Shark Tank Season 17 Episode 5
Shark Tank Season 17 Episode 5 brought heartfelt pitches, surprise deals, and strong emotions. Here’s what went down in the Tank.
Shark Tank Season 17 Episode 5 aired on November 5, 2025, with guest Shark Allison Ellsworth joining the panel. The episode featured the usual four entrepreneurs, each stepping into the Tank to pitch their business and compete for an investment or two.
The pitches for the Sharks included snackable olives made for life on the move, a stylish range of labor gowns and maternity wear, a kid-friendly first-aid kit, and soothing teas crafted from healing flowers.
Shark Tank Season 17 Episode 5 – The Shark Investors and Entrepreneurs
The first pitch introduced on-the-go snacking olives, made for people who want something healthy and convenient during a busy day. Next came a thoughtfully designed line of maternity wear and labor gowns.
The third entrepreneur presented a first-aid kit built just for kids. The product aimed to turn safety into something simple and approachable. Wrapping up the lineup was a brand offering floral healing teas. It was crafted to bring a calming, natural touch to daily routines.
1. Freestyle Snacks
When the pandemic kept everyone indoors, Nikki found herself missing the simple pleasure of enjoying good olives. The ones she found in jars and cans were just not it. The taste wasn’t the same, and the messy brine and narrow jars made the whole experience more frustrating than enjoyable.
As the saying goes, inconvenience is the breeding ground for innovation. Nikki launched the company in January 2022 with the goal of making olives easy to snack on anywhere.
Before going all in, she spent time in grocery store aisles chatting with shoppers and running surveys to see if others felt the same. The feedback confirmed she was onto something.
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Entrepreneur | Nikki Seaman |
| Featured Product | Olive Snacks |
| Deal Status | Deal Secured |
| Sharks Who Invested | Allison Ellsworth |
Freestyle Snacks offers a fun mix of flavors, from Classic Dill Pickle Chips and Garlic Dill Mini Pickles to Kickin’ Picks Pickle Chips and Mediterranean Herb Medley.
The olive lineup includes Green Olives in Hot & Spicy, Lemon Garlic, and Original flavors, along with Kalamata Olives in extra virgin olive oil. Prices range from $24 to $30.
Everything is available on the company’s website and on Amazon as well.
Shark Tank Pitch
Nikki came to the Tank seeking $300,000 in exchange for 5% equity. Robert Herjavec was the first one to break the ice by asking about the numbers. The company did $200,000 in 2022, followed by $1 million in 2023, and then $2.2 million in 2024. For 2025, the projections are at 4 to 5 million dollars in sales.
Funnily enough, Robert was also the first one to pass, as he could not stand olives. Kevin, Daymond and Lori all showed appreciation but had to pass as the product wasn’t for them. It came down to Allison Ellsworth, who was once in Nikki’s place as well.
Seeing she was the only Shark remaining, she made a very Sharkly. She sought 15% equity instead of the initial 5% offered for the $300,000. After a very cute and respectful negotiation back and forth, they shook hands on 11%.
It was a win-win for both parties as Allison saw herself in Nikki, and Nikki from the get-go had her eyes set on Allison because of her experience in the packaged food industry.
2. Lila
Caitlyn Schollmeier began Lila with a simple mission, i.e., to give women something better to wear during childbirth. The company offers a line of modern labor gowns and maternity wear designed to make an otherwise stressful experience feel more personal and empowering.
The idea came to life when Caitlyn saw firsthand how uncomfortable standard hospital gowns could be for mothers-to-be. She then designed her own version of a maternity gown.
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Entrepreneur | Caitlyn Schollmeier |
| Featured Product | Pregnancy Clothing |
| Deal Status | No Deal |
Caitlyn ended up wearing her own design in 2020 while expecting twins. A few pregnancy complications led to a long hospital stay, and during that time, she shared a TikTok video featuring the gown she had made.
The post went viral almost instantly, with viewers flooding her comments asking where they could buy one. Seeing the response, Caitlyn decided to turn her idea into a full business. When she officially launched Lila, her first batch of 2,500 gowns sold out in under two hours.
Lila has now grown into a brand that creates functional designs for women, newborns, and toddlers. They are predominantly online with a D2C model.
Shark Tank Pitch
Caitlyn sought $200,000 for 5% equity in her business.
When it came down to the mathematics of it all, all the Sharks let out a “wow” in unison when they found out lifetime sales were at 7 million. But when Caitlyn shared her retail ambitions, it was not welcomed warmly.
The product had 300 SKUs in inventory, a precautionary measure against the recent tariffs, but that was not very palatable for the Sharks either.
Robert was the first one to go out, as he did not see the retail store dream materializing. Kevin O’Leary was impressed by the customer acquisition cost, but he had some very harsh words for Caitlyn’s retail aspirations as well. After making sure he discourages an up-and-coming entrepreneur in the name of speaking the truth, he went out as well.
Lori had nothing but praise in contrast to Kevin’s words, but she did not feel “passionate” about the product and industry, and with that, she was out as well. Daymond first and foremost apologized on behalf of Kevin. But he also had to bow out because of retail model apprehensions.
Allison Ellsworth also had praise, but she could not align herself with the business. She did, however, team up against Kevin and reaffirmed to Caitlyn how he also shot her down with harsh words when she came to Shark Tank as an entrepreneur.
Apart from Kevin, everyone made sure Caitlyn did not leave disheartened. Caitlyn was one of those entrepreneurs whose product could come back and haunt the Sharks for not investing.
