Brothers Mohammed A. and Mohammed M. Mahdi and their best friend Anthony Duncan came from Indiana to the Shark Tank to promote their spin on a custom soap and body care line, The Mad Optimist.

As Muslims and vegans, the trio set out on a mission to revolutionize the body care industry with a full line of products that do not include animal fats, are cruelty-free, vegan and non-GMO.

They are hoping to secure a business partner who is willing to invest $60,000 in exchange for 10% equity in The Mad Optimist.

Key Takeaways

  • Founding and Mission: Brothers Mohammed A. and Mohammed M. Mahdi, with Anthony Duncan, created The Mad Optimist, offering vegan, cruelty-free, custom body care products.
  • Business Model: Transparent pricing, allowing customers to set their own prices; fully customizable products to meet individual preferences.
  • Shark Tank Outcome: Secured $60,000 from Mark Cuban for 20% equity, despite other Sharks’ criticism of their business model and sales figures.

The Mad Optimist: Shark Tank Update

In addition to their innovative spin on an already booming market, the founders of The Mad Optimist have dedicated themselves to providing a highly transparent company that openly shares their revenue data with their customers while allowing them to set their own prices for their products using a sliding scale. They believe that this business model allows consumers who are able to pay more to do so while allowing those who aren’t able to pay for a premium product to still be able to enjoy it with a price tag that is more in line with their means. Another great feature of their business is that they can create fully customized products to ensure that customers are able to choose exactly what ingredients go into their bodycare.

Although The Mad Optimist averages 50% profit margins, they have only sold $97,000 year to date, with $21,000 of that coming from the custom soap market. The Sharks are critical of their business model and their products. They had some harsh feedback for Mohammed, Mohammed and Anthony, but Mark Cuban was quick to come to their defense. Mark likes that they are doing something unique in the market that no one else is doing. Consumers value transparency and kindness and he feels that their business model will attract new customers and keep their current customers coming back. Mark offers to invest $60,000 in exchange for 20% of The Mad Optimist. The trio quickly accepted his offer and are excited to partner with such a prestigious Shark.

What do you think of the business model that The Mad Optimist has curated? If you were a Shark, would you have been willing to invest in them? As a consumer, are you attracted to the transparency of their business management techniques? Start the conversations in the comments below!