We’ve all watched an episode of Shark Tank and thought, If they didn’t get a deal, game over, right? Not so fast. HairyGrabster is the story you show every side hustler who thinks you need Shark money to make moves. This isn’t a fairy-tale pitch or tech unicorn fantasy. It’s a real founders’ grind—and where the real brand growth happens after the TV cameras go dark.
HairyGrabster—Fixing the Hairy Truth Hiding in Your Shower
Straight talk—there’s nothing glamorous about yanking clumps of hair out of your shower drain. If you have long hair (or anyone in your house does), it’s a recurring horror show. HairyGrabster’s core pitch? Slap their little silicone pad in your shower and stop the mess before it starts. Is it sexy? No. Is it needed? For a lot of folks, absolutely. Products like this are the ones that stick—not because they’re flashy, but because they solve the stuff nobody wants to talk about.
That’s where the real money hides: solving ugly, ignored problems with a clean solution.
Meet Andy and Patty Watne—The Hustlers Behind the Grabster
This isn’t your classic Silicon Valley founder couple. Andy and Patty Watne are regular people from Orland Park, Illinois. No fancy startup pedigree. No celebrity co-sign. Just two parents sick of scrubbing hair out of their shower, who realized millions of others were in the same boat.
They didn’t launch with a fat bank account. The earliest Grabster prototypes were probably as DIY as it gets. But grit? You could see it in their pitch.
Lesson for budding founders: some of the best ideas start at home, fixing a pain that’s driving you nuts. That’s real product-market fit.
So, How Does HairyGrabster Actually Work?
The HairyGrabster is brutally simple. It’s a silicone pad that sticks to your shower wall. While you’re washing, you swipe your loose hair onto it. The textured surface grabs and collects the strands. After your shower, peel it off, toss the hair, repeat.
Is it the next Tesla? No. But sometimes simplicity wins. Grabster stood out because it’s focused. No moving parts. No instructions needed. Even the price point is tight: $9.99 at launch, with just $1.30 in manufacturing costs. The kind of margin that should grab a Shark’s attention—if, and only if, you can move serious numbers.
Since Shark Tank, they’ve added a butterfly version, smart for nabbing the family/kids (and let’s be honest, anyone who wants something cute in the bathroom).
What’s the Real Net Worth and Value Play?
Let’s cut through the fantasy projections you see thrown around. Andy and Patty walked into the Tank asking for $75,000 for 20% of HairyGrabster. That’s a $375,000 valuation—modest by Shark standards.
But here’s the rub: their sales at the point of filming? Only about $600. Yeah, you read that right. I’ve watched pitches crumble over that kind of number. Every Shark can smell hope from real dollar traction.
Yet, their $9.99 price with $1.30 in costs? Strong margins, even for wholesale and retail expansion. That’s what gets investors raising eyebrows—once you crack distribution.
So what’s HairyGrabster’s value now? Tough to pin a hard number, but after airing and moving thousands of units, the company’s likely worth well north of their original ask. Not eight figures, but out of side hustle territory and into legit small business territory. SharkWorth, one of the few sites tracking Shark Tank companies, tags them as still operational and growing—which says plenty.
The Shark Tank Pitch: High Drama, Hitchcock-Style
If you’re ever pitching, take notes here. Andy and Patty didn’t play it straight—they went for a little theater. Andy did a fake Psycho shower scene, Patty screamed, and every Shark cracked up. Was it cringey? Maybe a bit. Did it make them memorable? Oh, absolutely.
When they broke down the numbers, though, things got cold. The Sharks want proof you can sell—friends and family and $600 don’t cut it. Andy admitted most of their early customer acquisition was via Facebook ads, but ROI was painful.
The Sharks’ questions got tough. The Watnes didn’t dodge—their honesty was real. Sometimes, just saying, We know it’s small now, but the market is massive, is enough to keep Sharks listening.
The Sharks’ Real Response: All Nos, But Not for the Usual Reasons
This is where many viewers get it twisted. No one slammed the product as useless. In fact, Mark Cuban even called it the best product he’d heard in the Tank. But there were issues:
- Kevin O’Leary had already bet on Drainwig, a similar hair-grabbing product. He flat-out said he doesn’t want another player in his space.
- Daymond John thought they were far too early—too many loose ends, not enough data.
- Barbara Corcoran felt the problem itself wasn’t big enough, which, given the viral sales later, is debatable.
- Lori Greiner said the market was too niche.
- Mark Cuban liked it, but wanted them to focus on social and influencer marketing, not just ads.
