15x16 - Episode 16

[bunniefuu]

Narrator: Tonight
on "Shark t*nk"...

There's been... a
m*rder! [ Maids gasp ]

Narrator: Jason
Blum, the king of horror

and the founder of game-changing
production company Blumhouse,

returns to the t*nk.

I can't imagine why he
isn't the perfect partner.

Think hard about
it. Together: Aah!

You need me more
than I need you.

Alright.

If you want to make a
complicated package,

you just brought one
to the Shark t*nk.

You have rocket fuel sitting
at the end of this panel.

The fact that I'm up
here pitching you this

is an absolute miracle.

Kevin, what's the score?

It's totally rigged.
What's the score?

And I'm litigating!

Wow.

♪♪

Narrator: First in the t*nk
is a business making a k*lling.

♪♪

Greetings, Sharks.
My name is Jarvis.

I'm here to strike
a deal on behalf of

The m*rder Mystery Company,

the experts in mystery
ent... [ Clears throat ]

I'm sorry. [ Clears throat ]

The experts in mystery entert...

Oh, bother. Greiner: Ohh.

[ Tray clangs ] [
Women screaming ]

[ Women gasp ]

Oh, my goodness!
There's been... a m*rder!

[ Maids gasp ]

Alright. Let's try that again.

But a few more
gasps from the Sharks.

There's been... a m*rder!

[ Sharks gasp ] That
was much better.

Alright, now, very shortly,

all of you will have the
opportunity to solve this crime.

But, first, let's look
at our suspects.

We have the famous
starlet Lori LaRue!

[ Laughter ]

We, of course, have the
mysterious Professor Blum!

Greiner: [ Laughs
] Corcoran: Whoa.

Cramton: We have the
made man Don Cuban!

[ Maids gasp ]

We also have the famous hitwoman

Barbara the Butcher!

Aah!

And, of course, we
have... Mr. Wonderful.

[ Laughter ] Beautiful.

At this point in time,

we need to decide
who the real k*ller is.

Everyone's going to
point. One, two, three, point!

Yes. Indeed. [ Laughter ]

The k*ller is...

Mr. Wonderful.

[ Sharks exclaim ]

Cuban: Lock him up!
Lock him up! Lock him up!

Greiner: Lock him up!
Corcoran: Lock him up!

Now, Sharks, if this
was a little bit longer,

more traditional m*rder mystery,

we might have found some clues,

such as this receipt for a Kn*fe

paid for with royalties...

[ Maids gasp ]

or Barbara's testimonial

that heard Mr. Wonderful say,

"The butler is dead to me."

[ Laughter ]

Cuban: Yeah. That's great.
That's really good. Good job.

Well done. Greiner:
Yeah. Good job.

Blum: Very good job.

[ Applause ]

We want to play some more.

[ Laughter ]

- That's gotta hurt.
- Painful.

[ Laughter ]

[ Armor clanging ]

[ Laughter ]

Alright. Greetings, Sharks.
My name is Scott Cramton.

I am the sole owner and founder
of The m*rder Mystery Company.

I'm seeking $350,000
for 5% of my company.

What you just
saw is a small taste

of what we do on a larger
scale each and every single day.

The m*rder Mystery
Company is the nation's leader

in private, immersive
experiences.

This is not just
something you watch.

This is an event
you are a part of.

Our unique brand of
immersive entertainment

allows us to do small parties
like Grandma's birthday

all the way up to huge
corporate holiday events.

We send a professionally
trained Immersioneer to you

with everything you need
to make the mystery happen.

And they will throw a party

that everyone will
be dying to attend.

So, Sharks, there's only
one mystery left to solve.

Which one of you is
going to be guilty of

passing up the
opportunity of a lifetime?

And who's going to walk
away with a k*ller deal?

Greiner: Good job.

Great job. Cramton: Thank you.

- Well done.
- It was a great presentation.

Why don't we get
into the business a bit

and tell us the model,
so how you sell this,

how you acquire people
to want to buy this service.

Where are you
doing it? Absolutely.

We are actually strategically
located in 23 different cities.

How many years
old is this company?


seriously since 2017.

How many Immersioneers
do you have?

We have almost 2,000. Wow!

So they're part-time?

Yes, they are part-time.

What are your sales?

Since 2017, we've done
just under $50 million in sales.

Wow! Good for you.

This is a major...

Thank you. I was excited
about my numbers, too.

Thank you very much.
What about last year?

Last year, we did $7 million.

We kept $800,000.

What's this year going to be?

This year, we're
definitely going to

well clear $10 million. Wow.

And you're gonna
keep how much of that?

We should keep
actually $2 million of that

unless we just choose to
reinvest it. Greiner: Wow.

Why do you need a Shark?

We need to be
back in public shows.

And I can't waste another
decade knocking on doors.

I need a Shark that can help us.

You mean, like,
into hotels, Vegas?

Into hotels. Oh, oh, oh, right.

When I knock, I'm going
through the front door.

When you guys knock,
you're going at the top.

In 2019, we did 1,200
individual public shows,

but after COVID, all of our
venues were not operational,

all of our partnerships,
everything like that.

It took me over 10 years
to build those partnerships.

