Rufflebutts/Ruggedbutts is a clothing company for little girls and boys founded by Amber Schaub and her husband Mark that focuses on fashion, quality, and affordability. When Amber was young, her mom would buy her bloomers which she referred to as “rufflebutts.” When Amber went on a search to find a similar product for her own children many years later, but failed, she knew she found an opening in the market she could fill.

Amber also had the feeling to start a company when she got an “entrepreneurial” vibe at her old job, so with these two goals in mind, Amber and her husband started their company.

Ruffflebutts was already profitable their first year of business which is very rare. The company was growing at a massive pace every year as Amber and Mark already had multi-million dollar sales in their fifth year of business. Amber’s business background along with her creativity was helping in accomplishing this.

Amber mentioned that she met Mark Cuban a while back and his background was also a motivator for her when she was starting a company. After learning Mark Cuban was on Shark Tank and learning about the expertise all the sharks brought, Amber and her husband applied to be on the showing hoping to get a business partner that would help them with their ideas and were invited for Season five.

Rufflebutts on Shark Tank

Amber and Mark Schaub entered the tank with their children seeking $600,000 for 7%. Amber began their pitch with how their search for a product that they couldn’t find led them to starting a company that has been drastically successful. Amber and her daughter handed out samples which impressed all the Sharks. Barbara immediately dove into the valuation because of the large ask.

Mark Schaub brought up their sales of nearly $4,000,000, how they have been profitable since starting, and having no debt which amazed all the Sharks.  Kevin asked how many SKUs, distinct products based on color, size, etc, they had and Mark Schaub mentioned they had over 2,000 which upset Kevin.

The sharks moved aside from this issue as Robert asked what they needed the money for and the Schaub family explained that they valued the partnership the sharks brought as the company is growing. Amber went into detail about how her passion for the business came and depicted that their company had no specific competitors.

Kevin went back to his concern with the SKUs and gave everyone an example about a company he was a part of that nearly fell apart by having so many SKUs. Because of this, Kevin went out. Mark Cuban and Robert addressed that they didn’t know the clothing business well enough to bring Amber and Mark Schaub value so they went out as well.

After this, however, tension rose in the Tank as neither Barbara nor Lori would say a word. Barbara accused of Lori of trying to go last so she could make a better offer than her. Lori disputed this, mentioning she was thinking about the valuation rather than trying to go first or last.

Barbara, tired of waiting for Lori, stated that she was heavily impressed with Amber because of her creativity and business knowledge. Because of this, she offered Amber and Mark $600,000 for 12%, but half the money would be a line of credit. Amber immediately thanked Barbara for the offer, but felt the valuation was too low and mentioned the equity would be coming from their kids because the company would eventually be theirs.

Lori, also impressed with Amber, offered them $600,000 for 10%, but half the money would have to be paid back in the first year, while the other half would have to be paid back by the second year. Barbara tried to sell herself by mentioning she builds “power brands” while Lori only sells products, but Lori disputed this and mentioned her expertise was in retail while Barbara’s was in real estate.

Amber and Mark Schuab stepped out to consider both offers. Meanwhile, Mark Cuban told Lori that the offer she made was the worst she has ever offered anyone and that is was a “Kevin deal” by being a loan. Mark Schuab and Amber came back in and countered both Sharks at $600,000 for 8%. Barbara countered at 10%, and Amber mentioned that she wanted to really make a deal, but couldn’t get to that valuation.

Lori also mentioned she felt 10% was right, but was willing to go down to 9%. Seeing value in the lower equity ask, Amber and Mark Schuab took Lori’s offer. Immediately after they left, Mark Cuban and Barbara were shocked that they took Lori’s offer because it was a loan. Mark Cuban felt that and Amber and Mark Schuab didn’t really understand the offer, but felt that Lori got a great deal.

Rufflebutts Now in 2026 – After Shark Tank Update

While they didn’t land a deal on the show, the exposure and publicity that came with appearing on Shark Tank provided an invaluable platform for Rufflebutts to showcase their products. This resulted in a significant spike in website traffic and sales.

And over time, they became a multi-million-dollar business, expanding not only in terms of sales but also in product range. More specifically, they extended their line to include dresses, swimwear, and apparel for boys under the brand name RuggedButts. Not only that but they were also able to secure partnerships with major retailers like Nordstrom and Bloomingdale’s, further enhancing their distribution and reach.

The Schaubs also leveraged their Shark Tank experience to refine their business strategies. They took the feedback received from the Sharks into consideration and used it to streamline operations, improve product design, and strengthen customer relations.

As of 2026, Rufflebutts is still in business and going strong.

If anything, their journey serves as an inspiring example for aspiring entrepreneurs who seek to transform their business dreams into reality.

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Grinds are small pouches of flavored coffee that one would chew as an alternative to chewing tobacco. The idea was thought up by college students Matt Canepa and Pat Pezet from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo one night when they were doing a project for a class. Matt and Pat were seeking something to keep them awake and stumbled upon coffee grinds. They decided to chew on these to gain energy and although awkward at first, they could feel that it actually worked. Matt and Pat entered a contest after they saw a random flyer on campus with this idea and this led to a contest with a cash prize that they both won. Having played baseball, they knew there was a market for an alternative to chewing tobacco.

As Matt and Pat introduced the product to the market, many baseball players liked the idea including the San Francisco Giants manager the year they won the championship. The manager told Matt and Pat that he used Grinds during the season as an alternative to chewing tobacco. This motivated Matt and Pat to grow the idea into a business. With some help, they were able to find a manufacturer to start making their product and saw heavy promotion from media outlets such as Entrepreneur Magazine. They applied to be on Shark Tank hoping to grow the business and were invited for Season Four.

Grinds on Shark Tank

Pat and Matt entered the Tank seeking $75,000 for 10% of their company. They gave a brief background of their product Grinds, the benefits of the product with the energy kick it provides, and how it was an alternative to chewing tobacco. They also discussed how big the industry was for the product and how they had proven demand with 20 major baseball league teams using their product. Pat demonstrated how to use the product before handing out samples.

