"Why don't you pick the prettiest girl?" — When Shark Tank mentor Barbara asked the FlexScreen founder to pick her over Lori

Joe Altieri, the founder of FlexScreen, appeared on Shark Tank season 10, episode 11, aired on January 5, 2020. Seeking an investment of $800,000 for 6% equity, Joe presented FlexScreen as a flexible, easy-to-install window screen aimed at replacing traditional rigid frames.

After his pitch and a breakdown of his sales figures, which grew from $400,000 to $5.1 million over four years, multiple Sharks expressed interest in investing. Barbara Corcoran, Lori Greiner, and Kevin O'Leary each made competing offers. While Kevin proposed a straight equity deal contingent on a licensing agreement, Barbara and Lori structured theirs as a mix of cash and credit lines.

As Joe weighed his options, both Lori and Barbara offered similar terms. In an attempt to convince him, Barbara turned to Joe:

"Why don't you pick the prettiest girl? I'm right here," she said.

The episode ended with Joe making a deal with Lori, and FlexScreen went on to experience major growth, including international expansion and a major manufacturing partnership.

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Joe pitches FlexScreen on Shark Tank season 10

Joe began his pitch by introducing the FlexScreen, a flexible, custom-sized window screen to address common frustrations with traditional screens. He asked for $800,000 in exchange for 6% of his company, valuing FlexScreen at $13.3 million.

Shark Tank mentors were impressed by the product’s design and the sales growth. He provided the Sharks with a year-by-year breakdown of his sales: $400,000 in the first year, $2 million in the second, $3.5 million in the third, and $5.1 million in the fourth year. Despite strong revenue growth, the company’s profit remained low.

Joe revealed they cleared only around $40,000 in profit the previous year, which he reinvested into the business.

Kevin O’Leary was the first to make an offer:

“I’ll give the $800,000. I want 20% of the business, straight equity,” he said.

He added that his offer depended on working with one large manufacturer, not smaller retail operations. Lori Greiner then made her offer: $400,000 in cash and $400,000 as a line of credit for 10% equity. Barbara Corcoran also entered with a similar offer, $400,000 in cash and $400,000 in credit, in exchange for 50% of the retail business, separating it from Joe’s existing manufacturer relationships.

As Joe weighed the offers, Lori Greiner talked about her hardware retail experience. In the end, Joe chose Lori’s offer, saying her retail connections better suited FlexScreen’s next steps.

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Post-show update and business expansion

In the Shark Tank update segment, Joe shared that FlexScreen experienced significant growth after the episode aired. Sales tripled from $5.1 million to over $15 million the following year. The demand increased as people looked to improve air circulation in their homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, and FlexScreen’s product aligned with that need.

Joe explained the company’s expansion in manufacturing capacity, with four U.S. plants operating at full speed and a new plant opened in Canada. He mentioned a major partnership:

"We just closed a major deal with Sanco Bain, the largest window and screen manufacturer in the world," he shared.

Lori Greiner highlighted the retail rollout,

“We’re going to bring it to a Home Depot, Walmart, Menards, Amazon—you’re going to have a huge presence on each of these guys,” she shared.

The company’s increased visibility allowed it to enter major markets across North America. By 2022, FlexScreen had seven manufacturing plants, surpassing $30 million in annual sales.

In a recent update featured in Shark Tank season 16, episode 14, aired on March 21, 2025, Joe shared that since closing the deal with Lori, FlexScreen had reached approximately $600,000 in weekly sales and lifetime sales had grown to $160 million.

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Shark Tank episodes air every Friday on ABC.