Oh, this is not done
in someone's home?

Right now we've been focusing
since the reopen from COVID

on strictly private.

In-home, we come to
you. Cuban: Corporate.

Corporate parties. Anything
where you go to them.

Anything that we go to them.

Right. It's not like a theater
where people come to it.

And a public show, we
traditionally partnered up

with hotels or restaurants,

but to be able to
find those partners

is incredibly challenging.

What do you charge
for a private show?

We have shows as low as $499,

and then we have shows
more in the $2,000 range.

Way on up, $5,000 and
$10,000, is very common, as well.

How long is the show?
Generally, two hours.

It can be two and a half
with dinner, depending.

You want $350,000 for 5%. Why?

And then, by the way, if
you say you've been doing it

for so long, why not
just sell and cash out?

I'm... If I'm being honest,
the fact that I'm up here

pitching you this is
an absolute miracle.

When I was born, the
doctors told my parents

that it would be very unlikely

that I'd ever be
able to communicate

unless people
could read my lips.

I was born with a very
severe cleft palate.

I did about seven
surgeries on it

and did about 20
years of speech therapy.

Well, it definitely
worked. It worked.

Thank you very much.

And you have an excellent
hairstyle that I emulate.

[ Laughter ]

Um, now, immersive theater
is about the empowerment

of participating.

People leave feeling special.

That's what we do.

Cuban: So, at a
ballroom in a hotel,

what's an optimal
number of place settings

and what are you
gonna charge per setting?

I love 120 on a personal level.

A reasonable ticket is
between $60 and $90.

But that includes the f...
Doesn't seem like a lot.

But that includes food, as well.

I'm gonna make you an offer.

Your business is amazing.

Thank you! I mean,
you've got profit.

And you're amazing!

You've got 8,000
shows that you're doing.

- Yes.
- I am the king of horror.

I've heard that
you're very popular.

I've made almost every
horror movie you've ever seen.

Yes. And I would imagine
there's a lot of crossover

between people who
like to go to horror movies

and people who like
immersive entertainment.

And I think I could be a
great strategic partner for you.

Yes, you could.

And I'll offer you your $350,000

for 10% of your business.

Wow. That is an absolutely
amazing deal from just a...

That is fantastic. Honestly,
I couldn't do better.

I can't imagine why he
isn't the perfect partner.

He is the absolute
perfect partner.

Corcoran: It comes with bonuses.

And I, um... Could
I counter with...

Ohh! Corcoran: Whoa!

Look, let me tell
you a secret, Scott.

Let me tell you a
secret. Cramton: Okay.

In the Shark t*nk... Yes.

There are two types of pain.

Yes. The first pain

is when you think you
gave up too much equity.

Yes. You do a deal

with someone amazing like Jason.

You feel that initial pain,

but then you get
past it very quickly.

The second pain

is when you walk away
over a little bit of equity.

You feel that pain
not for just a little bit,

but for the rest of your life.

- Yes.
- I agree with him.

Because you will never know.
Which pain do you prefer?

Cramton: Yeah, absolutely.

I was actually
going to counter with,

"Can I do a happy
dance before I say yes?"

A happy dance, I'll accept.

[ Laughter ]

Oh, my God.

Yay!

Thank you so much. Oh, my God.

You have no idea
what a big fan I am.

You've got a great
business. It's amazing.

I can't believe it.
I'm totally thrilled.

Greiner: Great deal.
Congratulations.

Thank you, guys, so, so much.

Cuban: Congratulations,
Scott. Well done.

Whoo! Good job, Jason.

Yes! Hoo! [ Laughs ]

Oh, my gosh! Unh! Oh, my God!

I just got the deal of a
lifetime with Jason Blum.

I cannot believe this.

This is an absolute
dream come true.

And he has a
partner for... life.

[ Gagging ]

[ Body thuds ]

Herjavec: Does it get cold?

Scarlett: It's gonna
get cold. Yep.

Corcoran: Nice socks, Robert.

What is the maximum level?

Chin up a little bit. The
maximum level is level 3.

That can get as cold
as about negative 280.

- Give him 5.
- You want level 5?

Corcoran: Robert,
are you regretting...

Oh, my God!

Scarlett: Alright.

People say I scream
like a little girl.

Absolutely not true.

Ohh! Geez! Greiner: Ohh!

What's the temperature set at?



- Robert! Robert!
- Focus in on the breath.

[ Sharks chanting,
"Robert! Robert!" ]

[ Robert screaming ]

[ Laughter ] Breathe.
Slow breaths, Robert.

[ Breathing sharply
] There you g...

[ Screams ]

- In the nose.
- Come on.

This is... Your
body's loving this.

- You're totally safe.
- Shut up!

[ Laughter ]

♪♪

Narrator: Next into
the t*nk is a way

to take content
creation to the next level.

♪♪

Hey, Sharks. I'm Dan.

I'm the inventor, co-founder,
and C.E.O. of Overplay.

And I'm Caroline.

I'm the co-founder
and C.O.O. of Overplay.

We are seeking $500,000

in exchange for a 2.5% stake...

Hello! O'Leary: Wow!

Corcoran: How exciting. Wow!

