"I want to avoid a shark fight" — When Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary offered to partner with all 5 investors on the BuggyBeds deal

Veronica Perlongo and Maria Curcio appeared on Shark Tank season 4 in the summer of 2012. At the time, their company BuggyBeds was only six months old but had already made $150,000 in sales with a $100,000 profit. Perlongo and Curcio went into the tank seeking $125,000 in exchange for 7% of their company.

They had already turned down a $5 million offer for their trademarks and patents, which impressed the sharks. The sharks were eager to invest in BuggyBeds after hearing about its success. The Shark Tank investor Kevin O'Leary suggested a joint deal, offering $250,000 for 25% of the company.

"Okay, boys and girl, we all want part of this deal. I want to avoid a shark fight. I want a piece of the deal, I know everybody else is thinking the same thing. I want collusion," said Kevin O'Leary.

Daymond John, Robert Herjavec, and Mark Cuban quickly agreed to the deal. Barbara Corcoran tried to offer a separate deal but pulled out when Perlongo and Curcio hesitated.

In the end, Perlongo and Curcio accepted the joint deal with all five sharks. This five-way split was a rare occurrence in the show's 16-year history,

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What happened to BuggyBeds after Shark Tank?

Although the five sharks successfully closed the massive BuggyBeds deal, not all sharks were satisfied with the outcome afterward. Mark Cuban admitted he wasn't a big fan of the deal, but saw its potential.

Kevin O'Leary, known for taking risks, wanted to avoid driving up the price. He pushed for the sharks to work together, which paid off.

"I wanted to avoid price escalation so I was willing to take a lesser [percentage] of the deal at a better price. I pushed for shark collusion," said Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary.

Barbara Corcoran, on the other hand, felt pressured by her fellow sharks to join the deal. She didn't fully understand the business and trusted her instincts, but ultimately went along with the group.

Despite initial doubts, the deal proved successful. BuggyBeds thrived, becoming one of the most successful Shark Tank products, alongside Squatty Potty and Scrub Daddy.

BuggyBeds was successful before appearing on Shark Tank as their numbers suggested, but the support of the five sharks boosted the product to new heights.

Veronica Perlongo and Maria Curcio went on the show to get help with retail distribution and accessing big stores. The sharks, especially Kevin O'Leary and Daymond John, offered connections to big retailers like Walmart and 7-Eleven.

Before the show, BuggyBeds were sold in 60 Home Depot stores and Burlington Coat Factory locations. After Shark Tank, the business grew rapidly. The owners struggled to keep up with orders, and the product became available in many more stores, including CVS, ACE, and Target.

Now, BuggyBeds are sold in 350 Home Depot locations and all Burlington stores.

The product is also popular among hotels and property management companies. BuggyBeds expanded its product line beyond bed bug detectors. They now offer mosquito repellent bands, bed bug luggage liners, and insect repellent spray, priced between $4.99 and $24.98 on their website.

Their products are also available on Amazon. The detectors have a 3.5-star rating based on over 450 reviews. According to Looper, as of 2023, BuggyBeds' annual sales reached around $4 million.

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Shark Tank is currently airing its 16th season on ABC.