All the Sharks tried the product and Robert and Kevin immediately mentioned they could tell the product was working by getting the strong taste. Robert was also impressed when he heard one piece replaces a quarter cup of coffee. Mark was wondering how Matt and Pat came up with the idea and they gave their background story about the project night, competition, and the positive feedback from the San Francisco Giants manager. Robert was interested in the numbers and Matt mentioned last year they did $135,000 and were on track to do $300,000 by the end of this year. They also mentioned the product retails for $3.99, wholesales for $2.69, and it cost them about $1.25 to make.

Barbara was impressed with Matt and Pat, but couldn’t relate to the product so she went out. Kevin, like always, brought up the concern of bigger company’s “taking them out” if they became successful. Kevin felt they needed to grow the brand faster before bigger company’s do this so he made Matt and Pat an offer of $100,000 and he would receive $0.25 every time they sell a can. Daymond was wondering if they were looking for just capital or a strategic partner and they both mentioned they highly valued the partnership. Robert also saw merit in the product and made an offer $75,000 for 15% if Daymond would join because of his distribution connections and Daymond agreed to go in with Robert. Matt and Pat wanted to hear from Mark and he mentioned that he saw tobacco replacement product as a medium sized industry that was niche. Mark also felt this investment would take up too much of his time so he went out as well.

Matt and Pat countered Robert and Daymond with $100,000 for the 15%. Robert asked if they would give up more equity, but they declined. Robert declined their new offer because he felt the value he and Daymond brought would be worth much more in the long run than the additional $25,000. Kevin tried to sell the benefits of his deal of not giving up any equity. After a little hesitation, Matt and Pat accepted Daymond and Robert’s offer and left the Tank very happy.

What Happened To Grinds After Shark Tank – 2026 Update

Unfortunately, the deal with Daymond and Robert didn’t work out in the end but that didn’t stop the business from growing. For one thing, the “Shark Tank effect” caused their sales to explode. Not only that but the product sparked a lot of discussions online.

Over the next few years, the company continued to thrive. In fact, they grew so much that they eventually relocated all of their fulfillment, production, and distribution operations to Oak Ridge Road, Westfield—a $6.7 million investment. They also announced that they plan on creating 56 new jobs with an average salary of $40,0000, in the Westfield area by 2023. Based on these plans, the Indiana Economic Development Corp offered the company up to $50K in training grants and $250K in conditional tax credits.

That’s not all, they also announced that they’ll be leasing and equipping a 27,000-square-foot facility with operations, one that will be collaborating with a local Westfield labeling company. That same year, a personal property tax abatement for the company was approved by the City Council.

As of 2026, Grinds Coffee is still up and running. Currently, they offer 11 different flavors on their website including Red Eye Espresso, New Orleans Style, Cinnamon Whiskey, Spearmint, Mint Chocolate, Wintergreen, Cinnamon Roll-Doughboy, Orange Citrus, Double Shot Espresso, and Double Mocha.

Not only that but they also have coffee pouches with double the caffeine; they’re available in six flavors: New Orleans Style, Mint Chocolate, Orange Citrus, Cinnamon Whiskey, Double Shot Espresso, and Double Mocha. You can get them in groups of 3 ($17.95), 6 ($35.95), 10 ($49.95), and 20 ($98.95), and if you subscribe, you can get 10% off your order. Shipping is also free for all domestic orders above $49 (and all subscription orders above $29). There’s also the option of building your pack—that way, your can choose the flavours that you like.

Or if you want, you can get them from Amazon (do note that they’re not always available on the site). There aren’t as many flavors available compared to their website but you’ll be able to take advantage of Prime shipping. If anything, they’re highly rated by customers, with many praising the coffee pouches for their convenience and flavor. Those who used them as a tobacco alternative also found them helpful.

So yes, the company is a success. They might not have received an investment from the sharks but that hasn’t stopped them from growing and expanding (you can use their Find a Store feature to find a retailer near you).

The post What Happened to Grinds From Shark Tank – 2026 Update appeared first on Gazette Review.

The Garage Door Lock is a product that locks the largest door that burglars can get into one’s home from. Bryan came up with the idea when someone broke into his home as he learned the remote controls that close most garage doors do not do enough to solve the problem.  Bryan had a background of product development as he invited the device that launches parasails from a boat and pulls it back in. He did not, however, have a business or marketing product like most inventors before they come on Shark Tank.

Bryan was able to get his product to a decent amount of sales before coming on the show without any marketing due to the heavy amount of people looking for a garage door lock after somebody breaks into their home. He applied to be on Shark Tank hoping to solve his marketing problem with the help of the Sharks and was invited for Season Five.

The Garage Door Lock on Shark Tank

Bryan entered the Tank seeking $275,000 for 30% of his company. Bryan began by selling the Sharks on the necessity of his product by mentioning there was a home invasion every fifteen seconds, yet people do not correctly lock their largest door which is their garage. While someone was demonstrating how thieves open the garage, Bryan demonstrated how he created a solution in the Garage Door lock as it has a steal dead bolt that automatically locks the garage door. After the pitch, Kevin brought up the obvious assumption of the garage always being locked when one leaves their home. Bryan mentioned that the clicker everyone uses on their garage door does not properly lock it as a garage door. He mentioned this is because garage doors can be opened in similar ways cars are burglarized such as by opening the door with a coat hanger.

After proving this is indeed a problem, Bryan demonstrated how his product was used as the product is adds on to an existing garage that one could install in about a couple hours. Barbara was interested in the numbers and Bryan stated the Garage Door Lock sells for $249.95 and he had sold a total of 450 units online totaling a little over $100,000. Brynn also mentioned how he came up the product and that he invested $250,000 along with the patent.

Robert was concerned with how Bryan would market the product and Bryan mentioned that’s what he was looking for that solution in the Sharks.  Kevin believed in the problem, but was also concerned with marketing and felt that he would probably have to do it himself if he invested. Bryan revealed he was working with someone who would help him get in-front of the owner of a large retailer, but the Sharks mentioned people who try to sell others on introductions like that are usually scammers. Barbara brought up her concern of Bryan not having the skills of an entrepreneur and felt he couldn’t sell the product even if was able to get in-front of a large retail store owner. Although impressed with the product, Barbara could not get over her concern and went out. Kevin also mentioned he saw a great product, but also felt Bryan was missing many pieces needed to succeed and went out. Mark, with the same concerns of Barbara and Kevin, knew he wasn’t in a positon to help Bryan with everything he needed and went out.

