Kevin O'Leary wasn't ready for this ‘Shark Tank’ entrepreneur's ‘greatest’ comeback and it showed
'Shark Tank' season 16 has shown many promising entrepreneurs walking away with jaw-dropping deals. One such contestant is Zac Jones. In a season 16 episode, Jones appeared before the sharks, seeking $350,000 for 15% of his business, PermaPlug. Jones, who hailed from a small town just outside Dallas, opened his pitch with confidence and sat down on a sofa. "You get home after a long day of work, finally get comfy in bed or on the couch, and your phone is at 1%, so you reach for your charger," before theatrically adding, "Wait, where is it?" He added, "It's missing! Once again." In a season 16 episode, Jones appeared before the sharks, seeking $350,000 for 15% of his business, PermaPlug.
The company offers a device called the PermaPlug charger lock, a “proprietary, fully patented locking system” with a built-in charging cable. It can be easily installed on outlets at home or in the office, helping users avoid constantly losing their chargers. But even before he could finish, Kevin O'Leary cut him off, saying, "So Zach, honey, sweetie, poopsy baby...' prompting Mark Cuban to intervene, "Let him finish." Jones, quick-wittedly, played it up by responding, "I know you are excited; I am too," erupting laughter from all the sharks before finally concluding his pitch.
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But O'Leary wasn't done yet. "I don't deserve to rip you to pieces if you have sales," he asked Jones, "do you have any?" To which Jones replied, "I have $2,000 in sales," shocking every shark. Before O'Leary was about to comment, he quickly changed the gears and added, "so far today.." before making the grand reveal, and I have $456,000 a year to date. It was a comeback no one saw coming. Mark Cuban said, "That's a good answer." With three deals on the table from O’Leary, Lori Greiner, and Daniel Lubetzky, Jones accepted Greiner’s offer of $350,000 for a 20% stake in the company and a $1 royalty per unit until she recoups her investment.
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Impressed fans flooded the YouTube comments section with excitement. A 'Shark Tank' viewer gushed, "One of the best presentations I’ve seen thus far, handled every question like a professional." Agreeing with the sentiment, another viewer added, "This guy was outstanding. He owned the room. The best presenter. I’d also very much enjoy closing the deal with Lori." Noting the quick wit of the entrepreneur, a netizen also wrote, "That $2000 response turning into $450,000+ was so smooth." While many fans praised the contestant, others pointed out Mark Cuban’s genuine attitude during the episode.
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Speaking of Cuban, a long-time fan of the show wrote, "You know what I love about Mark? he says it how it is. He’s never putting on an act for “TV” and instead teaches young entrepreneurs his skills or offers advice; he’s genuinely there to make a sale. You can tell some pitches he’s almost immediately disinterested in. He’s my favourite shark since he’s always so professional and inspiring all at the same time. I’m going to miss him in the tank."