Statistics: Sara Blakely Invested $700k on Shark Tank

Sara Blakely was already a successful businesswoman before entering Shark Tank. She had built Spanx from a simple idea into a huge brand and knew how difficult it could be to get a product in front of the right customers. So, when Sara joined Shark Tank Season 9, she came with money, but also years of experience behind it.

Her Shark Tank journey was not very long though. Sara made four accepted deals across Seasons 9 and 10. Brazyn Life, Alice’s Table, The Kombucha Shop and Sonnet James were the businesses that caught her interest, bringing her total commitment to $700,000.

Half of Sara’s complete Shark Tank money came from just one business. Sonnet James got $350,000, while Brazyn Life and Alice’s Table added $125,000 each and The Kombucha Shop another $100,000. So, her biggest deal alone was equal to the other three investments put together.

However, things are not always that simple after Shark Tank. The deals made on the show still go through another round of checks once filming is over. Both sides look at the business again, and sometimes what looked like a done deal inside the Tank does not actually happen.

That was the case with two of Sara’s investments. Brazyn Life and The Kombucha Shop did not close their deals, while Alice’s Table and Sonnet James have much stronger evidence of moving forward with Sara. So, although $700,000 was accepted from Sara on the show, the actual amount she ended up investing is another story.

How Much Did Sara Blakely Invest on Shark Tank?

How Much Did Sara Blakely Invest on Shark Tank?

Sara Blakely invested $700,000 in four accepted Shark Tank deals. Out of these, Sonnet James was the only business she invested in without another Shark. Brazyn Life, Alice’s Table and The Kombucha Shop were all shared investments.

The biggest amount went to Sonnet James. Sara invested the complete $350,000 herself. For Brazyn Life, she joined Lori Greiner in a $250,000 deal, which makes Sara’s share $125,000.

Then there was Alice’s Table, where Sara and Mark Cuban invested $250,000 together. So, another $125,000 goes into Sara’s total. With The Kombucha Shop, Sara partnered with Barbara Corcoran for $200,000 in cash, giving her another $100,000.

Now, add all of them together and the amount reaches $700,000. Sara had one solo deal and three investments with other Sharks. And since these were the only four businesses she invested in, this makes up her complete Shark Tank portfolio.

However, that is not always how things work out after the show. Brazyn Life and The Kombucha Shop did not close their deals, while Alice’s Table and Sonnet James have much stronger evidence of going through. So, the $700,000 tells us how much Sara agreed to invest on Shark Tank, but the amount that actually made it through is another thing.

Sara Blakely’s Season-by-Season Investments

Sara started investing on Shark Tank during Season 9. Brazyn Life and Alice’s Table were the two businesses that got her money. Both were shared deals, bringing Sara’s total for the season to $250,000.

Then she came back for Season 10. This time, The Kombucha Shop and Sonnet James added another $450,000 to her investment record. And with that, Sara’s complete $700,000 Shark Tank portfolio was finished in just two seasons.

Sara Blakely Invested $125,000 in Brazyn Life

Nate Lawrie and Tom Hopkins came into the Tank with Brazyn Life, a foam roller that could collapse into a smaller size. Regular foam rollers can be annoying to carry around, especially while traveling. Their product was made to solve exactly that problem, and they were seeking $225,000 for 10% equity.

Sara and Lori Greiner decided to jump into the deal together. Sara had years of experience with branding and consumer products, while Lori knew the world of physical products and retail very well. The two Sharks finally offered $250,000, which Nate and Tom accepted, leaving Sara’s share at $125,000.

Unfortunately, the deal did not make it all the way after Shark Tank. Nate later confirmed that the investment from Sara and Lori was never completed. Brazyn Life continued its journey without them, so Sara’s $125,000 stays in her on-screen investment record, but not among the deals we can safely call completed.

Brazyn Life continued its business even without Sara and Lori. Nate and Tom kept working on the company and did not let the failed deal stop them. So, the business stayed alive, but Sara’s $125,000 investment never actually happened.

Sara Blakely Invested $125,000 in Alice’s Table

Alice Lewis came to Shark Tank with Alice’s Table, a business that organized flower-arranging events. Customers could join the workshops and make their own floral arrangements, while hosts could earn money by running these events. She entered the Tank seeking $250,000 for 6.25% equity.

Sara liked the business and Mark Cuban joined her in the investment. Sara already knew a lot about branding and consumer businesses, while Mark had years of experience growing companies. Together, they offered Alice $250,000, and she accepted the deal.