Daymond was interested in the product and felt America needed to know how to protect themselves. He offered Bryan $275,000 for 40% of the company contingent upon them finding a licensing deal. Mark told Bryan he should take the offer, but Robert jumped in. He offered Bryan an offer of $275,000 for 70%. Daymond was shocked with that equity ask, immediately asking Robert “what’s wrong with you?” Robert mentioned he had a connection with the largest manufacturer of car covers in North America which could help them manufacture and market this product. Daymond mentioned he would go after many more outlets than Robert’s one connection and that his equity ask was actually reasonable.  Bryan, after hearing the strengths of both Daymond and Robert, countered Daymond at 35%. Daymond thought about it for a bit and accepted the offer, an uncommon case in the Tank as the Sharks normally do not accept counters. As Bryan left, Robert mentioned his huge equity ask was based on the amount of work it would take, and although Daymond agreed, he still felt Robert’s equity ask was too crazy.

The Garage Door Lock After Shark Tank – 2026 Update

As far as we can tell, the deal with Daymond closed successfully. With his help, they were able to land a partnership deal with Guardians Lock, a manufacturer of locks and other home equipment, in 2015. With their facilities, they were also able to reduce their production costs by more than 60 percent.

Sometime later, Brian moved the business to San Diego, California, so that they would be closer to the production facility.

As of 2026, Garage Door Lock is still in business. Nowadays, their patented automatic deadbolt locking system goes for $439. The kit also includes a remote, wireless keypad, control box, wall console, and plastic brackets and hooks.

Additional remotes are also available for those who have multiple vehicles. From the looks of it, however, their products can only be purchased from their website; it’s not available from any retailers.

Their official Facebook page also seems to have been taken down. Now, when you click on the Facebook icon on their website, it just allows you to share their website on Facebook instead of redirecting you to their actual page.

They did, however, upload a new video to their YouTube channel a few months back, which talked about how easy it is for thieves to break into garage doors through a weak point in the garage door opener. Having said that, it has only been viewed 128 times to date.

For those who are interested, you can check out their YouTube channel at @thegaragedoorlockbyelocksy3752.

The post The Garage Door Lock 2026 Update – See What Happened After Shark Tank appeared first on Gazette Review.

Psi Bands is a product created by Romy Taormina who wanted to solve the problem of nausea. Romy faced nausea herself during pregnancy and used other bands in the market that solved this issue by putting pressure on the pressure point near the wrist. However, Romy did not like any of the products on the market as they lacked traits that she felt were needed. This inspired Romy to create a product of her own and she separated herself from the completion by adding unique features to her bands such as being adjustable.

With great marketing and a proven demand for the product from previous similar products, Romy was able to grow her company and get into numerous retailers even before coming on Shark Tank. She had been in business five years and had proven demand which the Sharks normally love. With the likely intent to help her company grow even further, Romy applied to be on Shark Tank and was invited for season four.

Psi Bands on Shark Tank

Romy entered the Tank seeking $250,000 for 10% equity in her company. Romy began by selling the Sharks on the huge market for her product by mentioning common people who face nausea such pregnant woman or someone going on a cruise. Romy showed the Sharks about her solution in Psi Bands and how the product was different than competitors such as being water proof and adjustable. She finished by mentioning her company was profitable before handing out samples to the Sharks. Robert was wondering if there was proof on the product actually curing nausea. Romy mentioned there were clinical studies done and that the product had FDA clearance as acupressure has been practiced for thousands of year, but Mark and Robert felt that those claims didn’t really prove the product worked.

Robert moved into the numbers and Romy mentioned she had almost $1,000,000 in sales in the past twelve months. Roby mentioned the product was in over six thousand U.S. retailers and that she also had international distribution. However, she was only netting $110,000. This concerned Robert as the products retails for $15 and Roby had 60% margins. Robert wanted to know what happened to the remaining profit. Romy later mentioned she was taking a salary of $100,000 and had $600,000 in debt which is from salary not taken in previous years.

Barbara mentioned she was impressed with Romy’s passion, but could not imagine any investor putting money into a business and watching the owner write themselves a check for work done years ago before paying the investor back. Because of this, Barbara went out. Mark was skeptical about the product itself and asked Romy what percent of people does the product not work on, but she did not have a direct answer. This upset Mark as he mentioned “there are a lot of products that sell that do not work.” He brought up his common concerns with products like these as he felt Romy was trying to solve a major problem, but was doing it without clear proof that her product works. Because of this, Mark went out as well.

Robert jumped in and also mentioned his concern with the product’s claims. Because of this, Robert also went out. Daymond was the first person to actually believe in the product, but was skeptical of Romy because she mentioned the company was profitable when she came in, but later mentioned she had debt. Because he felt he could not trust Romy, Daymond went out. Unlike the other Sharks, Kevin was actually interested in the company because it was making money. He offered Romy the $250,000 for 40%. However, Romy immediately declined because it was so far off her original offer and did not even want to counter. Kevin told Romy that no investor would give her the valuation she asked for and also went out.

Psi Bands After Shark Tank

Despite not getting a deal, Romy has been able to grow her company drastically since appearing on Shark Tank. She has been able to get her product into numerous other retailers such as Toys R Us and Amazon. Mark Cuban’s opinion about products like this did not change after the show, however, as there is a video of him throwing away another product in the Maverick’s locker room that the NBA signed an agreement too as that product also made debatable claims.

Although there are still skeptics about the product, Psi Band’s growth has definitely shown that there are more believers, backing how the company has become so successful. Psi Bands was also able to get on the Jeff Probst Show under the episode for “Million Dollar Mom Ideas” where Romy received positive feedback about her business. As Barbara mentioned, there is no doubt Romy has the passion and commitment that has helped lead to her successful business.