3. Warrior Kid Medic
A lot of people aren’t confident about handling emergencies, and that’s exactly what inspired former paramedic and firefighter Dustin Titzman to start Warrior Kid Medic. His goal was to make first-aid knowledge simple, approachable, and part of everyday life.
The idea was conceptualized when Dustin and his wife, Michelle, were trying to find a reliable first-aid kit for their family. Everything in the market was either impractical or incomplete. This pushed Dustin over the edge to build his own. What started as a way to teach his own kids was now growing into a start-up.
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Entrepreneur | Dustin and Michelle Titzman |
| Featured Product | Safety Kit for Children |
| Deal Status | Deal Secured |
| Sharks Who Invested | Daymond John |
They launched the Warrior Kid Medic program at Camp SkyWay. They also started educating kids on how to take charge in emergencies instead of freezing up. The program was an instant success, and Michelle encouraged Dustin to turn it into a business.
And soon they were sharing the concept at camp industry trade shows and bringing it to families everywhere.
Warrior Kid Medic focuses on helping kids stay calm, capable, and confident in emergencies. Along with their well-equipped first-aid kits, they also offer hands-on training sessions. They are based in Jourdanton, Texas.
Shark Tank Pitch
The whole Titzman family came in seeking $50,000 for 10% equity. Dustin quit his job in the San Antonio fire department to start selling Warrior Kid Medic in August 2023. They did $23,000 in sales in 2024, and the projections for 2025 are expected to reach $40,000.
Kevin, being Kevin, did not see much profitability and was the first one to tap out. All of the Sharks had words of praise for the founders, but they failed to see the market viability. Robert, Daymond and Lori also went out of the negotiations.
Allison was the only one left, and she once again made a vicious offer where she sought 30% equity for offering the desired $50,000.
Just when Allison was biting more than she could possibly chew, Daymond John jumped back in. He was willing to shell out the desired amount in exchange for 20% equity.
And with that, Daymond successfully hijacked the deal and shook hands with the Titzman family. Daymond’s interference was Sharkly in a humanitarian way, a rare Shark Tank sight.
4. The Qi Flower Tea
The Qi Tea was born from Lisa Li’s wish to share the ritualistic warmth of drinking flower teas with her grandmother. Her brand brings that tradition to a wider audience, offering whole-bloom teas crafted to nourish both body and mind.
After more than a decade in the fashion industry, life took an unexpected turn when she was diagnosed with a thyroid condition. That moment made her rethink her pace and health, leading her back to the traditions that once grounded her.
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Entrepreneur | Lisa Li |
| Featured Product | Organic Flower Tea |
| Deal Status | Deal Secured |
| Sharks Who Invested | Daymond John |
During a 2018 trip with her mother to Shangri-La in Yunnan, she discovered rose tea. The simple act of drinking it reminded her how something as small as a flower could bring balance and clarity. That moment inspired The Qi.
Thereafter, to create teas of the highest quality, Lisa traveled across Asia. She went around tasting over a hundred different herbs before partnering with small family farms that grow and hand-pick their blooms organically. Each flower used in The Qi Tea is harvested sustainably, free from artificial additives or preservatives.
Preparing it is as peaceful as drinking it. One just needs to add a bloom to hot water and pour the petals into the cup with colour and aroma.
Shark Tank Pitch
Lisa’s Tea needed an investment worth $200,000, and for that, she offered 8% equity.
The Sharks thoroughly enjoyed their samples, and Daymond even commented, saying it is one of the most beautiful pitches he has seen. Lisa maintained an air of playfulness against Mr. Wonderful’s dehumanizing looks and attitude.
As usual, Kevin was the first one to ask about the numbers “in a highly competitive tea market.”
A wave of rejoice ran through the room when Lisa revealed their lifetime sales are at $2.9 million. After Lisa shared her emotional journey and rough battles she had to face growing up, the talk unfortunately came down to business.
Lori Greiner was the first one to appreciate the product, but went out of the talks as it was too much of a niche item for her to do justice to. Kevin did not have scathing words for a change. He praised Lisa and her husband for being able to stay afloat in the highly competitive tea market.
But as we all know, Kevin mostly steers clear of established competitive markets and hence he was out.
Robert was also really into the product, and he was not sure how he could sell it. He was out. Allison was also out because the product was just not fitting into any one category.
Lisa looked distraught, and the push came down to Daymond. He acknowledged the shortcomings that others pointed out but still made an offer, as he has dealt with thyroid cancer himself.
It was a big gamble, one that wanted a gulp of 25% percent equity in exchange for $200,000. They did some back and forth, and while everyone loved Lisa’s wholesome negotiating style, Daymond seemed adamant.
Alas, Lisa’s cute, honest, driven and desperate negotiation convinced Daymond to $200,000 in exchange for a 20% stake, and they did cheers to that.
A Balanced Mix of Wins and What-Ifs
This episode (mostly) had everything that makes Shark Tank worth watching. Caitlyn’s pitch for Lila was heartfelt and strong, which made it tough to see her leave without a deal.
Lisa’s journey with The Qi Tea was similar. Her quiet determination and sincerity won Daymond over in a moment that felt genuine.
Warrior Kid Medic turned out to be the dark horse of the night, catching everyone off guard when Daymond jumped in with an offer. Nikki and Allison made a perfect match, their deal feeling natural and well-earned.
And as always, Mr. Wonderful was there with his signature brooding and (de)constructive criticism. Such are the waters of Shark Tank, take it or leave it.
What happened before this? Here is our recap of Shark Tank Season 17 Episode 4.
