Send a Ball

Before Melissa Moroko and Michele Kapustka came to Shark Tank’s Episode 110 to promote their idea for Send a Ball, a unique gift service. The quirky sisters were suburban housewives living on the same block in Chicago. Kapustka had a background in direct mailing. It wasn’t until she made a fateful trip to the post office, however, that the idea for Send a Ball was born.

Kapustka spotted a rubber ball in a discount store, and thought it’d be the perfect silly gift for a friend who’d been ill. She went to the post office to mail off her prize. A man in line offered to pay her to mail a ball for him. While at the time, Kapustka declined, instead sharing instructions with the man, the encounter gave her an idea. She went home, called Melissa, and the pair came up with the idea for a unique mail-order business.

Send a Ball Shark Tank Recap

Kapustka and Moroko enter the Shark Tank seeking $86,000 for a 20% stake in Send a Ball.

“We’re swamped with orders,” says Moroko. “We need the Sharks.”

The sisters briefly explain the concept behind Send a Ball. The balls are custom-printed with messages like “Have a ball on your birthday!”, or “Bounce back soon!” The recipient’s address is written on the ball, and stamps are affixed. There are no packaging costs, and because the recipients enjoy their unique gift so much, most order their own Send a Ball for another recipient within 48 hours. In this way, the sisters have been able to double their orders every year since the company began.

Odd Valuation

Robert Herjavec asks, why the “oddball” number of $86,000. Kapustka explains that the number is based upon the cost of the equipment that would allow them to produce the balls in-house, rather than outsourcing as they do now. Kevin O’Leary wants to know about the profit margin on each sale. $15 on each $20 sale, says Kapustka. O’Leary seems impressed, but is he impressed enough to take a bite of this company?

With a few more questions, the Sharks determine that, in order for the business to turn a serious profit and keep up with costs, it would have to grow far beyond what the sisters are envisioning. Kevin O’Leary decides he “doesn’t want to be in the ball business.” He’s out.

Barbara Corcoran asks why they haven’t simply gone to a bank. Kapustka replies that they’re seeking the Sharks’ expertise as much as the actual investment. Kevin Harrington mentions that there’s “nothing proprietary” about the business, and predicts they’ll soon be overrun by copycats. He’s out. Daymond John agrees, and is also out. Herjavec joins the other three. He’s also out. Barbara Corcoran is on the fence, saying that she’s changed her mind since they’ve been on the stage, but she doesn’t feel it’s a good fit. She’s out.

The Sharks declined to bite, but the Send a Ball girls aren’t deflated.

Send a Ball Shark Tank Update

Despite their defeat in the Shark Tank, the Send a Ball sisters are still going strong. The exposure they got from the show boosted sales and helped the women continue to expand their business. As Harrington feared, copycat services popped up, but Send a Ball has the unique distinction of being the first to enter the niche market, so they’ve been able to hold their own. A patent is pending, according to the website.

The Send a Ball story shows that it’s possible to bounce back from rejection on the Shark Tank. As of July, 2021, the company is going strong with $1 million in annual revenue.