Romy’s pitch has some great details that future entrepreneurs can learn from. Despite getting such negative feedback from the Sharks, Romy did not get nervous and stood behind her product which is very important as it shows that one is trying to build a business and sell a successful product rather than trying to make money unethically. Like other entrepreneurs, however, Romy did not answer many of the questions directly such as why her profit was not high, but eventually, the reasons came out. As shown with Daymond, this makes the Sharks feel uncomfortable as they do not want to work with someone who will not disclose everything needed to invest. Although this was not the deal-breaker as many of the Sharks were skeptical about her product from the get-go, one should always try to be direct and address any concerns the Sharks have rather than creating more.

Psi Bands Now In 2026 – After Shark Tank Update

Romy might not have scored a deal with the sharks but that didn’t stop him from growing the business. Since gaining FDA “clearance” (meaning that they’ve proved the product is substantially equivalent to an already legally marketed device for the same use), they’ve started selling their products both on their website and Amazon.

Not only that, but they also got the bands into Target, CVS, Walgreens, and REI. They were also been featured on USA Today, The New York Times, Chicago Tribute, CNN Money, and Buzzfeed. Needless to say, the company is a success.

As of 2026, PSI Bands is still up and running. Currently, they offer the product in six different colors and patterns from black to light blue with flowers (“cherry blossom”), all of which are allegedly effective at relieving nausea due to motion sickness, chemotherapy, morning sickness, and anesthesia. Unlike before, however, they can no longer be purchased directly from their website. They must be purchased from Amazon instead.

Currently, they’re listed for $12.99 each. They’ve also amassed a fair amount of ratings. As of now, they have a four-star rating out of over 2,700 reviews. If anything, the general consensus is that they do work. People also like the fact that the bands come in various patterns and are waterproof (they recently upgraded the bands to include this feature).

Having said that, it does have its drawbacks. For one thing, many people have mentioned that unless the size of the holes fits exactly, they can be painful to wear, especially if you leave them on for more than a few hours. Not only that, but others have pointed out that the instructions aren’t clear—that it’s hard to know for sure whether or not the band is on the right spot on your wrist.

Regardless, the product seems to be selling well. The last that we checked, they were raking in $5 million every year, which is pretty impressive seeing as how they did everything on their own without the sharks’ help.

For those who’d like to learn more about how the bands work or would like to read some customer testimonials, you can check out their website here. They also have a Facebook account (@psibands) that’s updated on a regular basis. If you want, you can even send them a message through the site. Their Twitter account, however, hasn’t been updated for several years now so following it might not be the best choice.

The post Psi Bands Update 2026 – See What Happened After Shark Tank appeared first on Gazette Review.

Screenmend was founded by the Hooks family of Lily, Emma, and Brian who were trying to solve the common problem of patching a screen. Lily was only twelve when she came on the show while Emma was fifteen, but they had come up with a successful product and had interest from retailers. The patch Brian, their father, was using to fix the screen kept falling out so Lily recommended a screen with wax. After the patch stayed on for more than a year, they knew they had solved a problem and started creating the product out of their home. They had only sold around $4,000 worth of product before coming on the show. They also had a provisional patent, but not a utility patent as they had reinvested all the money back into the business. The family applied to be on Shark Tank by sending in an audition tape as they needed help in multiple areas and they were chosen to be on season five.

Screenmend on Shark Tank

The Hooks family entered the Tank seeking $30,000 for 25% of the company. The family explained how they were trying to patch a hole that their bunny made, but couldn’t get anything to stick which led Lily’s idea of using wax along with a screen. As Emma handed out samples to the Sharks, Lily demonstrated how to use the product by attaching it to a screen and blowing it with a hair dryer. Daymond asked for the numbers and Brian mentioned that they had only sold seven-hundred fifty units, but were selling them for $6.95 and it only cost them $0.31 to make the product along with $0.53 for the packaging.

The discussion then went back to the product as the Hooks family explained why Screenmend was better than competitors such as their product staying on longer. Robert asked Lily why they needed the money and she mentioned that they had interest from Bed Bath and Beyond and Home Depot, but the retailers did not like the packaging which is what the money would be used for.

Daymond was the first to mention that he loved the family, but that it would be too much work for him because the family did not have a business background so he went out. Kevin and Robert were also supportive and emotionally attached to the story, but went out for the same reason as Daymond. Mark jumped in and told the Hooks family a story of how a small investment helped him get a stamp business started when he was sixteen which he was really grateful for and wanted to provide the same support to the Hooks family. He offered them the $30,000 at 25% which is what they wanted. Mark said he didn’t know much about the business they were in, but could find people that did. Lily and Emma were eager to take the deal, but Lori quickly stepped in and made an offer of $30,000 for 50% and wanted Mark to go in with her. Lori said she wanted more equity because of the work she would have to put in such as taking over manufacturing, but did have the connections to help their product. Mark did not want to negotiate and stuck with his original offer.

The family stepped outside to discuss both deals as Brian explained to his daughters how Mark was being generous, but Lori was willing to do more work. Seeing the benefit in the latter, the Hooks family stepped back in and took Lori’s offer. Mark immediately congratulated the family and was not disappointed as he was happy to see them leave with a deal.

Screenmend After Shark Tank – 2026 Update

The deal with Lori successfully closed. The ‘Shark Tank effect’ also caused their sales to skyrocket. For an entire week after the episode aired, they sold a unit per minute. A number of retailers also approached them about the product. Not only that but they also started manufacturing the product “in-house.”

The company later received an update segment, which was included in episode 606. In it, it was revealed that Lori had kept her promise and had gotten the product on QVC, where they quickly sold out. Not only that but she also redid the packaging and got them into Bed Bath & Beyond, Home Depot, ACE Hardware, and Lowes. By then, they had done more than $900K in sales.

Two years after their initial appearance on Shark Tank, the company was acquired by Spark Innovations, a company that develops consumer product brands, for an undisclosed amount. The last that we checked, however, Lilly, who is set to graduate from the University of Alabama this year, is still the company’s president, albeit on a part-time basis. As for Emma, she graduated from American University back in 2019 and is currently pursuing an acting career.

As of 2026, the product is still available for purchase on Amazon; it’s currently listed for $14.99 (it’s on sale at the time of this writing). If anything, most people seemed satisfied with the product, with many commenting that it’s very easy to use as long as you follow the instructions for applications.

