Additional Coverage:
- ‘Shark Tank’ judges boo Kevin O’Leary for telling contestants that he ‘hates’ their product (marketrealist.com)
“Shark Tank’s” Mr. Wonderful Shows No Love for Germ-Free Birthday Candles
Kevin O’Leary, aka Mr. Wonderful, lived up to his ruthless reputation on a recent episode of “Shark Tank.” Entrepreneurs Mark Lareau and Mark Apelt pitched Blowzee, a small, sensor-activated fan designed to extinguish birthday candles with a puff of air – a hygienic alternative to potentially germy breaths.
Lareau and Apelt sought $100,000 for a 20% stake in their venture. While the Sharks acknowledged the product’s practicality, the company’s five-month sales of $12,000 sparked O’Leary’s disapproval.
He deemed the figure “nothing,” criticized their marketing efforts, and declared, “I hate this very, very much, and I’m out.” This blunt assessment drew boos from his fellow Sharks.
Despite O’Leary’s harsh critique, Robert Herjavec praised the entrepreneurs’ resourcefulness, noting their minimal $2,000 investment in engineers and consultants. Mark Cuban echoed the sentiment, emphasizing that businesses don’t typically launch with million-dollar sales. He commended the duo for embodying the “American dream” by pursuing their idea.
While the entrepreneurs left without a deal, they received valuable feedback and a dose of “Shark Tank” reality.