Unbuckle Me Car Seat Device Update | Shark Tank Season 11
Mother-daughter duo Barb Heilman and Becca Davison pitched their car seat buckle device during
If you’re short on time, here’s a quick overview of what happened to Unbuckle Me after
Barb Hellman and Becca Davison appeared on
| Shark: | Result: |
| Mark Cuban & Lori Greiner | Accepted deal for $100,000 for 20% equity |
| Kevin O’Leary & Anne Wojcicki | $100,000 for 10% equity, plus a $0.50 royalty until they recouped $250,000 |
| Daymond John | $100,000 for 15% equity |
Shark Tank Unbuckle Me Update
- Entrepreneurs: Barb Heilman and Becca Davison
- Business: Device that makes car seat buckles easier to unbuckle
- Ask: $100,000 for 10% equity
- Result: $100,000 for 20% equity
- Shark: Lori Greiner and Mark Cuban
Founders of Unbuckle Me, Barb Hellman and Becca Davison, pitch their car seat device during
The car seat clip opener that eliminates thumb pain and broken nails from unbuckling a child or toddler car seat for parents, grandparents, and all caregivers.
In fact, they claim that it also reduces the force required to unbuckle a car seat by about 50%. Similarly, kids in school car lines may even be able to unbuckle themselves, which makes the process move faster.
Becca explained that when she had her first child, her mom offered to help with childcare. However, this quickly became a problem when Barb’s arthritic thumb made it nearly impossible to unbuckle her granddaughter’s seatbelt.
Actually, this is a common problem, because seatbelt buckles require nine pounds of pressure to release open.
To use the Unbuckle Me, you just slip it around the seatbelt buckle, place the pin over the red button, and pinch the device closed. Just like that, the seatbelt easily, and quickly opens, all without hurting your hands.
The sharks are seemingly impressed with the innovative product and are ready to get down to business regarding the numbers.
In terms of sales, in the year of filming, Unbuckle Me has about $400,000 in year-to-date sales. Additionally, about half of their sales come from grandparents.
Further, each unit retails for $14.99. They are manufactured in the U.S. and cost $1.80 to make.
Kevin O’Leary is the first to make an offer. He says they need great social media and then offers $100,000 with a $1/unit royalty (in perpetuity) for 7% equity.
Next, guest shark Anne Wojcicki also offers up her social media presence and ultimately offers to go in on a deal with Kevin. They eventually agreed to split the royalty 50/50.
However, Barb and Becca are unhappy with a royalty deal, especially one that works in perpetuity.
Because of this, Kevin reduces his offer to a $0.50 royalty until they recoup $100,000. When the entrepreneurs refused, Kevin and Anne changed their offer again: this time, it was $100,000 for 10% equity, plus a $0.50 royalty until they recouped $250,000.
This is when Mark Cuban and Lori Greiner step in with a deal of $100,000 for 20% equity, split between them.
Finally, Daymond John offers $100,000 for 15% with no royalty. Barb and Becca counter Mark and Lori for 15% equity, but they refuse.
In the end, Barb and Becca accept Lori and Mark’s deal anyway. How does it work out for them following
Unfortunately, our Unbuckle Me update research revealed that the deal with Mark and Lori didn’t pan out. However, despite this, the company is doing really well and has grown to over $3 million in lifetime sales.
In a blog on the Unbuckle Me website, Barb and Becca said, “We are better off today continuing to own 100% of our business, and getting to make all the decisions without any outside input.”
Products can now be found in WalMart, Target, buybuyBABY, and more. They have also launched a new product called the Totebook, a car activity book for kids.
It looks like there is a bright future ahead for our next Unbuckle Me update!
Curious about the other products from Season 11 Episode 21? Find them here:
Before you go, take a look at our other company updates for Season 11. You can find them on our Season 11 products page.
Kimberly is a writer for Shark Tank Recap. She has written episode summaries and updates across multiple seasons of Shark Tank, with a focus on complete and accurate information since 2021. She believes that getting the business aspects of each deal correct is extremely important for viewers and fans. Her favorite Shark Tank products are The Wobbles and Rocketbook!