Founder brings ninja and dancers to ‘Shark Tank’ — but Mark Cuban had a brutal reality check for him
From Copa di Vino to Pavlok, 'Shark Tank' is no stranger to flashy founders who lack substance. While, for the most part, the brand owner tries their best to sell their services, they also earnestly listen to Sharks' critique. However, one entrepreneur became so engrossed in his pitch that he ignored the Sharks’ opinions, prompting Mark Cuban to openly call him out.
Kash Shaikh entered 'Shark Tank' Season 8, asking for $1 million in exchange for 10% equity in BeSomebody. The app-based platform connected people with local experts for passion-based experiences. To impress the Sharks, he opened with a high-energy presentation featuring a ninja, Bollywood dancers, and Olympic soccer champion Kristine Lilly. He explained that the app takes a 20% cut of each experience, which averages $40, and boasted a community of 5 million hashtag followers and 2,000 hosted meet-ups.
However, concerns quickly arose, per Looper.
Daymond John inquired about safety and liability in the event of an incident during a session, and Shaikh acknowledged that the company hadn’t addressed this issue. His responses became vague and defensive, frustrating the Sharks. Cuban then openly criticized Shaikh's pitch style as he said, "Rule number one: the longer the backstory, the worse the deal… more preaching always equals less money for the investor."
Barbara Corcoran had similar opinions to Cuban, as she said, "I find you enormously abrasive… I feel as though you don’t have the capacity to listen." John pointed out a critical flaw, saying, "I still never got over how you're going to protect yourself against liabilities. I just think you're going to have a lot of people teaching dangerous things, and one lawsuit can kill the entire company. I'm out." Eventually, all six Sharks opted out. However, Kevin O’Leary delivered a brutal parting shot, saying, "In eight years of history, you're one of the first people to ever have six shots at this point. You struck out on every one. I'm out."
After Shaikh's failed 'Shark Tank' pitch, he sold the BeSomebody app to Utivity Holdings in 2017. The app was shut down in 2018 due to low demand, but Shaikh successfully pivoted the business toward job training and skill development. Partnering with major companies like Kroger and Microsoft, Besomebody Paths created over 2,000 jobs, per Shark Tank Recap. By 2019, the company was generating $20 million annually and was named one of America's top private companies by Entrepreneur Magazine.
In 2020, Shaikh launched BSB Group International to serve a broader client base, including Fortune 500 firms. During the pandemic, the company offered free marketing help to local Cincinnati businesses. In 2022, BSB expanded further with a sports division to help college athletes monetize their personal brands. They also entered content creation with The BeSomebody Podcast and plans for a digital channel, BSB TV. The company now brings in $20–$25 million in annual revenue.
