All of us enjoy taking pictures with our cell phones, but most of the time, we are unable to transform those pictures into hard copies. In reality, a lot of us rarely print the digital memories we have stored on screens.
After realizing how frequent this problem was, Brian and Julie Whiteman developed GrooveBook as a solution. With GrooveBook, customers can easily and affordably store hard copies of their most beautiful memories. They can turn their smartphone images into real photo books through a monthly subscription service.
Brian and Julie wanted to grow their company when they appeared on Shark Tank. They were seeking $150,000 for 20% equity. They wanted this investment to improve their business growth. Let’s find out if they succeeded in getting a deal on Shark Tank or not.
GrooveBook Net Worth Shark Tank Update 2025
Julie and Brian Whiteman went on Shark Tank asking for $150,000 for 20% of their company. This meant they thought their business was worth $750,000. They made a deal with Kevin O’Leary and Mark Cuban for $150,000 for 80%, lowering the valuation to $187,500. The episode was aired on January 10, 2014. The photo-book subscription service was later acquired by Shutterfly in 2014 for $14.5 million and was discontinued in 2022. The current net worth of GrooveBook as an independent company is $0 in 2025.
After appearing on Shark Tank, GrooveBook experienced huge growth because of the popularity of the show. In less than a year, GrooveBook’s audience increased from 18,000 to an impressive 500,000. The significant growth of Groovebook attracts the prominent online picture business, Shutterfly.
Shutterfly paid $14.5 million to purchase GrooveBook. Groovebook became a huge success after this purchase. Unfortunately, on April 8, 2022, Shutterfly announced that all GrooveBook services would be discontinued. GrooveBook is no longer a company as of 2024, but its influence is still seen in how consumers view printing digital images.
On Shark Tank, GrooveBook got a deal with Mark Cuban and Kevin O’Leary. After many offers and counteroffers, Brian and Julie Whiteman accepted the final deal of $150,000 for 80% of the company and the right to license the service. Through this agreement, Brian and Julie were able to continue to grow and be involved in day-to-day operations.
| Shark(s) name | Offer & Demand | Counteroffer | Accepted? |
| Mark Cuban and Kevin O’Leary | $150k for 80% of the rights to licensing as a service to other companies | N/A | Yes |
| Lori Greiner and robert Herjavec | $375k for 50% equity | N/A | No |
| Kevin O’Leary | $750 for 100% equity | $6 million for 100% equity | No |
| Daymond John | Out | N/A | N/A |
| Mark Cuban | $150k for the rights to license groovebook as a service to other | N/A | No |
GrooveBook Shark Tank Pitch
When Brian and Julie Whiteman couldn’t find a simple way to print the images from their smartphones, they developed GrooveBook. They came to the realization that although individuals enjoy taking pictures, very few have the time to print those pictures. Motivated to design an easy alternative, they created GrooveBook, a monthly photo book subscription service that prints images from smartphones.
It just costs $2.99, including shipping and group books. You can choose more than 100 photos from your smartphone every month and create a beautiful photo book in just a few minutes. Then that book will be delivered to you with a cover.
Early on, the Whitemans had to deal with a lot of difficulties, such as low-profit margins and expensive operating costs. They overcame these challenges because they were passionate about saving memories, which eventually inspired them to present their idea to Shark Tank.
Brian and Julie presented GrooveBook as an easy-to-use, reasonably priced solution for converting smartphone images into hard copy photo books during their pitch. They clarified that customers can receive a photo book with more than 100 photos for just $2.99 a month.
The Whitemans explained how the books were flexible because of their unique “groove” design, which reduced shipping costs to just $0.82 for each book. Because of their high operating costs, they were not yet profitable, even with 18,000 subscribers. To help them grow their business and expand their customer base, they asked for $150,000 in exchange for a 20% share in their company.
Robert Herjavec asked what would happen if their printing shop failed.
In response, Brian and Julie said they understood the danger and risk but highlighted their in-house printing skills and patented design as ways to keep expenses down.
Robert asked how much money they make per month. Brian replied that they are not making any money right now. They need 30,000 customers to break even.
Daymond John inquired about the sales. Brian replied that they have had 18,000 paid subscribers in the last eight months.
Daymond further asked why their prices are so low and why they don’t charge higher prices. Brian replied that they want it to be affordable for everyone.
Kevin O’Leary suggested they should consider selling the whole company.
In response, Brian and Julie said they would choose to stay part of the company they loved instead of selling it completely.
Mark Cuban asked if you could license this to other companies. Julie responded by saying that they were considering getting a license but that they needed some guidance.
Lori questioned the cost. The entrepreneurs replied that it cost $2.30 with a $2.99 price. The profit margin is only 70 cents.
The idea of GrooveBook being licensed to other photo businesses was appealing to Mark Cuban and Kevin O’Leary. In an effort to expand GrooveBook’s market reach, they made an offer of $150,000 for 80% equity and license rights.
Robert Herjavec and Lori Greiner were interested in an important position in the company but also saw the product’s potential. They offered a combined deal of $375,000 for 50% equity.
Kevin O’Leary offered to buy the whole company for $750,000. Brian countered with $6 million, but he was rejected.
Daymond John declined to invest, expressing worries about the possible costs and capacity of the production process.
Product Availability
As of today, GrooveBooks is no longer available. In 2022, GrooveBook’s services were discontinued after its purchase by Shutterfly. GrooveBook is currently out of stock, and its website is no longer up and running. GrooveBook provided a unique service that allowed users to print digital images into physical books. The main selling point of GrooveBook was its unique groove design, which allowed the book to bend and cut down on shipping expenses.
Conclusion
The experience GrooveBook had on Shark Tank was thrilling, including difficult discussions and calculated decisions. The Sharks were attracted to the Whitemans’ creative method of digital memory storage. GrooveBook had a profitable partnership with Mark Cuban and Kevin O’Leary. Shutterfly’s final purchase and growth of the business proved the reliability of its business model. GrooveBook as a service is no longer offered, but its history is still a tribute to the strength of creativity and determination.
Hey, I’m Amna Habib an undergraduate student of Bachelors in Business Administration. Shark Tank is one of my favorite TV shows of all time. The show provides a fascinating insight into the world of entrepreneurship by presenting creative solutions to common problems, which strongly connects to my academic interests. I’m interested in learning more about the strategic thinking and creativity that lead these companies as each pitch provides insightful information. I’ve found that watching Shark Tank has inspired my enthusiasm for business and entrepreneurship and has been a very enlightening and motivating experience. Apart from business and writing, I love food, shopping, and hanging out with friends and family. Read more About me.
