38 responses to “Sawyer on Shark Tank”

1. 

   Nwokedi Idika September 30th, 2009 at 07:36

   If the “bad” Kevin can get Sawyer at least 400K from Play Doh he’ll come up pretty much even, and this “VC/Angel” help would have been for not (as Play Doh offered Sawyer 500K already). Then it’s a bad deal, because it was a waste of time.

   Moreover, whether it was a good deal also depends on Sawyer’s ambition. Licensing is vastly different that building a company to create jobs in one’s own region.

   Lastly, was it me, or was Sawyer purpose not trying to say that he was NOT from Purdue University?? I mean who says “I’m a college student,” without identifying the college he goes to?

2. 

   Andrew Rodriguez September 30th, 2009 at 08:19

   I feel Sawyer made a good decision. He needs to allow the ‘pros’ take over what he has started in order to create the market base and earn the funds he is seeking. Being an Ag Econ major, Sawyer would not have even the slightest idea of what it would take to open up a factory in his hometown and his dreams would crash and burn as he tried to achieve things beyond his means.

3. 

   Karlis Jansons September 30th, 2009 at 08:55

   These are two vastly different approaches. You create a company you have a lot more risk and responsibility, but you have the possibility to earn a lot more. If you just license it, you earn less, but you make the money without having to put forth any more work.

4. 

   Kevin Mockus September 30th, 2009 at 12:36

   That is very impressive. Hard to imagine that a college student like us, is on his way to making millions all from a simple invention. This gives me inspiration that I could make something as simple as a wheat based play doh and make the big bucks. Congrats to Sawyer!

5. 

   David Uhlenhake September 30th, 2009 at 12:59

   I think it was a great deal from a numbers standpoint. He originally asked for $125,000 for 25% but he then got more than double the money when the ownership doubled. Also I think that with a professional negotiating the selling of the product, if that is the road he chooses, then he will make vastly more than the $500,000 offer. With the remaining 49% he would only need to sell the product for over $400,000 to be equivalent or better than the original offer of $500,000. So I think it was a good deal.

6. 

   Lyndsey S. September 30th, 2009 at 13:23

   I think his deal could have been better for sure. These peolple seemed to really want in with him and I think they should have even offered a little bit more money to the point that he was doing more than breaking even. He only has 49% of a company he started now. I may not know a whole lot on this matter, but I have learned enough to know that anyone who wants over 51% has a different plan. 51% is a great number for him; thank God it wasn’t only put toward that one guy and it is between three now.

7. 

   Marisa Strupp September 30th, 2009 at 14:29

   I think Sawyer has a great idea. This show makes it so intense. Sawyer made the right decision and I am glad he stuck to his gut! Great deal!

8. 

   Alex Lewis September 30th, 2009 at 15:39

   I think that Sawyer made a great deal and now with the professional skills available he will make quite a bit more money than he would of if he tried on his own. This show is pretty good and very intense.

9. 

   Emily Wetterich September 30th, 2009 at 16:28

   That was so awesome. It was great that Sawyer didn’t take that first offer. He made a great decision and got a great deal. I love how they all started jumping on at the end! I wonder if the other two are sorry for not getting in on it.

10. 

    Quentin Campbell September 30th, 2009 at 16:29

    i’m happy he isnt going on the shark tank to get more money but hes doing it as a personal challenge. That shows alot about a persons personality.

11. 

    Nick Brenneke September 30th, 2009 at 16:30

    I think Sawyer did a great job in negotiating. By not giving into the initial 51% offer, he was able to hash out a better deal between three of the investors for much more than he was asking for. I wouldn’t want to give up ownership of my business, but in the end, he will make more money in this venture. This is a great invention and I hope Sawyer’s company does well.

12. 

