Scott Cramton, an immersive entertainment expert, arrived on Shark Tank Season 15 Episode 18 to pitch for his company, The Murder Mystery Company. The company offered tailored and immersive entertainment for social gatherings.
The company used to perform public shows at hotels and restaurants. However, the COVID-19 pandemic hit them hard, as the hotels and restaurants were closed. The company lost its partnerships. The owner adopted a new business model where The Murder Mystery Company offered private shows to its clients.
The Murder Mystery Company had lifetime sales of $50 million, a force of over 2000 immersioneers, and consistent profits. Did Scott Cramton convince the Sharks to help him switch to the old business model? Find out in our The Murder Mystery Company Shark Tank Update.
The Murder Mystery Company Net Worth
The Murder Mystery Company’s founder and CEO, Scott Cramton, initially valued the business at $7 million. He asked for $350,000 for a 5% equity stake. The value was justified because the lifetime sales from 2017 to date were $50 million. The company’s recurring profits increased its net worth since it was founded.
Jason Blum offered The Murder Mystery Company $350,000 for a 10% stake in the equity, which valued it at $3.5 million. The deal was later executed at the valuation, but the real net worth was over $5 million. The expected net worth of The Murder Mystery Company is around $6 million.
The Murder Mystery Company Shark Tank Update
What Happened To The Murder Mystery Company After Shark Tank?
Not much has changed for The Murder Mystery Company since it struck a deal on Shark Tank. The official website has mentioned Shark Tank on the homepage. The company currently offers live public shows and online murder mysteries on Zoom meetups. It seems like Scott Cramton has already started working on the public transformation.
Did The Murder Mystery Company Get A Deal On Shark Tank?
Scott Cramton perfectly presented the company’s case with his excellent presence of mind. The pitch was excellent, and Sharks were even more impressed when the founder began unfolding the financial numbers. Every Shark was equally interested in making a deal, but Jason Blum struck a value-adding deal that could benefit himself and the company.
Jason Blum called himself the right partner for an immersive entertainment company because he was the king of horror movies. He offered Scott $350,000 for a 10% stake in the company. All the other Sharks advised Scott to take the offer.
Scott Cramton tried to make a counteroffer, but Mark Cuban insisted he did not relinquish a good offer for a small equity stake. He wisely agreed and struck a deal with Jason Blum.
| Shark(s) Name | Offer | Demand | Counteroffer | Accepted? |
| Jason Blum | $350,000 | 10% of equity | N/A | Yes |
| Kevin O’Leary | Out | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Mark Cuban | Out | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Lori Greiner | Out | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Barbara Corcoran | Out | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Scott Cramton’s Backstory
Scott Cramton called himself a miracle because he fought successfully against cleft palates. The doctor had told his parents that it was unlikely for Scott to communicate throughout his life. However, he went through seven surgeries and twenty years of speech therapy to overcome the disorder.
Scott was fond of immersive therapies that gave him the confidence to speak. He founded The Murder Mystery Company in 2002. The business started from local performances but expanded to become the leading immersive entertainment company in the world.
Initial Pitch
The pitch started when a butler entered the tank and introduced himself as a representative of The Murder Mystery Company. He coughed and struggled to continue when the lights went off, and he was stabbed in the back.
The lights eventually turned on, and Scott Cramton appeared out of nowhere to solve the murder. He began suspecting the Sharks and concluded that Kevin was the murderer. Everyone laughed and enjoyed the immersive problem-solving.
Scott Cramton introduced himself as the sole founder and owner of The Murder Mystery Company. He asked the Sharks for $350,000 in exchange for a 5% equity stake in the company. He claimed that his business was the leader in private immersive experiences. The company had scenarios where people could actively engage in murder cases at social gatherings.
Queries About The Product
Kevin O’Leary wanted to get straight into the business, inquiring about the business model and customer acquisition. Scott Cramton confirmed that the company was strategically located in 23 cities. The company was founded over 20 years ago, but the serious business started in 2017.
