Daymond John tries not to cry as wife and daughter surprise him on ‘Shark Tank’ with a heartfelt song
Daymond John is known for his keen business sense and is usually considered one of the toughest judges on 'Shark Tank.' However, there are a handful of times when he is seen getting visibly emotional on the show. One such instance was when a team of contestants pulled a stunt to capture the attention of the Sharks as they pitched their product. According to Market Realist, it was when three partners, Valerie Strattan Guerra, Amanda Seibert, and Danny Seibert, appeared on the show and took John by surprise when they welcomed his wife and daughter into the studio, in the middle of their pitch. The founders were seeking $125,000 for 10% equity in their business, and ultimately accepted a great deal from John.
The three entrepreneurs promoted their company, Mama Sing My Song, which made stuffed animals for children. What made the product even more intriguing was that these stuffed animals played a custom song that kids could enjoy as they engaged with the toy. To demonstrate the product, the trio invited John’s wife, Heather, and daughter Minka on the show. To everyone’s surprise, Heather revealed that she had worked with the company and had even created a special song for Minka.
This song was recorded and embedded in a stuffed bunny rabbit. As Minka held her rabbit and listened to the song, John struggled to hold back his tears. When the song ended, John was heard muttering “Don’t cry,” under his breath, and later gave his family a warm hug. The song was truly personalized, as it spoke about Minka’s life, what she liked, and the moments she shared with her mom and dad. John seemed emotional when the lyrics mentioned "hot chocolate with daddy." He liked the idea behind the product and acknowledged how it felt so personal by saying, “There are a lot of little things in there. I heard all that.”
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While John was already interested, ready to make his deal, he was not alone. The other Sharks loved the product as well, especially the fact that they had made $1.4 million in sales. However, Mark Cuban and Kevin O’Leary did not believe that the business had a bright future, and they backed out. However, the remaining three judges, John, Lori Greiner, and Daniel Lubetzky, decided to offer them $125,000 for a third of the business.
The 33.3% equity was a lot higher than the 10% stake that the entrepreneurs wanted to initially give up. On the other hand, having three Sharks invest in their business meant that it was a rare chance to learn from the expertise of all three judges and seemed like an opportunity that was hard to say no to. It also meant that it would significantly boost their brand's visibility and reach. The founders countered with a 25% stake. While this seemed too low for the three sharks, Lubtezky offered to raise the investment to $150,000, and the others agreed. Ultimately, Mama Sing My Song went home with a three-Shark deal.