However, many people have stated that the patch itself doesn’t blend with the screen so you can tell that they’ve been patched. Depending on how it’s applied, it can also look a bit tacky. Some people have also had issues where the patches eventually fall off so it’s probably only good as a temporary fix. Having said all that, the general consensus seems positive (the product currently has a 4.2-star rating on Amazon).

It’s important to note, however, that their website is no longer online. Rather, it now redirects to a completely unrelated screen repair business called Screen Force. Our best guess is that they didn’t renew the domain and it was snatched up by another company. Their social media pages have also gone un-updated for several years. Take their Twitter account, for example, their last post was from 2019. Despite all that, the company seems to be doing fairly well from Amazon sales alone. As of 2021, they were making $5 million in revenue a year.

The post ScreenMend 2026 Update – See What Happened After Shark Tank appeared first on Gazette Review.

Tom and Chee was founded by Drew Quackenbush and Corey Ward in the winter of 2009 after Corey had an idea to open up a grilled cheese and tomato soup shop for the kid at heart. Drew and Corey didn’t have enough money to open a restaurant, a food truck, or even a food cart at the time. They did, however, have enough money for a tent and griddle so they set up outside an ice skating ring in Cincinnati, Ohio despite being warned by the local city that no one has ever profited from this area. Although they left the first day with only $35, they were assured to make their dreams come true so they continued their idea and returned the following summer as well. 364 days after setting up their tent, they had earned enough money to open a store.

After several months and a lot of work from Drew and Corey, Tom and Chee officially opened their first store in Cincinnati and the response was incredible. People would wait over an hour and a half just to come up to order because of the unique food options offered by Tom and Chee such as the grilled cheese donut. Seeing this growing restaurant and their creativity, a local mall proposed Drew and Corey a second location with an offer they could not refuse. Tom and Chee soon got tons of calls from the local media who wanted to interview them including Adam Richmond from Man vs Food. Exposure from Adam’s show and many other outlets led to a heavy increase in sales for their two stores. Of the many customers who waited in these long lines, one was the Tinsley family from Louisville, Kentucky who loved their idea and wanted to own a franchise. With some help, Drew, Corey, and the Tinsley family were able to open their first franchise in Kentucky. Drew and Corey wanted to expand their franchising idea and knew they needed an investment to do it. After numerous emails to the producers, they got a response from Shark Tank informing them that they would be on the show!

Tom and Chee’s Pitch on Shark Tank

Drew and Corey entered the Shark Tank in season four seeking $600,000 for a 10% stake in the company. They began the pitch by how they got their company started and the popularity of their unique food items such as the grilled cheese donut. Although hesitant at first, each of the sharks took a bite into this famous donut and Robert admitted that it tasted pretty good. Mark wanted to know more about their food so they described their basic sandwiches such as barbeque bacon and how it was inexpensive for the Cincinnati area. Kevin was very picky about their food and prices’, immediately asking “is crap the brand?” Drew was quick to defend their restaurant and explain their mission of offering people affordable food in this economy. Barbara asked for their sales and Drew stated they grossed $1,500,000. This shocked all of the sharks at it wasn’t common to see businesses with over $1,000,000 in sales during season four. Corey than explained the franchise costs and how much money came back to them from the franchisees.

Barbara was immediately impressed from their sales and customer attraction stories so she offered them $300,000 for 15% if another shark would come in with her since they needed the full $600,000. Daymond didn’t feel the concept was right for him as he believes in healthy products so he went out. Kevin was on the fence as he was also in love with the numbers, but was hesitant on how such an idea was so successful. He decided to throw $100,000 in for 5% to be a part of the deal and Robert also added $100,000 for 5%. They still needed $100,000 to reach $600,000 and Mark was the only one left. He immediately stated he would not do $100,000 as it would not be worth the time, but that he would put up $300,000 for 15% and go in with Barbara for a total of $600,000 for 30%. He also wanted franchise rights to the state of Texas and Barbara immediately added she wanted rights to the state of New York. Kevin and Robert were not willing to compete with those offers so they both went out. Drew and Corey, wanting to partner with Barbara and Mark even before the pitch, took their offer. Both left the tank very excited having gotten the sharks they wanted.

Tom + Chee Now In 2026 – The After Shark Tank Update

Unfortunately, the deal fell through on Mark’s side. Rather than franchising, he felt that it would be better for the company if all of the stores were corporate owned. Trew and Corey, however, felt that franchising would be a better option. For one thing, they did not have the funds to do it Mark’s way. Noticing their reaction, the shark eventually dropped out of the deal.

Barbara, on the other hand, was still very interested in working with the pair. In the end, she made them a new deal, though the specifics have not been disclosed.

At the end of the day, it was still a success. Not only did they get to work with Barbara, but being on the show also given them exposure, which helped increase their sales.

Within two years, they had received more than 25,000 franchise requests. And with Barbra’s help, they were able to find some good locations for their new franchisees. By 2018, they had opened 25 stores across the United States with more than 150 contracts in progress. They also changed their menus so that instead of chalkboards, they’re written in the stores’ interiors in bright colors so that they’re more eye-catching.

However, they soon ran into problems. It was revealed in a subsequent update that they expanded too fast and that many of the franchises didn’t have adequate support. To make matters worse, many of them didn’t have any food service experience. Because of this, the company’s assets were ultimately seized by its bank.

The following year, GSR Brands, the parent company of Cincinnati’s Gold Star Chilli, acquired their assets from the bank for an undisclosed amount. As far as we can tell, however, Trew and Corey were still involved with the company. The former worked on the menus while the latter focused his attention on marketing.

While GSR closed several stores between 2018 and 2019, they eventually opened more at the beginning of 2020. They also underwent a rebranding process where instead of regular grilled cheeses, they offer “melts”, which allows for more customizations. As part of the process, they also switched to using ovens, which helped cut the prep time down from six minutes to 90 seconds.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, however, their expansion plans were put on hold. In fact, it had caused many of their stores to close down. By April 2021, they only had seven stores remaining, one of which is the new rebranded Tom & Chee store.