Sharks, the video-game
market is massive,

but unlike photos,
texts, and video,

there's no... there's no
user-generated platform

for... for casual games.

♪♪

Games are just too
difficult, too time-consuming,

and too costly to make.

Until now.

Overplay is changing all this.

Overplay allows anyone
to make a video game

out of their own personal
video and share it with the world.

You can make a
game about anything,

from mountain biking to makeup.

You can make a game from a meme.

You can make a game
from your social-media posts.

You can make a game
that's an advertisement.

Or you can make a
game from a movie trailer.

Mark, you can even
take a highlights reel

from a Mavericks game

and turn it into a
playable video game.

It's super-easy to do.
It takes just minutes.

So, Sharks, who's in with us

in letting the whole world
make their own video games?

I'm gonna show you
first just how easy it is

to make an Overplay game.

So, first, you need a video.

I chose this boxing video

from one of our awesome
content-creator partners.

You can add gameplay to
your timeline in two ways.

You can drag and drop it.

I'm currently adding
taps for punches here.

Or you can record
your gameplay directly.

And then we record your inputs.

Tap, tap, hook. And that's it.

Your game is now ready to play.

Our proprietary, patented,
A.I.-empowered technology

does the rest.

Are these more TikTok-ish
and 59-second experiences?

Absolutely.

So you're not building
extreme gameplay.

No. Multiple levels,
multiple users.

No. Yeah.

This is just put it out
there on your social.

Yeah. It's more interactive.

That's right. Actually,
Mr. Wonderful,

I'm glad you brought up socials

because we may just have gone

onto all of your
social-media accounts

and we may have just
created a few mini games.

So who wants to
come up here and play?

- Sure.
- I'd like to do it.

Is there competition
involved in it?

Oh, yes. And you'll see
that right now. [ Laughs ]

Okay. So... super simple to do.

Right. It's gonna be
tapping and swiping.

There's gonna be instructions
right before each mini game.

Kevin, I never realized
how short you were before.

[ Laughter ]

Get ready.

Mark, you might
recognize this one.

Ohh! That's nasty!

That's nasty. Stuff
him till he blows up!

Alright. More to
come. More to come.

[ Beeping ]

Oh. [ Laughter ]

My favorite. This is one
of my favorite videos.

You guys are doing great.

I think I got a
concussion on that one.

Kevin, you scored
a lot up there.

Blum: Kevin, what's going
on there? Look at the score.

Kevin, what's the score?

It's rigged. What's the score?

It's totally rigged. Strzalka:
We could do a rematch.

I'm litigating!

Want to do a rematch?

[ Laughter ]

Blum: Guys, with this valuation,
you better have wild success.

I mean, this is at a
crazy valuation here.

Well, actually we
did do a soft launch

already with Overplay,

so it's already available
for iOS and Android.

We've had over a
million gameplays

and over 150,000 downloads,

and that's only been over
the past couple of weeks.

Have you made money?

Uh, we're gonna be
monetizing next year.

- [ Gasps ] - So
we're focusing on...

You guys! Do you
have other investors?

We've already
raised $3.7 million.

Wow.

What percentage of it
have you given away?

We've given away
about, I guess, 20%.

How much money do
you have left in the bank?

We have about $750,000.

$750,000 left in the bank.

So you've b*rned through
around 3 million bucks so far?

Yeah. That's right.

What platform are you
using to develop this?

It's proprietary.
It's from scratch.

It's using, uh,
Android and iOS code.

- Right.
- What part is proprietary?

What do you have a
patent on? What part of it?

So, the patent is primarily
around making the games

by playing them into
existence, by doing the action.

So you're saying
your patent covers

just turning any
video into a game?

That's right. That's right.

And was it issued, your patent?

- Yes, it was.
- Utility?

- Fully granted.
- Yes.

How do you make money?

There are two steps
to monetization.

The first step is advertising.

Interactive advertising
on our platform.

Playable game ads, which
have a 7x conversion rate

as compared to regular ads.

Interactive ads work.

And what we're doing
is giving every brand

and every advertiser the ability
to make an interactive game.

Dan and Caroline, what
are your backgrounds?

For me, I feel I'm
sitting in Latin class.

I don't know what
the hell's going on.

[ Laughter ] Strzalka:
Absolutely. You never asked.

Um, so, Dan and I actually
met at "Sesame Street."

I used to run digital media
business development

at "Sesame."

Dan ran interactive production.

We worked together
for seven years.

We made on all sorts
of interactive platforms,

so "Sesame's" very first
apps, console games.

I think we've made like


I have to tell you,
every time I invest

in a business like
yours, I lost my money.

I saw raise after
raise after raise.

So I just feel like
it's a pit I go into

when I do these things,
so I'm definitely out.

Thank you. Blum:
I had a friend, uh,

an incredibly
successful entrepreneur

who started... not
competitive with your idea,

but it was a similar notion.

It was you could press an image

and edit by pressing an
image, and it was amazing.

And I gave him $250,000,
and I lost every penny.

And I'm not suggesting that
that will happen to you, but I was...

Don't you just hate it
when that happens?

Yes, I do, and
it's still stings!

