Chris and I after filming Shark Tank in June 2025.
This is Part 2 of our Shark Tank story — what filming day in Los Angeles was actually like from my perspective.
If you missed Part 1, start there first.
4:00 AM – Before the Cameras
My alarm went off at 4:00 AM.
Not because call time required it.
But because I needed it.
There’s something about a moment that big — walking into the Shark Tank — that makes you crave control over the small things.
So I did what I always do when something matters.
I got up quietly in our tiny hotel room in Hollywood. Chris was still asleep. The city outside was dark and still.
I walked down to the hotel gym. I worked out.
Nothing dramatic. Just movement. Sweat. Breath. Something to remind my body that I was strong and capable.
Then I sat on the edge of that hotel bed and meditated.
I prayed.
I journaled.
I wrote down the same things I always write before big moments:
-
Gratitude.
-
Clarity.
-
Calm.
-
Confidence.
By the time Chris woke up, I felt centered.
Nervous? Of course.
But steady.
Hair & Makeup… in a Tiny Hotel Room
Then came the part that felt the most surreal.
Hair and makeup.
In our hotel room.
I hired a professional to prep me before we headed to the studio. Our small Culver City room turned into a makeshift glam suite — cords, brushes, spray bottles, mirrors propped up against the wall.
Normally I am behind the camera. The one with the talking points prepping clients. Now it was my turn.
This was primetime network television.
There’s no shine allowed under those lights.
So yes… I wore makeup.
And sitting there, getting camera-ready in a little hotel room in LA before pitching a product we built from scratch in our garage — that’s a full-circle moment you don’t fully process in real time.
I remember looking at Chris and thinking:
How did we get here?
The Drive to Sony
Our shuttle picked us up before sunrise.
Los Angeles was quiet. Pink light starting to creep into the sky.
We were the first entrepreneurs scheduled to film that day.
Part of me loved that.
No sitting around watching others go in first. No overthinking. Just step up and go.
When we arrived at Sony Studios, it felt official immediately.
Security badges. Check-in. Production assistants moving with purpose. Controlled chaos.
And then they gave us a tour of the set.
Seeing the Tank in Person
You’ve watched it on TV for years.
But standing in that room?
It’s bigger. Brighter. More dramatic.
The lighting is intense. The polished wood floors. The greenery. The massive screen. The carpet.
It feels important.
The producers walked us through our marks — where to stand, where to stop, where the cameras would track.
They explained how the doors would open.
It suddenly became very real.
This wasn’t an idea anymore.
We were about to walk into the Shark Tank.
The Green Room & The Waiting
After the walkthrough, we were brought to the green room.
Snacks. Water. Quiet.
And waiting.
You run the pitch in your head again.
Revenue. Margins. Growth. Inventory. Patents.
Every number drilled into memory.
You’ve practiced for weeks.
But now it’s not rehearsal.
It’s defense.
You’re not just pitching a product.
You’re defending your business.
Your decisions.
Your risks.
Your family’s future.
And strangely — I felt calm.
Because no matter what happened in that room, we had already built something real.
Standing Behind the Doors
They mic’d us up.
Final touch-ups.
Quick nod from the producers.
Then we were standing behind the Shark Tank doors.
It’s quiet back there.
You don’t hear the theme music in real life. That gets added later.
It’s just silence.
Then someone says:
“Alright. You’re up.”
And the doors open.
Walking Into the Tank
You walk forward into blinding light.
Five Sharks sitting in front of you.
Cameras everywhere.
And it hits you — millions of people will see this moment.
Chris and I looked at each other for just a second.
Not long.
Just enough to say, “We’ve got this.”
Then we started.
Months of preparation condensed into minutes.
Why The Chair Blanket™ matters.
Why it’s category-creating.
Why it solves a real problem.
Then the questions.
Rapid fire.
Margins. Supply chain. Competition. Patents. Growth strategy.
Exactly what you expect.
And somehow more intense.
What I’ll Always Remember
What stands out most isn’t the pressure.
It’s the gratitude.
The Shark Tank team — casting, producers, crew — treated us with professionalism and respect the entire time. You see the drama on TV, but behind the scenes it’s a well-run, incredibly thoughtful production.
When we walked off that set, regardless of outcome, I felt proud.
Proud of building businesses from scratch during uncertain times.
Proud of betting on an idea that seemed “too simple.”
Proud of standing in that room as a founder — not just behind the scenes.
And proud of doing it next to my husband.
From a garage in Maryland
to a tiny hotel room at 4 AM
to the Sony lot in Los Angeles.
Not bad.
Next up: Part 3 – The Pitch and the Sharks.