Mark Cuban calls Kevin O’Leary ‘an idiot’ during heated tug-of-war over $180K deal on ‘Shark Tank’
'Shark Tank' investors are not only known for their solid business acumen but also for their honest and blunt feedback to the budding entrepreneurs. But it's rare to see the Sharks turn on each other with the same intensity. Yet sparks flew when Francheska Yamsuam entered the Tank in Season 11, asking for $180K for an 18% equity in her company, Coconut Girl. In her pitch, she explained that the brand offered a healthier alternative to ice cream, using dairy alternatives such as almond flour and almond butter, and organic coconut milk.
Giving insight into the ingredients, she listed, "Honey, dates, and maple syrup." As Yamsuan offered the samples of "The best tasting, dairy-free, gluten-free nice cream sandwiches" in Aloho chocolates, Beachbod maple, and Hang Lose vanilla flavors, Mark Cuban was seemingly excited and yelled, "Me! Me! Me!" So, she distributed the samples to all the Sharks—Cuban, Lori Greiner, Kevin O'Leary, Robert Herjavec, and Katrina Lake—all of whom happened to enjoy its taste.
Yamsuan thereafter revealed her sales numbers. In retail, she had made $60K in the first year and $120K in the following year, and at the time of filming the episode, her sales projection was $300K. Despite the impressive numbers, Yamsuan pitched on 'Shark Tank' to have help with logistics and operations, while she could go back to doing sales and marketing and use the funding to further lower her production cost. Even before Yamsuan could finish, Cuban was sold and said, "I have heard enough. I don't even want to hear what these people have to say. I'll give you $180,000, but I want 25% if you say yes now."
O'Leary quipped, "That's what I was going to offer," and Greiner also showed interest in the deal. But Cuban was not happy, and when Yamsuan said she wanted to hear Greiner, and dropped out. However, he softened before Greiner could proceed. He told the young entrepreneur, "I will give you one last chance." To which Yamsuan replied with a counter, "Are you willing to go down (referring to the 5% increased equity Cuban had proposed)?" O'Leary jumped in and said, "I'll help you, Frankie. I'll do it for 20%. I'll squeeze Cuban's head for you." Cuban then responded with, "Only because he's an idiot, I'll do 20%." After a minute's long pause, Yamsuam accepted the aggressive deal.
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As reported by Shark Tank Recap, Coconut Girl showed a rapid growth post their appearance on 'Shark Tank', with products being sold in Whole Foods, Bristol Farms, and many other retailers. The outlet also reported that the company's turnaround was $2.5 million in 2023. However, despite the huge success, Cuban once revealed on the show that Yamsuan later sold a part of her company to another business, but the company is still doing good, as reported by Yahoo! Life.