Here's What Went Down With SPERGO After Shark Tank
We love the world of "Shark Tank," with its wild pitches, its creative entrepreneurs, and the amazing products and ideas that these ingenious folks pitch. It's a reality show based on cool ideas and hard work. While there seems to be no limit to the range of products that get pitched, we're obsessed with all of the clothing lines that have come out of the show. There have been endless fashion pitches — all incredibly innovative, though not all successful. There was BootayBag, a monthly underwear subscription that got scooped up by guest shark Kendra Scott. Then there was Mix Bikini, a mix-and-match bikini line that caught Barbara Corcoran's attention — and her money — but failed. Then there was Boobypack, a specialty sports bra that had pockets in it. Brilliant! Corcoran thought so too and the brand has done really well.
Well, SPERGO came on the scene and also had a happy story. Young entrepreneur Trey Brown pitched his line of high-end athleisure to the sharks, who were blown away not just by the product, but also by him. Philadelphia-based Brown was only 15 when he entered the shark tank, and he did really well on the show. Happily, SPERGO continues to thrive.
What happened to SPERGO on Shark Tank?
Young entrepreneur Trey Brown confidently walked out on "Shark Tank" with his mom Sherell Peterson by his side. Brown was seeking a $300,000 investment for a 10% stake in SPERGO. His pitch was made that much more impressive by the fact that he was only 15 years old, adorable, and the sharks loved it. Brown explained that SPERGO was a designer lifestyle apparel brand, featuring sweatpants, sweatshirts, ball caps, and stylish socks.
Brown explained that at age 12, he invested $178 from his birthday money and created 16 shirts that featured the brand's name and logo, which he designed. The t-shirts sold out instantly and he just kept going. Brown explained that he wanted his brand to thrive because he hoped that SPERGO would create jobs for young people. He even shared that he was able to retire his mom because of the brand's success, and she became his first full-time employee. Brown explained that his goal was to be a billionaire by his 21st birthday, and the sharks cheered.
Brown gave the origin story of SPERGO's name. He combined the first letters of "sports" and then part of "hero," and lastly he added "go" because the brand is for "go-getters," he said. While some of the sharks pulled out, Mark Cuban and Daymond John were intrigued. After some negotiating between the two sharks, it was John who sealed the deal with Brown at 20% of SPERGO for $300,000.
SPERGO After Shark Tank
Things went absolutely wild for Trey Brown after "Shark Tank." This isn't totally uncommon for brands to see a spike in sales after exposure on the show, especially when a pitch goes that well. In November 2021, shortly after his episode aired, Brown told the Philadelphia Business Journal that his sales were "going crazy" and that things had absolutely skyrocketed.
But things had already been booming for Brown. When he arrived on "Shark Tank," SPERGO had already made $1.8 million in sales, and it all started because Brown would go out on the weekend and sell his shirts, refusing to come home until he sold out of all of them. Brown was selling at barber shops, and in 2018, one of the men he interacted with loved Brown's energy and just so happened to have Sean "Diddy" Combs' number. The man gave Brown the number, and Combs posted SPERGO's brand on his Instagram, which resulted in his first wholesale order.
So with things cooking so strongly before he even appeared on "Shark Tank," it's no wonder that things took off for Brown after his success on the show. Combs continued his support by giving Brown $25,000 on The Ellen Show and the Philadelphia 76ers collaborated with Brown, offering him a grant to build a brick-and-mortar store and to wear his merch. "I started SPERGO three years ago, and I would never have imagined that I would be officially stamped a 76ers partner by my home basketball team," Brown told Baller Alert.
SPERGO is still in business
Trey Brown and his brand SPERGO are thriving. His Instagram account, Spergo Billionaire, has over 115,000 followers. SPERGO's website is loaded with new products including new hoodies, sweatpants, and shorts. However, one thing that's mystifying about SPERGO is whether or not the deal actually went through with Daymond John. According to Shark Tank Blog, the deal did go through. The next day, on what was then Twitter, John tweeted: "Kidpreneur Trey from @officialspergo started off selling shirts at the local barber shops in his neighborhood and is now the founder of a company with millions in sales. I'm proud to partner with such an inspirational and driven young man and help him turn his visions into reality," (via Shark Tank Blog).
However, on the official SPERGO website, there's no reference to John or Brown's time on "Shark Tank." One of the few clues pertaining to "Shark Tank" is on Instagram and it's a short clip of Mark Cuban wearing a SPERGO ball cap when he was sampling the merch during Brown's pitch. The post features the caption: "BILLIONAIRE CAP" with sale details. When deals go through, it's much more common to see references in social media to the shark who signed on. In fact, the shark is usually featured frequently on the website, but there's no trace of John on SPERGO's online presence.
What's next for SPERGO?
SPERGO is ahead of the game. On October 3, 2023, the brand posted a teaser on Instagram for an upcoming haul of winter wear. On his personal Instagram account, Trey Brown continues to promote and live the SPERGO lifestyle. He has videos of SPERGO in brick-and-mortar stores, continuing to thrive with sales both in-person and online. And his personal page, complete with clips of Rolls Royces, certainly amplified the SPERGO billionaire goal.
Part of Brown's success is how inspiring and likable he was on "Shark Tank" and in his other public-facing encounters. People love a hard-working entrepreneur. On YouTube, in the comments section of his "Shark Tank" pitch, people couldn't stop expressing how impressed they were with Brown. People also loved Mark Cuban for how much he rallied behind Brown, and loved Daymond John for making a deal with him. "By far the most inspirational person ever on this show. Also Mark is a legend," one person wrote. Frankly, Brown was an inspiration to everyone. "The boy hustled in his early days to get a big celebrity to promote him and grow his business," another began. "God help those working hard by giving them certain opportunities that this young man acquired got his company running." So a major part of Brown's ongoing success, even after "Shark Tank," is how brave and hardworking he is. People have loved watching him grow, and we can't wait to see how far he climbs!