Let’s bust a myth right up front: not every Shark Tank deal sets you up for life. They got a deal—so what? That’s the piece nobody tells you. Geek My Tree, with its flashy Christmas lights, lit up the Tank’s holiday special. But the real question isn’t whether the lights wowed the Sharks. It’s whether any of it actually paid off in dollars, growth, and business sanity after the cameras stopped rolling.
This is the Geek My Tree story—the wild ride from pitch to wind-down, lessons and all—broken down in plain English by someone who’s seen pitch rooms and the hangover that sometimes follows a Shark-fueled high.
Meet Brad Boyink: The Guy Behind Geek My Tree’s Glow
Every crazy Shark Tank pitch starts with a founder who’s willing to gamble everything. Brad Boyink is that guy. He wasn’t just chasing dollars—he wanted to blow up how we decorate our Christmas trees. The man didn’t invent some party trick; he went for a real moonshot: bringing pro-level animated lights into every living room.
You have to have guts—or maybe a little bit of delusion—to try to change a tradition as old as tangled extension cords. Boyink’s gamble? The world was ready for $300+ Christmas lights. Was he right? Let’s just say, the grind was real.
The Product: Geek My Tree’s GlowBall LED Spin
Let’s talk product. Most Christmas light setups are a war against tangled wires and that one bulb that kills the whole string. Geek My Tree was different. Brad’s GlowBall system dropped from the top of the tree, setting up in minutes. Each bulb? A showpiece: full-spectrum LEDs that created pro-level light displays—all controlled by an app and, if you paid up, your music.
I’ve seen a lot of gadgets try to fix headaches people barely care to solve. This one solved a real problem—but with pro-grade features most of us didn’t realize we wanted until we saw it in action. That’s always a risk. The demo? Showstopping. The retail price point? A gut punch.
The Ask: Shark Tank Numbers—And Boyink’s Bold Valuation
Let’s cut to the cash. Brad Boyink went into the Tank asking for $225,000 for 25%. Do the math: that’s a $900,000 valuation. This isn’t Monopoly money—this is a premium, seasonal product with limited history and real manufacturing headaches.
But here’s what I noticed. He was transparent with the Sharks: build costs were high, retail was high, and if he could scale, the price would drop. That’s classic if-then startup math. If volume soared, margins would loosen up. Problem: no one scales a seasonal product overnight.
I’ve seen founders go too greedy with their ask, scaring everyone off. Boyink played it aggressive, but not delusional. The logic was there, and he justified every number. The problem wasn’t the math—it was reality.
Did the $900,000 Valuation Pass the Smell Test?
Valuations on Shark Tank are part art, part wishful thinking, part flex. Boyink’s $900,000 was borderline believable for the level of tech you saw—but every Shark knows: Christmas products get one shot a year.
Here’s where it gets tough. The mass market wasn’t running to shell out half a grand for tree lights, even if they’re the Ferrari of Christmas. That’s what spooked the Sharks. The value was there in the idea, not the sales. And after the Tank, with cash and real-world grind, the market had the final word.
Once the bump from Shark Tank faded, the numbers couldn’t keep up. The $900K valuation? Decent for TV, but it didn’t hold as running costs pummeled the business. This happens a lot—and if you’re pricing off hopes instead of scalable demand, prepare to pivot or perish.
Shark Reactions: Who Bit, Who Shook Their Head, and Barbara’s Zinger
There’s a moment in every episode where you can see a Shark thinking, Would I even buy this, myself? That’s where Boyink’s pitch almost died. Kevin O’Leary loved the tech. Mark Cuban saw the vision. Laurie looked at the price tag, shook her head. Then Barbara dropped the hammer: The only person who would buy this would be someone living in a mansion on a cliff.
What killed a deal for some Sharks? Price and demand. A $299 starter kit, $399 for music sync, and a $200 expansion—recreating the full demo cost over $500. For a niche, once-a-year use? That’s a tough sell, even for someone who wants the best.
But O’Leary—Mr. Wonderful himself—bit. He agreed to Boyink’s ask. Sometimes that’s all you need: one Shark who bets against the odds.
The Deal: Kevin O’Leary Steps In—But Did It Matter?
Let’s keep it real. Getting a deal with Kevin O’Leary on national TV is a dream, but dreams often wake you up cold. O’Leary’s offer? $225,000 for 25%. That’s faith in the tech, not the numbers.
But here’s the thing no one says out loud: post-show, a lot of Shark Tank deals fizzle in due diligence, or the help never comes in fast enough. We saw the handshake. But product logistics, volume discounts, and real-world expansion? That’s where Boyink hit the grind.
