'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
During Shark Tank season 1, entrepreneur Marian Cruz entered seeking $35,000 for 35% equity in her kitchen device company, Turbobaster. The battery-powered marinate injection and meat-basting brush pitch quickly turned intense when Cruz failed to answer five consecutive questions about her business numbers.
After Cruz responded "I don't know" to questions about manufacturing costs, market size, competitor analysis, sales projections, and production estimates, Kevin O'Leary stated:
"If you were in one of my businesses, I would spray you down with water and every time you say 'I don't know,' I'd hit you with electric cattle prod. You got to know this stuff."
Trending
In the end, Cruz secured a deal with Kevin Harrington, offering full ownership for a royalty agreement.
Turbobaster founder faces Kevin O'Leary's electric prod warning on Shark Tank
The Shark Tank presentation started with Cruz showing a video that displayed her product's features. Her ask valued the company at $100,000, yet she brought no working prototype to demonstrate.
The Shark Tank investors expressed initial interest in the concept, particularly its application for holiday cooking. However, the momentum shifted during the questioning phase. Cruz failed to provide data about competitor sales numbers, manufacturing expenses, or target market size.
O'Leary's frustration peaked after multiple unanswered questions. His statement about using "water spray" and an "electric cattle prod" came after Cruz's fifth "I don't know" response.
He immediately walked away from negotiations, marking his exit with critical comments about business preparedness. Barbara Corcoran followed suit, stating Cruz's lack of business preparation as the reason. She mentioned Cruz needed to know basic market numbers before seeking investment. Corcoran left the deal, stating a business plan that requires data-backed projections.
Robert Herjavec focused on Cruz's market understanding gaps. He pointed out that her inability to estimate manufacturing costs made valuation impossible. Following Herjavec's exit, three Sharks had departed within minutes. Mark Cuban sat out this season, while Daymond John and Kevin Harrington remained engaged in the pitch.
Despite losing three potential Shark Tank investors, Cruz received attention from the remaining Sharks. Kevin Harrington, recognizing the potential in the kitchen gadget market, offered $35,000 for full ownership while guaranteeing Cruz a 2% royalty on future sales. This sparked interest from Daymond John, who countered with $40,000 for 51% ownership plus a 2% royalty structure.
John raised his offer to $50,000, maintaining the same equity split. Cruz carefully weighed both proposals, considering each Shark's expertise in product marketing and distribution.
After evaluating both offers, Cruz chose Harrington's proposal of complete ownership transfer with a 2% royalty agreement. She mentioned his track record in the kitchen gadget market as the deciding factor, despite giving up full control of her company.
Deal outcomes
Following the televised deal, Harrington's company TV GOODS moved forward with the acquisition, per Shark Tank Blog. Within six months of the original air date, TV GOODS announced their takeover of Turbobaster's exclusive global marketing rights.
The company launched initial product placement in select retail stores. However, during this period, TV GOODS did not release any specific sales data. Marketing efforts remained minimal, with limited promotional campaigns appearing in traditional retail channels.
After the initial retail placement, the Shark Tank product vanished from store shelves. The company's digital footprint disappeared as both its website and social media accounts went offline. TV GOODS made no further announcements about the product's status.
Public records show no patent applications or trademark renewals connected to the Turbobaster name. The device never reached mass production stages, marking the end of Cruz's kitchen innovation venture.
The complete dissolution of Turbobaster operations marked the final chapter of this Shark Tank story. From O'Leary's memorable reaction to the product's quiet market exit, the journey spanned less than two years. This timeline placed Turbobaster among the shorter-lived products from the show's first season deals.
Watch new episodes of Shark Tank on ABC network.
