⁠"I was a single mom" — When THINgloss had to leave Shark Tank without a deal

In Season 2, April Yvette Sedun brought her company, THINgloss, to Shark Tank in an attempt to raise money to grow her creative line of lip gloss. Her journey started when she experimented with diet pills after feeling self-conscious about her appearance following an incident at a party.

She had an idea after that struggle: what if she could use a beauty product and an appetite suppressant together? As a result, THINgloss—a lip gloss containing hoodia, a plant that suppresses hunger—and fragrances that lessen cravings were created.

After a year of development, Sedun launched her product but needed more capital to reach her ambitious sales goals.

“I was a single mom, I was just struggling to make ends meet from paycheck to paycheck, much less start a business,” she said.

She elaborated:

“But, I got really determined to figure out a way when there seemed to be no way.”

With that determination, she entered Shark Tank, ready to pitch her glossy creation to the panel of tough investors.

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What happened during THINgloss’ Shark Tank pitch?

Sedun confidently entered the Tank seeking $80,000 for 20% equity in THINgloss. However, her sales figures quickly dampened the Sharks' interest. With only $26,000 in sales the previous year and $18,000 in year-to-date sales, her projection of hitting $1 million seemed overly optimistic to the investors.

The real problems began when Kevin Harrington questioned how she could substantiate her product's appetite-suppressing claims. Though Sedun mentioned consulting a lawyer about FDA approval, the Sharks remained skeptical. Kevin O'Leary pointed out bluntly:

"You can't put this into a large box store and put a sign up and say, 'Lose weight.'"

Sedun replied:

"No, that's exactly what I won't say."

But the Sharks noted she had already made weight-loss claims in her marketing materials.

The legal concerns surrounding weight loss products ultimately sank Sedun's chances. One by one, the Sharks declined to invest:

"I would be very nervous about getting involved with it because [it's] a very legal category, weight loss," Harrington explained as he dropped out.

The others quickly followed: O'Leary couldn't endorse it, Barbara Corcoran felt "uncomfortable" with the product, Daymond John wasn't convinced, and Robert Herjavec doubted she'd reach her ambitious sales goals.

Sedun left the Tank without a deal, facing the reality that her glossy idea couldn't overcome the sticky legal issues the Sharks identified.

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What happened to THINgloss after its Shark Tank appearance?

Despite the rejection, Sedun initially experienced the famous "Shark Tank effect" when her episode aired in 2011.

"There was a landslide of publicity. My product was sold in stores across the U.S. and in a few other countries, and then I got a licensing deal," she later recalled on her podcast in 2024.

Sedun pivoted her business strategy after the show, focusing on licensing opportunities. She even announced an exciting development in a 2010 YouTube video:

"There will be a national infomercial created for THINgloss that will be coast to coast in all the major cities... Not only that, this infomercial is expected and predicted to exceed $1 million in sales."

Unfortunately, this promising opportunity dissolved five months later, leaving Sedun in financial turmoil. She had taken out a loan to stock up on inventory, expecting the infomercial to drive massive sales. Instead, she faced foreclosure on her home.

"I had this epic failure, a rock bottom moment that challenged my identity," she admitted on her podcast.

By 2012, Express Effects Cosmetics, the parent company behind THINgloss, had closed. Rather than letting this setback define her, Sedun launched April Yvette International that August, focusing on motivational speaking, workshops, and consulting.

"After some soul searching to find my true purpose, I decided to close my THINgloss business and start my motivational speaking and sales consulting business in 2012," she explained in a 2019 Facebook post.

Elaborating:

"I help entrepreneurs, coaches, consultants and speakers magnetically attract and convert their perfect clients with their brand story so they can have more impact, influence and income."

When a hopeful customer asked about purchasing THINgloss in 2021, Sedun replied:

"I'm actually completely sold out of THINgloss. It was a great experience being on 'Shark Tank.' I now own a sales [consulting] business and I'm a sales motivational keynote speaker."

In 2024, Sedun launched her own podcast, aiming to inspire other entrepreneurs through "compelling and powerful overcomer stories of resilience and even personal reinvention."

Perhaps the most inspiring story is her own—how a single mom who faced rejection on national television and subsequent business failure transformed these experiences into a new career helping others overcome their own challenges. While THINgloss may not have secured a Shark Tank deal, April Yvette Sedun ultimately found her own path to success.

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You can watch Shark Tank on ABC every Friday at 8:00 pm ET, with streaming available on Hulu.