As of 2026, the company opened several new franchised stores in Oklahoma City, Cincinnati, and Pittsburgh. And they’re not finished yet—they’re still offering franchises to interested parties and plan on expanding with a new business model.

The post Tom + Chee 2026 Update – See What Happened After Shark Tank appeared first on Gazette Review.

Revolights is an LED light that attaches to the wheel of a bike for better visibility during the night. It was founded by Kent Frankovich after he experienced the hassle of riding in the dark himself one night on his way back from grad school. Kent’s mission was to lower the bicycle accidents caused at night by making cyclists more visible. With this idea and his team, Kent built a prototype and started his company through a Kickstarter campaign.

With his background, proactivity, and a great product, Kent was able to successfully obtain over $200,000 from Kickstarter in 2011. With this capital, Kent began selling his product primarily online and became very successful in less than a year. Needing capital to lower costs and seeking connections help grow his company, Kent applied to be on Shark Tank and was invited for Season 5.

Revolights On Shark Tank

Kent entered the Tank seeking $150,000 in exchange for 10% of his company. Kent gave a description of common lights seen on a bike in the front and back, but how 90% of night-time bike accidents are caused by inadequate side visibility that these lights lack. Kent presented his solution in Revolights which mount to a bike’s wheel so one can see the light from all angles. Kent presented Revolights through a video of how the product looks when riding at night. Daymond came up to try the product on a bike while Kent gave his story of how he came up with the idea when riding back one night from Stanford University. Impressed, all the Sharks came up to get a closer look at the LED lights while Kent gave more descriptions about the product.

Kevin wondered if the lights could be stolen, but Kent mentioned Revolights are solid rings so when one locks up their bike, they also lock up the rings. After mentioning he had patents, Kevin wondered if Kent was interested in licensing which Kent was considering after proving there was a market. Lori was interested in the numbers and Kent mentioned they grossed $600,000 in the ten months they’ve been in business, all of which was online. The individual sets sell for $139 while the full set sells for $229. Kent mentioned they were not profitable because he was putting the money back in the business. Lori was also wondering if there was any competition, but Kent mentioned there wasn’t anything as visible as Revolights. Daymond was impressed and knew there would be more offers coming, so he started with an offer of $300,000 for 30%. Kent was immediately hesitant about the equity ask, but Daymond told him to take a moment and consider it. Kevin also made an offer $150,000 for a 7% royalty which would drop to 1% when his money is paid back. Kent, however, immediately declined Kevin’s offer because he wanted an equity investment.

Robert was very astonished with Kent’s background and product so he offered him $300,000 for 10%, double the valuation he came in asking for! Daymond and Lori were astonished by the offer and Daymond knew he couldn’t get into a bidding war and went out. Kent thanked Robert for his offer, but wanted to hear other offers. Mark jumped in and agreed with Robert that Kent’s valuation was too low. Mark thought the valuation made no sense because of Kent’s background and sales. He then accused Kent of “screwing with the Sharks” as he felt Kent was insulting them with a deal that would never close. Kent immediately defended his valuation, stating that he valued the Sharks connections, but Mark interrupted by replying “you’re so full of crap!” Mark wondered why Kent didn’t put up even a small smile when Robert offered him a valuation double of what he asked and went out.

Kent mentioned capital being an issue for his company because no one has taken a salary and he saw Shark Tank as an opportunity to partner with someone to grow his company with their connections, not to come in and get publicity. Mark, however, felt that Kent should have immediately accepted Robert’s offer with that logic. Robert tried to defend Kent by saying he wasn’t getting the vibe as Kent being someone who wouldn’t close a deal. Mark and Daymond, however, wondered why Robert was letting Kent hear other offers after his generous offer. Kent, after hearing all the concerns and insults, decided to take Robert’s offer. As Kent left, Kevin confirmed that Mark accused Kent of only coming on for exposure which Mark agreed to. Robert, however, said he has faith in the people who come on the show.

Revolights Now in 2026 – The After Shark Tank Update

Shortly after the episode aired, the company received an additional $1 million from Sierra Angels and other angel investors. This allowed them to ramp up production and before long, their products were available in a number of sporting goods supply stores including REI. They were also sold on Amazon.

Over the next few years, the company grew significantly. By 2016, they had released two new products- the Revolights Eclipse and Revolights Coolidge, the former of which was brought to life with the help of backers on Indiegogo.  Not only that, but the company also expanded to other parts of the world including Singapore, South Africa, and Brazil.

Unfortunately, however, it didn’t last. In January 2019, they informed their customers and backers that they would be closing. In the email, they thanked everyone for their support and cited “both personal and professional” reasons for their closure. They also stated that they will not be able to continue providing product support, which seemed to frustrate many customers.

Their website went dark, their social media pages were abandoned, and their products were pulled from all retailers, including Amazon, where their lights had a 3-star rating. While some customers were impressed with their visibility, others felt that the installation process was too time-consuming. There were also complaints about the lights not being bright enough.

Some, however, saw it coming. On Reddit, one user said that they had emailed support in June 2018 and that they were told the Eclipse+ would be restocking in August. However, that never happened, which led them to follow up again in October. They were subsequently told that the lights were on backorder for seven months. In the end, they were never restocked as the company shut down just a few months later.

Since then, many customers have run into issues with the batteries. To their dismay, however, there’s no way to replace or fix them as the company is no longer operating.

As of 2026, nothing has changed. Their website is still down and there’s no sign of any comeback. Fortunately, there are alternatives for those who are seeking a lighting system for their bikes, one example being Monkeylectric.

As for Kent, he seems to have moved on from the business. According to his LinkedIn profile, he began working at Apple shortly after shutting down the company. More specifically, he was a Mechanical Design Engineer from February 2019 to October 2019, and since October 2019, he has been working as an Engineering Manager.

The post Revolights 2026 Update – See What Happened After Shark Tank appeared first on Gazette Review.

Plated is a food delivery service founded by Harvard alumni Nick Taranto and Josh Hix that allows the customer to cook their own healthy meal. They came up with the idea at Harvard Business School as they wanted to eat healthy and fit cooking into their lifestyle, but had little free time. Knowing that others had the same problem, their goal was to get as many people cooking as possible so they started the business in Nick’s kitchen.

