Pillars of Slippers Home Shoe Shopping Update | Shark Tank Season 1

ByAndrew Smith

Traditional shoe shopping lacked the personalized touch and fun factor. Nicole Jones, a passionate footwear expert, saw this gap and created Pillars of Slippers, a business that throws in-home shoe parties with a focus on comfort, style, and customer experience. Will she earn a deal on Shark Tank Season 1? Find out in our Pillars of Slippers update and pitch recap!

If you’re short on time, here’s a quick overview of what happened to Pillars of Slippers after Shark Tank.

Nicole Jones made a memorable pitch on Shark Tank Season 1, seeking $150,000 for 15% equity for her in-home shoe party business, Pillars of Slippers. Despite her dramatic pitch, she left without a deal.

In terms of a Pillars of Slippers update, while details are unclear, the company never gained traction through franchising or online sales. It appears the business is no longer operational.

SharkResult
Kevin HarringtonNo offer
Kevin O’LearyNo offer
Daymond JohnNo offer
Robert HerjavecNo offer
Barbara CorcoranNo offer

Shark Tank Pillars of Slippers Pitch

Shark Tank Pillars of Slippers Update
  • Entrepreneur: Nicole Jones
  • Business: Shoe shopping, home parties
  • Ask: $150,000 for 15% equity
  • Result: No deal
  • Shark: None

Nicole made a memorable entrance to Shark Tank Season 1 during her Pillars of Slippers pitch. She walked down a pink carpet like a model and even danced while introducing her business. 

This flamboyant introduction, along with her self-proclaimed title of “Shoe Professor,” grabbed the sharks’ attention immediately.

Nicole laid out her business model to the sharks, explaining her three sales channels: a traditional brick-and-mortar retail store, an online website, and a mobile storefront.

Nicole revealed that her brick-and-mortar store was struggling in the slow market. Sales over the past year had overwhelmingly shifted towards her successful home party and website channels.

With less than $100,000 in sales the previous year, Nicole was looking to save money. She explained how she intended to close her physical store. This shift would allow her to focus on the home-party model and online sales through her website.

Nicole presented a plan to franchise Pillars of Slippers. However, this opportunity came with a significant upfront investment of $100,000.

The sharks weren’t sold on Nicole’s business plan. Kevin O’Leary pointed out a big problem: Nicole’s sales were only $64,000 in the past year, yet she wanted new businesses to pay $100,000 to join her franchise.

Kevin questioned her plan, unsure if it was a good business idea or too risky. He also commented on Nicole’s energetic personality, suggesting it didn’t quite match the seriousness of her financial goals.

Kevin Harrington expressed doubt that Nicole’s business model could be successfully replicated through franchises at such a high price point. He’s out. 

Daymond John echoed this sentiment. He didn’t see enough potential in Nicole’s plan and dropped out.

Robert Herjavec pointed out that Nicole’s sales figures for the previous year were only $64,000, which he felt wasn’t strong enough to support a franchise model. Because of this, he exited the deal.

Barbara Corcoran didn’t like her energetic personality. She found it overwhelming, so she’s out.

Kevin O’Leary wasn’t impressed with what he had seen so far, so he dropped out as well.

Without an offer from any of the sharks, Nicole had to leave the tank without a deal. Did her plans work out after appearing on Shark Tank? Keep reading our Pillars of Slippers update to find out.

Shark Tank Pillars of Slippers Update

The exact story of what happened to Pillars of Slippers after Shark Tank is unclear. It’s worth noting that despite the setback, Nicole remained confident in her endeavor.

She scaled back her franchise idea and continued pursuing design and sales in her own way.

Unfortunately, the challenges the sharks identified seem to have materialized, as the business’s online sales and overall success haven’t reached the heights she originally envisioned.

While Pillars of Slippers appears to be no longer operational, its entertaining and unique pitch certainly left a mark on the show’s history.

This will be our final Pillars of Slippers update.

Would you like to learn about the other companies featured in Season 1, Episode 14? Follow the links below for more updates from the episode.

For even more on companies and products, be sure to stop by our Season 1 Products Page!

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Andrew is a lifelong fan of Shark Tank and an entrepreneur at heart. He started Shark Tank Recap because he wanted a single place to track what happens to the companies, founders, and deals after they air on TV. With a sharp eye for business insights and a passion for all things Shark Tank, Andrew makes sure every recap is accurate, engaging, and fun.