Everyone loves a rags-to-riches story, and no one has quite done it like Darien Craig and Brandon Echols in a hot minute since appearing on Shark Tank Season 16. Here is the story of how two college dropouts used $300 to start a business, Y’all Sweet Tea, a booming brand making $4 million a year.
The College Dropouts Behind Y’all Sweet Tea
After leaving college without a degree, Darien Craig and Brandon Echols built a thriving business from humble beginnings.
During the initial stages of business, Craig only had $7 to his name. He used $300 from his final paycheck to kickstart an idea that has since grown into a $4-million-a-year enterprise.
In 2021, he partnered with Echols to launch Y’all Sweet Tea shortly after stepping away from his former job. Their journey recently took them to the stage of ABC’s Shark Tank, where they landed an investment proposal for their shared venture.
In the year prior to their Shark Tank appearance, they had generated $800,000 in profits from $4 million in revenue.
How Two College Dropouts Turned $300 Into a $4 Million Y’all Sweet Tea Empire
When Darien and Brandon were trying to get their foot in the door, they first noticed a gap in the market for flavored teas. They added their first flavored tea to their catalogue, titled “Georgia Peach,” and sold around 10,000 units in around 35 minutes.
Social media marketing proved to be the second fuel to their fire, catapulting their brand to local stardom in the tea industry. They capitalized on influencers like Mama Sue to spill their tea, quite literally.
Y’all Sweet Tea started with $1.2 million in sales its first year, doubled to $2 million the next, and hit $4 million in third year.
Y’all Sweet Tea Shark Tank Recap
The founders, Darien and Brandon, entered Shark Tank Season 16 Episode 5, seeking investment of $500,000 for 5% equity.
Quick Facts
- Founders: Darien Craig & Brandon Echols
- Investment Asked: $500,000 for 5% equity
- Valuation: $10 million
- Sharks Interested: Rashaun Williams, Kevin O’Leary, Lori Greiner
- Deal Outcome: $500,000 for 15% equity
Small Tea Bag with Big Margins
A simple $2.67 tea bag yields up to $7.25 in sales, steeped in impressive profit percentages.
- One tea bag costs $2.67 to manufacture, which then goes for a wholesale price of $4.34.
- The final retail price came to around $7.25.
- This makes the wholesale profit margin around 38.5%, and thereafter, the retail profit margin comes around 63.2%.
The duo also revealed that they owned 100% of their company, which was a commendable feat given the upscaling.
Shark Tank Bidding War for Y’all Sweet Tea
Guest Shark Rashaun Williams was the first one to make an offer of $500,000 for 10% equity. Mark Cuban and Barbara Corcoran concurrently bowed out as they were not the right fit for the business, as compared to Rashun Williams.
Kevin O’Leary had other plans as he jumped into the mix with Williams, putting $500,000 on the table for 20% equity, to be split evenly between them.
Lori Greiner then also decided to chime in and teamed up with Williams, offering the same amount but for 15% equity instead of 20%.
Mr. Wonderful was not holding back on this one, and he also quickly matched the same offer.
After reading the room and seeing several Sharks vying for his product, Craig pushed for an extra $250,000. But when that was rejected, he and Echols chose Greiner and Williams and shook hands on a deal of $500,000 for a 15% equity split between the two Sharks.
Why Did They Take That Deal?
The founding duo probably saw it as a good combination of Lori’s QVC Queen retail expertise, clubbed with Rashun’s ability to upscale and grow businesses.
Pre- and Post-Shark Tank Sales Impact
Before stepping onto the Shark Tank stage, Y’all Sweet Tea had already brewed up an impressive track record, pulling in $10.3 million in lifetime sales purely through a D2C model, wholesale partnerships, and strategic influencer collaborations.
Their ability to hit $4 million in annual revenue before seeking outside investment is rare for a bootstrapped food and beverage brand.
The Shark Tank appearance didn’t just bring in funding; it amplified their brand visibility nationwide. They capitalized on the “Shark Tank effect”, the surge in sales many businesses see after airing, and projected $5 million in revenue for 2025 alone.
Beyond just revenue spikes, the company expanded into over 600 grocery stores, ensuring their product was accessible beyond online channels and creating a more stable, recurring customer base.
Where Is Y’all Sweet Tea Now After Shark Tank?
The product is still selling strongly across the country. Y’all Sweet Tea has an approximate net worth of around $5 million as of 2025.
What Can You Learn From Y’all Sweet Tea?
Y’all Sweet Tea’s rise shows how far determination and smart moves can take you. Below are some key takeaways from the college dropouts who turned $300 and a bold idea into a thriving, multi-million-dollar brand.
- Humble beginnings build big businesses: Darien started with just $300 and grew the business by reinvesting what he made, depicting how you don’t always require huge capital to start.
- Find your niche (or market gaps): Selling out of “Georgia Peach” so quickly showed they had a sharp read on demand and the ability to act on it right away.
- Using the right voices: Working with influencers like Mama Sue gave the brand a genuine feel and helped it reach more people naturally.
- Importance of ownership: They kept the entire business in their hands until Shark Tank, which let them negotiate from a position of strength and land a deal they were happy with.
- Finding the right investors: Working with Lori Greiner for retail and QVC know-how and Rashaun Williams for growth strategy gave them strong support in both selling more and building the business.
- Capitalizing at the right time: They turned the Shark Tank buzz into lasting growth by expanding into hundreds of retail stores.
Darien and Brandon’s business journey is proof that with the right timing and partners, big dreams really can come true.
