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One of the fastest ‘Shark Tank’ deals ever — Barbara Corcoran made her an offer she couldn’t refuse

A 'Shark Tank' contestant didn’t blink twice before accepting Barbara Corcoran’s sweet offer

For most entrepreneurs, it's a dream to get an investment from the judges on 'Shark Tank.' Back in season 14, 'Eat Your Flowers' founder Loria Stern appeared on the show to present her edible flower bakery concept to Mark Cuban, Lori Greiner, Kevin O'Leary, Barbara Corcoran, and Robert Herjavec. At that point, the sharks were pretty impressed by Stern's floral-infused baked goods, and she received a couple of offers. However, Corcoran's offer and conviction seemed like the perfect fit, and she didn't even take five seconds to seal the deal.

Stern was seeking $250,000 in exchange for 12% of her company. During her pitch, she said, "Sharks, everyone loves flowers and everyone loves baked goods. So, I'm combining the two to create something truly unique. My treats look so beautiful that you don't want to eat them. But they're so delicious, you can't resist. Using nature as my color palette, I'm transforming flowers, herbs, fruits, and vegetables into an array of delicious, nutritious, and beautiful works of art." She added that they also sell edible pressed flowers for decorating and edible flower-fetti to sprinkle on top of dishes. 

When Stern offered the sharks a chance to sample her treats, Greiner was impressed, especially with the cookies, describing them as “a rich, buttery shortbread.” Herjavec seemed to love them too, exclaiming, "Wow! This is incredible." When Corcoran questioned her about how she came up with the idea, the entrepreneur said, "I'm from a small town in California. I grew up as a nationally ranked tennis player. I taught tennis for years after graduating, and then, at the end of the day, I was cooking and baking for the pros at the tennis club. So, then I decided I'm going to work in the culinary industry. I was a private chef and caterer, and now run a successful baking company."

Following that, O'Leary was keen to learn about the numbers of Stern's baking company. She shared that the production cost of each box of cookies was $7.50, and she sold it for $50, which was a sizeable margin. She also impressed the judges by revealing that her company made $330,000 in the previous year and that her products became more popular after being featured in renowned publications such as Vogue, the New York Times, and more.

At first, O'Leary offered Stern $250,000 for 25% equity. However, she quickly turned down the offer because she didn't want to give up a quarter of her company. Following that, both Greiner and Herjavec dropped out, and Cuban also stepped away, explaining that the business didn't fit his portfolio. Nevertheless, Corcoran seemed interested, but she had her concerns. "I'll tell you what I love about you is that you're ambitious, but the part that bothers me is I don't really get why you need another partner," she said. The entrepreneur stated that she wanted to launch a line of products that could be sold at Whole Foods, and she needed the right people to support her. Corcoran was soon convinced and made an offer of $250,000 for 15%, which Stern happily accepted almost instantly.