Shark Tank duo Irina Zikner and Lilly Stesin were left red-faced during Tuesday night’s episode of Shark Tank.
The budding entrepreneurs were pitching eco-friendly collapsible coffee cups to the show’s five investors, claiming they were the only brand in Australia selling the product.
However, in an excruciatingly embarrassing moment, investor Steve Baxter flipped out his smart phone and did a quick Google search, only to easily find multiple companies selling the cups online.
Busted! Shark Tank contestants were caught out on Tuesday’s episode of the show, after investor Steve Baxter (pictured) did a Google search on their product
‘There’s just one other competitor’: Contestants Irina and Lilly were pitching their collapsible coffee cups when they made a claim which was later debunked
‘In Australia, we’re the only ones that are doing collapsible coffee cups,’ Lilly confidently claimed.
‘That makes no sense,’ Steve snapped, clearly unimpressed with the pair’s pitch.
Feeling the pressure, Lilly retorted: ‘No, no, no. But in America, there is one other company that does collapsible silicone coffee cups. There’s just one other competitor.’
‘No, not a brand. Yeah, not, not, not, not a brand of it, no’: Lilly was feeling the pressure as Steve slipped out his smart phone
Unconvinced, Steve shot back: ‘If I were to Google it, I wouldn’t find like about the first page full of competitors?’
‘No, not a brand. Yeah, not, not, not, not a brand of it, no,’ Lilly spluttered.
Then, in a wince-inducing scene, Steve punched the words ‘collapsible coffee cups’ into his smart phone as the camera zoomed in on his device to reveal the results.
That’s awkward! The camera zoomed in on Steve’s device to reveal the results
‘They’re everywhere!’ he protested, before reading from his screen: ‘Shop for a collapsible coffee cup. Silicone coffee cup, collapsible, portable, collapsible.’
Steve then launched into a tirade: ‘When you’re talking to investors don’t have them Google it, find the competitor, and then wonder what else you’ve told us that’s not correct. Because that’s the problem you’ve now got.’
He finished off by blasting the duo’s eco-friendly business idea which they described as a ‘movement’.
‘I don’t like being preached to, when it comes to my choices in consumer goods, to be honest. I wish you all the best, but I’m going to head out right now,’ he bluntly said.
While the other four investors were more impressed with the collapsible coffee cup range, they all eventually passed on contributing money to the company.
Better luck next time! While the other four investors were more impressed with the collapsible coffee cup range, they all eventually passed on contributing money to the company