ScreenMend

ScreenMend is one of those products born from necessity – it’s a simple window and door screen repair kit that makes it easy and inexpensive to repair those inevitable small holes that appear. Brian Hooks, and his daughters Lily & Emma – who came up with the idea while helping to clean up the family’s screen porch, pitch ScreenMend to the Sharks in Episode 507. The ScreenMend works by applying a screen patch to a hole, then sealing it with heated wax. The Hookses claim the original, prototype ScreenMend patch is still in place after over four years! 9 year-old Lily came up with the idea for using wax to adhere the screen patch when she heard her dad complaining that an adhesive patch wasn’t sticking. She was scraping candlewax of a table (and it WAS sticking) and said “why don’t you try using wax?” The rest, as “they” say, is history. ScreenMend is currently available on Amazon. The Hooks family probably wants the Sharks to help with “big box store” distribution.

ScreenMend Shark Tank Recap

Brian, Lily, and Emma enter asking $30K for 25% of ScreenMend. They tell the story how Lily “invented” the patch. They created screen patches soaked in wax and Lilly demonstrates how to apply a patch with a hair dryer. They’ve sold 750 units and they’re doing all the manufacturing in their garage. There are 3-4 competitors, but none using wax as an adhesive. ScreenMend has a provisional patent, but not a utility patent. The Sharks like the margins – ScreenMend costs $6.99 retail and costs $0.84 to make. They want the money to create better packaging to get it into retail.

Daymond doesn’t have the time to give them and Mr. Wonderful thinks the business is too small – they’re both out. So is Robert. Mark wants the kids to get a business education and stand up for them the way his dad did when he started his first business; he offers them the $30K for 25%. Lori is impressed by the product, she offers to go in with Mark and bring the product to retail and TV, then offers $30K for 50%.

The Hookes step into the hall to discuss things. When they return, they accept Lori’s offer because she’s willing to go the extra mile. Lily cartwheels out of the Tank and the family embraces over their deal.

ScreenMend Shark Tank Update

They closed the deal with Lori and sold a unit a minute the entire week after the show. They have some serious retail interest and they have their own “in-house manufacturing.” The Shark Tank Blog did a Screenmend Update interview that has all the details. In episode 606 they reveal they sold out on QVC. Lori re-did the packaging and got them into Lowes, Home Depot, Bed Bath & Beyond, and ACE Hardware. They’ve done over $900K since their appearance and Lori’s moving them to a new manufacturing facility. ScreenMend is on the move!

It came to my attention that the company website now redirects to a screen repair business called Screen Force. The products are still available in stores and on Amazon.

The business was acquired for an undisclosed amount in 2016 by Spark Innovations, LLC, a company that develops consumer product brands and launches them into retail. Lily graduates from the University of Alabama in 2022 and is still the president of the company on a part-time basis. Emma graduated from American University in 2019 and is still pursuing acting. As of August, 2021, the company has $5 million in annual revenue.

In April, 2023, Emma is working at Capital Online Auctions as a social media manager. Lily is a Digital Service Representative at NBC Universal.