Muff Waders is the first bib workwear that can hold your favorite drink can or bottle, so you can work and play at the same time. It was a fun clothing idea that was proposed by founders Garret Lamp and Taylor Nees on Shark Tank. Sadly, they didn’t make a deal, but the company was later acquired. As of 2024, Muff Waders is estimated to be worth $500,000.
Tyler Nitz and Garrett Lamp
Tyler “Earl” Ness and Garrett “Buddy” Lamp were childhood friends who both grew up in Holstein, Iowa. They grew up in a small town and had similar dreams. Buddy studied advertising at Iowa State University, but little is known about Earl’s educational background.
Garrett worked various odd jobs during college, first as an equipment manager for the school’s football club and later as a video producer at Drone DirectorE.
He also served as a video production intern for Merrill Manufacturing Company and Iowa State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. After graduation, he was hired by Corteva Agriscience as a video producer and by Hy-Vee as a content curator.
Founder Muff Waders
Taylor came up with the idea for the business when he went to the bar after a football game. He wanted to be able to wear his work clothes after get off work so that he could carry all the beer. The next morning, Taylor drew a sketch in the hope of making his wish come true.
Eventually, he created a work suit with multiple compartments to hold cans and bottles. Its most notable feature was a six-pack cooler on the chest, a bottle opener, and a cup for drinks.
Garrett worked on the business part-time because he had just had a baby and needed a steady income. The two friends started Muff Waders with $75,000 in 2018. They launched a Kickstarter campaign that failed, but by the time they appeared on Shark Tank, sales had reached $54,000.
Shark Tank
In 2021, Garret Lamp and Taylor Nees were faced with production difficulties due to the closure of the factory they were working with in China. The founders needed to raise funds, and they appeared on Shark Tank Season 12, seeking $25,000 for a 25% stake.
The two guys had the Sharks laughing with their confidence and charisma during their presentation, which also featured the first prototype of their second product, Muff Spenders.
Although the Sharks liked their personalities, none of them were interested in investing in the business. This was surprising, as the company had a low valuation, multiple patents, and high profit margins. The Sharks probably didn’t want their images to become the face of the brand.
After Shark Tank
Earl and Buddy didn’t make the deal, but appearing on the show helped them raise more than $10,000 for their second Kickstarter campaign. When the episode aired, people in the town of Holstein gathered to watch the show.
The startup was acquired by Stevia Nutra Corp in 2021 for an undisclosed amount. Although Stevia Nutra is traded on the stock exchange, they have not released financial data since the end of 2020. At the time of the acquisition, Muff Waders had sales of approximately $250,000.
Muff Waders and Muff Spenders are available on Etsy, Amazon, and MuffWaders.com. The original Muff Wader is currently priced at $90 on its website and $96 on Amazon.
There aren’t many reviews for these products online, but a few of them are 5 stars. The company is still in business and is valued at $500,000. Garret currently works as a content curator at Hy-Vee, Inc, and Taylor is an electrician at Holstein Electric Ltd.
Categories: Shark Tank
Source: svlsf.edu.vn