On a recent flight from Australia to New York, I tuned into Shark Tank USA Season 15 and caught a wave of inspiring business pitches and commercials that showcase entrepreneurial grit, creativity, and commercial opportunity. Whether you’re scaling your own business, thinking about launching, or advising startups, here’s a look at the businesses featured, what they have in common, and what we can all learn.
- Bunny Eyes – Reading Glasses That Pivot
Invented by twin sisters and worn by Oprah, Bunny Eyes are the first reading glasses that can pivot vertically and horizontally—perfect for applying makeup or reading while lying down.
🔗 www.bunnyeyes.com
- Boarderie – Artisan Cheese & Charcuterie Boards
Boarderie delivers beautifully arranged, ready-to-eat cheese and charcuterie boards, crafted by chefs and shipped nationwide in the USA. Ideal for gifting or entertaining, it’s a premium food experience that brings gourmet grazing to your door—no prep required.
🔗 www.boarderie.com
- Yum Crumbs – Dessert Topping Sensation
Yum Crumbs transforms ordinary desserts into showstoppers with bakery-quality crumbs in every flavour imaginable—great for home bakers, cafes, and caterers.
🔗 www.yumcrumbs.com
- Fidget Games – Amazon-Focused E-Commerce Business
These sensory games tap into a fast-growing market of neurodiverse tools and stress relief products. Their Amazon-first model highlights the power of marketplace selling.
🔗 www.fidgetgames.com
- PaddleSmash – Pickleball Meets Roundnet
A backyard sports game that combines pickleball and roundnet, designed for social play and family fun. It’s gaining popularity as active leisure booms.
🔗 www.paddlesmash.com
- Moink Box – Ethical Meat Subscription
Moink (moo + oink) delivers ethically sourced meat directly to your door, supporting small American farms. Their tagline? “Ethical meat from people who care.”
🔗 www.moinkbox.com
- Fairy Tale Pet Care – Wedding Day Pet Attendants
A niche pet care business that lets your furry friends be part of your big day. A great reminder of how targeting emotional milestones can build loyal customers.
🔗 www.fairytalepetcare.com
- Send My Bag – Luggage Shipping Service
This logistics solution helps travellers skip the hassle of baggage check-ins by shipping their luggage directly to their destination. Great for digital nomads and international movers.
🔗 www.sendmybag.com
- Thrill Builders – Escape Room Design & Install
This team creates immersive escape rooms for entertainment venues and corporate team-building. A growth sector for experience-based entertainment.
🔗 www.thrillbuilders.com
- American Ghost Walks – Haunted History Tours
Capitalising on cultural tourism, this business runs spooky guided tours in cities across the US, blending local history with theatrical storytelling.
🔗 www.americanghostwalks.com
- Mini Materials – Tiny Building Supplies
A novelty e-commerce store offering miniature cinder blocks, lumber, pallets, and bricks. Perfect for architects, hobbyists, and gift-givers.
🔗 www.minimaterials.com
- Tik Pik – Innovative Guitar Pick Holder
A sleek, stylish guitar accessory that attaches directly to your instrument, keeping picks handy. An excellent example of a simple product solving a real problem.
🔗 www.tikpik.com
Common Threads Across These Ventures
Whether it’s a pet wedding service or a logistics company, several key themes connect these businesses:
- Clear Niche Focus: Each business is sharply defined with a unique angle—be it emotional (Fairy Tale Pet Care), functional (Send My Bag), or lifestyle-based (Moink).
- Solving a Specific Problem: Simple but effective products like Tik Pik or Bunny Eyes were created to solve common yet overlooked problems.
- Direct-to-Consumer Strength: Many have leveraged D2C channels like Amazon, Shopify, or subscription models to reach customers directly, reducing reliance on retail intermediaries.
- Storytelling as a Superpower: Founders who pitched well told compelling personal stories—why they created the product, who it helps, and how it changes lives.
- Scalability and Systems: Businesses like Thrill Builders and Yum Crumbs show how productised services or repeatable systems create growth beyond the founder.
What Business Owners Can Learn
- Different is Better Than Better
Trying to improve an existing product is tough—but being different creates buzz. Think like Mini Materials or PaddleSmash. - Turn Personal Struggles into Products
Many founders created solutions from their own pain points. This results in authentic, emotionally resonant offerings. - Own Your Platform
Relying on Amazon is efficient, but building your own website or brand community creates resilience. - Micro-Niches Win Big
You don’t need to appeal to everyone—just enough of the right people. Bunny Eyes didn’t chase the eyewear market, they redefined it. - Productise the Experience
Escape rooms, pet weddings, haunted tours—they’ve all been systematised and branded. If you offer a service, ask how it could be packaged for repeatability.
Watching these pitches at 35,000 feet was a reminder of what’s possible when passion meets problem-solving. If you’re dreaming up your own product, scaling a service, or refining a niche—consider what makes you different. And if you want to talk about it, let’s connect.
✉️ Get in touch via wendyperry.com.au 🌍 Or explore how I support entrepreneurs at Switch Start Scale and Sea to Valley Startups.