Thinking about others will not always fulfil your purpose. Good intentions are not always appreciated. Hot Mama Gowns is one such company. It is a breastfeeding-friendly brand that allows women to feel relaxed, pain-free, and without embarrassment.
The company appeared on Shark Tank, a popular commercial show, in episode 6 of season 2. Only one Shark approached, but was it acceptable? Find out who was it! Why were the Sharks not willing to take risks? Go through the article to learn about it.
Quick Facts
| Founders name: | Deidra Haysel |
| Business details: | Maternity gowns made of 100% organic cotton, designed for breastfeeding moms |
| Founded in: | 2011 |
| Location : | USA |
| Asking of Company: | $30,000 for 20% Equity |
| Accepted Deals: | No Deal |
| Shark on board (Investors): | None |
| Shark Tank Episode: | Season 02 Episode 06 |
| Net Worth | None |
| Business Status: | Out of Business |
| Last Updated: | Mar 11, 2024 |
| Social Media |
About the Founder
The company Hot Mama Gowns was founded by Deidrea Haysel. As soon as Haysel was released from the clinic shortly after her delivery, she started making maternity dresses.
She detested the humiliation of having to mask herself in the clinic by donning two medical gowns. She found that breastfeeding was challenging and awkward in regular medical gowns. Haysel labored every night to create her business while taking care of her baby.
Founding the Hot Mama Gowns
Maternity apparel is available at Hot Mama Gowns. For breastfeeding women, they made gowns out of 100 percent certified pure cotton. The dresses are also made in different sizes – 2 to 24, to accommodate women of any physique. They were offered in a way that was particularly cozy for maternal figures.
Every phase of motherhood can be comfortably worn while these unique silhouettes are made to accentuate increasing contours. All of them have short sleeves, allowing for blood pressure checks, and have hooks at the back that protect the moms.
Shark Tank Appearance
Haysel requested $30k capital for a 20% ownership stake in her company, Hot Mama Gowns to the Sharks.
However, Robert Herjavec was not entirely persuaded by the fact that expecting women worry about their looks after giving birth. And Kevin Harrington is curious as to what audience this would even be appealing to.
According to Haysel, the maternity business is a $4.5 billion industry. Additionally, sales have consistently increased by 12% since 2002.
Daymond John questioned Haysel regarding the revenues he made so far. Since its launch in 2009, Hot Mama Gowns has only generated $11,500 in revenue.
However, Haysel was bragging about other stuff like working hours and business status without answering the actual question. This made John a bit agitated and thus departed. Herjavec and Harrington also decided to walk away for identical reasons, as well as her lack of adequate time for the company to make it profitable.
Kevin O’Leary is the only person to acknowledge that he admires her tenacity and drive, which are qualities that make for successful entrepreneurs.
One size that can fit all would drastically cut down on production expenses, so Corcoran asks Haysel to answer whether she has ever thought of producing one. But again she started diverting from the actual answer.
Corcoran worries about accepting Haysel as a collaborator, but still chooses to put forward a proposal. She offers $30k as a trade for 40% of the firm. She also wants to create a less expensive outfit in medium, petite, and big shapes.
Haysel, regrettably, simply cannot accept the deal because 40% of a loss is excessive for her to bear, thus she walked home nil.
After Shark Tank
Haysel gradually expanded her firm via e-commerce and special retailing. She was able to cut her expenses. On Twitter, Haysel remained very visible and engaged with her followers on personal grounds. Hot Mama Gowns does not exist now; therefore its market value is zero.