    Mayura Davda September 30th, 2009 at 17:38

    I really think Sawyer made a very good decision. He was offered good deals by great people! It must have been so pressuring to go through the entire process of decision making which was actually going to turn out to be a ‘turning point’ in his life. Kudos Sawyer! I think he made everyone (every college student, in specific) look up to him as a source of inspiration to get thinking, developing and executing ideas that not only bring money to you but bring joy and pride to your community. His modesty touched and moved me! I feel like having a one on one conversation with him, if I can. For that, I need Hank to invite him to one of our lectures. It’ll be great!
    Boiler up!

13. 

    Aaron Curtis September 30th, 2009 at 17:39

    Sawyer just actually made the deal of his life with the investors. He performed well in the tank and walked away 175 thousand dollars more than he wished for, and still a deal coming with playdoh in the near future.

14. 

    Paul Kweon September 30th, 2009 at 18:40

    What Sawyer did on the “Shark Tank” was impressive and admirable. He had a clear line between other contestants that was also on the same episode. I was inspired after I saw a guy who is nearly of my age yet achieved so much. I wish him a brighter future.

15. 

    Joshua Johnson September 30th, 2009 at 19:19

    I watched the whole show and I thought he did great. He stuck to his guns and knew what he wanted and got it. It was very good that he went in asking for $125 thousand and left with $300. It was also good that he stressed that he wanted to create jobs for his town and he is able to do that now.

16. 

    Christina Jacobs September 30th, 2009 at 19:31

    Sawyer is something else. He doubled his wanting amount and is achieving his goals.

17. 

    Nathan Ferguson September 30th, 2009 at 20:04

    I think that he did an amazing job.

18. 

    Katelyne Moody September 30th, 2009 at 20:10

    Well thank God he stuck to his gut! He made out like a bandit. I guess you know a true boilermaker when you see one!!!

    –Katelyne–

19. 

    Micajah Green September 30th, 2009 at 21:28

    Sawyer did an amazing job! He is from my home community and I have always looked up to him. It is inspiring to see someone from similar circumstances to me do so well. He is well on his way in the business world and I think he made a wise choice by accepting the offer.

20. 

    Greg Forney September 30th, 2009 at 21:37

    This product is really interesting, I had no idea that the gluten in Play Doh was too much for people with celiac’s disease.

21. 

    Brent McClean September 30th, 2009 at 21:37

    I watched it live on TV last night. Definitely impressive! 300K was worth there 51% stake.

22. 

    ericalied September 30th, 2009 at 21:44

    I think its great that Sawyer went with his gut. He did a great job and I think its really cool that Purdue had a student on known show!

23. 

    Allison Weilbaker September 30th, 2009 at 21:47

    Wow this is truly amazing. His product alone is truly inventive. My grandpa has celiacs disease and he was never able to play with playdough around the grand kids but now he can with soy-er dough. The shark tank is really intense. I don’t know if I would be able to take it.

24. 

    Allison Weilbaker September 30th, 2009 at 21:47

    Wow this is truly amazing. His product alone is truly inventive. My grandpa has celiacs disease and he was never able to play with playdough around the grand kids but now he can with soy-er dough. The shark tank is really intense. I don’t know if I would be able to take it as well as he did.

25. 

    Cara Cymbala September 30th, 2009 at 21:58

    I would have said yes to the first offer! That’s a lot of money! Goes to show I still have a lot to learn. I was very impressed how Sawyer didn’t let the sharks take advantage of him, and he stuck it out until he reached an offer he wanted to work with. Great idea. He discovered a problem and came up with a solution. It looks like he has a lot of knowledge about entrepenuership and a good business sense. I started to think he wasn’t going to take any offer when he said he didn’t want to license his products out to play-dough. In the end, I think it was a smart decision on his part. He handled himself like a professional under the pressure. Something I need a lot of improvement on.

26. 

    Olivia Freeman September 30th, 2009 at 22:11

    That is totally awesome. It is cool to know that a student who went to class and was sitting my very postion is now getting REAL money to get his plan moving!

27. 