I-I'm reliving that
experience right now

'cause I felt the same way
when I heard him pitch it.

For those reasons,
for me, I'm out.

Okay. Thank you for
considering it. Thank you.

I think, you know,
it's clear to us

that interactivity added to
video is not the same thing

as a simple
single-feature product.

Look, I think it has
a chance, right?

But it's very binary.

Either you get
the network effect

where people say,
"This is the place to be,"

and that starts to give
you enough momentum

where TikTok and Google
and Instagram says,

"I need this layer
on top of my games."

But the problem is
on the valuation, right?

Congratulations to
you. Kudos to you

for only taking $3.7 million
and getting it to this point,

but you're gonna
have to raise a lot more

to do all the things
that you want to do.

We get diluted to nothing.

And the bottom line is you
need me more than I need you.

And so I don't know how I can
get from what you're asking for

for what I need to
go to work for you.

Well, could we start
with what you need?

Sure. 15%.

Okay. So, I-I mean...

Don't stutter.

[ Laughs ] I really
appreciate that.

And I understand exactly
what you're saying, but...

Blum: Guys, hold
on for a second.

You have an offer,
and you have rocket fuel

sitting at the
end of this panel.

And I don't want you to miss
this moment and say, "sh**t."

But they can also see the look on
the face of their existing investors.

- Right. Right.
- Bingo!

You can counter.
You can counter.

Blum: You can counter.

- For... For sure.
- But think hard about it.

Narrator: Two Sharks are out.

Mark is interested in Overplay,

which enables users to create
games from videos and images,

but he wants a bigger stake
than the 2.5% for $500,000

Dan and Caroline
came in offering.

So, what we can
do is 3.25 points.

Ohh! Oh! Strzalka: [ Laughs ]



- 3.25%.
- 3.25%. [ Laughs ]

And an additional...
An additional 0.75%

with advisory shares.

So you get me up to 4%?

Yeah. 4%.

Um, that's not gonna work

because you need me
more than I need you.

Yeah. Right?

You need somebody
who's willing to say,

"Hey, I got all this video,

and every day I'm
throwing out videos

and I'm gonna talk about
it all the time," you know?

And so that's not gonna do it.

I think that the potential of
what we're offering here is...

I don't disagree. Okay.

There's nothing that you've
said that I feel is incorrect.

- Mm-hmm.
- Okay. We'll do it this way.

I'll give you $500,000 for
the 4% equity in the company.

And, separately,
you'll pay me $500,000.

And, as part of that,
I'll create content for you

and help you
promote your business.

Now, that's a great deal.

Ohh. [ Chuckles ]

We hadn't considered
that scenario.

Sorry. We came in very
prepared, but not for this.

Um...

I think... Yeah, I think
that sounds good.

- Alright.
- We got a deal!

Fantastic!

Creativity is creativity, right?

- Ohh!
- Great job.

You guys, if it works, it
works, like, insane, right?

- Oh, yeah.
- Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.

- Thanks.
- Thank you.

- Bye. Thank you all.
- Thank you all.

Nice to meet you. [ Laughs ]

Aah! [ Laughs ]

Oh, my God!

Yeah!

With the help of Mark
Cuban, we think that Overplay

will be everywhere in
the next couple of years.

We're gonna be powering
all video to become interactive.

Here's the way I look at it.

I don't have to
wear a chef's hat.

I don't have to put on an apron.

I don't have to prance
around in a commercial.

I like that stuff. I am
a chef. I'm proud of it.

[ Laughter ]

♪♪

Narrator: In Season 6,

Christopher Gray came
into the t*nk with Scholly,

an app that helps
students find scholarships.

A heated debate ensued
about the merits of the business

as an investment.

We are not the Charity t*nk.

No, we are not the Charity t*nk.

We're not here to give it out.

That's not charity, Robert.

But you know what?
That's not charity, and...

Really? How does that work?

I never got any information.

You guys don't like when
you get scooped. Ohh!

Narrator: But Christopher
walked away with a deal

from Lori and Daymond.

Let's see what
they're up to now.

Gray: Scholly is a mobile and
web app that gives students

an easy way to find
scholarships to pay for college.

When I came to "Shark
t*nk," Scholly had $90,000

in total revenue.

It's been nine years,
and Scholly has done

over $30 million in revenue.

Scholly now has
over 5 million users,

and we've helped students
raise over $100 million

in scholarships.

But the biggest thing...

Scholly has been
acquired by Sallie Mae,

the largest education-solutions
company in America,

in a multimillion-dollar deal.

As part of this deal,

we are now able to
make the Scholly app free

so that even more students
and families can afford college.

I'm so proud of Chris
with this acquisition.

It's every entrepreneur's
dream to be acquired.

And in a short few years,
Scholly was acquired.

It's changing his life.

John: I reflect thinking about
Mark, Robert, and Kevin.

And, of course, do I want to
rub their little noses in it? Yes.

My return on my investment

is between 40x and 60x.

This used to be the wood
shop. This is the studio now?

Today I'm at my
old high school...

Bayside High in
Queens, New York...

Where I am with Chris
Gray from Scholly.

We are presenting
two scholarships

to two amazing students.

