SneakERASERS on 'Shark Tank': What is the cost, who are the founders and how it keeps sneakers squeaky clean
No matter how impeccable your style is, shoes always complete the look -- they can truly make or break your ensemble. Sneakers are often the cheat code to a well-put-together look, seeing that they offer both style and comfort. But one thing is for sure. A dirty pair of sneakers aren't going to cut it.
Founder Chris Pavlica learned that the hard way when he realized his sneakers were all scuffed up, just before he had to leave for a presentation. A bit of sanitizer, tissues, and some elbow grease later, he managed to get them clean. Well, sort of. He called Kevin Consolo later with the hope of finding an easier, more effective solution. And lo and behold the idea behind the SneakERASERS was born!
RELATED ARTICLES
What is SneakERASERS?
Cleaning sneakers can be quite a task -- it isn't always easy to get stains off the soles of your shoes. If you're tired of your sneakers looking worse for wear and seeing much of a change no matter how hard you scrub or wipe them down, there might just be a solution for you.
Enter SneakERASERS, a simple solution to cleaning up and reviving your sneakers. As per the product's website, SneakERASERS 'are powerful, dual-layered shoe sole cleaners that are perfect for touching-up midsoles! Use the white side to remove scuff marks, dirt and grime. Then use the soft, orange side to wipe it clean. Now you’re ready to face the day!'
The product comes in two types -- the on-the-go, pre-moistened singles, which allow you to clean and fix your shoe soles and mid-soles, anytime, anywhere. The other option is the 'just add water 10-pack,' which are reusable versions and better suited for tougher stains.
The product is aimed specifically at cleaning white soles, with the instructions stating that all you have to do is rub the sneaker cleaning sponge across the area to make stains and scuff marks disappear. The sponges are easily activated with water, and work best when they are heavily saturated with moisture.
The product features 'a unique dual-layer technology and proprietary cleaning formula designed specifically for shoes.' Once you're done scrubbing the soles with the white side, all you need to do is flip it over and wipe your shoe down with the orange side. As per the website, the 'sponge has the ideal compression and molecular structure needed for optimal footwear maintenance' and solely disintegrates upon use, just like an eraser.
Who are the founders
Chris Pavlica and Kevin Consolo are the founders of SneakERASERS. Both of them have been born and raised in Ohio and met in 2003, seeing that they lived in the same dorm during their freshman year at Ohio University.
Pavlica is the CEO while Consolo is the SVP sales. The idea for this product came about seeing that they both were tired of 'fighting the battle against filthy soles.' In an attempt to create a product that simplified the process while delivering results, the SneakERASERS was born. In an interview with Pearl Resourcing, Consolo spoke about how their journey was not easy, but one that was worth it.
"Chris and I often talked about what we would regret if this business failed. One of those items on the top of the list is attending an industry trade show. We would kick ourselves if we never made the financial leap and attended a show to hear buyer’s reactions face-to-face," he explained. "And, given my career and experience, the best face-to-face events are ECRM, so naturally we chose to attend one of their planning sessions. While the response was incredible and much more positive than we could’ve expected, you also learn a lot from the feedback and new ideas materialize. It was incredibly worth it for our growth in 2019," he added.
What is the cost and where to buy
You can purchase your pack of SneakERASERS off the brand's website or on Amazon. The website sells the products in a bundle, where you receive 6 individually packaged, pre-moistened SneakERASERS Instant Shoe Cleaners for on-the-go use, 2 'Just Add Water' SneakERASERS 10-Pack Shoe Cleaners for deep cleaning at home and 1 Shoe Eraser Soak sneaker detergent packet to deep clean your entire shoe, for $30.
You purchase the products individually on Amazon -- the pre-moistened SneakERASERS Instant Shoe Cleaners for on-the-go use retails for $10, where you get 3 sponges in the pack. Whereas the 'Just Add Water' SneakERASERS 10-Pack Shoe Cleaners retails for $9.25.
Where are SneakERASERS now?
Chris Pavlica and Kevin Consolo's SneakERASERS journey is often chronicled on their brand's Instagram page. They recently launched at Costco and even debuted their product, GolfERASERS on 'Good Morning America.'
They took to social media to talk about the progress they've made during the pandemic. The post reads -- 'Like many businesses, when the pandemic hit, we needed to make a digital pivot. We’re very grateful that ABC's Good Morning America wanted to include our items in their March and May 2020 "problem solving" and "household cleaning" segments. It was a great way to debut our new product family (@autoerasers& @golferasers) to the nation and continue to support our American jobs at our facilities during such a tough time.'
Who will steal the deal
Alex Rodriguez or Kevin O'Leary are most likely to invest in SneakERASER. O'Leary has been known to invest in a lot of seemingly interesting products that are big on utility. The SneakERASER fits that bill. Seeing that the brand is already retailing at Costco and Walmart, there's a good chance that SneakERASER will find the financial backing it needs.
‘Shark Tank’ Season 12 Episode 23 returns to ABC after a week's break on May 7, 2021, at 8 pm ET. Catch the latest episode featuring products like BeerMKR, Creation Nation, and Grind airs on May 7, 2021, from 8 pm ET to 9 pm ET.
Missed an episode? Or been wanting to catch up? Episodes can also be viewed the next day on demand and on Hulu. Not just that, you can also watch old seasons and episodes on Amazon Prime Video and iTunes.