‘Shark Tank’ contestant brought fart-scented candles to the tank — but landed in lawsuit instead of a deal
Johnson Bailey, an enthusiastic entrepreneur, brought a one-of-a-kind product to the ‘Shark Tank’ stage. But despite his enthusiasm, things didn’t go as planned after the show. Featured in Season 2, Bailey pitched his quirky candle company, Original Man Candle, which offered masculine scents like popcorn, BBQ, and even pot roast, according to Shark Tank Recap. Describing them as “awesome manly fragrances,” he sought $50,000 in exchange for a 25% stake in his business.
In this episode, Bailey also introduced the judges to his best seller, “the infamous fart scented candle,” which Kevin O’Leary tried out of curiosity. Robert Herjavec jumped in and stated, “Johnson, I gotta ask you, why? I am sitting here thinking, has anybody ever told this was a good idea?” But Mark Cuban, who was impressed with the product line, asked Herjavec, “Don't kill him yet, Robert.” In a back-and-forth conversation, Herjavec and Cuban argued about whether the contestant had previously introduced his product to an investor.
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To which Cuban stated, “Well, he’s gotten more importantly, he’s gotten in front of the customers.” Appreciating Bailey’s Original Man Candle idea and how the product was available in several gift shops, Cuban asked, “What is a normal reorder pattern?” Bailey then mentioned that he usually gets a reorder request six to seven times a year. Hearing which, O’Leary exclaimed, “Well, that’s nothing.” Cuban further asked for the numbers, to which Bailey stated each candle sells for around $12. Coming to the sales, Bailey shed light, stating that the previous year, the company had reached $53,000 and he had invested around $40,000 into the business.
When the bidding round came, O’Leary backed out of making any investment, stating that he didn't see anything proprietary about the company. Next was Barbara Corcoran, who followed in O’Leary’s footsteps, thinking the business was not big enough. Daymond John and Herjavec became the next sharks to exit the deal, with only Cuban remaining. Unfortunately, Cuban, although he saw great potential in the Original Man Candle, the shark couldn't figure out how the product would bloom into a full business. Cuban walked away from making any investments as well.
While Bailey had no investment in his hand on the show, his ‘Shark Tank’ appearance made the business a hit. With upscaled sales, Bailey was approached by an investor, P. Nathan Thornberry, who offered $65,000 in exchange for 35% of the company, according to Shark Tank Recap. As Bailey accepted this deal, he had to face many difficulties later, eventually ending the partnership with a lawsuit. To the contestant's dismay, this lawsuit was won by Thornberry, leaving no option for Bailey but to leave the company. Since the investor took over the company, the website of the Original Man Candle has always shown its products to be out of stock.
