Here's What Went Down With Curie After Shark Tank
If you're a "Shark Tank" fan, you're probably familiar with Sarah Moret's business venture, Curie. The brand offers a range of aluminum-free deodorants and skincare products, with Moret taking her idea in front of the sharks during the March 11, 2022, episode of the ABC business show, Season 13, Episode 17.
Moret had actually applied to be on the show two years earlier, though she wasn't chosen to be one of the primary businesses featured on the show. She tried again in 2021 and ended up on stand-by, as in, the show would get her in if they had space to fill. Moret was then contacted by producers in September 2021 and was told she had just two hours to get to the "Shark Tank" studio and pitch her idea.
"I just jumped in the car; my fiancé was driving, and he brought me home as fast as possible in the carpool lane. I curled my hair, got ready in 20 minutes and did my makeup in the passenger seat of his car for a primetime TV show," she recalled during an interview with dot.LA. At that point, Curie (which Moret founded with $12,000) was already making $700,000 in sales in its second year and was being sold in more than 300 stores across the U.S., as well as being available to purchase via QVC. But that was just the beginning.
Sarah Moret had an eventful time on Shark Tank
Already an established business, Sarah Moret had a lot to lose when she took Curie on "Shark Tank." The entrepreneur went on the show looking for $300,000 in exchange for a 5% share in her business, which wasn't yet bringing in a profit, though Moret explained she was looking to make a very impressive $2 million in 2021. But that still wasn't enough to attract all the sharks. Lori Greiner, Kevin O'Leary, Mark Cuban, and Barbara Corcoran all bowed out following the pitch, which left only Daymond John in the running. John then offered Moret the full $300,000 she was looking for, but he wanted 20% of the business — 15% more than Monet was initially offering. That's why Moret came back with another counteroffer, asking if John would drop to a 12% stake. "I know my worth, I know the company's worth and I'm not backing down," she confidently told him (via Dot.LA).
But, proving anything can happen on "Shark Tank," John then dropped out after Moret explained she only had two hours to prepare — which was good news for Mark Cuban and Barbara Corcoran. The previously out sharks came back in, offering the full amount for 14% of the business. Monet once again asked to drop to 12% and another 2% in advisory shares, before the trio then agreed to shake hands at 10% and 4% advisory shares for $300,000. See, we told you it was eventful!
Curie became very profitable after Shark Tank
Clearly all the back and forth on "Shark Tank" was worth it though, because Curie went on to big things after the episode aired. In the first 24 hours, clean beauty brand Curie totally sold out all of its deodorants and amassed an impressive 5,000-strong waitlist. "Our biggest hurdle right now is just getting back in stock quickly, so we can get people their deodorant," Sarah Moret told dot.LA of the wild success Curie has seen since its big TV appearance. But that was nothing compared to the months that followed.
During Season 14, Episode 6, which aired in November 2022, "Shark Tank" gave an update on Moret's business. In the segment, the entrepreneur revealed the number of people on the waitlist had tripled to 15,000 and each restock of the deodorants had completely sold out. Moret explained that Barbara Corcoran had been giving her a lot of advice to keep Curie going, and explained the company was now profitable having amassed a huge $1.6 million in sales.
Moret also dished on life after the show in a video posted to Curie's Instagram page in November 2022, explaining the company did more business in the night following the episode's airing than it had in its first year. "Going on 'Shark Tank' was truly a life-changing experience and I would do it again in a heartbeat," she shared.
Curie now has more than 80,000 customers
As of July 2023, Curie is very much still in business and working hard to keep products available. In a March 2023 blog post, Sarah Moret said that the Curie staff had grown from two people to five as she shared some of the company's biggest milestones since appearing on "Shark Tank," including a partnership with the Equinox Luxury Fitness Clubs, selling out after a live segment on QVC, and the launch of the brand's sniff club. Not only that, but Moret also shared the company has more than 80,000 customers. "This past year has been life-changing for myself, and Curie. Overall, the 'Shark Tank Bump' never slowed down, in the best way possible!" she shared.
"It's really changed the company. It's the gift that keeps on giving," Moret told Bostonia in September 2022 of the "Shark Tank" boost. "Obviously, when it aired, we saw a huge increase in sales. But it has continued to have a positive effect on the company because it gives us that legitimacy."
Curie is expanding in more ways than 1
It seems like Curie's big plans for the future include a whole lot of expanding, in more than one way. In July 2023, Sarah Moret confirmed on LinkedIn that the business was looking to add to its already expanding headcount with an Operations Coordinator, proving things are clearly going well in the clean beauty industry. But that's not the only way Curie is growing. It appears the brand is also getting bigger when it comes to products. Curie launched two new scents in 12 months, Juniper Eucalyptus and Coconut Nectar. She also shared on Instagram that there were more products coming into the mix, as she confirmed in the July 1 upload that the company had launched its Mini Deodorant Sticks.
And it seems like Moret knows exactly how to keep her business going with her savvy entrepreneurial spirit. "Always focus on every product being a solution to someone's problem. I see a lot of companies struggle because they are selling something that people don't actually need," she told Bostonia.