabolism and physiology. Their goal is to give you healthy foods using modern nutrition.
The company appeared on season 8, episode 10 strongest Shark Tank but walked away without a deal.
Get Out of the Tank and Start Reaching Out to Your Customers
Not all businesses get an investment deal, but if there’s one thing common about all the businesses mentioned here, is they all have killer websites run by amazing Shopify themes.
Shopify is the best eCommerce platform that has seen tremendous growth during the lockdown period. The platform has been popular for a long time now and has continued to be the best among the rest.
While a well-known and well-versed investor can greatly boost your business, not having one doesn’t mean your company is doomed to fail. In fact, you can even turn such things into a learning experience. As you can see in the second list above, many of those who did not get a deal still came out strong years after being featured in Shark Tank. As long as you can understand your customers’ needs and if you can utilize all marketing tools within your reach, you have the potential to grow as big as you were meant to.
One great tool for reaching out to your customers is SMS marketing. And with the pandemic forcing people to reduce face-to-face interactions, online and SMS marketing has become an acceptable means of business-to-customer communication. Customers are no longer averse to it, and therefore, can increase your engagement and sales.
Try SMS Marketing through WinBack. With our 14-day free trial on any plan, you’ll be able to see how text messaging can positively impact your business. Who knows, your next investment deal might just be waiting around the corner, waiting for you to be deal-worthy.
Topics: SMS Marketing