Big investment checks solve plenty—but they don’t fix production costs overnight, and they sure can’t magic up a giant customer base for a high-ticket seasonal gadget.
After Shark Tank: The Geek My Tree Rollercoaster
If you’ve ever launched a seasonal product, you know this pain: one big month to make or break your year. Geek My Tree saw the flash: holiday buzz, a post-show sales bump, and lots of attention. For a hot moment, families wanted trees lit up like Fifth Avenue.
But scaling is brutal. Retailers want better margins, manufacturers won’t lower costs without major order volumes, and customers get sticker shock. Boyink kept grinding—he rolled out new variations and even tried to lower costs.
But here’s a lesson every founder needs: not every Shark Tank boost leads to retail domination. Despite sales growth and Kevin’s deal, the market capped them. Too expensive for mass-market, too niche for big-box retail, too early for cheap Chinese knockoffs to threaten—but too late (and too costly) to change the rules.
In the end? The company shut its doors by 2018. High costs and a thin market will outlast any TV buzz.
Is Geek My Tree Still Around? The Truth in 2025
Short answer: no. Geek My Tree shut down in 2018 and hasn’t been revived as of 2025. All the lights, all the tech—the business just couldn’t out-hustle its cost structure and limited repeat buyers.
There’s no new website, no product reboot, and Brad Boyink hasn’t announced a comeback. The idea had merit, but the grind of seasonal sales, premium pricing, and manufacturing reality broke the business. That’s not a knock on Boyink—that’s life in startup land, especially for hardware and niche gadgets.
If you’re an entrepreneur thinking, What if I Shark Tank’d my idea?—this is the cautionary tale you need.
Lessons Learned: For Founders and Hustlers with Big Ideas
Here’s what real entrepreneurs take from Geek My Tree’s story:
1. Seasonal is a double-edged sword:
Big upside, huge risk. Cash flow can bury you, and you get one real shot a year.
2. Premium price needs a premium market—fast:
Selling high-ticket goods to the masses is way different than impressing the Sharks with a pro-grade demo.
3. Manufacturing eats dreams for breakfast:
If you can’t get costs down quickly, growth will kill you even faster than slow sales.
4. Reality checks beat hype:
TV buzz fades. Actual margin, demand, and logistics stay forever.
5. One smart deal isn’t enough:
Getting a Shark doesn’t guarantee anything without the right product-market fit and scalable demand.
6. Sometimes, wait and improve wins out:
If the price is too high, stay small, keep building, and only scale once the numbers work.
Every founder gets seduced by a big bang moment on TV. But most real wins are slow, steady, and unspectacular. Geek My Tree’s grind—brief, bright, and finished—proves it.
Geek My Tree FAQs: What Everyone Wants to Know
1. Is Geek My Tree still in business after Shark Tank?
No. The company officially closed in 2018 and hasn’t made a comeback since.
2. Did Kevin O’Leary actually invest and what happened to his stake?
He made a deal on Shark Tank, but little public info exists about his direct involvement after the show.
3. Why did Geek My Tree shut down even after landing a deal?
High costs, tough margins, and not enough demand at premium price points killed it.
4. Was the product ever mass-produced for a lower price?
Brad Boyink tried, but never hit mass-market pricing. Production costs remained high.
5. What was Geek My Tree’s sales performance right after the episode aired?
They saw a sales bump, but not enough volume to sustain the business long term.
6. Is Brad Boyink working on any new startups or products?
There’s no public info about new ventures from Boyink.
7. Can I buy Geek My Tree lights anywhere today?
No, they’re out of business and off shelves as of 2025.
8. What’s the biggest lesson for entrepreneurs from this Shark Tank story?
Niche hardware with high costs is a dangerous game. Demand, production, and price have to lock in—fast.
The SharkWorth Recap: Real Business, Real Risks, No Regrets
End of the day, here’s my honest take—and the kind of inside scoop you’ll only find at SharkWorth. Geek My Tree had one of the most ambitious pitches in holiday product history. It was bold, showy, and technically sharp.
But the business world doesn’t hand out trophies for potential. If you’re going to make hardware, especially in a seasonal, premium game, you’d better have ironclad control over your costs and know your customer. Otherwise, the dream dies quick.
Brad Boyink swung for the fences, wowed the Sharks, and even got Kevin O’Leary’s money on paper. But scaling, margins, and the cold napkin math of seasonal demand won out. Now? No shame in that game—just lessons for hustlers everywhere.
If you love Shark Tank stories, want to learn what really matters after the cameras, or just need the straight story before you chase your own moonshot, stick with SharkWorth. We’ll call it like it is—hype, hustle, heartbreak, and all.
