Today’s special guest is Bill Webster. Many of you may already know him from his appearance on Shark Tank. He is the CEO of Garage Celebrations. We have already covered the Garage Celebrations Shark Tank Update separately, so you can check that out.
Recently, I contacted Bill for a short email interview. I’m happy to say that he was responsive and answered my questions. I appreciate him for taking the time to provide such thoughtful responses. I hope this short interview will prove to be helpful for our audience. This conversation is a great chance for us to learn more about his journey and get some valuable advice from his experiences.
Introduction and Background
Sara: Please tell me about yourself, your background, education, experience, and position in the company.
Bill: I founded Garage Celebrations with my Father in 2022. We are both named Bill Webster. I am technically William Webster the 3rd! My background is in architecture and urban design. It suits me well today, as being trained as an architect is mostly about drawing. My years of Photoshop and Illustrator work gave me the perfect skillset and proficiency to develop and manufacture our products. My father is a life-long entrepreneur and CEO. He takes on our financial responsibilities. Together, we perfectly complement one another. It’s been rewarding and fun to work alongside my Pop!
Katey Houston, who presented alongside me, has been in the funeral industry since she was 18 years old and grew up in a family that was active in funeral service. She brings a wealth of experience and deep understanding of the industry to our team. Katey was licensed as a funeral director and embalmer in both Britain and the United States.
Pre-Shark Tank Preparation
Sara: Can you describe the journey and preparation that led up to your pitch on Shark Tank?
Bill: All credit must go to my father. I didn’t watch Shark Tank all that often, but my father loved the show. He filled out the Shark Tank form on ABC.com and never even told me! Only after he got a response saying “hey, your business sounds interesting, here are the next steps” did he finally tell me. After we signed a few forms and NDAs the process began.
I can’t go into details, but the Shark Tank vetting process is a series of “getting to know you” moments. They are looking for individuals who are 100% genuine, have a decent product, and unique story. Thay make it very apparent that during the vetting process they can drop you at any time. It adds a bit of stress because you’ll submit a form or video and not hear back for months.
This stress extends all the way through filming and beyond. While they acknowledge we are not actors, it is made clear that boring/low energy pitches are to be avoided at all costs. Producers make it clear they do “overshoot” the show, and many pitches will end up on the editing room floor.
Valuation and Strategy
Sara: How did you decide on the valuation you presented to the sharks, and what was the strategy behind your initial ask?
Bill: It’s very hard. You go back and forth negotiating with yourself on valuation. Ultimately, it’s a crucial step because there are no takesies backsies, you must get what you ask for. We ultimately had help from our producer and made an ask that made sense and was fair.
The Shark Tank producers are wonderful and very skilled at their jobs. They help you navigate many of these crucial and confusing steps. They are also your primary advocates when it’s time to film and eventually snag an air date, so pick their brains constantly.
Post-Shark Tank Impact
Sara: What happened to your company after appearing on Shark Tank in terms of investments and business growth?
Bill: We had a very nice exchange with Cuban’s people and after a few weeks decided the deal was not right for us. We were unique, unlike most companies we found out we were going to air before we had closed our deal. We decided to take a wait and see approach. Ultimately, the “Shark Tank effect” is real and very quickly we had tens of thousands of visitors, followers and sales that pointed towards needing a much larger investment.
Current Valuation
Sara: What is your company’s net worth today?
Bill: We are currently in the ballpark of $1.5mil. So, we’ve experienced about a 700% growth since appearing on Shark Tank. While the bulk of the day-to-day operations are still just my father and myself, our customer base is expanding beyond just holiday sales. I expect this growth to propel use much further in the years ahead.
Additional Investments
Sara: Have you secured any investments from other investors since your appearance on Shark Tank?
Bill: Yes, we have wonderful investors who began as customers! Following the show, my wife and I were looking at installing some pavers in our backyard. When the estimator was chatting with us, he asked what I do for a living. I said “oh, I have a little company that makes holiday decorations,” he immediately said “wait, you were you on Shark Tank! My father-in-law has a few of your covers and was bummed that you got a deal with Cuban, as he wanted to invest himself!” Well, we set up a meeting and the rest is history. It’s been a great relationship ever since.
Business Strategy Evolution
Sara: How has your business strategy or operations changed after your appearance on Shark Tank?
Bill: We have begun to pivot and provide covers to non-holiday related industries. It’s been critical to print our covers in both the USA and abroad to meet the different levels of demand. We had to increase our warehouse space and secure more inventory. Efficiency and automation have also become key. Anything we can do to streamline our operations (especially during the holiday rush) have become vital.
Challenges
Sara: What were the biggest challenges you’ve faced since your appearance on Shark Tank, and how have you addressed them?
Bill: Customer service. Following our appearance on the show, we were inundated with orders, requests, and messages. It was impossible to answer everyone and address problems as quickly as we would have liked. While our products were top-notch, they were not without issues and malfunctions. Addressing speedy replacement requests, refunds and inventory issues was incredibly stressful.
We are still working to streamline our customer service, but we are leaps and bounds better than last year. AI and CRM tools have helped. Ultimately, we worked hard to make our product better. This helped stem many of the customer issues we facing during that first year.
Long-term Objectives and Influence
Sara: What are the long-term goals for your company, and how has Shark Tank influenced these goals?
Bill: Our long-term goal is to shift the bulk of our sales out of the holiday markets and move into more evergreen verticals. So far this has been going well, but it takes time to make such large shifts. Being a seasonal business is stressful. Currently, the bulk of our revenue is produced in a 100-day window from August- December. Stretching our sales window out across the entire year is our number one mission.
Advice for Future Contestants
Sara: What advice would you give future entrepreneurs considering applying for Shark Tank?
Bill: Be yourself and own your story. Everyone has something interesting and unique to share. Find out what your story is and lean into it. Applying to be on Shark Tank can be a wonderful boost for your business but remember… airing on Shark Tank is being relatable and likeable to the audience. I wish my fellow entrepreneurs the best of luck, enjoy the ride!
Hello everyone, I’m Sara Javed. I’m an IT professional expert with project management and design skills. Besides writing, I love playing video games, designing digital art, and reading books. I love Shark Tank due to its innovative business idea and unpredicted reactions of Sharks. This keeps me glued to the screens to watch the next catchy moment. Read more About me.
