The Most Iconic ‘Shark Tank’ Pitch in 15 Seasons

• From a smiley-faced sponge to a multimillion-dollar enterprise, Scrub Daddy’s success on Shark Tank stands out for its innovative design.
• Aaron Krause’s journey to creating Scrub Daddy serves as an inspiring example of perseverance and ingenuity in the business world.
• Partnering with Lori Greiner was a game-changer for Scrub Daddy, helping the product scale, expand, and become one of Shark Tank’s most successful pitches.

Since its premiere in August 2009, Shark Tank has introduced the world to some of the most unique business ideas. Over the years, hundreds of entrepreneurs have pitched their products to the show’s panel of celebrity investors — also known as the Sharks — in hopes of securing funding and mentorship. From an alarm clock that wakes you up with the smell of bacon to a toilet bowl that has revolutionized people’s bowel movements, many of the show’s pitches have stood out for their creativity and success. However, one pitch that exceeds the memorability of the rest is Scrub Daddy. With its innovative product design, it’s no surprise that Scrub Daddy went on to become one of Shark Tank’s biggest successes.

Scrub Daddy premiered on Shark Tank Season 4, Episode 7, in 2012. Aaron Krause, the CEO and inventor of Scrub Daddy, walked into the tank and won over the Sharks with his convincing presentation. Krause introduced the Scrub Daddy, a smiley-faced sponge that changed the way people cleaned their kitchens and homes. Krause demonstrated how the sponge changes texture based on water temperature — firm in cold water for tough scrubbing and soft in warm water for gentle cleaning. This versatility, combined with an ergonomic design and durability, was a game changer for Scrub Daddy. But what really impressed the Sharks was Krause’s journey to this point, which was as compelling as his product itself!

Krause began his career running an international manufacturing company for car buffing pads. His average workday included repairing car machinery, which meant that his hands were always dirty. That’s when he set out to invent a product that would help him clean his hands effectively and comfortably. The entrepreneur soon discovered that a highly engineered polymer foam was the solution to all of his problems. The design of the foam was round, grooved on one side, and featured two holes punched out of its center for better grip. The entrepreneur patented the unique design and tried marketing it to several body shops. However, no one initially saw the value in Krause’s unique sponge. Eventually, he was forced to scrap the idea.

In 2008, multinational conglomerate 3M acquired Aaron Krause’s buffing pad company. However, they had no interest in his original patented products and Scrub Daddy was left out of the deal. It wasn’t until 2011 that Krause happened to rediscover some of his older inventions, including the sponge. When cleaning lawn furniture, Krause noticed that the sponge worked exceptionally well without scratching any surface, and its texture changed with temperature. That’s when he realized the true potential of his product. This discovery led him to test the foam on dishes, where it performed brilliantly. Adding a smiley face design for better utensil cleaning, Krause secured another patent and invested $75,000 in production before ending up in the Tank.

By 2012, the entrepreneur had already started capitalizing on the genius of his product. He secured a weekend front-page business feature in the Philadelphia Inquirer and made two successful appearances on QVC’s shopping channel, where Scrub Daddy sold out within eight minutes. That’s when Krause knew that he had to go on Shark Tank to take his business to the next level. The entrepreneur walked into the tank asking for $100,000 for 10% of his business. Krause walked the Sharks through his scaling strategy and explained that he wanted to use the funding to set up an independent manufacturing facility for Scrub Daddy. Doing so would allow him to ramp up production and increase sales. Krause’s big vision was to take his product into retail. According to Business Insider, at the time, Krause was selling Scrub Daddy in five ShopRite grocery stores in New Jersey, owned by his friend. The rest of his sales were all from wholesale. However, that just wasn’t enough for him.

In Krause’s own words, “This needs to be in every supermarket, drugstore, Walgreens, CVS.” But right off the bat, Kevin O’Leary and Robert Herjavec were skeptical of the entrepreneur’s vision. They believed that Scrub Daddy wouldn’t perform well in retail. And while Krause tried to counter their reservations, they just didn’t want to listen. Similarly, Mark Cuban seemed to think that the product’s QVC sales couldn’t be used to measure its success. But Krause made it very clear that the Sharks “didn’t know who they were dealing with,” because he had tons of product ideas up his sleeve to take Scrub Daddy to the next level. However, that just wasn’t enough to convince Cuban. But that’s when Shark Lori Greiner came in to save the day.

Lori Greiner is known as the “Queen of QVC,” after launching several products on QVC, many of which have become bestsellers. In the Shark’s own words, she has done over “5 million in sales” on QVC, which is why she believed she was the perfect partner for Krause. However, before she could jump in, Mr. Wonderful offered Krause $100,000 for a 50% stake in Scrub Daddy. And that’s when the bidding war began. This led to one of the most memorable moments of the show, when Krause confidently turned down O’Leary’s offer. The entrepreneur recognized the value and potential of Scrub Daddy. So, he responded to O’Leary’s offer with a decisive and confident “You’re out!” This bold move only proved that Krause was an entrepreneur who knew how to stand firm on his valuation and vision.

Daymond John was the second shark to make an offer of $50,000 for a 15%, asking Greiner if she wanted to partner with him for the remaining $50,000. But the Queen of QVC wanted to go in on the product solo. The turning point of the episode came when Greiner stepped in with her offer of $100,000 for 30% equity. However, the bidding war among the Sharks intensified as the pitch progressed. The three Sharks fought among themselves, trying to convince Krause to pick them. However, when Greiner revised her offer to $200,000 for 25%, it was over. Krause eventually convinced her to go down to 20% for the same investment, and Greiner agreed.

Krause’s decision to partner with Greiner instead of the other sharks was pivotal. Greiner’s expertise and her ability to leverage QVC’s platform were exactly what Scrub Daddy needed to reach its full potential. In Greiner’s words, “connections are everything.” As an inventor herself, with over 120 patents to her name, Greiner understood the challenges and opportunities Scrub Daddy had in product development. Right off the bat, Greiner’s influence helped sell 42,000 sponges in under seven minutes on QVC. This strategic partnership provided the visibility and expertise Krause needed to transform Scrub Daddy from a promising product into a multimillion-dollar enterprise.

Post Shark Tank, Greiner facilitated Scrub Daddy’s placement in major retail stores like Walmart, Bed Bath & Beyond, and Target, expanding its reach to a broader audience. The exposure of national television and Greiner’s connections helped the company scale like never before. Soon after securing the funding, Krause purchased a larger manufacturing facility and relocated his team to Scrub Daddy’s current headquarters in Folcroft, Pennsylvania. In May 2014, ABC aired a special titled Swimming with Sharks, where Scrub Daddy was officially named to be “Shark Tank’s most successful product to date,” though it has since been surpassed.

Greiner also helped Scrub Daddy expand its product range and played a crucial role in transforming Krause’s smiley-faced sponges into household names. Nearly 12 years after Krause’s appearance on Shark Tank, the company has a presence in 17 countries, sustaining its success better than most successful pitches on the business show. The product’s one-of-a-kind design, combined with Greiner’s market expertise, has ensured that Scrub Daddy remains a dominant player in the market and that’s what makes it the most iconic Shark Tank pitch across the show’s 15 seasons.

All seasons of Shark Tank are available to stream on Hulu in the U.S.

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