Shark Tank Interview with BabyQuip’s Fran Maier

Appearing on ABC hit show Shark Tank is a dream opportunity for many growing businesses. It offers national exposure as well as an opportunity to garner external investment and business advice. 

The show – now in its eleventh season – doesn’t necessarily guarantee an investment will be made. But it does almost always ensure a revenue bump. And business owners appearing on Shark Tank can be confident that their service or product will garner exposure on a level most companies in this stage have not seen before.

As an upcoming featured business on Shark Tank, we had the opportunity to sit down and chat with BabyQuip’s owner Fran Maier about her experience with the show. 

When did you first decide that an appearance on Shark Tank would align with your business goals, and that you wanted to apply to be on the show?

Shark Tank is a cultural phenomenon for entrepreneurs around the country. That’s been common knowledge for many years. It’s popularity spans not just across investors and entrepreneurs, but across many members of the general public as well. 

For a consumer-oriented brand, such as BabyQuip, the exposure is excellent. We are really working to invent a new category addressing specific consumer needs and one of the best ways is through Shark Tank. We are thrilled to be able to inform consumers about what BabyQuip does on Shark Tank. 

Can you tell us a bit more about your experience with the auditioning process? 

The most exciting aspect for me is feeling the sense of elation and increased motivation across the company, including for the Quality Providers. These are the people who own and deliver the baby gear to traveling families. They are so excited to have BabyQuip featured on Shark Tank! It’s truly a fantastic opportunity to showcase what they do, and give our Providers a feeling of pride for the work they do and the company they are helping us to build. 

I also got to appear on the show with my son, Joe, who is BabyQuip’s Chief Technology Officer. I’m incredibly proud of all the hard work and dedication he is putting into making BabyQuip successful. The fact that I was able to appear on Shark Tank with him made the experience so much more special to me. It also lets us really highlight the fact that we are a family business trying to help other families.

How did you react when you found out you’d been selected for Shark Tank?

The application process was really long, so we spent a ton of time waiting. We didn’t find out that we’d been selected for an actual taping for such a long time that when we received all of the details about the logistical plans – like the flight and accommodation information – for our appearance, it made it all feel real. As huge fans of the show, traveling there was very surreal. But once we arrived, we felt like we belonged there, and all of the cast and crew were very welcoming to us.

Did you target any specific Sharks, or were you open to any of the investors?

I thought that all of them might have been interested. I didn’t really think Lori would have made the best match to invest, given her relationship with QVC; this just wouldn’t be a great fit with our business model. But I was confident that they would all be interested in the idea. 

We truly are the only baby gear rental company that can serve clients on a national scale. With so many parents and young families wanting to travel without the hassle, our customer base is potentially tremendous. Far larger than many other successful start-up products or services. So, I really felt confident that we would be pitching something that would pique the interest of all of the Sharks.  

Was there any part of your past experiences from the first several years of starting BabyQuip that you wanted to highlight during your performance?

I have a strong business background and have worked with multiple successful start-ups, so I was optimistic that this experience would air, even though appearing on Shark Tank is an incredibly humbling experience.

Perhaps more relevant is the fact that Joe and I have watched tons of previous Shark Tank episodes. We really went in with a pretty strong understanding of the Shark’s characteristics. After watching these individuals for so many years, I felt like I knew them. I believe that helped us to develop a rapport early on in the show. Being a fan of the show certainly paid off for us! 

How did you describe BabyQuip’s service in a way that will make it stand out?

We really wanted to get across our understanding of what parents need and the fact that lugging baby gear around is a pain point for most parents on vacation. This fact is so true, that it is one of the primary reasons that parents don’t travel with young children, even though this is the ideal time to create these lasting memories and bond with your children. BabyQuip removes this barrier for young families, which is definitely a characteristic that makes our company stand out.

We also wanted to highlight that this is also an opportunity for our Providers. For many parents, this is an ideal opportunity to earn extra income on their own terms. We are incredibly proud of our entire BabyQuip community. They are a crucial component to the success we’ve enjoyed so far, and appearing on Shark Tank may allow us to welcome more Providers into our network.

The final point we wanted to get across is that BabyQuip is building a national brand. There are smaller mom ‘n pop companies, but when you are traveling, you don’t want to be limited to only a few select places with a smaller business. By being a national company, we can offer parents options near any major vacation destination, and a lot of smaller ones too.

BabyQuip was founded as a way to make family vacations more restful, memorable, and fun. What aspects of BabyQuip’s operating model did you think would make a Shark Tank appearance compelling?

Our motto is Pack Light, Travel Happy. BabyQuip offers a win-win scenario. Families with young children can travel easier, and our providers can make additional money. This is a real plus for us. We see our operating model as one that benefits all parties involved. One that will likely be a key component in the company’s continued success.

How did you feel when you were on set for the filming of this episode of Shark Tank?

We were definitely very nervous and at the same time confident. There was an element of our appearance that couldn’t be controlled in a live or studio setting. So, this meant that we could have had unplanned or surprise events during our appearance. Luckily, everything went well throughout our time on set. 

Did any of the Sharks ask you questions that surprised you (were unprepared for)?

Not that I can recall. I do remember feeling very respected by all of the Sharks. This may have been partially due to my previous experience as a co-founder of Match.com. Or other start-ups I’ve worked with, or it may have been due to other reasons.

Mostly, though, I was impressed with the questions that they asked; they were to-the-point and on-topic. It was an excellent opportunity to dive deeper into the operations of BabyQuip. 

How excited is the rest of the team about the appearance?

Everyone is enormously excited. Since the process took so long, it feels as though this has been our #1 goal for so long. And now it’s finally being realized. 

Final question – After going through the application and selection process, then the filming process, would you do it all again?

Absolutely! If I were to work with another start-up that was a good fit for a Shark Tank appearance, I wouldn’t hesitate for a moment.