ABC’s Shark Tank is gearing up for its upcoming season 18 in 2026. An open casting call for entrepreneurs is in place for Philadelphia on April 11. The show makes pitching look fast and flashy, but anyone who has followed it closely knows there is a lot more happening beneath the surface.
Technical.ly has spent years following mid-Atlantic startups that made it into the Tank. Each founder walks into the studio with big hopes and a carefully rehearsed story. Some walk away with a deal and a new high-profile partner. Others leave empty-handed in the deal department. But the Shark Tank exposure often propels them into the mainstream.
The Sharks look for people who know their numbers, understand their market, and can stay steady when the questions get sharp. As the casting call is coming closer, many entrepreneurs are pulling up their socks.
With the founders gearing up, a previous business owner who has shown up in front of the Sharks offers their two cents.
Inside The Shark Tank Process
Baltimore entrepreneur Dawn Myers took her company, Richualist, onto Shark Tank during its fifteenth season in 2024. She introduced the Sharks to The Mint, a precision hairstyling device built with the needs of textured hair in mind, a space often overlooked by mainstream tools.
She secured a deal with Mark Cuban alongside guest Shark Emma Grede. The agreement brought in $150,000 in funding in exchange for 15% ownership + 5% as additional advisory equity.
In a conversation with Technical.ly, Myers said, “I actually didn’t ever see myself going on Shark Tank. But to be perfectly frank, we were in an environment where funding had fallen dramatically, particularly for minority women-backed companies, so I applied on a whim.”
Myers was asked to offer advice based on her Shark Tank experience.
Bringing Richualist to the Shark Tank Stage
When asked about her hesitation around Shark Tank, she said the show did not feel right at first. The valuations were far from what she was used to seeing in traditional venture deals. Luckily, this changed when the company acquired strong intellectual property and a finished product.
Myers also shared that the opportunity came during a tight financial moment.
How To Get on Shark Tank
Myers explained her path. She said, “When you go through the application process, you have to remember that these guys aren’t VCs, per se; these guys are TV producers. You have to have the fundamentals, you have to have the basics, you have to have the finances, and you have to have a good product. You have to have all the things. But you really have to be able to tell a story.”
She went on to add, “What you don’t want to do is hope that the producers will tell the story for you. People should think about applying to Shark Tank the way they would pitch to someone in the press. You don’t just send them some links and hope that they’ll come up with something; you give them all of your pitches, and you find a way to give them as many angles as possible.”
She concluded her point by adding that one needs to “Understand that these guys are looking for something that’s gonna grab eyeballs and keep their attention. Give that to them. Don’t be afraid to repeat the same thing in a few different places, and don’t be shy.”
Shark Tank Casting Call Advice
Myers shared that getting to Los Angeles is not a guarantee of being shown on TV. The competition is still very much alive at that point. Founders are compared against one another until the final decisions are made.
She said the real advantage comes from how well you connect with the team, deciding which stories make it to air. She further explained this by saying, “There are a lot of factors that factor into who airs. Part of it is whether or not you make a deal, but they need a mix of yeses and nos, so that’s not a guarantee.”
“Making a deal does give you a higher probability of getting on air, but whether or not you get the deal, you’ve got to put on an incredible show. Give them the sob story; give them the heroic story arc. Give them something that makes them need to put this on air, independent of whether or not somebody actually gives you money.”
Using Preparation as a Competitive Edge Leading To The Shark Tank Appearance
She added that gaining an edge also comes down to how founders treat everyone involved in the process. She said every person encountered that day should be approached with the same respect as a Shark. That includes producers, legal staff, and even the people guiding contestants between rooms.
Dawn Myers then pointed out that these teams have long-standing working relationships. Making a positive impression on anyone, even a makeup artist, can travel farther than founders might expect.
The Baltimore founder explained that “The last thing that I would say is to get as much information as you can. Don’t just let that day happen to you. Find out where you’re going to be, what time you’re going to be there and understand what the layout looks like.”
“The pitches that we’re used to giving as founders and entrepreneurs are very different from doing it on the Shark Tank stage, so you want as much information as possible so you can pivot on a dime and insert an extra little tidbit here and give a little razzle dazzle there.”
Life After The Shark Tank Deal
As per Myers, the period since the deal has been challenging. The decision to partner with the investors still feels like the right one. As a venture-backed company, the business accepted a valuation that stood apart from more traditional funding routes in order to move forward with the Sharks.
She elucidated on this by adding that “Many of the folks in the technical beauty space have raised exponentially more capital than I have. Shark Tank put an end cap on what we were able to raise, and because of that, it forced me to go to the ground floor and think even more leanly than I had in the past.”
“But I think, ultimately, given the information that I had at the time, and the information that I have still today, that Shark Tank absolutely benefited the company.”
A Reminder To Have Fun on The Shark Tank Journey
When asked what guidance she would offer founders heading to Los Angeles, the advice was simple. Enjoy the experience and have fun with it. She described the day as one of the most enjoyable moments of her time as an entrepreneur.
Reaching that stage, she said, already means the hard work is done. Getting on Shark Tank is a chance to take a breath. Appreciate the effort it took to get there, and enjoy connecting with the people around you.
What The Shark Tank Journey Demands From Founders
As Shark Tank heads into another season, Myers’ story offers a grounded perspective for founders thinking about applying. The process demands more than a sharp pitch. It calls for planning, adaptability, and a clear sense of self.
Making it to the Tank is already a milestone. What founders do with that moment is what stays with them long after the cameras stop rolling.
