Sand Cloud Update | Shark Tank Season 8

Steven Ford, Brandon Leibel, and Bruno Aschidamini saw a gap in the market for comfortable, eco-friendly beach towels that support marine conservation. Recognizing that most beach towels lacked comfort and that consumers valued sustainable products, they created Sand Cloud—a plush towel line with built-in pillows and a mission to protect marine life. Will the sharks dive in and invest? Let’s explore the latest in our Sand Cloud update and pitch recap.

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

Steven, Brandon, and Bruno entered Shark Tank Season 8, seeking $200,000 for 8% equity in Sand Cloud. After their pitch, they landed a deal with Robert Herjavec for $200,000 for 15% equity.

In terms of a Sand Cloud update, the company hit $2.7 million within months of airing. Furthermore, with Robert’s support, they expanded their product line and retail presence, reaching $20 million in sales by 2018.

Shark	Result
Robert Herjavec	Accepted offer of $200,000 for 15% equity
Mark Cuban	$400,000 for 25% equity
Daymond John	$300,000 for 25% equity
Kevin O’Leary	$200,000 for 15% equity
Lori Greiner	No offer

Shark Tank Sand Cloud Pitch

• Entrepreneurs: Steven Ford, Brandon Leibel, and Bruno Aschidamini
• Business: Eco-Conscious company that sells stylish beach towels
• Ask: $200,000 for 8% equity
• Result: $200,000 for 15% equity
• Shark: Robert Herjavec

Steven, Brandon, and Bruno came into Shark Tank with Sand Cloud, a beach brand known for its soft, Turkish cotton towels with built-in pillows.

They hoped an investment would help them reach more people and boost their support for marine conservation.

Sand Cloud towels are made from 100% Turkish cotton. They’re not only light and versatile for beach days but can also be used as tapestries, scarves, or unique gifts.

With every purchase, Sand Cloud gives back to the oceans, donating 10% of sales to marine life and habitat preservation.

Additionally, each towel even includes a pillow insert for extra comfort, making it perfect for lounging on the sand.

The founders built the brand from scratch, using Instagram and Snapchat and rallying support from over 10,000 ambassadors.

They’ve kept full ownership since starting two and a half years ago.

In their first year, they earned $30,000, then shot up to $430,000 in the second year.

Prior to their appearance on the show, they have earned $1.6 million this year and are on track to hit $3 million this year(2017).

When Kevin asked, they revealed that each towel retails for $47 and costs $10 to make, giving them an 80% profit margin.

Lori Greiner didn’t see the product as a beach towel, so she went out.

After explaining that they wanted to use the shark’s money to build and optimize their website, Mark Cuban offered them $400,000 for 25% equity.

However, when they attempted to counter, Mark declined and dropped out.

Daymond John offered $300,000 for 25% equity. The trio attempted to counter with $200,000 for 10% equity, which ultimately failed.

Kevin O’Leary then jumped in to offer $200,000 for 15% equity.

Meanwhile, Robert Herjavec liked the product and the numbers and offered $200,000 for 15% equity.

Ultimately, the trio agreed to partner with Robert and left with a deal.

Now that we know how the negotiations ended, let’s get a Sand Cloud update to see what happened to the company after Shark Tank.

Shark Tank Sand Cloud Update 

Our Sand Cloud update found that the deal with Robert Herjavec closed successfully.

Furthermore, Sand Cloud had a surge of 13,000 visitors to its website the night their episode aired—an enormous jump from its usual 600.

With Robert Herjavec’s backing, their sales shot up to $2.7 million within a few months, and by the end of the year, they were on track for $7 million.

The founders stayed true to their roots, committing 10% of profits to marine conservation.

Robert even joined them in Hawaii for a beach cleanup, reinforcing Sand Cloud’s dedication to protecting the oceans.

In 2018, Sand Cloud expanded its line with sustainably made items like water bottles, T-shirts, and jewelry.

They recognized that people wanted more ways to support the mission beyond beach towels. By year’s end, they hit $20 million in sales, proving the demand was real.

In early 2020, Sand Cloud was featured on Shark Tank‘s “Greatest Businesses with a Social Cause” special, which highlighted their environmental impact and showed footage from the Hawaii cleanup.

With momentum still building, they rolled out new products, including hats, backpacks, and even blankets.

Our research on Sand Cloud update found that they had opened a retail store in Venice, California, in 2021, and their products were available in over 1,400 beach shops across the U.S.

At the time of writing, Sand Cloud has grown to around $7 million in annual revenue.

Additionally, their donations toward marine conservation have nearly reached $1 million.

We call this Sand Cloud update a success.

Before you leave, check out our other company updates from Shark Tank Season 8 Episode 18:

• Ora Organic Update
• DARTDrones Update
• The Elephant Pants Update

For more company updates from Season 8, take a look at our Season 8 products page.