Shark Tank's Most Successful Female Entrepreneurs Of All Time
Throughout the decade-plus that "Shark Tank," has been on the air, it has introduced viewers to countless female entrepreneurs. In the business world, where many women have traditionally felt unseen or shut out (As of 2023, only 53 women CEOS run Fortune 500 companies), "Shark Tank'" entrepreneurs have invested millions of dollars into female-owned businesses that may have struggled to get a look in without the ABC show's help.
And there's no doubting that female entrepreneurs (or entrepren-hers, if you will) in particular have seen great success in the Tank. "Shark Tank" staple Kevin O'Leary admitted to CNBC Make It in 2022 that around 75% of his total revenue from the businesses he's invested in on the show have come from female-owned companies. Now that's impressive!
The Sharks have also been vocal in sharing their advice for those who identify as women making their way into the competitive world of business. "I think it's important to not go into any situation thinking of yourself as a woman in business," Lori Greiner explained during a Business In Tech interview. "You should think of yourself as a person in business — as good as, if not better than, anyone else. Be confident and strong about what you know and what you need. Confidence is contagious. If you believe in yourself, others will too," she shared. There are several female entrepreneurs on the show who have totally embodied Greiner's advice, and it's safe to say it has gotten them pretty far.
Leila Shams is still helping women all over the world feel more confident
You may have heard of Leila Shams' brainchild, TA3 Swimwear. Or if you haven't, chances are you've probably seen it online, as it's been spotted on a number of celebrities and gone viral on TikTok. Even former "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star Lisa Rinna is a fan! Shams took the brand into the Tank in 2021, determined to help women across the world feel more confident in their swimwear thanks to her sculpting, supportive, waist cinching design. Shams was looking for $500,000 in exchange for 10% of her company, but, sadly, left the Tank sans investment after the entrepreneurs wanted too much equity.
But it seems she made the right choice. According to The Suite Collective, TA3 brought in $20 million in revenue in 2023 and has expanded to make it easier than ever for people to take the stress out of swimwear shopping. The company now uses the YourFit recommendation tool, making use of technology to help customers easily find the right size.
And Shams is determined to keep helping women feel more confident in their own bodies. "I'm a 5'1" rectangle — that's my body shape — with a short torso and double D boobs. That's my size. My size is not 'small,'" she told The Suite Collective. "To be able to create clothes that fit every body, that is just so exciting. And to make women feel more confident? That can be life-changing."
Sarah Lee and Christine Chang proved they didn't need an investment to be successful
Sarah Lee and Christine Chang are easily two of the most successful female entrepreneurs who've appeared on "Shark Tank" but didn't end up with an investment. Though they did land a deal with Robert Herjavec, his $425,000 investment for 25% of their K-beauty skincare brand, Glow Recipe, didn't end up happening. But that certainly didn't stop them.
The two appeared on the show in 2015, and six years later, Forbes reported the company had racked up a hugely impressive $100 million in sales after landing a private equity firm investment. And things only snowballed from there. In 2024, Fortune confirmed that Glow Recipe had expanded even more and had ballooned to be worth a whopping $300 million.
One of the things we love most about these entrepreneurs though is the way they're using their platform for good. In 2020, they launched the Boss Babes blog series, in which they interviewed other female entrepreneurs and shone alight on their businesses. The two have also spoken out about the importance of diversity and inclusion, particularly for the Asian community. "We're fortunate to have a platform that's large enough where we can help raise awareness for these important issues," Chang told CNBC in 2022. "I think our community appreciates that when hate crimes are on the rise for example, we're not just going to talk about beauty products — these issues are top of mind for us, too."
Julia Cheek's career went from strength to strength after Shark Tank
In 2017, Julia Cheek's hugely successful business, Everlywell, landed a $1 million line of credit finding from Lori Greiner in exchange for 8% interest in her at home health testing company. And these two female business forces working together equalled incredible success.
Everlywell received even more funding after getting Greiner on board, with CB Insights claiming the business raised more than $255 million. Things only grew even bigger from there. Bloomberg confirmed Cheek created parent company Everly Health in 2021 after EverlyWell acquired PWNHealth and Home Access Health Corp., increasing its valuation to an eye-watering $2.2 billion. And that's not the only billion worth mentioning. Greiner revealed in a 2020 "Shark Tank" update that Everlywell had pushed her show investment portfolio over the $1 billion mark for retail sales.
