"It's your decision" - When Shark Tank's Mark Cuban didn't let TrophySmack founders hear Lori's offer

Matt Walsh and Dax Holt walked into the Shark Tank seeking $600,000 for 8% equity in their fantasy sports trophy company, TrophySmack. The duo appeared on season 12 episode 9 with customizable championship trophies, belts, and rings for fantasy sports leagues. TrophySmack began with a $60,000 investment and achieved $1.9 million in annual sales with 80% profit margins.

The founders impressed the Sharks with their innovative trophy designs and strong pandemic-era sales. Kevin O'Leary offered $600,000 for 25% equity before Mark Cuban countered with $600,000 for 17%. When Lori Greiner attempted to make her offer, Cuban immediately declared, "Then I'm out," followed by,

"That's unless you want to say yes. It's your decision."

This warning forced Walsh and Holt to accept Cuban's Shark Tank deal without hearing Greiner's proposal.

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TrophySmack couldn't hear Lori's offer after Mark Cuban's Shark Tank ultimatum

The TrophySmack’s Shark Tank pitch started with Walsh and Holt presenting each Shark with personalized trophies. They explained how fantasy sports participants deserved better awards than traditional generic options. The numbers impressed the panel: $850,000 in first-year sales followed by $1.9 million in year two, with products averaging $100 and maintaining 80% profit margins.

Kevin O'Leary made the first move, offering $600,000 for 25% equity while suggesting corporate market expansion possibilities. Mark Cuban, seeing the potential, countered with $600,000 for 17% equity. As Lori attempted to present her proposal, Cuban immediately declared the ultimatum.

Faced with Cuban's ultimatum and fearing the loss of a potential deal with the sports business mogul, Walsh, and Holt accepted his offer without hearing Greiner's pitch.

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TrophySmack business model

TrophySmack began in 2018 when Walsh and Holt identified a gap in the fantasy sports market for premium awards. Walsh brought supply chain expertise while Holt leveraged his media background as a former TMZ reporter.

Shark Tank company’s business solved a specific problem: traditional trophies looked outdated, generic, and costly to assemble. The founders developed an innovative assembly system that significantly reduced production costs while allowing extensive customization.

Walsh explained during their pitch that most awards on the market were too basic. TrophySmack's creations offered detailed customization options from the figurines to the plaque colors.

The company initially focused on fantasy football leagues before expanding to basketball, baseball, and soccer. Their product line included championship trophies, rings, and belts with average prices around $100.

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TrophySmack's growth after Shark Tank

Following the Cuban investment, TrophySmack experienced rapid expansion. Holt later described Cuban's involvement in an interview with entertainment executive Edward Sylvan for Medium.

"We didn't have many expectations, but he's blown them all away. Very responsive, helpful, and is clearly driven to make TrophySmack a success for all of us," Holt stated.

As per Looper.com, TrophySmack reported $1.2 million in sales within just one month after their Shark Tank episode aired. The company moved operations to an 800,000-square-foot facility equipped with advanced engraving and design tools. This larger space allowed for increased production capacity and the ability to fulfill growing order volumes.

TrophySmack moved from catering primarily to fantasy sports enthusiasts to offering trophies for various occasions and achievements. The company developed a custom design tool for its website that allowed customers to add personal logos and designs to championship rings and belts.

A milestone came when TrophySmack secured the opportunity to design trophies for the AGBO Superhero Fantasy Football League. This charity league, created by "Captain America: Civil War" and "AvengerAnthony and Joes: Endgame" directors Russo, brought additional visibility to the brand.

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Fans can watch new episodes of Shark Tank on the ABC network.