Single mom's pitch on 'Shark Tank' was so emotional, it even brought Kevin O'Leary to tears
Shark Tank judges, who are seasoned business executives, have invested millions into a wide range of startups throughout the years, helping budding entrepreneurs navigate the difficulties of today's competitive world. In one memorable episode, Whitney Lundeen, a single mom from Palo Alto, California, made a pitch for a 25% ownership in her apparel firm, Sonnet James, asking for $350,000. Her pitch to the Sharks was so compelling that even Kevin O'Leary— who is renowned for his scathing criticism and challenging questions— was moved to tears.
The fashion designer's pitch pictured a world in which all mothers could simply combine comfort and style. Lundeen's start-up stemmed from her own difficulties in finding outfits as a mother of two young boys which left her with very little time of her own. This inspired her to make fashionable yet sensible apparel styled out of yoga trousers but appropriate for business meetings, date nights, and school pickups, as reported by USA Today. Her designs put functionality first without compromising on style—to target working mothers.
During the segment, Lundeen talked about her path to success. As reported by CNBC, she said, “I was going through a difficult time in my life, and so I had this idea of making a dress that my mom could have worn that could have reminded her to play with me when I was little." She added, “And I said, ‘Alright, this year, I’m going to take the idea, and I’m going to teach myself how to sew, and I’m going to pattern draft.’ And every night, I would pretty much sit on the kitchen floor crying, trying to teach myself how to do two things I didn’t know how to do.” But after a feature by a popular mom blogger, Lundeen saw a surge in attention, receiving over 150 orders within just 2 days.
Just watched a rerun of shark tank
— Jeff (@23JAM_23) November 1, 2023
Whitney Lundeen, who founded @SonnetJames , was superb.
Absolutely loved her story !
Emotional, powerful.Brought tear to my eyes listening to her open up about her tough childhood and how she was determined to start this company.awesome!
Reflecting on her childhood, she shared, “I had a somewhat difficult childhood. There was some abuse and addiction. It was tough as a kid. My parents did the best they could with what they had. I found when I became a mom I couldn’t engage with my kids as much as I wanted to. I wanted something that could help me be the mother I always wanted to be.” Shark Lori Greiner praised her for her tenacity and said, “How fantastic that you took adversity and you said that’s not going to pull me down. It’s only going to rise me up.” Even O’Leary was moved, using his sleeve to wipe his tears.
Should agree with Kevin on this.
— ρяαѕнαηт (@Castlebeam) May 29, 2020
Presentation from Whitney Lundeen of Sonnet James is the best presentation on shark tank. Keep it simple & honest.
Lundeen also shared her journey of building the business over five years, selling her dresses directly to consumers both online and in person. In her first year, she generated $84,000 in sales, and the following year, her revenue soared to $1.2 million. She expressed the need for assistance in boosting her net profit, which stood at around 8% to 10%. After listening to her pitch, guest judge and Spanx founder, Sara Blakely, offered exactly what Lundeen requested—$350,000 for a 25% stake. The entrepreneur quickly accepted the offer.
