"Doesn't seem fair to me" — When Shark Tank investor Robert Herjavec gave his offer to Drain Strain

In the world of entrepreneurial pitches, deals on Shark Tank are often influenced by the strategies and ethics of the investors. In the case of Naushad Ali and his Drain Strain product, Robert Herjavec provided an alternative offer after commenting on the fairness of Kevin O'Leary's proposed deal.

In an Instagram post on January 27, 2025, Herjavec revisits the moment when he and Ali had made a deal for Drain Strain on Shark Tank which aired on February 3, 2015. Herjavec stated during his pitch deliberation,

"You know, it's good to be ruthless and mean business, but over the long term, I found that it's also very good to be nice and to do deals where both sides make money. I like the structure, but to take 20% from you for really making a phone call just doesn't seem fair to me."

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The Shark Tank product pitch: Drain strain's origin and function

Naushad Ali entered the Shark Tank in season 6, episode 17, seeking $110,000 for 15% equity in Drain Strain. He introduced the Sharks to his invention, a drain stopper designed to prevent clogging by collecting debris such as hair in a removable basket. He said,

"At one point or another you've had a clogged drain and you know it is such a pain to clean you might go hair fishing with a hanger and touch wet nasty clumps of hair... Or you might pour environmentally harmful drain cleaners in your sink and wait patiently to see if it works."

Ali explained that the basket can be cleaned easily without touching the collected debris, offering a hygienic solution to a common household problem. Ali shared the motivation behind creating the product, stating it was inspired by his personal experience dealing with clogged drains caused by hair from his wife and daughter.

He revealed that the product was patented but still in the prototype phase at the time of the pitch. Ali also highlighted that, in typical use, it would need to be replaced every 4-6 weeks.

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The Sharks' responses to the pitch

Kevin O'Leary emphasized that Drain Strain was best suited for a licensing deal, offering $110,000 for 20% equity, contingent on securing such a deal. He underscored the value of his expertise in negotiating licensing arrangements. Lori Greiner called the product clever but decided to opt-out, citing complexity as her reason:

"I think it's clever, but it just seems very clever to me."

Mark Cuban also declined, stating that he was not interested. Barbara Corcoran supported O'Leary’s licensing approach but did not make her offer, saying,

"I think Kevin's deal is the right deal for you that's the way to go I think you're going to be nuts selling this as an individual product. I'm out."

Robert Herjavec, however, took a different approach. He agreed with O'Leary's licensing strategy but disagreed with the terms, which he described as disproportionate. The Shark Tank investor commented that taking 20% equity for a licensing phone call was excessive and instead offered $110,000 for 10% equity, contingent on a licensing deal.

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The final deal and subsequent success

Ali ultimately accepted Herjavec’s offer, finalizing a deal of $110,000 for 10% equity with the licensing contingency. According to updates provided by the Shark Tank Blog, the deal successfully closed, and Herjavec played a key role in helping Drain Strain expand. With his support, the product entered the shelves of 1,200 Home Depot stores.

Additionally, former Shark Kevin Harrington joined the team, providing further expertise and resources. The company’s progress was highlighted in season 8, episode 12, where Ali revealed additional purchase orders from Lowe’s stores. By this time, Drain Strain had also become available at major retailers such as Ace Hardware and Amazon and in numerous hotel chains.

As of July 2022, the company reported $3 million in annual revenue. By October 2023, it had rebranded as Drain Buddy and achieved approximately $5 million in lifetime sales.

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