We’re Headed to the Shark Tank on ABC
It has been a great experience. Our segment airs tonight on ABC’s Shark Tank. Can’t tell the outcome ahead of time but it has been a lot of fun meeting so many intelligent and driven individuals. The product is now on the verge of getting the boost it needs. If you have an idea or product, keep the faith and make it happen.
i can’t believe this was sold for only 400,000 i think the sharks got a deal…..
Thanks John -
We’re still in control of the company. Cooler heads prevailed.
Thanks for your comments and support of the Wine Balloon
We are still in touch with the Sharks. You never know what will happen down the road.
Easily one of the better products I have seen on shark tank. Good to know that it was not sold for $400k, even $600k is too low. Yearly revenue can easily break a million.
Eric,
I saw you on the shark tank. I was also on this season. I am the inventor of the Vinamor wine aerator. I was thinking we could work together. I am glad to hear you retained your company. My phone number is 970-302-5874. I would love to talk with you
Gary DeJohn
Vinamor, CEO
Sharks stole the company and bullied him into taking the deal as the price was dropping, money and royality would have been his best bet
The inventor got ripped off!!!
My stomach was twisting watching this guy lose his company. Why do you think they wanted to buy the whole company?? Because they know this product has that it factor… I hope some how this guy realized it after taping and cancelled the deal he made or he just made the biggest mistake of his life. I would have demanded a royalty or went back to the original offer of trying to get some money for equity. This product could have made the man millions. On the show there have been other products not as good as this that have made millions already in the updates.. Bad decision my man, never make a business decision where you have to say YES now…
The inventor is a lordly fool. I can’t believe he took $400K instead of a future income. If anything, he obviously doesn’t understand the ultimate goal of the sharks – to make money – they took his company and were interested in its purchase because they saw gold, and a patent, NOT because they were doing him a favor. If he ever invents anything else, I hope he at least learned something.
Please tell me you got something else after the show since nothing that happens on air is the actual deal. You came in with your company valued at 1.2 and then sold for $400,000. With the freezy that was happening between the sharks, that should have told you your company was worth more than the offer. I know $400,000 is good quick money but not enough to be set for life. Which is what the Sharks are going to make off of it.
if indeed Eric did sell the company for the $400M, which was clear exercise of power on the part of the sharks, no one should buy this product just to make it a complete loss to those jerks. Typically I like Cuban on the show because he has seemed to determined to screw over the other sharks, but he clearly saw the value of this product and set his sights squarely on screwing Eric on this one. Eric I am sorry you found yourself in the position you did. My wife and I sat there nearly yelling at the TV for you to just walk away…neither of the offers that were on the table were good. You had the right idea both in terms of the product and income in perpetuity, unfortunately they had all the power to create a frenzy that clouded reality and your judgment.
Thanks so much for the very thorough comments and feedback.
I was a total mad-house in there as you sure witnessed.
We have NOT sold the company and cooler heads prevailed. Please don’t boycott the Wine Balloon. We still own it.
Thanks again.
That’s great Eric, happy to hear you were able to make a decision that you’ll probably be much happier with down the road. Congrats on coming up with a great product and congrats on getting closer to the deal you want…unless…is this Cuban posing as Eric so your new investment doesn’t go bankrupt?? Congrats Eric!
Great! My wife and I just watched the Shark episode. I wanted one so bad but told my wife I refused to purchase one because of the unethical tactics they used. I’m stoked that I can now buy one!
Thanks Tim. Glad you took the time to look at the website!
In addition to the Shark Tank episode, I also watched you on a Kitchen Invention show where I thought you made a deal with a marketing company. Did anything come of that? I guess Shark Tanks was taped after the Food network Show? Congrats on the press alone!
Thanks Amy – Yes, ST taped after the other one. Each is completely separate with their goals of relationship with us. The press has been very good for our product. Thanks
Wow Eric I am happy for you and your family, I do feel that I saw a different side of the sharks especially Mark. I feel like buying this product now would be like slapping you in the face.
Bill -
Thanks for your note and dedication to the Wine Balloon.
Rest assured that cooler heads prevailed and we still own the company. We are still in touch with the sharks but we’ll still own the company. Please feel free to support the product….and spread the word.
Best regards,
Eric
Just got done watching the episode and enjoyed it thoroughly. Finding out that you backed out of the deal is good news. You have to come into the Shark Tank fully prepared and the inventor obviously wasn’t.
My biggest concerns were how the balloon really effected the taste of the wine despite the gentleman saying it wouldn’t and also how many people that have latex allergies could actually be harmed if they were to use it, without realizing it was latex. Hopefully that information is on the package. Good luck!
Eric, your product is sure to do well, way beyond the Sharks. I watched tonight and I must say, it was a nail biter. However, immediately I wanted to look up the Wine Balloon and hurry to purchase one (+3) before the Sharks were able to benefit from it. I’m a Marketing Rep, in Louisiana, and i guarantee the Wine Balloon will be a great hit around here. You did a good job with the entire concept and deserve to benefit from it for as long as it’s profitable. Congratulations on YOUR great product and I cannot wait to share with others. Keep the ideas coming. You’ve got a gift!
