Lessons From The Tank Joe Altieri

Maxwell Cohen, Inventor of Peelaways disposable bed sheets, was fresh out of college and had no idea what he was in for when he took his brand new product on a "millennial start-up focused" episode of Shark Tank. But the experience, even though it was pretty brutal and didn't end with a deal, put him on a new path and strengthened his determination to make his product a success.

Maxwell is so impressive and had so much business wisdom to share for such a young guy! I encourage you to check out all that he had to say, but here are a few highlights: He emphasizes that business owners don't work for themselves; they work for their customers - and listening is key. From the Sharks' advice to customer feedback, Maxwell took it all in and worked to make Peelaways better understood, higher quality, and more accessible. He is currently on his 33rd version of the product. The name has changed (from the original "FreSheet"), the target audience and marketing have changed, a subscription service has been added, and Maxwell has become a textiles expert, traveling the world to gain experience and knowledge in the field. Did I mention "impressive"?

Today Peelaways, the first multilayered, disposable, 100% waterproof fitted sheet, holds multiple patents and is disrupting the bedding industry, saving time, water, detergent, and money for caregivers, parents, and medical facilities worldwide.

Learn more and purchase Peelaways at peelaways.com, Amazon, and home health drug and pharmacy locations nationwide. (Be sure to check out their great reviews on Amazon!)


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Becca Brown is a Harvard graduate who worked her way up the ladder at Goldman Sachs, eventually landing a Chief of Staff position in London. Then she left it all behind.

Today, Becca is the co-founder of SoleMates shoe and foot care products, along with former classmate and Goldman Sachs colleague Monica Ferguson. They pitched their flagship product, the SoleMates High Heel Protector that keeps heels from sinking into grass or getting stuck in grates or cracks, on Season 8, Episode 4 of Shark Tank and hooked a deal with Robert Herjavec.

Although Becca and her partner were already very experienced businesswomen, they took extra steps to ensure a successful pitch on the show. They hired a formal media trainer to help them with a game plan, key talking points, and how to thoroughly answer questions while guiding all conversations back to the key points they wanted to convey. They also held rapid-fire Q&A sessions with their team a few days a week for months before their appearance on the show.

"Know your message, know how you want to communicate it, and keep reinforcing it" is one of Becca's best pieces of advice, but she stresses that without authenticity, it will all fall flat. Be sure to check out this episode of my Lessons From The Tank podcast for more business wisdom from Becca.

Today SoleMates are carried in Nordstrom, DSW, and David's Bridal stores worldwide and on major e-commerce sites like Amazon and Zappos. Celebrities such as Oprah, Viola Davis, and Carrie Underwood are happy SoleMates customers!

Learn more about Becca and shop the full SoleMates product line, which includes an all-natural Blister Blocker anti-friction balm and odor-eliminating spray, at thesolemates.com.


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If you need a dose of motivation, don't miss one of the most passionate guests I've ever had on my Lessons From The Tank podcast! Dr. Robert Yonover is a Ph.D. geochemist/volcanologist, author, and North Shore big wave surfer living in Hawaii. His life-saving invention, the See Rescue Streamer - a patented emergency continuous signaling device, didn't get a deal on Shark Tank. Still, Rob was undeterred, and the See Rescue Streamer is now approved and used worldwide by military organizations AND can be found on every SpaceX flight!

I met Rob at a Shark Tank reunion of entrepreneurs who have appeared on the show, and we instantly connected. His passion and work ethic are unmatched, and his knowledge and life experiences are so interesting and engaging. I knew I wanted to have him as a guest on my podcast, and here are just a few of the entrepreneurial nuggets of wisdom Rob shares in this episode:


The 3 R's that you need to learn and constantly live by to be successful in ANYTHING that you do: Respect, Responsibility, and Resourcefulness
Shoot for the moon, but feel pride in whatever you accomplish. You don't always have to hit the big home run.
Don't quit your day job so you CAN eventually quit your day job. Keep working while developing your idea until you're sure you have a reason and the means to quit.
The #1 survival tool in any situation is your brain. Never stop learning and growing, and don't ever let yourself get bored.

I promise you'll be motivated and inspired by Rob's enthusiasm, knowledge, and business wisdom. Don't miss this episode of Lessons From The Tank!

