It’s incredible how we have seen some of the best business ideas on Shark Tank. Indeed, it gives us an insight into the creativity of people out there. And if we are talking about innovative business pitches made on Shark Tank, the toilet timer deserves mention.
But first, let’s shed some light on what exactly the toilet timer is. The concept is actually pretty simple and genius. Katamco Toilet Timer is a sand-based timer. It counts down from five minutes. People who spend a tad much time in the bathroom will find this product pretty useful.
A lot of people spend a long time in the loo. And keep in mind this excessive time in the bathroom can give you anxiety. It’s crucial to keep your bathroom time in check. The toilet timer can help you out in this situation. This is how the creators of the product introduced it on Shark Tank.
The Pitch for Toilet Timer on Shark Tank
The brain behind the toilet timer is Adam Stephey. He is an entrepreneur and a serial inventor. Indeed, it’s evident nothing can stop him from building stuff. So it’s not really surprising that we went to Shark Tank with this pitch.
It all started when Adam realized he spent too much time in the bathroom. He couldn’t feel his legs. It turns out he misjudged the time procrastinating and could no longer move even when he wanted to. He got engrossed in his smartphone and lost track of time.
And it’s not always a smartphone. People take a book or a puzzle to the bathroom and forget how much time has elapsed. Hence, Adam decided to put his thinking cap on and come up with a solution.
The Journey of the Toilet Timer
He developed the idea for Katamco LLC with his wife, Katie, who specializes in marketing. He thought to come up with something that would alert people about the unusually ample time spent in the bathroom. This way, they would know when to finish up.
He joined hands with Elliot Worth, his friend, and business partner. Together, they worked on a sand timer with a five-minute countdown instead of a full hour.
Soon after its invention, the timer was put into production and introduced for sales. The product was well-received, and they raised over $23,000 for the campaign, which was more than their goal of $20,000. This is how the journey of the well-known toilet timer Shark Tank started.
It’s crucial to know that the toilet timer isn’t all about jokes. In fact, according to Dr. Bradley Rieders, MD, a gastroenterologist, it’s not advisable for a bathroom trip to extend beyond five minutes. The extensive stay can lead to a risk of bleeding from hemorrhoids. Sounds scary, doesn’t it?
So there’s one reason that the idea wasn’t ridiculed on Shark Tank. Someone actually found the idea worth working on.
The Introduction of a Toilet Timer on Shark Tank
The pitch for the business idea was actually pretty creative. It started with Kate, who went in front of the sharks alone at first. She pretended her husband couldn’t be there on time since he was wasting time in the restroom. And then Adam Stephens enters and says he cannot feel his legs due to his prolonged bathroom stay.
During his pitch, Adam explained how he came up with the idea of a toilet timer for people who spend a long time in the bathroom.
The couple sought an investment of $200,000 in exchange for a 10% stake in the product. As expected, the proposal wasn’t instantly accepted. However, Mark loved the idea of limiting toilet time to five minutes.
Adams shared on Shark Tank that he wanted to invest in a new production line in China, which would increase the production capacity. Adam explained to the sharks how he planned to keep his budget in check. He shared his research about Amazon algorithms too.
The price of the product was $3, while Adam kept the suggested retail price at $14.99. Both Barbara and Kevin turned down the proposal. They felt that Adam was asking for too much money.
Daymond John, too wasn’t too keen on the project since he did not find the product appealing enough. The only person remotely interested was Mark Cuban. He proposed an investment of $200,000 and asked for 25% shares of stakes in return. Since the couple had no other takers, Adam and Kate accepted this offer.
The Future of the Toilet Timer after Shark Tank
The toilet timer witnessed a spike in sales after its feature on Shark Tank. However, it did not do as well in sales as some might have hoped.
The product did not get as much success as other products featured on Shark Tank. Not much is seen of it on social media, nor has it been in the news recently.
This indicates that most sharks had it right. The toilet timer did not have the appeal to stand on its own. However, to say that it has been a complete failure is not exactly true. It did generate over 20 million organic views on Facebook. And has also received over 1000 positive reviews on Amazon.
Interestingly, some say the timer supposedly helps with potty training children with autism. It might not have become a raging success, but it’s still out there. And that’s exactly what the business world is all about. Jeff Bezos wasn’t always the success he is today. Elon Musk’s life wouldn’t have worked out this way if he hadn’t worked on his idea. If you believe in your idea, it’s worth trying it out.