Clearly, Cheek is the woman to look towards for others looking to start their own business — and she's determined to be there for those who may need advice. Everlywell has focused on ensuring there are more women in higher up roles in the company, with Cheek telling Junto Health championing other women is one of her biggest passions. "Female founders tend to have less of a support network than when you are in a corporate leadership role. I think it's helpful to have a small group of female founders/CEOs that you can connect with in your city — those have been my most valuable relationships," she said.
Melissa Butler proved the Shark Tank team wrong
Another entrepreneur who proved a public rejection on "Shark Tank" doesn't have to spell the end for a business is Melissa Butler. Her company, The Lip Bar, didn't land an investment when she and business partner Rosco Spears headed into the Tank in 2015 to show off their vegan beauty products. Their niche? Products that were inclusive of all skin-tones without the chemicals found in too many other items on the market. But the Sharks didn't bite on their offer of $125,000 for 20% equity.
That didn't stop these two from bringing inclusivity to the masses, though. Butler told Makeup.com in 2021 they'd powered through and managed to expand the company from 12 lipstick shades to 150. And she was determined to keep on inspiring. "Our messaging is still focused on inclusion, women's empowerment and knocking down the traditional standards of beauty, but we've evolved our products in a way that's now more cost-friendly," she explained. The Lip Bar went on to be launched in Target and Walmart, and landed a very impressive $6.7 million in funding in 2022, per Forbes.
Going forward, Butler is inspiring us through her dedication to inclusivity. "Since day one our mission has been to challenge the beauty standard and over time it's evolved," she told AishaBeau. "The Lip Bar is a place where you are enough, no matter who you are, no matter where you're from, no matter what you look like, you are enough."
Tracey Noonan and Danielle Vilagie saw wicked success from their cupcakes
Mother and daughter duo Tracey Noonan and Danielle Vilagie got Kevin O'Leary's attention when they took their cupcake company, Wicked Good Cupcakes, onto "Shark Tank" in 2013. O'Leary invested $75,000, and saw quite the return. When Noonan and Vilagie appeared on the show, the company had $150,000 in sales, but it was revealed in a 2016 "Shark Tank" update that number had risen to a massive $10 million. And that success only grew further. In 2021, Hickory Farms acquired Wicked Good Cupcakes for an undisclosed sum, keeping Vilagie on-board after Noonan retired.
As a mother/daughter team in the business world, Noonan and Vilagie had their fair share of struggles. That's why Noonan launched the "Don't Call Me Cupcake" podcast, in which she discusses some of the biggest road blocks she experienced while getting her business off the ground. The two have also shared their pride at being two women in business together and how much they hope to see more female entrepreneurs following in their footsteps. "I've watched Dani grow from a young person trying to find herself to a woman who runs 30 plus employees, and it's made me so proud and so grateful," Noonan shared in their "Shark Tank" update segment. "It's me so proud and so grateful. My biggest hope is that our story inspires other women to start a business and to follow a dream."
Fiona Co Chan got millions in funding for Youthforia
In 2013, Fiona Co Chan got Mark Cuban on board for his first "Shark Tank" beauty investment, and that's a testament to the impressive entrepreneur she is. Cuban invested $400,000 for 8% equity in the beauty company, which sells makeup that's actually good for the skin. So good, in fact, it can be slept in. Chan also found her niche in a universally flattering blush after finding the products on offer elsewhere weren't flattering on a wide range of skin types.
After "Shark Tank," Chan revealed in an interview with Forbes that she'd received further funding to expand the company even more. And, yeah, it's safe to say that things have really taken off for this entrepreneur since then. According to Contra, Youthforia grew to bring in $1.9 million per year in direct to consumer revenue and landed in stores such as ULTA and Credo Beauty.
As a successful entrepreneur, Chan is also using her platform to help those in need. The businesswoman is a staunch supporter of Act To Change, which aims to end bullying. "Being bullied in your youth for how you look like or where your family is from can have lasting effects on someone's self-esteem and mental health," Chan explained to Hill House Home. "I'm really passionate about encouraging people to be proud of where they come from, who they are and encouraging good mental health. Mental health is something that rarely gets discussed in AAPI communities."