Going to this great school,
I met two of my partners

that would help me
create a global brand,

which are Keith
and Jay from Fubu.

I met my Fubu partners here.

I learned how to be
an entrepreneur here.

I couldn't be happier about
being back in Bayside High.

On behalf of Sallie Mae,
I'm so pleased to provide

this check for $1 million
to provide scholarships

to even more families so
that they can complete college.

It was so inspiring to
sit there next to Chris.

Lori and I invested in Chris,

and now Chris is
investing in the future,

and that is what it's all about.

Gray: With the help of
Daymond, Lori, and "Shark t*nk,"

I achieved my dreams.

And now with Sallie
Mae, I now have the ability

to help millions of
students across America

achieve their dreams.

All: Bayside High!

[ All cheering ]

♪♪

Narrator: Next up are
entrepreneurs on a mission

to make healthy foods
accessible to everyone.

♪♪

Hi, Sharks. We're
Jamie and Jilea,

the husband-and-wife team
behind Nourish + Bloom Market.

We're here today seeking
a $400,000 investment

for 5% equity in our company.

Sharks, it's no secret
that fresh and healthy food

is a necessity for
all living things.

But did you know that a
shocking 1 in 8 Americans

live in food deserts,

where fresh and
healthy food is scarce?

In urban areas, people
may live over a mile away

from any fresh produce.

And in rural areas,

that distance can stretch
to more than five miles.

But we're here to change that.

Introducing Nourish
+ Bloom Market.

Sharks, we're on a mission
to build micro markets like this

in food deserts across America.

These markets are gonna provide


the freshest foods,

not that processed junk food

that you see in many
convenience stores today.

Our Nourish + Bloom Markets
can eradicate a food desert

in just three months!

Now, that's a recipe for change.

Just check out what we're doing

in our current flagship store.

Thanks to our proprietary A.I.,

customers can
walk into our store

using our app, start
shopping, and then walk out.

And, Sharks, our
game-changing technology

slashes overhead costs
and boosts margins,

making our A.I.-enhanced
micro markets

a giant leap ahead
of big-box grocers.

And it's not just about
food deserts, Sharks.

We're spicing things
up on college campuses,

offices, hotels,
and airports, too!

Because who doesn't like
eating healthy on the go?

So, Sharks, who wants to
take a bite out of food deserts

and Nourish + Bloom the world?

[ Laughter ]

Greiner: Good job.
Blum: Great job.

Do you provide the food
or is it just the technology

or the whole sh**ting match?

We provide everything.
So, currently right now

we actually have a
flagship store in Georgia.

We have, you know, a distributor

that brings in
products to the store.

How it works is that customers
would download our app.

They would put in their
payment information.

They would scan
to enter the store.

They can pick up
whatever items they want.

And then when they walk
out, they receive a receipt.

I'm not gonna say
there are problems,

but there are three issues.

Number one, this
is a real-estate play.

Number two, it's a logistics
play for fresh-food items,

which in itself is a really
complicated business.

And then there's a tech
stack on top of it, so...

Correct. So we actually have...

If you want to make a
complicated package,

you just brought one to the
Shark t*nk. Cuban: For sure.

Greiner: Well, why don't
we find out about you?

We know nothing
about your background.

So, the reason why we actually

got into the food industry

is because of the
fact that, actually,

I grew up in a food desert...
White Plains, New York.

I had access to
the corner store,

which was, you
know, quarter waters,

you know, cinnamon
buns and ice cream.

I grew up in Dobbs Ferry.

Right next door.
Alright. Mm-hmm.

And so... And if
you didn't know,

quarter waters are pretty much
just sugary drinks with dyes.

And so... But, uh,
fast-forwarding,

um, my oldest son was
diagnosed with autism

at the age of 2 years old,

and so we wanted to
build something for him

to help him in the future,
because during our research,

it showed that
healthy meals for kids

can actually help children
that are on the spectrum.

And so that was really
the thing that just drove us

on our mission to really
help people to eat healthier.

We're actually the first
autonomous grocery store

in the Southern United States.

We have cities across the
country that are coming to us

because they need a solution
for food deserts in their cities.

How many people does
it take to run one of these?

Including sourcing.

Right. So that's one of the
things that's so great about it,

is that our staffing has
been reduced significantly.

So, really, one person.

What's your shrinkage?
What gets stolen?

Our shrinkage is
actually really low.

We're at 1.8%.

Wow. Pretty amazing.

That's less than the
national average right now.

Less than the
national average...

Because of this technology.

- Absolutely. Right.
- Right.

All this comes down to
your flagship store. Correct.

What did it cost you to
build? How long did it take?

What are your sales last
month, as an example?

And are you making money?

Yeah, so, when we first
deployed our first flagship store,

it cost us $1.5
million to build.

- Wow.
- Okay.

And how long ago was that?

So, we actually opened
our store in January of 2022.

And so we have lifetime
sales of over $800,000

since opening.
Corcoran: Really? Wow.

Cuban: But let's talk
about last month. Yes.

So, last month, we did
$22,000 in sales for the month.

We are not profitable yet.

This was our P.O.C., right?

That's your proof of concept.
What's your next one gonna cost?

