*A 19-year-old entrepreneur has inked a deal with Mark Cuban on ABC’s “Shark Tank.”
Tania Speaks was bullied at high school for her bushy eyebrows, but her bullies became her customers when she launched an eyebrow gel, and the massive success of the elixir allowed her to expand her organic beauty line, Tania Speaks Organic Skincare. The collection includes beard growth oil, cleanser, toners, and moisturizers.
The brand’s website states, “We believe ingredients matter and carefully formulate our products with naturally sourced ingredients for individuals to attain a healthy skin routine and build confidence in their flaws.”
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In an interview with Popsugar, Speaks said, “Unfortunately, during the pandemic, I had to shut down my business temporarily and rebrand. I knew that I couldn’t shut down for good because at this point, I had been featured in Forbes and Time magazines — I couldn’t just abandon my customers. That’s when I started researching cleansers, toners, and other skin-care products. I didn’t have much knowledge on that prior because I wasn’t that serious about skincare yet. But by not putting too much pressure on myself and not overthinking it, I started mixing things together and seeing what would work for me personally. That’s how I came out with the cleanser, the toner, and the moisturizer all at the same time. It took me 60 days, and we expanded into organic skin care.”
On “Shark Tank,” Speaks requested $400,000 for a 10% equity in her brand, Meaww reports. Cuban initially backed out of negotiations but he was so impressed with her pitch that he later offered to invest in her company.
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Cuban offered to invest in Speaks on the condition that she would meet his two daughters so they could learn from her. Speaks happily agreed but countered his offer with a 15% stake, for which Cuban accepted.
“I couldn’t ask for a better outcome. Like, it was amazing. They even said I would sit there one day and be a Shark. Like, that’s the highest compliment I’ve ever had,” Speaks said.
In an interview with Forbes, she explained, “In recent years, bullying has increased. Some victims are turning to dangerous and even deadly outcomes to escape such incidents. I am grateful that I found a way out of bullying by starting my own business. It boosted my self-esteem tremendously. Now, the negative opinions of others don’t impact me. Entrepreneurship found me. I love helping other teens who are being bullied and lack confidence to embrace their flaws. My horrible experiences helped show me how to turn tragedy into triumph.”
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