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Will Sharks regret missing Creation Nation's $300k deal? Fans say Karen got free commercial on national TV

Karen Nation of Creation Nation believed she had a great product, but the Sharks wouldn't bite the bait!

Believing in your business and its ability to succeed is the cornerstone of any good venture. However, getting others to believe in the same is not exactly as simple as it seems, especially when those people are the ones with all the funds.

For Karen Nation, the foundation of Creation Nation vegan, keto and paleo-friendly snack mixes allow people to make their own snacks, by adding nut butter or syrup, making it a healthy, easy and affordable option. Karen came in with a clear idea -- to take her product to the next level, she needed $300,000 from the Sharks in exchange for 12% equity.  

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A nutrition specialist, Karen spent some time in foster homes, where she quickly realized that families were unable to provide for her, with regard to her food allergies. Spending money on expensive energy bars and snacks that didn't even taste good was not an option for Karen, so it was often settling for candy bars and snacks that did her no good.

With no option but to study and understand nutrition on her own, Karen began to understand the same and soon went on to become a specialist in the field as well. It's then that she founded Creation Nation, as an easy solution to nutrition woes. As Karen puts it -- 'No bake, easy to make and even as a shake!'

With 12-16g of protein per bar and 5g per ball prepared using the dry ingredients of Creation Nation, the Sharks seemed to agree that it was a nifty and delicious product. However, when it boiled down to numbers, the Sharks were not pleased to know that the brand made $500,000 last year and was projected to make the same amount the next year, to which Karen replied she was currently breaking even.

Although she mentioned that the product retailed at stores such as Walmart and Costco and also had an online presence, the Sharks were quick to ask why there was only one such product out there, implying that maybe there wasn't such a big demand after all.

The two that seemed most likely to invest were Barbara Corcoran and Mark Cuban, seeing that the former could relate to Karen's story. However, that wasn't enough for her to steal the deal. Cuban even commented that he might regret not investing in this brand, but refused to make an offer nonetheless. Kevin O'Leary was less than kind, flat out stating that Karen didn't even know her own numbers. He even tweeted about it later, saying, "I appreciate the passion...but how do I make money!? #SharkTank".

Karen left, and although it seemed like she was defeated, she remained undeterred. Sensing this, Corcoran went out to talk to the business owner, offering her words of encouragement and reminding her to see her business through. 

Twitter shared the same sentiment as Corcoran and came out in support of Karen. "I'm rooting for Karen and #CreationNation. She's smart, strong and I know she's going places. #SharkTank @ABCSharkTank" Corcoran tweeted. "@BarbaraCorcoran @LoriGreiner @TheSharkDaymond I’m SO rooting for Karen! #creationnation It’s SO much more difficult for us who have had VERY, VERY difficult challenges... #SharkTank" added a fan. "#sharktank Barbara, That was so wonderful that you approached that young woman after she left the tank to make sure she was ok. I respect that so much." said a fan. "Barbara is a literal light in the world. God bless her for chatting with that woman after. #SharkTank" added another. 

Fans also mentioned that Karen definitely had a product with potential. "Creation Nation is over here making me hungry! #SharkTank" tweeted a user. "Girlfriend u just got a free commercial for ur cookie balls on national tv. #sharktank" added another.

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