Shark Tank Finale: Bobble and Weave

There can’t be a Shark Tank without sharks! For the last time this season, let’s meet the Sharks:

* Kevin O’Leary started and sold his software businesses. He sees himself as the “Simon” of the show.

* Barbara Corcoran, a real estate goddess. She tends to be very leery of everything.

* Kevin Harrington has made tons with infomercials. Yes, blame him for the lack of late-night TV. He doesn’t jump down throats. Either he likes what you’re offering or he doesn’t.

* Daymond John, the creator of the FUBU line of clothing. Your kids will know! Usually the most level-headed of the Sharks, but has been more aggressive lately.

* Robert Herjavec is one the most successful of the internet millionaires. If Kevin O. is Simon, Robert is Paula. Robert’s rivalry with Kevin O. has driven him to make offers just to annoy Kevin O.

The first to enter the Shark Tank is…

Jeff Wolsky

Product: The Bobble Place

Request: $75,000 for 18% of his company

Jeff enters and gives a cheery hello and tells the Sharks he’s representing his business, the Bobble Place. Immediately, he removes a cover from a tray, and voila! Bobbleheads of the Sharks (and really good ones!). The Sharks are immediately charmed. Kevin O. and Robert can’t believe how handsome theirs are. Jeff goes on to explain that at the Bobble Place, anyone can have their own bobblehead dolls made based on a photograph, and the customer gets to see the process from the very beginning. They can even recommend changes along the way.

Jeff says he wants to bring the Bobble Place to shopping malls, grocery stores, etc., and it will work like a kiosk. Daymond asks if this is an existing business. Jeff says it is online and currently making into seven figures annually. Kevin O. wants to know why they aren’t investing in that. (Because he doesn’t need you for that!) Daymond clarifies that this version of the Bobble Place is separate and apart from the web business.

Kevin O. keeps droning on about preferring to invest in the web business. Barbara suggests they listen to what Jeff is proposing about the new business. Kevin O. thinks Jeff should apologize for being so greedy. (It’s a good thing I’m not in there!) Robert says Jeff is asking the Sharks to take all of the risk and get none of the reward. I suppose that makes a bit of sense. Daymond warns Jeff he is on a slippery slope. Translation: cough up some of the web business or have a nice flight home.

Daymond asks if Jeff is open to providing some “insurance” with the established web business. Jeff craftily answers it depends on how much “insurance” they are talking. Jeff again tries to steer the discussion back to the new business (rightfully so, I say). Barbara asks about specifics with these kiosks. Jeff says it can be between $1500 and $3000 to set up in a mall. Robert asks how much money the kiosk would make in a month. Hard to say, says Jeff. Robert asks why the Sharks should invest when Jeff has no idea whether this idea will work or not. Good point.

Jeff furrows his brow quizzically. This is clearly not going the way he thought. Jeff says he feels a significant market is being missed by being solely web-based. Robert asks what he makes in pure profit. Jeff says up to $600,000 per year. This gets appreciative exclamations from all the Sharks. Kevin O. says Jeff is crazy for even worrying about kiosks. In fact, he “forbids” Jeff from going to a mall.

Then he goes one step further. Kevin O. offers Jeff $75,000 for 18% of the existing web business. Um, he doesn’t need you there! Jeff says exactly that. Kevin O. counteroffers 15% for the same amount of money. He’s not listening. Kevin H. says that they are being asked to invest in an untested market. Jeff says he would consider adding 5% of the existing business to the pot.

Daymond says he likes the bobblehead idea, but not the kiosk part of it. He doesn’t see the benefit for himself in this, so he is out.

Kevin H. says Jeff is asking for way too much money for a test, since for $10,000 Jeff could have already tested it. (He’s right about that.) Kevin H. is out.

Barbara says she felt a bit tricked that the existing business is not part of the proposal. She’s out.

Robert asks why Jeff cannot give hard numbers on his profits. Jeff won’t go any more specific than between 5 and 600,000. Robert offers $125,000 for 20%. Jeff says he thinks they can sweeten the deal with another Shark. He’d be willing to part with 20% for $225,000 cumulatively. Maybe Kevin O. is right! He is greedy!

Kevin O. asks Jeff to leave the room. Robert says it’s like he and Kevin O. are bidding against each other. Kevin O. says they should go back to his original offer of $100,000 for 20% (maybe this was a bad edit, but we only saw Kevin offer on the existing business, not the kiosk. And those weren’t the numbers he offered. But we’ll go on). Kevin O. thinks Jeff is messing around with them.