    Ryan Pogotis September 30th, 2009 at 22:36

    I think this is an amazing idea. I used to make homemade dough with my grandma when I was younger. I would hope that the soy based dough is as successful if it is no longer marketable as homemade.

28. 

    Ankit Buti September 30th, 2009 at 23:03

    I admire the courage he showed. I mean its very easy to crack down under pressure, but he kept his cool and bagged a great great offer for himself.

29. 

    Kyle Chen September 30th, 2009 at 23:19

    If he truly believe that is something he can make money off, 51% is too much. I do not know him personally, but if that is the only thing he had invented, he just gave up his only chip of negotiation. However, if he always have other product in his sleeve and is still the sole ownership, then sure, 51% of his first invention aint bad at all. All and all, I do not know this person. But if that is my only product, I WILL NOT give up my invention if I truly believe its the NEXT Big thing.

30. 

    Sree Harsha Uddandam September 30th, 2009 at 23:28

    This is what is the reason why I like Entrepreneurs. They have to make decisions in few minutes which is very difficult. I am very proud to say that a person from Purdue has got 300 million dollars with 50% of stock, its really amazing. The way they analysed the situation and went through the process of negotiation impressed me a lot.

31. 

    Mark Minissale September 30th, 2009 at 23:38

    Holy cow this is incredible I can’t believe this and a guy from Purdue wow

32. 

    Xi Wu September 30th, 2009 at 23:57

    It’s a cruel but exciting real world! In the ‘funhouse’ part, the shark asked some common questions that all sharks concern about, like’how its gonna cost and how we make money’. It’s really a good question that any one want to swim in the marketplace will face straightforward. Anyway, the process of each part was full of uncertainty. And entrepreneurs who want money must feel that they are riding a rollercoaster. It’s an impressive show.

33. 

    Aditya Vinnakota October 1st, 2009 at 00:51

    Such a simple idea yet brilliant idea coming from a fellow boiler. Credit to Sawyer. This gave me a reality check that its possible to actually do this and it gives me so much inspiration.

34. 

    Brian Lee October 1st, 2009 at 01:30

    At first I was skeptical but after he expertly described his target market and how much he was able to sell already and then offers from play doh, I have to say that’s some good dough he’s got. Overall i think it was a good deal. He would get more than what he’d have gotten with the original play doh deal. And had the sharks not invested, it would have been pretty tough to expand the business with his limited resources anyway. Maybe he could have made more if he slowly built up a new dough company but his deal here may be as good as it gets

35. 

    Chris Perry October 1st, 2009 at 11:14

    Wow that was funny and i am glad he didnt take the first offer. Hope to see it being made on a massive scale in the near future.

36. 

    Rohan Thakkar October 1st, 2009 at 11:47

    Sawyer did a great job, overall shark tank is an okay show they add things and dramatize information that doesn’t need to be, the British version of the show Dragons Den is much better.

37. 

    Marisa Nakajima October 1st, 2009 at 19:57

    I think it was a good idea that Sawyer pursued his problem and came up with a solution to help others. He also didn’t seem that fazed when asked critically about his business. Those people really do try to scare or intimidate the business market. They do a good job at cutting down all the fluffyness, and focus on the work needed to create a new business. This show truely is a shark tank.

38. 

    Sung Jae October 2nd, 2009 at 17:16

    This is so fun, entrepreneurs comming up with business ideas and meeting the sharks for opportunity. Also, these sharks, are so decisive when it gets to money issues, if they think the product seems feasible, they give good deals. i want to participate in this show too..so jealous. I think sawyer had the best deal out of all the competetents than the first business women. At first, i thought none of the sharks would invest in sawer. However,sawyer gave good reasons his business had potential and he had good intentions with his business the sharks started to get interested. I think sawyer overall got best deal at the end with Kevin, Robert and Robert giving 300 thousand giving up 51% of company was a great deal. Sawyer ended up getting 100 thousand dollar more than he expected.