"I had no product" - When Nohbo Balls founder landed a deal with Shark Tank's Mark Cuban

Sometimes, the best opportunities come before you're ready. For Ben Stern, that moment arrived while watching Shark Tank at his father's house at the ripe young age of sixteen.

"One day, I was watching 'Shark Tank' at my father's house in Maine, and after the episode, they were like, 'Apply to 'Shark Tank' here.' I had no product. I had a provisional patent I created myself and a cool idea," Stern told Beauty Independent.

He explained:

"I sent 'Shark Tank' a two-sentence email, and I got cast on the show. They called me and said, 'Do you have a product?' I said, 'Absolutely,' and I raced to get everything together for the show."

That "cool idea" was Nohbo – earth-friendly, biodegradable, water-soluble pods for shampoos and body washes. Stern's vision? Eliminate single-use plastics from personal care products.

His rushed preparation would lead to one of the show's most memorable pitches, featuring a 16-year-old entrepreneur and his grandmother demonstrating a product that would evolve far beyond its initial concept.

How did Ben Stern fare on Shark Tank?

Walking into the Tank in 2016, Stern sought $100,000 for 20% of his company. His live demonstration, washing his grandmother's hair with a dissolving shampoo ball, caught the Sharks' attention. But his pending patents and plans to license the technology to major beauty brands really sparked their interest.

The response was mixed. Lori Greiner stepped back, viewing the business as too early-stage. Kevin O'Leary also passed.

But three Sharks saw potential: Robert Herjavec offered the full amount for 20%, contingent on patent approval. Barbara Corcoran proposed connecting Stern with Estée Lauder. Mark Cuban, though asking for 25%, promised immediate action to launch the product.

Despite the higher equity ask, Stern chose Cuban's offer. The decision proved pivotal.

"Mark Cuban has been an amazing partner and is still very involved," Stern later told Medium.

Elaborating:

"He just gave us another early tier funding bump. I talk with him every week and speak with his team of advisors daily. I've never seen anyone more responsive to emails."

Success wasn't immediate. The original shampoo ball design faced real-world challenges, leading to two years of prototyping. The breakthrough came with soluble drops, landing the company a $14 million deal. Cuban's excitement was clear:

"This literally could be a $100 million enterprise over the next five to six years," he predicted.

Nohbo Balls’ success beyond Shark Tank

By 2020, Nohbo raised $3 million in seed funding from Material Impact and Safer Made, plus additional investment from Cuban's Radical Investments. The company launched Sunrise Session, a consumer brand offering plastic-free personal care products while maintaining its B2B sales to hotels and cosmetics companies.

Recognition followed. In 2023, Nohbo joined the B Corp Beauty Coalition, with Stern announcing,

"We are excited to be part of a very elite group as a B Corporation and beyond proud to be joining B Corp Beauty Coalition."

The company went on to win the Ocean Impact Organization Awards and a 2024 Sustainable Innovation Award.

The story took an unexpected turn in March 2024. Stern announced on LinkedIn that he and his shareholders had

"reached a crossroads and wanted to take Nohbo in different directions. In the end, I felt it was best to hand the reigns over to my colleagues and step down from my role."

While Nohbo's direct presence has diminished, its innovative products live on through the Sunrise Session brand – proving that sometimes the best ideas evolve in ways their creators never expected.

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Shark Tank airs on ABC Fridays at 8 PM ET and streams on Hulu.