Startup to Storefront

Approximately 20,000 businesses apply to be on Shark Tank each season. That means, over all 14 seasons, they have received over a quarter million applications to be on the show. What's crazy is that only about 1,200, or .43% of applicants make it on air. Some brands apply once, while some apply every year in the hopes of finally making it on the show. In today's episode, we chat with Mindy Zemrak, the casting producer for Shark Tank. Mindy and her team sort through all of the applications to decide what brands make the cut to be on the show. So if you've ever been curious about what it takes to make it onto the Shark Tank floor, this is the episode for you. We discuss:

🦈 The most memorable Shark Tank pitch that left everyone in tears

🦈 The 4 tips she tells every entrepreneur before they enter the tank

🦈 Why after years of being surrounded by entrepreneurs, she's never once been tempted to take the plunge herself.

Every culture has a food it's known for. In Japan, it's sushi, in Italy, it's pasta, and in Brazil, it's Pao de queijo, or Brazilian cheese bread. While sushi and pasta have long since made their way into every town in the United States, the same can't be said for Brazilian cheese bread. Recognizing this gap in the market, Junea decided to bring her favorite snack to America. And so she founded Brazi Bites. Initially, the growth was steady and predictable, but once they went on Shark Tank, Junea quite literally couldn't keep Brazi Bites on the shelves. In todays episode, we chat with Junea about:

🦈 Selling out nationwide in a matter of days after airing on Shark Tank

🦈 The challenges that come with inventing a new food category

🦈 And why her deal with Lori Greiner ended up falling through once the cameras stopped rolling.

Over the past 14 seasons of Shark Tank, $221.5M has been invested in 729 companies. While it's thrilling to watch the negotiations happen, just because everyone shakes on a deal, doesn't mean it will actually close. Every company wants to be the unicorn that blows the sharks out of the water, but terms change and deals can fall through. So what happens once the pitch is over, the doors shut, and the cameras stop rolling? In today's episode, we welcome back to the podcast, Hector Saldivar, the founder of Tia Lupita. Hector was recently on season 14 of Shark Tank, and he closed a deal with Kevin O'Leary for $500,000 as a line of credit for 5% equity. We wanted to chat with him to hear about the whole Shark Tank experience from his application all the way to how the show impacted his sales once it aired on TV. In this episode, we discuss:

🦈 Why he says Shark Tank producers know him better than his wife

🦈 The secret small brand killer in retailers

🦈 The immediate impact Shark Tank has on the brand's sales

And make sure to listen until the end. Hector drops a super exciting partnership announcement that got us fired up in the studio.

If you've been a long-time listener of the podcast, you might recognize Bricia Lopez from episode 7. At that point, she had just received The James Beard American Classics Award for the best Oaxacan food in the country. Since then, she grabbed hold of a rocket ship, and her career hasn't stopped ascending. Here are some highlights:

• Her drink mix, I Love Micheladas, officially launched at Costco

• She started Super Mamas, a chart-topping podcast, with her sister, Paulina

• And now you can officially bring the taste of Oaxaca to your home with Bricia Lopez's new cookbook, Asada The Art of Mexican-Style Grilling.

These delicious recipes were born out of love, heritage, and passion. It's one of the first-ever grilling books dedicated to the art of Mexican grilling, and it perfectly captures the beauty of asada culture in LA. In today's episode, we chat with Bricia Lopez about:

• Why she insisted her cookbook photos be shot outside of a studio

• Why we should normalize Latino kids growing up with privilege

• Why people don't write cookbooks to make money

Donuts are a stale $40 billion industry, but one company is breathing new life into the vocation. Holey Grail Donuts began its pilgrimage as a burger truck in Kauai, but it wasn't long until they developed a cult following around their taro donuts. Fast forward to today and they just raised $9M in funding to open a bunch of shops in LA, and they've even garnished investments from Christopher Kostow and Tony Hawk. Part of what makes eating their donuts a religious experience is that they're freshly made with each order, and the unique flavors they offer can only come as a result of divine inspiration. Today we talk with Holey Grail Donuts co-founder, Nile, about:

🍩 Making fresh donuts in his hotel room just before one of the most important pitches of his career

🍩 Taking a leap of faith in rapidly expanding their locations

🍩 Why there's nothing unique from one small donut shop to the next

Let's be honest; when people hear the word "networking", they frequently recoil in dread thinking about cheesy events where strangers smash business cards in your hand. When done wrong, putting yourself out there and making professional connections can feel intimidating, unpleasant, and tiring. But networking DOESN'T have to suck. Join us as 4 accomplished alumni discuss the role that networking has played in their career journeys and how they were able to spin a worn-out concept into something energizing, authentic, and meaningful - as well as successful.

🥶 The early days of starting BlueCube in a barn in Oregon

🥶 The science behind why cold plunging is so good for your health

🥶 How long should you stay in an ice bath to reap the full benefits

Let me give you a scenario: you try and purchase something on your debit card, but you don't have enough money in your account instead of declining the purchase, your bank instead allows it to go through and charges you $35 for the "convenience" Overdraft fees accounted for $5.8 billion dollars of bank revenue in the first 3 quarters of 2022. These fees harm millions of Americans every year and can trap people in a cycle of debt. Jason Wilk, the founder of Dave, also struggled with these fees. What frustrated him the most was that if the bank just looked at his transaction history, they would be able to see a scheduled paycheck coming in only a couple of days. And in that frustration, Dave was born. Dave is an online bank offering no-interest loans based on your transaction history to avoid overdraft fees. In today's episode, we discuss with Jason about:

🏦 How Mark Cuban invested in his first company only to cap his salary at $30,000/year

🏦 Going from the euphoria of an IPO to watching the stock price tumble a few days later

🏦 What it was like to transition from the CEO of a private company to a publicly traded one

To quote Arnold Schwarzenegger: "big dreams require relentless focus, and any time we spend planning for failure sets us up for failure." Today's guest, Matt Higgins, literally wrote the book on the subject. He grew up in poverty in Queens, dropped out of high school to get his GED, and took night classes just to finish college. At that point, Matt had already beaten the odds, but he didn't stop there. Matt became the youngest press secretary to the mayor's office in New York City history, Vice Chairman of the Miami Dolphins, and a guest shark on Shark Tank. His path to success was hardly linear, but for Matt, it's always been about taking calculated risks, which is why he titled his book Burn the Boats. In todays episode we discuss with Matt Higgins about:

🦈 Why his first impression of Gary Vaynerchuck was that he could make a career out of stealing Gary's ideas

🦈 Letting his nerves almost get the best of him during his first appearance on Shark Tank

🦈 Why you should always bet on the jockey and not the horse

Today we bring to you a special bonus episode of our podcast! We have a fascinating conversation about mental toughness, featuring none other than Brad Gilbert - former #4 tennis player in the world, author of "Winning Ugly," and a past guest on our show. Recorded in front of a live audience at the LA Tennis Club and moderated by our very own Diego Torres-Palma, Brad shares his insights on what it takes to build psychological stamina and perform under pressure on the court. Whether you're a seasoned tennis player, just starting out, or have never even picked up a racket, you won't want to miss this insightful discussion because the lessons can be applied towards all athletic endeavors. So sit back, relax, and enjoy this bonus episode, as we explore the secrets of resilience on the tennis court with the one and only Brad Gilbert.