EXCLUSIVE | Why were TrophySmack founders 'nervous'? Here's all about 'Shark Tank' duo's badass business plan
Appearing on 'Shark Tank' and making a pitch to the sharks is nearly every entrepreneur's dream. Matt Walsh and Dax Holt, the founders of TrophySmack, are no different. In an exclusive interview with MEAWW, the entrepreneur duo discussed how they came up with the idea of TrophySmack, why they decided to appear on 'Shark Tank' and their plans post appearing on the show. They even spilled the tea on the shark who made them most nervous and the shark who was the warmest to them. Read on to know all about the duo's experience on 'Shark Tank'.
Matt and Dax's journey towards setting up TrophySmack is extremely interesting. Neither of them had any prior experience in the field of designing or supplying trophies, although both of their past work experience helped them along the way. While Matt was always passionate about being an entrepreneur, he spent 15 years in the supply chain and logistics industry, where he claims to have learned the "nuts and bolts of how businesses operate". If you felt that Dax looked familiar, then you wouldn't be wrong, for he appeared on shows such as 'TMZ', 'Access Hollywood' and 'The Talk'. In short, Dax spent the last 15 years in the world of celebrity news and pop culture, but is now busy "slinging trophies and podcasting".
Trophies and belts are as important as the sport itself, yet, there aren't as many options and choices when it comes to the range of designs available for these mementos. This is exactly what inspired Matt to come up with the idea of TrophySmack, a customizable range of trophies and belts for every occasion. "I joined Dax’s fantasy football league a few years ago and made it to the finals as the new guy... I felt compelled to buy the most ridiculous, over-the-top trophy I could lay my hands on. I mean, that’s what’s so great about fantasy football... smack talk and gloating is required! However, I couldn’t believe it when I went to buy the trophy of my dreams, there was nothing out there. And the idea for TrophySmack was born," Matt explains.
Being an entrepreneur is in equal parts rewarding and challenging. The previous year hasn't been easy for anybody, especially entrepreneurs, due to the pandemic which brought the whole world to a standstill. Dax shares how the pandemic posed a huge challenge for their business. "Like any business, we’ve had tons of ups and downs. The pandemic was a pretty big blow to the company this past year. After all, we cater to the live sports industry, and when they canceled the baseball and basketball seasons it was pretty painful. We were very fortunate football survived. However, the entire season had us on edge. Every week we were biting our nails knowing we might have to close up shop if the NFL had to cancel the season for any reason."
Dax claims that it was a "no-brainer" for them to apply on 'Shark Tank'. Matt spoke about how 'Shark Tank' is the "ultimate bucket list for an entrepreneur" and said that it was fun to pitch TrophySmack to the sharks. Both the entrepreneurs described their experience of appearing on the show as "surreal". Even the most seasoned entrepreneurs experience some jitters at the thought of presenting their pitch to the sharks. So, we asked Matt and Dax if they were nervous or intimidated while presenting their pitch. Matt replied, "I really had to lean on Dax’s on-camera experience to stay in the zone. The build-up of anticipation, walking down the halls, and hitting our mark with bright lights and cameras on us had my nerves at an all-time high. I was never really intimidated per say, just out of my comfort zone... which is a great thing! Once we got going we had a blast with the experience."
"Of course Mr Wonderful. Doesn’t he make everyone nervous? I have to say though, I can’t say enough kind words about Barbara Corcoran. As the rest of the sharks were digging their teeth in, I remember being shocked by how warm she was towards us. Honestly, the whole pitch was a blur, so I’m looking forward to watching it unfold," revealed Dax.
Although appearing on 'Shark Tank' and securing a deal from Mark Cuban is a huge accomplishment that many entrepreneurs can only dream of, Dax and Matt aren't willing to rest on these laurels. They instead view the show as a stepping-stone for their many future successes. Matt shares, "We’ve got big plans from here — getting on to Shark Tank is just the beginning for us. We launched TrophySmack with a primary focus on fantasy sports, and are rolling out game-changing technologies to bring new and epic product lines to life. That’s what makes this business so great: we cater to one of the best experiences of being alive — WINNING! The ideas and opportunities are limitless."
Dax adds, "The goal is to keep growing the brand into a household name that’s synonymous with winning. We’re diving deep into creating the most badass corporate awards, youth sports awards and fun and unique gifts for any occasion. We’re launching our customizable championship belt in the next few days and I can’t wait to see all the dads that will be receiving these for Father’s Day with their image on it. They are going to be amazing!"
'Shark Tank' Season 12 airs every Friday at 8/7c only on ABC.