Ed O’Donoghue reveals what Shark Tank’s Steve Baxter is REALLY like

Ed O’Donoghue appeared on Tuesday’s episode of Shark Tank, where Glen Richards made a $250k investment for a 20 per cent stake in the business. 

And in an interview with Daily Mail Australia on Wednesday, the FroPro founder revealed what goes on behind the scenes, and what judge Steve Baxter is really like.

The former rugby player described the entrepreneurial reality show as a ‘well-run operation’ where everything is kept ‘confidential’. 

Ed pitched his FroPro business: a high-protein, low-calorie ice cream, that is 96 per cent sugar-free and has a five-star health rating.

Speaking to Daily Mail Australia on Wednesday, Ed described the running of the show as ‘very well-kept and confidential’ and that ‘there isn’t too much mixing or talking between contestants behind the scenes’.

‘As contestants we don’t de-brief in the greenroom as to how pitches went. It’s a really well-run operation,’ he added.

FroPro: Ed pitched his FroPro business: a high-protein, low-calorie ice cream, that is 96 per cent sugar-free and has a five-star health rating

Impressive: The product is stocked in 600 Woolworths stores nationally, and just under 1,000 retailers Australia-wide

Ed revealed that the episode is filmed ‘a few months in advance’ and following that, just like any other investments, there’s ‘always a lengthy due diligence’ to ‘ensure everything works out’.

Having initially thought starring on the program would be ‘a walk in the park’, Ed said that he was actually ‘so shocked at how daunting it is’.

‘I’d already had a couple of really great meetings with Woolworths and Coles [about stocking the product] in the two days before I went on the show, so I was just relaxed, and then the moment I walked in, I just started sweating bullets, it was so daunting,’ he admitted.

Behind the scenes: Ed described the running of the show as ‘very well-kept and confidential’ and that ‘there isn’t too much mixing or talking between contestants behind the scenes’ 

Despite Steve Baxter having been portrayed as the straight-talking, sometimes abrasive judge, Ed said that the tech start-up pioneer was actually the opposite.

He explained: ‘I think he’s very reasonable and practical. He comes across maybe a little bit abrasive, but the reality is, I don’t think any of them [the judges] got where they are without being fairly shrewd. 

‘Throughout the episode, he actually came to my defence a few times,’ Ed added of Steve.

‘He’s very reasonable and practical’: Despite Steve Baxter [pictured] having been portrayed as the sometimes abrasive judge, Ed said that the tech start-up pioneer was actually the opposite

Ed’s last comments were in reference to fellow judge Janine Allis slamming FroPro’s ice cream packaging, and its ‘fundamental flaw’ of not having a target market. 

However Steve came to Ed’s defence, saying: ‘It’s not a fundamental flaw because it’s changeable.’

Regardless of the feud, Ed’s pitch was successful, with Glen Richards investing $250k in the business for a 20 per cent stake. 

Vocal: Steve came to Ed’s defence, after fellow judge Janine Allis [pictured] slammed FroPro’s packaging and said a ‘fundamental flaw’ was in the brand not having a target market