"Not going to be easy" — When Shark Tank expert Kevin O'Leary signed a deal with mcSquares

Many entrepreneurs have entered Shark Tank with creative concepts, but not all of them are able to close a deal with the sharks. Kevin O'Leary gambled on MCSquares, a startup that provides reusable dry-erase product solutions, in Season 11, Episode 23. The company’s creator, Anthony Franco, made a convincing pitch that captivated the expert with its eco-friendly approach and inventive design.

Before entering the Tank, MCSquares, a company specializing in collaborative and sustainable whiteboard technologies, had already achieved notable revenues. Although Anthony Franco emphasized how quickly companies and educational institutions were implementing his products, some sharks were still doubtful that the business could continue to expand. O'Leary saw its potential and struck a deal when others backed out, but he made it plain that the path ahead would not be simple.

"No. I've been where you are already multiple times, my friend. This is not going to be easy."

Despite the challenges, O'Leary and Franco shook hands and signed a deal, which eventually helped the business grow and scale its operations.

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When mcSquares's founder, Anthony Franco, pitched his products on Shark Tank Season 11

In episode 23 of Shark Tank Season 11 that aired on May 12, 2020, Anthony Franco made his way before the sharks with an ask for $300,000 in exchange of 10% equity. Though his pitch might not have impressed all the panelists, it surely left a mark on Kevin O'Leary.

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Anthony Franco's pitch on the show

MCSquares CEO Anthony Franco came into Shark Tank Season 11 with a bold vision: to replace 12,000 sticky notes with magnetic boards and transform the way people work together. Franco boldly introduced his environmentally friendly substitute for conventional sticky notes and paper-based brainstorming tools, asking for $300,000 for 10% equity.

Franco disclosed that MCSquares had already made $2 million in sales, which piqued the sharks' interest in the idea. However, when they questioned the company's cost and scalability, issues surfaced. Some sharks were hesitant because of production costs and market competitiveness, while others valued the sustainability aspect.

Franco defended his business by highlighting its direct-to-consumer strategy and rising demand, but it was insufficient to persuade every investor.

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Kevin O'Leary made an offer to mcSquares

The Sharks' responses to Anthony Franco's proposal to MCSquares were not entirely unanimous. Even though they valued the reusable whiteboards' environmental benefits, most of them decided against investing in them due to issues with cost and scalability.

After every other shark decided to back out, Kevin decided to offer a counter-deal. While the original ask was for $300,000 for 10%, Kevin O'Leary interrupted Franco as he attempted to defend his valuation, asking for 25%. As the founder tried to bring down the percentage to 20%, the billionaire said,

"It's hell for me. That's twenty-five or nothing. What are you interested in doing?"

Anthony quickly decided to say yes to O'Leary. However, according to a blog shared by Shark Tank, the deal was revised, and O'Leary decided on $50,000 for 11% equity.

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