They began the idea by offering easy to make recipes from well-known chefs. With a business background, they knew marketing was essential for brand awareness and used social media to gain followers. Plated expanded quickly in the first couple months and Nick and Josh decided to open warehouses in the east-coast to keep up with demand. Their rapid growth and proven business model allowed them to raise capital from investors at a fairly high valuation for a new company. Needing more capital to continue expansion and looking for strategic help, they applied to be on Shark Tank and were invited for Season Five.

Plated on Shark Tank

Nick and Josh entered the Tank seeking $500,000 for 4% of their company. They gave a background of how people love to eat healthy, but they learned getting good food on the table was expensive, time-consuming, and difficult. They gave a background about how their service, Plated, delivers the ingredients straight to the customer along with recipe cards so consumers can cook a healthy dish themselves.

Lori was quick to question the concept because a person could hire someone to go buy food from the grocery store and deliver it to their home. Plated pointed out that the consumer would still have to find the recipe and figure out what they want to eat. Although concerned, the Sharks wanted to know the numbers and Nick pointed out that a plate costs $10 and that a customer has to order a minimum of $40. Robert was wondering what the margins were because he knew grocery stores had awful margins. Plated discussed that spoilage and overhead is why grocery stores face problems, but how their business model avoids this because they only buy what they need and throw away less than 1% of food.

Robert was now interested in how the business would expand and Josh stated they would have warehouses across the U.S. and they had two active right now. Plated then discussed how they are growing rapidly every month as their brand is becoming well-known and to date they had raised $3,000,000 at a $9,500,000 post-money valuation. Although all the Sharks saw the potential, Robert went back to questioning the idea and felt people would not order something they have to cook. Josh and Nick did a good job at backing their business model, however, stating “cooking is believing” and when customers use the service, they come back. However, Robert did not see himself using the product and went out. Lori had the same concern as Robert and felt people who cook did not need this service, but Barbara and Mark pointed out that they are not aiming to sell to someone who already cooks, they are aiming towards people who want to eat healthy, but don’t know how. However, Lori did not see how their customers would have the time to cook and went out as well.

Kevin discussed the valuation and felt that he could do the whole thing for $2,000,000. Nick and Josh told Kevin that they would beat him to it if he tried and that Kevin would never find someone like them. Despite this, Kevin went out. Barbara asked who their biggest competitor was and Nick mentioned take-out. This concerned Barbara because take-out has the advantage of getting food to customers immediately whereas consumers would have to wait for Plated to deliver their food. Because of this, Barbara went out. Mark was left and stated that he would not be a customer. However, he was interested in investing, but wanted to know how they would grow the business. Josh stated they had a subscription service that was increasing and that because customers continue to use the product, they did not need a lot of customers to make this a giant business. Impressed in Nick and Josh, Mark offered them the $500,000 for 5.6%, but wanted advisory shares. Nick and Josh thought about going outside to discuss the deal. Mark pointed out, however, they he was basically offering them what they wanted and so there was nothing to discuss. After a brief conversation inside, Josh and Nick accepted the deal and Mark stated he knew he invested in some smart people with a decent idea.

Plated Now In 2026 – After Shark Tank Update

The deal with Mark never went through. The Plated guys felt that the company’s value went up after appearing on the show, which led them to seek more cash. However, Mark wasn’t interested in changing his offer.

Despite that, they continued to expand the business with multiple new locations across the United States. Within a few months of their Shark Tank appearance, they had raised more than $35 million in Series B funding. However, the money didn’t last long; they soon found themselves in need of cash after investing all of their profits back into the company.

Fortunately for them, they ran into Kevin at a local function. Asked whether or not he’d be willing to invest in the company, he agreed after thinking about it for a few days. He also stated that while he likes the food and their market reach, he’s not too happy about their finances. However, he believes that they’ll be able to turn it into a $2 billion business with his help.

At one point, they found themselves having to move locations after miscalculating the company’s growth, which cost them a lot of money. Nick and Josh believed that they’d be profitable within one to two years but Kevin reminded them that they need to be sure that their new fulfillment center is the way to go—that their business can easily fail if they screw it up.

Nick and Josh subsequently traveled to Chicago to check on the fulfillment center and thankfully, everything seems to be going well. After a while, they make the decision to move the company’s operations to Chicago permanently.

An update segment was later included in season nine, episode fifteen of Shark Tank, which aired on January 7, 2018. In it, they revealed that the company had actually been acquired by Albertsons for $200 million in September 2017.

By April 2018, they had begun to sell their meal kits in some of their locations. However, it only lasted for a year and a half. In the fall of 2019, Albertsons announced that they would be ending the meal kit subscription service; their last delivery date was November 27, 2019.

As of 2026, Plated is no longer in business. What is Nick up to now? According to his LinkedIn profile, he founded a new company called HOP WTR in December 2019, which sells non-alcoholic hop-filled sparkling water. Currently, there are five flavors available: Classic, Peach, Mango, Lime, and Blood Orange. For those who are interested, you can get a 12-pack for $36.99 or you can subscribe and save 15% ($31.44).

That’s not all, he also co-founded a company called Ever Scouts in February 2021, which aims to “teach kids the life skills that they don’t learn in school.”

As for Josh, he co-founded a new company called Season Health, which “connects members with healthy meal ideas and grocery options” to help those with chronic conditions.

The post Plated Update For 2026 – What Happened After Shark Tank appeared first on Gazette Review.

The Rapid Ramen Cooker is a product founded by UC Davis Alumni Chris Johnson. Like many college students, Chris ate ramen back in the day and wanted to find an effective way to cook them in the microwave for the convenience while still getting the stove top quality taste. From his experience, Chris knew that excess water was the key issue when microwaving ramen noodles so he created a unique square shaped bowl, the same size as a block of dried noodles, complete with a water line that allowed the noodles to cook perfectly.

With a background in business and an investment of $500, Chris was able to take his idea from prototype to high street, by selling them at his college bookstore in UC Davis. With this proven demand, Chris pro-actively reached out to retailers himself who agreed to carry the product, allowing him to found his own company. Wanting to grow the the brand, Chris applied to be on Shark Tank and was invited on for Season Five.

