Matt Alexander was an entrepreneurship student at Brigham Young University, seeking that one big idea that would launch him into the business world with a guarantee of success. Matt drank a lot of water, which inevitably led to a lot of toilet visits, including in the middle of the night, when he would struggle to locate the light, waking him up and forcing him to attempt to sleep again.
The astute wannabe entrepreneur devised a floor mat that would light up when walked on, allowing people to make their way to the restroom without having to switch on the floodlights. Matt was discussing the concept with his brother-in-law, Michael Kannely, who had the brilliant idea of mounting the light directly into the toilet bowl. When they couldn’t discover anything on the market that was close to the idea, they started developing a prototype.
The initial study suggested a wide appeal and strong demand for a device that may help people remember to go to the restroom late at night. Matt and Mike resorted to Kickstarter for help, and the crowd-funding platform paid off handsomely. The two broke college students, who had no advertising or marketing budget, raised almost $100,000 from over 3,000 supporters, well exceeding their $20,000 target.
The two emerging businesses would need the cash and business knowledge that only the Shark Tank judges could supply to extend their visibility and improve sales.
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The IllumiBowl illuminates The Shark Tank
Season 7 Episode 21 Of Shark Tank
Matt and Michael went onto Shark Tank with the intention of bringing the IllumiBowl into large retail outlets, and they were asking for $100,000 in return for a 15% interest in the company.
It’s a universal feeling. You need to use the restroom in the middle of the night, but you can’t find your way in the dark and end up stubbing your toe or turning on a bright light that fully wakes you up. Matt presented the Sharks with the motion-activated IllumiBowl design, which would provide a beautiful touch to any property’s tiniest and most important areas.
Michael concluded his presentation by explaining that his IllumiBowl company had just two primary goals… Numbers one and two. The Sharks sighed, as though shocked that the restroom jokes had taken so long to come with this product.
While the presentation went well and the two young men did an excellent job representing themselves and their product, Robert threw a metaphorical wet roll of toilet paper in the faces of Matt and Mike when he asked why people couldn’t just plug in a nightlight to guide them to the bathroom in the middle of the night. The light in the IllumiBowl was softer than a regular night light, and it was also motion-activated, so it didn’t have to be turned on all the time, according to Matt. Kevin was concerned about the possibility of shock but was told that he would not be stunned when using the restroom.
Matt explained to the Sharks how their successful Kickstarter campaign helped them raise the funds they needed to launch IllumiBowl, and the panel was amazed by the $100,000 in pre-sales it helped generate.
Robert inquired about IllumiBowl’s future sales plan, to which Matt said that, although they had not yet arrived at that stage, growing into retail locations was clearly one of their key objectives. IllumiBowl was getting ready to go online, and they were planning a meeting with Ace Hardware, located in Illinois, and its 4,800 sites around the nation. Of course, having the backing and support of one of the Sharks would make things a lot simpler.
The IllumiBowl concept intended to be expanded in the future by projecting an image into the toilet. Matt showed this function by projecting a photo of Kevin into a toilet.
Lori questioned the desire for the IllumiBowl Mark, which Mike had marketed when the laughing and filthy jokes had died down. Matt explained the benefits of IllumiBowl, including its high functionality, low cost, and entertaining and attractive design. With the correct approach, marketing plan, and partners, the extensive study demonstrated that interest suggested the potential of selling millions of units.
Daymond liked Mike and Matt’s product and presentation, but he didn’t think they needed a Shark’s aid to take their company to the next level, so he bowed out.
Kevin gave the aspiring entrepreneurs the $100,000 they needed in return for a 25% stake in IllumiBowl. Mark didn’t want to sweeten the offer anymore, so he stepped aside. Robert agreed that he couldn’t improve on Kevin’s offer and encouraged the two to take Kevin’s offer, claiming that people would immediately link him with toilet paper.
Lori showed interest in the IllumiBowl but decided to withdraw due to a potential conflict of interest with the Squatty Potty, a prior Shark Tank success story.
Mark and Matt attempted to match Kevin’s offer by cutting the company’s portion to 20%, but Kevin refused to budge. Kevin claimed that he was going to assist “light up America’s bathrooms” after the duo spoke quietly for a few seconds to talk it through.
What Happened To Them? After The Shark Tank, IllumiBowl
Matt and Mark utilized Kevin’s influence and contacts to make multiple arrangements with significant retail locations, including Ace Hardware, True Value, and Bed Bath & Beyond, which scheduled the distribution of IllumiBowl to coincide with the original broadcast date of their Shark Tank episode, even before it aired.
Matt attributes IllumiBowl’s amazing success to their partnership with Kevin and his ability to deal with merchants, as well as his product development and marketing abilities. Without Kevin’s contributions, the firm would not have reached its current level of success.
Matt and Mike’s first study of the IllumiBowl’s demand proved to be accurate. The partners have sold hundreds of thousands of pieces since their Shark Tank episode aired, and they’ve started developing new goods, though they’re keeping the specifics under wraps for now.
Royal Pitch is not linked with illumiBowl, Shark Tank, or any of its subsidiaries, and the information presented in this article is only for educational purposes.
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