With our container stores,
we can actually open one

for $400,000.

We actually have
four different models

that we can deploy.

So, we have our
brick-and-mortar store.

We have our container store,

which is the video
that you just saw.

And how big was
that in square feet?



We have our smart
vending machine.

And then we also have our, um...

Satellite stores.

Our satellite stores that
we can place within hotels.

So there's different ways
on how we can deploy it.

Seems like a lot. It seems like a
lot of options to work on at once.

Which produces the
most money for you?

Jilea: The actual
container stores

are gonna be highly
profitable, right?

And so what we've learned is
that smaller is actually better.

Jamie: Better. The micro markets

will actually be able to
net a net profit of 25%.

Listen, guys. I like to
really help my entrepreneurs

and I like to be
really successful.

I don't really know
anything about this business.

I'm sorry. I'm out.

Thank you, Lori.
Thank you, Lori.

For me, it's like
investing in a sea

that I don't know where my
boat's gonna go, you know?

It's just not clear enough,
what I'm hearing. I'm out.

Now, how much
have you guys raised?

So, we've raised from
friends and family $440,000.

We also got an SBA loan.
That was for $875,000.

And then we have a
couple convertible notes

that came after the fact.

And how much
are those notes for?

So, we have notes for $250,000.

So you're in for a
million-plus, friends and family.

$1.4 million.

How much cash do
you have left right now?

So, we are literally
living off of the revenues

from the store, so we
are actually putting...

And we're putting
in a lot of our...

We put in a lot of our own.

Not saying it's good or bad,
but everything you've raised,

you b*rned through
already, right?

Right. We have.

You know, you're in the
category of the thinnest margins

of any sector in the
economy... grocery.

I mean, it just
doesn't get worse.

If you could think of a more
hellishly complicated deal,

I don't think I've seen one
worse on "Shark t*nk."

I mean, you've
got to get it right

in three different
verticals every time.

But... the demand
is there. No question.

For me, this is going to
the governor of a state

and saying, "Look. We
know what we're doing.

We've got this store.

We can put 40 of
these in your state."

They are the
C.E.O.s of every state,

and they can help you
because the private sector

is gonna have a very
hard time valuing this thing.

I'm gonna say something
sacrilegious for this group.

But did you ever think
of this as a non-for-profit?

This is actually a for-profit
business because...

I can tell. I can
tell that it is.

Because even the
technology, we can license this

to other small and mom-and-pop
retailers. Yes. Franchising.

Because they also are
gonna be able to use this.

We're here because
of the fact that,

quite honestly,
you're great marketers.

You can help us to really
put this out to America

so that we can really
eradicate food deserts,

and you can make
money off of this.

You guys are doing
an incredible job.

And my heart is saying yes!

But my Shark nature is saying no

because the messaging
is a little bit mixed.

Eventually you may
be absolutely right.

You could make
gazillions of dollars.

But right now you're
sitting a little bit

in between for-profit
and non-for-profit.

And the second
thing is the minute

I hear, "We're starting out,

we've got four different...
Quite very different things,"

I get nervous.

For those two reasons, I'm out.

Thank you. Alright. Thank you.

I mean, I really want to make
sure that I'm clearing this up.

When I show all the different
ways that we can deploy,

it's just showing
the flexibility.

Jilea, let me...
I'll tell... Look.

We can put put this
technology in airports, subways.

We got it, we got it, we
got it, we got it, we got it.

I mean, I can't imagine
how many problems

you deal with every
day on this stuff.

Look. I wish you
the best. I'm out.

Cuban: Hey, guys. Thank you.

Let me just give
you the brutal honest.

Your finances are
a disaster, right?

Right. I mean, that's one of
the things that's been so hard

for being entrepreneurs
and Black entrepreneurs.

Like, if we just...
With this idea,

the fact that we've
been able to get...

To get this far...

I'm not taking anything
away from you guys, right?

Because we've all had
our backs against the wall

where it's like, "We got
to get to the next day.

I will figure it
out, and I will roll

what I have to roll to get it."

I get it. And when you turn back
and look at it, it's a mess, right?

But that's what you had to do
to cobble it all together to live.

But it's not really
investable for me, you know?

So for those reasons, I'm out.

But Dallas has
many food deserts.

What I want to do is help
you, if you'd come to Dallas,

introduce you to who you
need to be introduced to,

whether it's the city of
Dallas or the state of Texas,

that can provide you
a grant or support.

When you're ready to come
to Dallas, I will help you.

- Thank you.
- We're ready now.

- We're coming on Monday.
- We're ready now.

- We're going on Monday.
- We're ready now.

- We're going on Monday.
- We're ready right now.

Cuban: Good luck, guys.

- Thank you.
- Thank you.

Greiner: Bye, guys.

Aww.

Jamie: This is a
mission for my wife and I.

This is for our son, Jabari.

And [sighs] you
will see us again.

You will definitely
see us again.

♪♪

Narrator: Next up are
better-for-you versions

of delicious guilty pleasures.

♪♪

Cuban: I hate you guys already.

[ Laughter ]

Hi, Sharks. My name is Saphira.

And this is my
husband, Maurizio.

