ABC
Mother and son entrepreneur duo Manuel and Grace Rojas took their company, Foam Party Hats, to the Sharks on ABC’s Shark Tank to see if they could score an investment.
The family pitched their product to Sharks Mark Cuban, Robert Herjavec, Lori Greiner, Kevin O’Leary and Guest Shark Daniel Lubetzky.
According to the episode synopsis, the mother and son duo from Houston, Texas, “try and keep the party going as they introduce their festive party hats” to the Sharks. While the idea may seem silly, these products sometimes score large investments from the business moguls.
Here’s what you should know about Foam Party Hats on Shark Tank:
1. The Hats Were Designed for La Hora Loca
According to Shark Tank Blog, Grace Rojas lived in Venezuela, and she wanted to do something special for her daughter’s wedding during the Hora Loca. Not only did she want it to be fun, but she also wanted it to surprise the guests as well as the bride and groom.
La Hora Loca, according to the Miami Herald, is a wedding tradition that has been getting more attention in past years. The article states that some believe the trend started in South America, specifically in countries like Venezuela, Peru, Argentina and Brazil.
Others, however, believe the trend started in Spain but later became international. Either way, the trend is what inspired Grace Rojas to create her new company.
2. The Hats Were Originally for Weddings
Grace Rojas originally designed the Foam Party Hats for her daughter’s wedding, and the guests especially loved the unique feel to the hats and the fact that they were comfortable to wear.
The hats were a huge hit at the photo booth that night, according to Shark Tank Products.
By the end of the night at her daughter’s wedding, Grace Rojas had plenty of orders for hats for other celebrations as well, and the hat-making blossomed into a business for her and her son, Manuel.
3. Miguel and Grace Rojas Moved to Houston in 2010
Though the Foam Party Hats side business had been going well in Venezuela, the family fled the country in 2010 and ended up settling down in Houston, Texas.
Manuel then attended the University of Houston, where he studied chemical engineering while Grace Rojas started up her business again. She sold the Foam Party Hats in Houston, and the company was soon growing via word-of-mouth.
They then made their own website and began to sell the hats even more quickly, Shark Tank Products reported.
4. The Hats Are Available for Most Occasions
While the company started selling hats after a wedding, they soon grew to make hats for just about any occasion they could think of. They started out as mostly custom designs, but they now also sell premade designs as well.
The hats are also not sold only for humans. Instead, they can be purchased for fun times with pets like cats and dogs.
On the home page of the website alone, there are categories for weddings, foam wigs, animals, birthdays, sports and drinks and foods.
5. Foam Party Hats are Available for the Holidays
The company is currently selling holiday-themed hats so their consumers can get ready for any holiday party they might be attending, even if that party ends up being virtual due to COVID-19.
The holiday hats come in a variety of options including the Christmas Jester Hat, the Christmas Chimney Hat, the Christmas Gift Hat, the Christmas Snowman Hat, the Christmas Elf Hat, the Special Christmas Tree Hat (which lights up), and the Moose Hat. The options range in price from $24.99 to $49.99 depending on the type of hat.
Tune in to Shark Tank to see if the Rojas can get a deal on their Foam Party Hat business.
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