Since Sara and Mark invested together, Sara’s part of the deal comes to $125,000. This was her second investment in Season 9. And unlike Brazyn Life, things actually looked much better after filming.

Alice later talked about Sara and Mark as investors who continued working with the company. The business also kept growing after Shark Tank instead of disappearing once the episode was over. So, there is much stronger evidence that Sara’s Alice’s Table investment actually went through.

Alice’s Table did not stop growing after Shark Tank. The business went from around 40 to 50 local hosts to nearly 500. They also started working with 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, which opened a much bigger door for the company.

Then, things got even better. In January 2022, 1-800-FLOWERS.COM acquired Alice’s Table. The business continued operating after the acquisition too. So, Sara’s $125,000 investment eventually became part of a company owned by a much bigger brand.

Sara Blakely Invested $100,000 in The Kombucha Shop

Kate Field came to Shark Tank with The Kombucha Shop, a business that helps people make kombucha at home. And this was not a small business trying to make its first few sales. The company had already generated around $3.2 million in lifetime sales before appearing on the show.

Sara decided to join Barbara Corcoran for the investment. Together, they offered Kate $200,000 in cash for 10% equity, along with a $150,000 line of credit. Kate accepted the offer, which gives Sara a $100,000 share of the cash investment.

The deal looks a little bigger because of that extra $150,000 credit line. However, it was separate from the $200,000 cash investment Sara and Barbara were putting into the company. So, when calculating Sara’s Shark Tank money, The Kombucha Shop adds $100,000 to her total.

Unfortunately, the deal did not go as planned after Shark Tank. The agreement with Sara and Barbara did not close, so the $100,000 never became an actual investment. It still counts in Sara’s on-screen total, but things changed once the show was over.

The Kombucha Shop did not end there though. Kate continued growing the business and expanded its distribution without the Sharks. Then, in 2021, entrepreneur Habib Bakshi acquired the company. So, even without Sara and Barbara’s money, The Kombucha Shop still found its way forward.

Sara Blakely Invested $350,000 in Sonnet James

Whitney Lundeen came to Shark Tank with Sonnet James, a clothing business that makes fashionable dresses for mothers. She wanted more money to grow the company and was seeking $350,000 for 25% equity. This business was much closer to the world Sara already knew.

Sara had spent years building Spanx and working around women’s clothing and consumer products. So, she could understand the customers and many of the challenges behind the business. This time, she did not need another Shark to join her.

Sara offered Whitney the complete $350,000 for 25% equity, and she accepted. Sonnet James became Sara’s only solo investment on Shark Tank and also her biggest one. In fact, this one deal alone makes up half of her complete $700,000 commitment.

The Sonnet James deal actually went through after Shark Tank. Sara became an investor in the company, and the business continued growing after the show. So, this was one of Sara’s deals that actually made it beyond the television episode.

The company also grew to a much larger size. By 2022, Sonnet James was making around $6 million in annual sales. Considering Whitney came to Shark Tank asking for $350,000, the business had come a long way from where it started.

However, things changed later. Sonnet James closed in 2023 when Whitney decided to focus more on her health and family. The company closed, but that does not change Sara’s investment; the deal happened, the business grew for years, and then eventually came to an end.

Did Sara Blakely Make Money From Shark Tank?

Now, the question is, how much money did Sara actually make? Alice’s Table was acquired and Sonnet James reached millions in annual sales. These sound like good results, but sales and acquisitions do not directly show how much money went back to Sara.

Her final ownership in both businesses was never made public. We also do not know how much money she received from either company. So, we can calculate Sara’s Shark Tank investments, but when it comes to her actual profit, the exact number is still unknown.

Conclusion

Sara Blakely committed $700,000 across four accepted Shark Tank deals. Sonnet James got the biggest amount with $350,000. Brazyn Life and Alice’s Table added $125,000 each, while another $100,000 came from The Kombucha Shop.

However, only making a deal on the show is not enough. Brazyn Life and The Kombucha Shop did not go through after filming, while Alice’s Table and Sonnet James have much stronger evidence of closing. So, all four businesses can be counted in Sara’s Shark Tank commitment, but not in the same way when we look at actual investments.

Alice’s Table later became part of 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, which was a big step for the business. Sonnet James also grew quite a lot before eventually closing in 2023. One reached an acquisition, while the other came to an end after years of growth.

So, we know Sara agreed to invest $700,000 on Shark Tank. We also know which of her deals made it further after the show. But the exact amount Sara earned from those investments was never made public, so that part of the story is still unknown.