Will they make a deal? Mark Cuban looks impressed. Photo: ABC
Surfers by nature are creative types. Think about it. Mind surfing is comparable to a sculptor staring at a block of marble imagining the masterpiece that lies within. The expertise is in the execution.
So it’s no surprise that Alec and Aric Avedissian have honed their unique idea and made it big time, appearing tonight on ABC’s Shark Tank. Their company, Rareform, takes discarded billboards and turns them into board bags, backpacks, duffels, wallets, and a variety of other soft goods. The idea came about during a trip to South America when they noticed locals using billboard materials for roofing. They knew they could repurpose the same material back in the states for a variety of purposes.
The brothers will be trying to make a deal with one of the sharks when their episode airs tonight at 8PM, and we caught up with them to ask about their experience taping the show.
1. What was your reaction when you learned you’d be on Shark Tank, and what was the impetus for applying in the first place from a business perspective? In other words, what kind of deal did you hope would come out of a best case scenario?
Alec: Relieved, excited that after so many months it was finally going to happen. And then scared and really just hoping that it would go well. Right now we are in a little bit of a panic. We have always known our brand was about the story behind it, so having such a huge platform for telling our story was really important. Best case scenario would be that we’d get exactly what we asked for, but our goal ultimately was just to make a deal.
2. Did you go into the process hoping you’d make a deal with a certain shark?
Alec: We had a few sharks that we knew probably wouldn’t make a deal with us just knowing what they usually go for. There were another few who we thought could be interested, and we just wanted someone who would be the most enthusiastic about the brand.
“The pitch felt like I just worked out the hardest I’ve ever done in my life.” Photo: ABC
3. How did you construct the pitch? Did you start from square one? Anything you tailored specifically to the show format?
Alec: We did mock pitches to numerous people trying to get feedback before we went on. We had people that totally grilled us with our pitch before just to make sure it was clear. Producers had asked us just a few minutes before to be entertaining, so we tried to be entertaining but not royal douchebags. We are a little nervous to see the cut for that reason, haha.
4. Anything you noticed behind the scenes that you found interesting/unusual that viewers at home might not notice/be aware of?
Alec: There were a TON of people in the room when you are pitching and it is not an actual room, it’s a huge warehouse set and it was so much bigger than we thought. There are cameras and TVs at every angle and that was much more nerve-wracking. I wasn’t expecting to pitch in front of 100 people watching, just the sharks. Barbara totally flirted with Aric, I think they are in a relationship, but I can’t be sure.
5. Emotions before, during, and after the taping?
Aric: Before – Very nerve-wracking, we were so nervous but so excited.
During – It is so much adrenaline and they are just firing questions at you.
After – Relieved, but also felt like I just worked out the hardest I’ve ever done in my life. I was so so tired but stoked that it was done.
6. How hard has it been to keep the results of the episode a secret to the general public?
Aric: It’s pretty easy. We told a couple of our closest friends and family so that helped.
7. Most important lessons for aspiring entrepreneurs out there?
Aric: Whatever you decide to do, make sure you love it because you are going to put in a lot of hours.
To see if Rareform makes a deal, tune in tonight at 8PM on ABC. And to learn more about the brand, check out their website.