Jason Blum asked about the company’s number of immersioneers on its panel. Scott confirmed that they had around 2000 people working as part-time immersioneers. Jason demanded the sales figure. Scott claimed that The Murder Mystery Company had lifetime sales of $50 million since 2017. The company made $7 million in sales last year with a net profit of $850,000. The projected sales in the ongoing year were well over $10 million, and the company expected a net profit of $2 million.
After knowing the inflated sales number, Kevin asked why Scott Cramton needed a Shark. Scott argued that he wanted to go back into public shows. He could not waste another decade making connections and partnerships for live public shows. He wanted to go directly into hotels and restaurants to engage people.
He further explained that The Murder Mystery Company did 1200 individual public shows in 2019. However, progress was halted when venues became non-operational during COVID-19. The partnerships that the company had built in a decade were discontinued.
Barbara Corcoran curiously inquired if the company did not perform at clients’ homes. Scott said The Murder Mystery Company had been strictly performing private shows since the COVID-19 pandemic. The company went to the clients instead of them coming to the company. However, finding restaurants and hotels was difficult post-pandemic.
To understand the affordability of each show, Barbara and Kevin asked about the price and duration of the shows, respectively. Scott explained that an individual show was offered for $499. Several plans included shows for $2000, $5000, and $10000. He further confirmed that each show was stretched over two hours (which could extend by half an hour if dinner was included).
Jason questioned why Scott Cramton did not sell the company as a whole instead of taking $350,000 for 5% of equity. Scott described his backstory and called himself lucky to pitch on Shark Tank despite the cleft palate disorder. He explained that immersive therapies were important for people like him or introverts to participate with people.
Mark Cuban wanted to know the optimal number of sittings per play and how much the company charged per participant. Scott confirmed that he could handle 120 participants per play on a personal level. The ticket price per person was around $60 to $90, which included food.
Sharks’ Response And Final Deal
Jason Blum was impressed by The Murder Mystery Company due to its recurring profits and over 8000 shows. He called himself the king of horror movies and felt a deep connection between his genre and immersive entertainment. Jason saw himself as the best strategic partner for the company, so he offered $350,000 for a 10% equity share.
Every other Shark on the panel insisted Scott take the offer, but he wanted to counter. However, Mark Cuban explained to him that the Shark Tank had two types of pain. Either entrepreneurs agreed to give more equity than required or walked out without a deal due for a small amount of equity. Scott Cramton instantly understood the situation and accepted the deal.
Product Availability
The Murder Mystery Company is an immersive entertainment business that performs shows where people do not just watch but are also involved. The company offers private shows to spice up social gatherings. However, they are now available for public shows as well. Clients can even join Zoom meetups to solve murder mysteries online.
The public shows are offered against tickets. Each ticket is available for $60 to $90. This price includes food as well. However, the private shows are understandably expensive. The price range of a private show starts from $499 and goes up to $10,000. The company has experience of catering corporate events, so the need is surely there.
The Murder Mystery Company is the leader in the immersive entertainment industry. It has no known competitor yet. It would be hard for other companies to replicate what the company is doing because The Murder Mystery Company is entertaining people and making profits.
The only threat to the business is its recent shift from private to public shows. The Murder Mystery Company has lost its partnership with hotels and restaurants, so it must work hard to establish connections. However, Jason Blum is the right guy to help Scott Cramton.
Conclusion
The Murder Mystery Company is a premiere in the immersive entertainment industry. It has over 2000 performers and offers over 7500 shows annually. The company has a presence in 23 different cities in the USA.
Scott Cramton successfully struck a deal with Jason Blum. Jason’s horror genre experience is the ideal addition to the executive panel. Jason has the right public relations to help The Murder Mystery Company win agreements and partnerships with the right businesses.
The Murder Mystery Company has great potential as an immersive entertainment brand. It has achieved profitability and lifetime sales of over $50 million. It is the right choice to keep guests entertained at social gatherings and parties.
Hi. I’m Daniyal Durrani. A CA-finalist, CPA-UK, and Master in Economics, with a decade-long business studies experience. I work as an Audit and Business Advisory Manager in a globally recognized accounting firm. I have been watching Shark Tank for a long time and have always admired the innovative business ideas. The revolutionary solutions to unaddressed day-to-day problems presented on the show used to impress me like no other thing on TV. Read more About me.