So, I know what you're thinking.

"Wow. These entrepreneurs
have incredible names."

We also have an
incredible business.

And we're here seeking $200,000

for 5% of our company.

See, Sharks, like most couples,
we have a lot in common,

including our
intense sweet tooth.

Luckily for Maurizio over here,

his stomach is bulletproof.

He could eat a razor
blade and be totally fine.

Me, on the other hand,
my digestive system is...

Let's just say... less than
optimal. Less than optimal.

See, Saphira here
is allergic to air,

wind, dust, and even loud words!

So she'd be stuck
eating desserts

that tastes like wet sandals!

[ Sighs ] Maurizio
is mostly right.

So I started whipping
up my own desserts

made from whole,
plant-based ingredients

that my sensitive
system could tolerate

and his more traditional
taste buds could enjoy.

And that's when
we quickly realized

a dessert made with
healthy ingredients

that tastes decadent
was nowhere to be found.

Sharks, allow us to take you
where you've never been before.

Together: Nowhere! [ Laughter ]

Nowhere Bakery is an
allergen-friendly dessert company

specializing in
cookies and brownies,

made with better few ingredients

that are free from
dairy, eggs... Yep. Yeah.

Gluten, soy... Hmm. Oh!

Refined sugar, sugar
alcohols... Ooh! Ooh!

And are paleo-friendly!

Together: Aah! Alright, Sharks.

Who's ready to
fill our cookie jar

and help take Nowhere...

Together: Everywhere!

[ Laughter ]

Now it's time
for you to dive in.

In front of you is
our cookie lineup.

Starting from left to right...

Blum: Wow. Greiner: Oh, my God.

We start with our award-
winning chocolate-chip cookie.

As Mark would
say, the workhorse.

Greiner: It looks amazing.

Blum: Yeah. It looks
terrific. Wait till you try it.

Next to that is the
candy-bar cookie.

Saphira: Next to that we
have the almond-butter brownie

and the blondie. Wow! Mmm!

What Barb is holding
is the world-famous tag.

And then last but not least
is our ABC sandwich cookie.

Already looks like my favorite.

And that is my
personal favorite.

Blum: Oh, my God. Saphira:
That's actually my personal favorite.

Corcoran: Mmm! It's
a shortbread base,

and we fill it with an
almond-butter caramel

and then cover that in a coconut
sugar sweetened dark chocolate.

I congratulate you.

We've had so many
plant-based cookie deals,

and they all taste like [bleep]

Blum: Yeah. Thank
you, Kevin. I agree.

This tastes like a real cookie.
It tastes absolutely delicious.

Okay. The product's good.
Let's talk about the business.

Corcoran: When did you start it?

So, Barb, we started March 2020.

Wow. We started two
weeks prior to the pandemic.

Oh, my gosh.

And we started out
doing direct-to-consumer,

not knowing what the world
was gonna change into.

That was the only way we
were gonna make business.

We didn't have money
for a brick-and-mortar.

That wasn't part of
our plan to begin with.

How do you find your customers?

My background is a food
blogger and recipe developer,

and so I utilized my network
of other food bloggers,

and we'd send these cookies
to them to enjoy. Smart.

And they just organically
would share on social media.

And so that's how we
initially got the word out.

And, so, I was actually
making these cookies by myself

in the small corner
of a friend's kitchen.

And I was posting
on social media.

It was the middle
of the pandemic.

She was driving from our place
at 2:00 in the morning, Barb.

She would get to the
kitchen at 3:00, start baking,

finish up at 7:00
before the new people

can come in the kitchen,
wrap everything up,

and go deliver
everything by hand.

Wow. Cuban: Good for you.

So are you selling
any of this stuff?

We are. Let's hear it.

Yeah. So, in 2020,

we started really
getting sales in April.

And we ended the
year at $92,000.

Mm-hmm.

In 2021,

we did $524,000 in sales.

That's amazing. Good number.

And then in 2022,
we finished the year

at $770,000 in sales.

And what do you
think you'll do this year?

We'll do a million.

Whoa! Corcoran: Amazing.

So you're making good
money off of this then, too?

Because your
overhead is nothing.

- Are you making money?
- Yeah. Are you making money?

Last year, we made $32,000.

Okay. That's not huge dollars.

Mind you, might I just say,

we started this company
with $400, and so...

[ Hands clapping ] Yeah.

We have an online model and
we have the wholesale model.

Our online cost is $1.92.

O'Leary: To make it.
$1.92 to make it. Yes.

Okay. And then you sell that

directly to the
consumer for what?

Yes, so, anywhere
between $5.50 to $6 a unit.

Wow!

We sell them in 6-packs,


Six bucks a unit?

And our average box sale amount

is close to $80 per transaction.

- Jiminy.
- Well, you have to be premium

because you're in a... you're
in a commercial kitchen, right?

- That's right.
- You're not at a co-packer.

- Exactly.
- And your time is so valuable.

Have you thought
about a co-packer

to reduce your costs? We have.

And that's, you
know, a possibility,

but right now we can
control everything ourselves.

No, but you want to scale
this. We do limited edition...

You got to blow it
up and make it big

because there's so much
competition in this space.

