By Brittany Coleman

February 4, 2025

What Would You Do If You Had the Chance to Pitch Your Business in Front of Millions?

Reflecting on my time swimming with the Sharks!

I recently got the chance to answer this question when I applied  and ultimately pitched my brand, ToughCutie, on Shark Tank (Season 16, Episode 9).

Since the episode aired, the most common question I get is: “What was it like?

Walking onto the set, I remember feeling super confident. Not gonna lie, that feeling wavered a little when I stepped out and saw literal multimillionaires and billionaires sitting just a few feet away. I’ve pitched before, so that disgusting sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach wasn’t new—but seeing them in real life? That’s when my brain started spiraling: Oh man, are they going to be interested in my business or just roll their eyes—another sock brand?

Even with the brightest effing lights I’ve ever seen shining in my eyes, I pulled it together and started my pitch. Hello Sharks, my name is Brittany Coleman…

Why I Applied to Shark Tank (Despite Knowing It Was Early)

If you watch the show, you know there are entrepreneurs who walk into the Tank, and you think, Why are you even here? Your business is already killing it. You don’t need the money. You don’t need the mentorship—just go sell those blankets, damn.

Yeah. That was not my experience.

If you’ve been following my journey, you know it’s been full of ups and downs. When I stepped into the Tank, the outdoor industry was—arguably, still is—in the toilet. Founders I know personally (amazing human beings) were making the heartbreaking decision to close shop. Others were discounting like their lives depended on it. Fundraising? Nearly impossible. Even the big dogs weren’t feeling confident, despite their almighty prebooks.

Everyone had too much inventory.

And the only brands that seemed to be thriving were the ones that always win… plus Stanley.

I knew (and still know) that there’s a market for what I’m offering. But at that time, I hadn’t yet figured out sell-through at retail, and my DTC efforts were still in their early stages. Why go retail in the first place? As an accessories brand, I had high minimum order quantities (MOQs) to overcome and thought retail was the best route to distribute my product from a volume standpoint. If you get the distribution and people can see the quality for themselves in person then sell-through will follow. Or so I thought. Now, in hindsight, I know it’s not realistic to expect small brands like mine to drive foot traffic to retail stores at scale.

A retail-savvy friend summed it up perfectly:

“Retailers say they want brands to drive traffic and sell through, but that’s impossible (I believe) for a company your size. A company can do that over years, but it’s wayyyy too expensive to actually drive enough customers into a store just for your product—unless you’re Apple or Samsung.”

Another mentor put it more bluntly:“ Yeah, you have to be guerrilla with your marketing. Oh, and make sure you have enough margin.”

…Really, y’all couldn’t have told me this before I went on TV?!

Entrepreneurship is Like Dog Years, But Without the Naps

I legally incorporated ToughCutie in 2019, at the height of the e-commerce darling era—Allbirds, Warby Parker, TOMS. In the outdoor space, brands like Cotopaxi and HydroFlask were skyrocketing to nine-figure annual revenues.

I looked at them and thought, How hard could it be?

Turns out: super hard.

Entrepreneurship years are like dog years—each one ages you exponentially—but instead of cozy naps and belly rubs, you get sleepless nights and the thrill of chasing your own tail. When I incorporated, I was still working another job, figuring out ToughCutie at night and on weekends. I used my vacation days to attend trade shows and pitch my brand. Eventually, I got let go from my job and told myself, Well, shit. I guess I’m doing this full-time now.

It took two years after incorporating to actually start selling. In between, I left another job, leveled up my industry knowledge through accelerators, mentor programs and trade shows, and ultimately launched in REI (not to mention a few other key players).

Why I Went on TV with "Shitty Metrics"

Recently, I stumbled upon a Reddit thread about my episode. One commenter nailed it:

I thought she had one of the sadder "business" stories on Shark Tank.

 Starts a nche company, actually lands the dream and gets an order at what's basically her ideal retailer and then has it all turn to sand as they don't sell through, and she's stuck with either taking stock back for money that's probably already spent or doing deep markdowns and hurting herself in the long run.

I knew this going into the Tank.
I was sad about it.
I beat myself up for months about it in fact.

"Why didn’t you know it was too early?”
"Didn’t it seem too good to be true?"
"Why did you sell them so much?"

I tortured myself replaying the decision over and over, because—like many entrepreneurs—I’m a recovering Type A perfectionist with anxiety who lives on a steady diet of overthinking. I’d already failed publicly once when I couldn’t successfully finish a crowdfunding campaign (more on that later). So why go on Shark Tank with mediocre metrics?

Because I believe in what I’m building.

And to that, I call upon the wise words of Eminem:

"Look, if you had one shot, or one opportunity
To seize everything you ever wanted in one moment
Would you capture it or just let it slip?
"

And if you don’t get that reference? Good. It’s for people born in the 1900s.

About Glacier National Park Conservancy

A Nonprofit National Park Partner 

The Glacier National Park Conservancy is the official non-profit fundraising partner of Glacier National Park. Their mission is to preserve and protect Glacier National Park for future generations.Glacier National Park Conservancy is a 501(c)3. You can find the park store at Belton Train Station12544 US-2, West Glacier, MT 59936.

The Park Store 

In 2013, the Glacier National Park Fund and the Glacier Natural History Association merged to form the Glacier National Park Conservancy with the aim of bolstering annual support for Glacier National Park. The Fund, established in 1999, focused on preserving the park's natural beauty and cultural heritage through private philanthropy, while the Association, formed in 1941, supported education and interpretation through merchandise sales. Since the merger, the Conservancy has become the official fundraising partner for Glacier National Park. 

Try a Shoe with More Top Coverage

The more coverage you have on the top of your feet, the better. Sometimes, you can wear high heels all day and they don’t bother your feet as much. In the summer, you can try something with an ankle strap or a large wide strap over the top. If you are worried about blisters and friction, you might want to try something that covers more of the top of your foot.

Opt for Platform Heels

Platform heels are more comfortable than single-sole heels because the actual heel is shorter than the heel height. The platform also reduces the impact of your feet touching the ground, reducing discomfort. However, thicker platform heels can cause your foot to wobble and your ankle to snap, especially if the platform is very thick and the heel is stiletto. The shoe should be a good ratio between a thick platform and a fitting heel.

Up Next: What Happened After the Tank

Stay tuned for Part 2—where I talk about what happened after my episode aired, the "Shark Tank effect," and what’s next for ToughCutie.

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