"Less than 1% chance" When Muvez Footwear revealed how they ended up on Shark Tank 

When the founders of Muvez Footwear received an email from Shark Tank producers, they initially thought it was a prank from friends. The innovative footwear company, which had only been operating for six months, seemed too new to attract the attention of the hit ABC show where entrepreneurs pitch their business ideas to wealthy investors hoping for financial backing and mentorship.

"At first when they emailed, we assumed one of our friends was behind it because we were only in business six months," co-founder Eric Cruz told Kean University.

Explaining:

"After that, there were auditions and challenges we overcame. We had a less than 1% chance of making it."

But against those steep odds, the young entrepreneurs did make it onto the show in April 2020, pitching their unique convertible footwear that transforms from indoor slippers to outdoor shoes with detachable soles.

The appearance would lead to a deal with fashion mogul Daymond John and briefly catapult the small business to impressive sales figures – though the company's journey after Shark Tank would take some unexpected turns.

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How did Muvez Footwear’s Shark Tank pitch go?

Muvez began in 2013 as a simple college assignment. Ryan Cruz was asked to improve an existing product, so he modified a traditional slipper to work both indoors and outdoors. He shared the concept with Kevin Zamora, but they shelved the idea after a discouraging response from their teacher.

Three years later, the pair spotted a similar product on the market. This reignited their passion, and they evolved their concept into footwear with separate soles designed specifically for indoor and outdoor use.

After bringing Ryan's brother Eric Cruz and McMichael Torres into the business, their unique shoes quickly gained traction. The distinctive design allowed wearers to slip off the outer sole when entering a home, keeping floors clean while maintaining comfort.

Kevin Zamora, Ryan Cruz, and Eric Cruz appeared on Season 11 of Shark Tank seeking $200,000 for a 15% stake in their company. They showcased their colorful footwear line and distributed samples to the Sharks.

The Shark Tank investors were impressed when Zamora revealed Muvez had generated $73,000 in sales with minimal marketing. He explained their vision:

"The majority of our sales are e-commerce so it goes through our social media channels. What we're doing in the second phase of the business is allowing the customers to buy the outer soles separately."

Kevin O'Leary acknowledged the originality of the product:

"It's different. There's no doubt about it, you walked in here with something we haven't seen before."

Despite this praise, he declined to invest, concerned about the valuation and the unpredictable footwear market.

Shark Tank's Robert Herjavec and Mark Cuban also passed, citing branding concerns. Lori Greiner expressed interest but wanted to split the investment with another Shark.

Daymond John, with his extensive background in fashion, saw potential in Muvez. He offered $200,000 for a substantial 33.3% equity stake.

"I would be taking you some place to license this," John explained, justifying his equity request.

He also refused to partner with Greiner, prompting her to withdraw.

The founders countered John's offer, and after some negotiation, they struck a deal on Shark Tank: $200,000 for 25% of the company.

"It was surreal. As a longtime fan of the show who usually responded to questions posed by the Sharks while watching comfortably on my couch, it was quite the experience," Eric later told Kean University.

He also revealed that John was their target Shark Tank investor all along.

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How did Muvez Footwear fare beyond Shark Tank?

The Shark Tank effect proved powerful for Muvez. In the three months following their episode, the company generated $400,000 in sales—four times their entire 2019 revenue.

This success allowed them to donate $10,000 to the World Health Organization during the COVID-19 pandemic. The timing of their appearance coincided with lockdowns, when people were spending more time at home and seeking comfortable footwear solutions.

"We don't think of ourselves as the COVID shoe, but a lot of people have discovered us because of what's going on," Eric told Footwear News in 2020.

The pandemic boom enabled them to upgrade their warehouse facilities and customer support operations.

In 2022, the company achieved another milestone when it became a top 100 finalist in FedEx's Small Business Grant Contest.

Despite its promising start, Muvez began facing significant challenges. By mid-2023, customers were reporting unfulfilled orders and lack of communication from the company. The company's website eventually went offline, and their returns portal closed. Their social media presence dwindled, with only occasional posts that attracted more customer complaints.

A Reddit thread started in mid-2024 revealed widespread frustration. These issues tanked the company's reputation, resulting in a one-star rating on the Better Business Bureau and two stars on Trustpilot.

The original team has largely disbanded. McMichael Torres left in July 2021 to work as a web designer elsewhere. Eric Cruz departed in February 2022 and now works as a senior business analyst at an insurance company.

Ryan Cruz still lists himself as Muvez's co-founder and industrial designer on LinkedIn but has been working as a full-time senior graphic designer at Atlas Construction Management since 2019.

Kevin Zamora remains connected to Muvez according to his LinkedIn profile, but he's also co-founded two other ventures—Eat Well Miami and Fusion Fashion Events—suggesting his focus has shifted.

The company appears to have moved what remains of its operations to Amazon, though without active management or customer service.

What began as an against-all-odds success story has become a cautionary tale about the challenges of sustaining a business after initial fame and investment. Despite beating the "less than 1% chance" to appear on Shark Tank and secure a deal, Muvez ultimately couldn't maintain its early momentum.

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Shark Tank airs Fridays at 8 PM ET on ABC, with all episodes available on Hulu.