I don't agree with him.

Every food product I ever
had that went into a co-kitchen

came out of the kitchen
and did it themselves again.

- Yeah.
- Co-packers never work for them.

I think what makes it great
is we can control the quality.

See, I disagree with Barbara.

The only way to do that,
it has to be a co-packer.

I'm gonna make you an offer,

but I'm gonna put some
contingencies on it, okay?

'Cause it's the only
way I see it happening.

I want to put it
in major grocers,

around a brand, around
the healthy concept.

I'll give you the
$200,000 for 20%.

And here's why I want 20%.

I'm going to bring
the co-packer.

I have one in mind that
I think you're gonna like.

And I'm gonna give
him half of my equity.

So I'm gonna end up with


and we're gonna blow this up

because, otherwise, I'm
sorry, I'm not interested.

What if the co-packer
screws up, Kevin?

And what if you
want to get rid of him?

- Now he's got half of the...
- Well, I think, Lori, you...

Guys, let me clear
the play a little bit here.

Tastes amazing. Until
I looked at the back.

Now I'm gonna be in the gym
for 17 hours tonight because...

[ Laughter ] Oh, no!
How many calories?!

One cookie is 300 calories.

Oh, my God!

Now, for some
people, that's not bad.

[ Laughter ] It's
real food, right?

No, I get it, right? And
it's filling and all that.

I'm not taking
anything away from it.

But for a lot of
people, it's not bad.

For someone who tries to
count calories every day, it is.

And so that's the
problem I have with it.

So for those reasons, I'm out.

I feel like I know
everything about this space,

through Daisy, through Pipcorn.

I have a few failures.

You learn more
from failing, honestly.

So I feel like I'm
capable of helping you.

I will give you $100,000 cash,

an additional $100,000
credit line for 15%.

So, I think what you've
done is really smart.

I'm a bit in the same
family as Mark, though.

So, for the higher
calorie content,

unfortunately, for me, I'm out.

Thank you, Lori. Big fans.
We love you. Thanks, Lori.

You know, if Kevin wanted
to split that deal, I would.

So you want to spl... If you
want it, I'll split your deal.

I'd do that. I'd do that.

I think two Sharks
is better than one.

You got two offers. What
do you guys want to do?

♪♪

Narrator: Two Sharks are out.

Maurizio and Saphira

have an offer on the
table from Kevin and Jason

and another from Barbara

for their clean dessert
company, Nowhere Bakery.

I just want to tell you one
thing that I just realized.

I invested in a company
called Kates Kookies.

She sold to investors,

let some foxes
into her hen house.

Got out of the kitchen,
went to a different kitchen.

They went out of business.

She told me she would
never leave her kitchen again

or leave it in anyone's hands.

She thought the
most important part

of running a bakery business

was being the baker,
and I believe her.

She learned it the hard way.

And so far, you have to accept

other things, a different
way of working...

O'Leary: Have you ever heard
of a brand... That's what she did.

It was a mistake. You ever
heard of a brand called Cinnabon?

Maurizio: Absolutely.

You think the guy that started
that makes the Cinnabons?

[ Laughter ] No, but I think...

Blum: She said
she's alright with that.

If you want to spend
the rest of your life

with that hat on in a
kitchen, go this way.

It's too early to get out
of the kitchen. I'm sorry.

But you guys have
to be comfortable

with the fact that if
you take this deal,

your jobs are changing.
Maurizio: Right.

Blum: Maybe you're ready for it.

Honestly, I've done every job

under the sun with this
company, so it's... I'm ready.

Will you be okay if
you never cook again?

Yeah. Running this company?

I'm sure she'll be
okay. [ Laughs ]

She'll be thrilled.

She'll cook other things.

You have two offers, and
they're kind of different.

They are different.

You have to decide
what you want to do.

Maurizio: Here's
what we're thinking.

We weren't prepared
to give away 15%.

Would you be willing to give
us $400,000 for that 15%?

No, I wouldn't.

I don't think you need
that much money.

And, no, I wouldn't
be comfortable.

Would you go down to 12.5%?

At the same deal for 12.5%?

Yes, I would.

Barbara, we would love

for you to be our sugar mama.

Blum: Wow. Alright, baby.

You got a deal.

You got yourself a good partner.

Cuban: Great, great job.

- Thank you.
- Thank you, Mark.

- Tough one.
- We tried.

- Yeah. Tried.
- We tried.

Thanks, Barb. You're so sweet.

Well done, guys.
Congratulations.

- I'm not sweet.
- Very well done.

Congrats, guys.

- Bye-bye.
- Thanks, guys.

- Thank you.
- Congrats, guys.

- Congrats, guys.
- Thank you.

Meanwhile, I've eaten


Greiner: Yeah, I know.

Saphira: We are so excited
that we got a deal with Barbara!

She is the one Shark that
we really, really wanted.

We've built a great brand.
We've built a great product.

It's time to take Nowhere...

Together: Everywhere!

Jason, you picked the
wrong partner to par...

You schooled us. I did. You picked
the wrong partner to partner with.

You should have come with me.

You're totally right.
You schooled us.

Wake up. Wake up.

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