To learn more about Rob and The See Rescue Streamer, visit seerescuestreamer.com.


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These teenagers have goals - period. Ayaan and Mickey Naqvi (14 and 15 years old at the time of this podcast) are the most impressive teens I have ever encountered. They have appeared on Shark Tank not once but twice, and, despite not getting a deal both times, their passion, drive, and positive attitudes are off-the-charts amazing!

Anyone with children or pets recognizes the problem of ornaments being knocked off (or just falling off) the Christmas tree. Ornament Anchor, a simple invention to keep your Christmas tree ornaments securely in place, was born when Ayaan set out to solve the problem when he was only in the 4th grade. He created Ornament Anchor as a school project and quickly learned it was a high-demand product.

With the help of their parents, the Naqvi brothers started shopping their concept at Christmas markets, then delved into e-commerce. The popularity of Ornament Anchor eventually landed them on CNN, Good Morning America, and QVC, and business is booming for these young entrepreneurs. (The Sharks definitely missed out on this one!)

In the short amount of time I spent with Ayaan and Mickey on this episode of my Lessons From The Tank podcast, I was blown away and entirely inspired by their intelligence and wisdom beyond their years. Here are just a few of the many topics they crushed in less than 30 minutes:


Failure is just a lesson and often even a good thing because it causes you to pivot, think differently, and move on to the next success.
Real success always includes generosity. Giving back and making a difference is a huge motivator.
You will learn so much more about your demographic and your product if you're willing to take the grass-roots approach. But entrepreneurs often want to skip this part.
If someone is willing to outwork you, they deserve to take your place. Never assume you'll stay on top. Work for it every day.

Don't miss this episode of the Lessons From The Tank podcast! I promise these two incredible young men will inspire you!

Learn more and purchase at ornamentanchor.com. Also available on Amazon and over 600 Lowe's locations.


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Kim Burney noticed how the people in her family jumped at the chance to use chainsaws when she suggested that the trees on their property needed to be trimmed. So when she asked if anyone would like to carve the Thanksgiving turkey and got crickets from the whole crowd, she joked that if they could do it with a chainsaw, they would have all been fighting over the job. And that's how the Mighty Carver was born - one of the most fun products I've seen on Shark Tank!

Kim and her husband Lance appeared in Season 12, Episode 4 of Shark Tank, and they had to choose between 4 of the Sharks battling for the deal. And since The Mighty Carver appeared on the show, incredible things have happened. When we recorded this episode, Mighty Carver was scheduled to be featured on the Home Shopping Network, it had been on the cover of Sharper Image, and Lance and Kim had a meeting set with a big box store. They even got the attention of one of the world's largest chainsaw manufacturers, who reached out for a meeting.

There were some bumps along the road, though, and some lessons learned the hard way for these new entrepreneurs. Kim and Lance gained a lot of wisdom and insight from those experiences and shared some great tips for how to avoid the mistakes they made.

Be sure to check out this episode and The Mighty Carver. It would be an excellent gift for the holidays!

Learn more at mightycarver.com.


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An N95 air filter mask – for your dog? That’s precisely what Kirby Holmes, my recent Lessons From The Tank Podcast guest, invented and pitched on Shark Tank.

It may sound crazy at first – and a few of the Sharks thought so, too – but maybe you live in an area prone to wildfires, red tide brevetoxin, pollen allergens, desert dust, volcanic ash, etc. During these events, if there is no evacuation, your dog still needs to go outside and be walked. Kirby realized that if a person felt the need to wear a mask to protect themselves from environmental toxins, their dog is breathing that same air and should be protected too.

Kirby, and his cousin Evan Daughterty, did a deep dive into canine respiratory health. They met with multiple professors who specialize in this field, sought expert advice, and followed scientific data before bringing launching K9 Mask.

Reviews were mixed, mainly because many believed that masking might be more harmful to the animal than the toxins they were breathing and that they may just be trying to capitalize on the Coronavirus. The team took some heat from the public for a while but continued their steadfast journey for animal safety.

In this episode of my Lessons From The Tank podcast, Kirby talks about how they handled the pressure and the true heart behind their invention. He shares what they learned from their experience in the Tank and what’s next for their business.

Check out k9mask.com for the complete product line and story behind K9 Mask.


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