Women entrepreneur Kristen Dunning pitched her plant-based natural line of bath products on Shark Tank Season 15. Gently Soap, made with herbal ingredients, primarily eliminates essential oils, synthetic additives, and toxic chemicals to keep the skin natural, especially for those with eczema.
Eczema is a skin disease that causes dry and itchy patches. Chemical-based bath products can worsen the condition. Entrepreneur Kristen also suffers from eczema, which led her to create her own product, Gently Soap.
Did any of the Sharks invest in her business to help it grow? Let’s find out what happened next.
| Company Name | Gently Soap | |
| Founder/Co-Founder | Kristen Dunning | |
| Founded | Oct 2020 | |
| Product | line of natural bath products | |
| Asked For | $75k for 10% equity | |
| Final Deal | $75k for 25% equity | |
| Shark | Candace Nelson | |
| Episode | S15 E1 | |
| Air Date | Sep 29th, 2023 | |
| Business Status | In Business | |
| Website | Visit Website | |
| Headquarters | Athens, Georgia, United States | |
| Lifetime Worth (Sales) | $1M *estimated | |
| Valuation | $750,000 | |
| Buy and Watch | Buy Now | Amazon Prime |
What Is the Background of The Founder?
Kristen Dunning is the founder of Gently Soap, which was established in October 2020. She studied Agricultural Communication and Horticultural Science at the University of Georgia and also completed her Master of Business Administration from the same university.
Business Pitch Episode Recap
Kristen asked the Sharks for $75,000 in exchange for 10% equity in her company, valuing it at $750,000. She demonstrated her product, Gently Soap, and shared her personal experience with eczema, explaining how chemical-based bath products made her skin itchy. This led her to create Gently Soap, a perfect bath product for all skin types.
Candace Nelson asked where the product was sold. Kristen explained that Gently Soap is currently available only on e-commerce sites, specifically Amazon and her website.
From February 2021 to 2023, the company achieved total sales of $113,000, but Kristen mentioned that during this period, she was running the business part-time.
Kevin O’Leary asked if there were any repeat orders. Kristen responded that 78% of her orders were repeat customers, which surprised all five Sharks. She also mentioned that 60% of these customers have eczema, while 40% are regular users.
Mark Cuban asked about last year’s sales. Kristen replied that the sales were $66,000, with a profit of $38,000. She also mentioned that each soap costs $2.38 to manufacture and package, and it is sold for $11.
Lori Greiner said that it wasn’t the right time for her to invest in this business, so she decided to be out.
Mark said that this is not a product he feels connected to, so he is out.
Daymond John said that he can’t offer any help with this business, so he is out.
Kevin asked about her customer acquisition cost. Kristen explained that she spends $5.83 to acquire each customer, while her average order value is $42.38.
Kevin offered a deal: $75,000 for 10% equity, plus a $1 royalty per unit sold until $500,000 is paid, after which the royalty would drop to $0.20 per unit perpetuity.
Candace offered $75,000 for 30% equity in Kristen’s company and promised to list the product on the Black and Brown e-commerce beauty platform, Thirteen Lune.
Kristen initially countered with 15% equity, but Candace declined. Kristen then offered 20% equity, which Candace also rejected. Finally, Kristen proposed 25% equity, and Candace accepted this counteroffer.
Sharks Offers list!
| Sharks | Offers |
|---|---|
| Candace Nelson | $75k for 30% equity |
| Kevin O’Leary | No Offer |
| Mark Cuban | No Offer |
| Daymond John | No Offer |
| Lori Greiner | No Offer |
| Founder’s (Countered) | $75k for 25% equity |
| Final Deals | $75k for 25% equity |
Gently Soap Shark Tank Update
After finalizing the deal, with Candace’s help, Gently Soap is now listed on the Thirteen Lune website.
In October 2023, Kristen’s business won Aveeno’s 2023 Skin Health Startup of the Year award, receiving a $100,000 grant. Additionally, she was included in Pharrell’s Black Ambition 2023 list of 30 winners, earning a $75,000 grant.
As of August 2024, each bar of Gently Soap for sensitive skin costs $12.99 on Amazon.
On November 1st, 2024, Kristen’s brand, Gently Soap, was featured in the Beauty Gift segment in Oprah’s Favorite Things 2024 list.
Check out Shark Tank Season 15 Business Update.
You can see some businesses from Season 15 here.