Celeste – Thank you so much for the support. It sure was a nail biter…..especially standing there in front of them. I also believe that the product will do very well. Can’t wait to get the Wine Balloon to Louisiana.
Eric, Glad to hear you did not sell to the sharks. Their offer was ridiculously low. You have a product with a multi-million dollar potential. Do not give up control of your invention.
Okay, I just googled “man with wine balloon on shark tank” because I am still irritated at the sharks with the way they dealt with you. They are usually much more kind — especially Mark Cuban. I’m not even a fan of his anymore. That was ridiculous.
Looks like you’re still in control of the company. Good. Because I want to order one of your balloons, but I’m not going to if the sharks are getting the sale!
Love this product and can’t wait to try it.
My stomach was also turning, and it was disturbing to watch a couple of people with hundreds of millions of dollars already in the bank trying to rob you; and deny you the royalty you were asking for. I dont even think $600,000 with a 3% royalty would have been fair for you. Your product is going to sell billions. You dont need the Sharks, they dont deserve you after what they tried to do to you.
Wow, what a great relief to find out you did not sell the company. Man when the sharks smell blood the attack don’t they. I would like to hear updates as to what is happening with YOUR company. Good Luck with everything, and I wish you and yours the best.
Worst deal in shark tank history! I actually searched for this because of how mad I was with the outcome! Should have taken the Kevin deal, you’d be set for life. Glad you didn’t follow through with the buyout
For all of you guys out there complaint about how shark humiliated the inventor on TV with petty 400k/600k offer.please,come on.what do you think how these multi-millionaire keep getting richer,that’s what they do by finding “deal”like this.Even though it might be large sums money to ordinary folks.But lots of worse idea that shows on the “sharktank”get a lot better offer.Seriously,i think this product can make 10s of millions in sales if not 100s of millions.So sell the company cheap only if you are really financially desperate.ARE you or Are you not ?? Sell the whole company for anything less than 3mil is fool’s choice,but we are not living a perfect world.
Dear Eric,
I saw the Shark Tank episode tonight and I was incredibly disturbed by their greed and complete disregard of your potential future for what I would call an “invention of a lifetime”. If you have already made the deal, then this is probably the most amazing heist, steal, call it whatever you want, that I have ever seen in my life.
I don’t mean to offend you in any way, but where are your balls man? They saw your weakness – your gentle nature and used it against you, forcing you into a position that you obviously didn’t want. You should have demanded a 5.0 million for the buy out and no less. You should have walked out the moment Mark Cuban disrespectfully spat at his own offer. The greed present in that room was just so despicable, it made me sick to my stomach especially because you are a hard working person being denied his worth. Kevin’s offer was not even worth considering.
Word of advice, please be confident when you negotiate, don’t act benign, don’t ever jump in to the first offer, and most importantly you can’t trust so easily. Also you should study their body language very carefully. It was so obvious Lori Greiner wanted your product the moment she asked about the patent. So obvious when she looked at your product like the kid in a candy store.
Anyways, good luck sir. I was very irritated and had to comment.
Love the Shark Tank show in general, HATED your episode and the way you were railroaded. The water was thick with chum as they devoured your brilliant product. Granted they are businesspeople and in it for the profit but I lost what little respect I ever had for Cuban last night.
Thank GOD cooler heads prevailed.
It’s time for me to buy your product for myself and as gifts!
Best of luck, put me on your mailing list!
Thanks Scott. Appreciate the comments.
You’re on the mailing list !!
Eric
Whew thank goodness you walked away from the deal. When someone tries to constantly screw you over going from 600K to 500K then 400K, you know it is a bad deal. This looks like an amazing product and best of luck to you.
I saw you on Shark Tank…great product!!! I would like to get you in touch with a friend of mine, who is a world known wine expert. Contact me if interested!
Dean
That show really made me hate the sharks… Especially that slime bag Mark Cuban. Good for you in keeping your company. There is a new way I would like to use your invention on Mark and the female ( I would look up her name, but could care less who she is at this point), but you probably would not post this if I gave you my balloon idea… That show made me want to vomit.. on them…
Wow, i searched this because of the outcome i saw on shark tank hulu. I really hope Eric got a better deal or at least still works for the company. Amazing invention. I want one! {just read other comments sounds like you got another deal or got to keep your company, congrats!}
Glad you retained a good lawyer! Unconcionability would have been my argument.
Good to hear you kept your company, I love the show, but the way they treated made my wife and I almost stop watching! Hope you are doing great!
Hi Eric
My husband and I saw what you went through on the Shark Tank and now I’m definitely afraid to apply. We have a very small company the Shower Niche Kit and have been told that we(I) should appear on the Tank.
Sometimes it does seem very exciting to take a lump sum and walk away. Do you have any advice on where we should take our product so that it does get more exposure? We are going to the INPEX show in Pittsburgh.
Thanks for any input you are able to provide. .
Hello Kristi –
There are lot’s of ways to get your great product out there. ST is NOT the only way. The best is through your local TV and newspapers who will like to do good stories on local folks.
Exposure at the shows you are attending will be good as well. Then go for others in the field of your invention like bloggers or the editors of major news outlets who write about your product type.
Best of luck.
Eric
Just seen the Show
I am so glad you did not sell the company to them Sharks and wish you all the best
Any chance of a update how your company is Doing ?