If you’re reading, here’s the truth: most nos aren’t about you. They’re about timing, market fit, and the investor’s own bets or comfort zone.
What Happened After Shark Tank? The Shark Tank Effect Is Real
Here’s where things get real for anyone who thinks the TV deal is everything. The Watnes left with no Shark money, but Shark Tank launched HairyGrabster into the spotlight anyway.
The night their episode aired, sales jumped. Over 2,000 units sold immediately. Hundreds of thousands of eyeballs, all for the cost of a plane ticket and some nerves on TV.
Want to know how powerful that window is? The Grabster team reported thousands of orders, emails, and online messages in days. That’s called the Shark Tank effect—brand validation, plus instant proof your ugly duckling idea can actually fly.
They even rolled out a butterfly Grabster (smart move, leveraging attention and launching a new SKU). Since airing, they’ve landed on Amazon and in Walmart’s digital shelves. That’s retail muscle, not just DTC hustle.
Where Are They Now? Still Clinging to the Shower Wall, Still Selling
A lot of Shark Tank products spike, then vanish. As someone who’s seen more brand flops than I care to admit, the fact HairyGrabster is still selling two years later is legit impressive.
The Watnes didn’t stop pitching. They took their Shark Tank attention and swung hard into online retail. By mid-2024, they’re live on Amazon and Walmart.com, plus their own site. No official revenue disclosures, but brand activity plus those retail wins say the company’s bringing in steady sales.
HairyGrabster’s never going to be a billion-dollar unicorn. That’s not the point. If your product’s a household staple, solving a real pain, you can win for years without six-figure deals or champagne launches. The Watnes get that.
Real Lessons for Entrepreneurs: Off-Camera Wins and Fails
You want the no-BS lessons from HairyGrabster’s Shark Tank saga? Here you go:
- Getting rejected on TV doesn’t mean you’re done.
- Solve problems nobody wants to deal with. People pay for relief, not buzzwords.
- Low-tech, high-margins beats flash if you can move volume.
- Sharks want proof of traction. $600 in sales won’t cut it—but 2,000 sales in 24 hours? That’s momentum.
- Use every platform to expand—move from DTC to retail. Trust me, shelf space is validation.
- Rejection is rerouting. If a Shark says no, take their criticism and turn it into upgrades or smarter marketing.
- Nothing’s more contagious than hustle and honesty in a pitch.
- Leverage the Shark Tank effect. If you land national TV, own that wave—drop new SKUs, push new sales, answer every DM.
From pitch rooms to cash registers, it’s always about smart pivots and relentless follow-up. That’s the game.
The Grit Behind Every “No”—Should You Chase the Shark Tank Dream?
Let’s cut through the highlight reel. Not every business is built on venture capital, viral moments, or TV fame. The Watnes got a hard no from every Shark. They could have packed up, blamed the market, and gone back to their day jobs.
But they played the long game, took every ounce of national buzz, and built something sticky—literally and figuratively.
So, if you’re mulling over applying to Shark Tank or fearing your last rejection email, remember this: The deal isn’t everything. The real muscle is in how you react and where you go next.
Back yourself. Iterate. Sell something that fixes life’s real annoyances. Then, even if every Shark in the Tank throws you a no, you might still claw your way to a retail win.
SharkWorth has HairyGrabster marked as still kicking. For a business that solves a problem everyone has but nobody brags about? That’s a bigger win than most Instagram-friendly gadgets ever see.
FAQs
1. Is HairyGrabster still in business after Shark Tank?
Yes. HairyGrabster is still in business and selling online via Amazon, Walmart, and their own shop.
2. Did any Shark ever invest in HairyGrabster after the show aired?
No. All five Sharks passed—none circled back with a late deal.
3. Where can I buy HairyGrabster now?
Grab one on Amazon, Walmart’s website, or directly from their own site.
4. Did Andy and Patty Watne launch any new products?
Yes. They now offer a butterfly-shaped Grabster and continue to experiment with colors and packaging.
5. How much is HairyGrabster worth today?
Exact numbers are private, but it’s worth far more than the $375,000 valuation at the time of Shark Tank.
6. How many units did they sell after appearing on TV?
Over 2,000 in the first days post-episode; thousands more since, with growing retail momentum.
7. What did the Sharks criticize most about HairyGrabster?
Mainly the early sales numbers and concerns about the market size or product niche.
8. Is HairyGrabster more successful now than before Shark Tank?
No contest. Shark Tank publicity kicked off a real surge in orders, sales, and brand awareness.
Tough? Yeah. But that’s how real founders grow—out of the spotlight, one no at a time.