Rapid Ramen Cooker on Shark Tank

Chris entered the Tank seeking $300,000 for 10% of his company. Chris gave a background about how ramen noodles are a college staple, yet they don’t come with microwavable instructions. He then presented his solution in the Rapid Ramen Cooker and how the bowl was shaped exactly like ramen noodles. Chris demonstrated how simple it was to use the product by just adding the noodles to the bowl, filling water to the water line, and then cooking it in the microwave. He passed out samples to the Sharks and allowed Barbara to taste some noodles that were cooked in the Rapid Ramen Cooker.

Mark was the first to mention his concern of why one would not simply use a bowl in the microwave and even though Chris disputed that one would not get the same taste from a bowl, Mark argued that this doesn’t matter to college students because they would be drunk! Barbara argued that it would matter and the conversation moved towards the business itself. Chris mentioned he had over $150,000 in sales in less then one year and the product was in over 2,500 retailers that he got into without any connections at all. This impressed all the Sharks, especially Mark and Lori, as most come on to the show hoping to get help from the Sharks to get into retail. The cookers sell for $5.99 and Chris made them for less than $1.00.

Kevin wondered what would stop anyone from making a similar product and Chris stated he had a patent pending although the Sharks questioned if the cooker could be patented or how easy it could be to knock off. Barbara wanted to know more about Chris’ background and Chris stated he has been an entrepreneur all his life and how he has grown multiple businesses one of which to over $1,000,000, but was now focusing his time on the Rapid Ramen Cooker. This, however, upset Mark more than impress him because he felt Chris was not fully dedicated to  the businesses he starts, if he is constantly starting new firms. Mark seemed to feel it made investing in this new business more risky. Who knows when Chris would abscond to start a new company?

Although impressed with Chris, Lori’s main concern was that the product could be easily copied and because of this, she went out. Kevin and Mark brought up how a $3,000,000 valuation made sense and Chris mentioned that he felt they would do $2,000,000 in sales next year and that the money would be used for inventory. He also felt the product and business had so much potential to grow both online and in retail. He also stated that if someone offered him $3,000,000 for his business today, he wouldn’t take it. However, Mark thought Chris would be a fool for not taking that kind of money for his business and went out as well. Barbara was impressed with Chris and the product by saying the noodles tasted just like if they were cooked on the stove. However, she felt the company would not grow as big as he stated because the cooker was a onetime buy meaning once a customer buys a cooker from Chris, they have no reason to buy another one unless it is for something like a gift. With this concern, Barbara went out.

Kevin also felt that because the product was a onetime buy, it would eventually die off and that if Chris spent all the investment on inventory, he would have a hard time getting his money back. Because of this, Kevin offered Chris a deal of $300,000, but wanted $1.10 for every cooker sold until the loan had been repaid, with $0.40 in perpetuity, which led to laughter from Mark. Robert was impressed with Chris, but also did not agree with the valuation so he offered Chris $300,000 for 40%. Kevin asked Chris if he understood both offers and he mocked Kevin on his offer before walking outside and making a phone call. While he was outside, Kevin and Robert talked and decided to go in together on the deal, where they would lower the equity ask to 25%, but keep the royalty deal in place.

After walking back in with tons of concern on the offers, Kevin and Robert proposed their new offer. However, Chris immediately declined saying he could not give up that much equity or a royalty for where his business was. Mark asked how much equity Chris was willing to give up and Chris mentioned that the max he would do is 20%. Hearing this, Mark came back in and offered Chris the $300,000 for 20%, but half of it would be a loan with interest payments. Kevin and Robert tried to discuss the negatives of taking a loan, but Mark also argued, if his company grew as large as he hopes, the loan would cost him less than a royalty. Chris countered Mark for 15% with the same loan arrangement and told Mark he would put in his full effort to get him his money back. Seeing the potential and passion in Chris, Mark accepted the offer and Chris left happy that he got a billionaire as a partner.

Rapid Ramen Cooker 2026 Update – Where Is the Company Now?

The company saw a huge boost in sales after the episode aired. At one point, they were receiving 25 orders per minute – and mostly multi-pack orders. Allegedly, this lasted well through the weekend and into the week after their Shark Tank appearance. Their retail sales also skyrocketed.

However, the deal with Mark Cuban was never finalized. However, that hasn’t stopped Chris from taking the company further. For one thing, the Rapid Ramen Cooker is now available at Walgreens, CVS, HEB, and Raleys nationwide.

In 2016, he also signed a licensing partnership with Nissan Foods, the company that created the original instant ramen. If anything, that led to a huge boost in sales. That’s not all, he also landed licensing deals with Nickelodeon and Disney, which allowed him to put their characters on his products. He also signed a deal to have logos from various U.S. colleges represented on the ramen cookers, which were released in the fall of 2016.

He also created a new product called the Rapid Mac Cooker, which is designed for cooking mac and cheese instead of ramen. Currently, it’s available from Amazon as well as retailers such as Walmart and Target. And like the original ramen cooker, it’s available in various colors from blue to orange. It’s also a bit cheaper at $9.99 instead of $10.99.

On top of that, he’s also created a Rapid Rice Cooker that allows individuals to cook perfect rice in just three minutes and a Rapid Oatmeal Cooker that cooks perfect oatmeal in less than half the time. Both products are also available from Amazon for $9.99.

As for the original Ramen Cooker, it has received rave reviews. On Amazon, it currently has a 4.5-star rating out of more than 20,000 reviews, with many customers praising it for its durability and ease of use. However, some have stated that they tend to boil over, which causes spilling in the microwave. As far as we can tell, though, that doesn’t seem to be a widespread issue. If anything, it all depends on how long you microwave the ramen noodles.

As of 2026, the company is still going strong. The last that we’d checked, they were earning $5 million in sales with more than $55 million in lifetime sales. Given that, it’s probably fair to say that Chris is doing fairly well for himself.

The post The Rapid Ramen Cooker 2026 Update – See What Happened after Shark Tank appeared first on Gazette Review.