Whatever Happened To Stretchlace After Shark Tank?

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Have you ever slid your foot into your shoe and tried to tie your laces only to discover that you don't have enough room to properly tie and tighten up your knot? Imagine how difficult such tasks would be for the very young, elderly folks, or those with motor capability issues that keep them from being able to tie a bow or cinch up their laces. Jamie and David Montz had that in mind and more when they invented the Stretchlace.

Former ecommerce director Jamie Montz admitted on "Shark Tank" that, after tying and retying her children's shoelaces throughout the day, she knew there had to be a better way. Thus, she and her husband, David, created Stretchlace, a super-stretchy shoelace that is made out of rubber and turns any pair of lace-up sneakers into a pair of shoes that slide on and off with the ease of a pair of sandals.

The couple managed to grow their company into a successful start-up but soon found their supply lines overwhelmed; their idea was so hot, they had more potential customers than they could supply their laces to. Looking to expand their reach, they headed to "Shark Tank." They did manage to get one of the entrepreneurs to bite, but in the aftermath, did the deal go through? And are they still being made? Here's what's up with Stretch Laces in the years since their "Shark Tank" debut.

Jamie and David Montz appeared on Episode 24 of "Shark Tank's" Season 12, looking for a boost to take their business to the next level. They wanted $100,000 in exchange for 15% equity in the company. But, in spite of the product's earlier growing success, most of the Sharks demurred upon being offered a nibble of the Stretchlace. The company was recovering from a sales downturn related to COVID-19 at the time of its pitch, having brought in $221,000 in 2020. Unfortunately, they expected to earn just $165,000 in 2021, when the episode was filmed.

That projected downturn didn't encourage the sharks to step in, with Lori Greiner, Daniel Lubetzky, and Kevin O'Leary all saying no to the pitch. But after one of the best "Shark Tank" sharks, Robert Herjavec, previously turns them down, his respect for Jamie Montz's work at her previous, Amazon-based company turns his opinion of the Stretchlace around. Heravac attempted to change the couple's life by offering $100,000 for 33% equity. The Montzes countered with 25% equity, but he turned that down flat. When they suggest 30% equity, Herjavec says yes, and the Montzes land a deal.

It looks like Stretchlace has officially bounced back from its COVID-19 blahs — and in a big way. Since the episode aired in 2021, they've expanded into selling in brick-and-mortar stores like Target and Walmart, and the company now has an Amazon storefront. Since appearing on "Shark Tank," Stretchlace has expanded its product output. Now, it produces bow clips as well as tieless laces, dress laces, and round laces. It's a whole lot of variety for a company that was recently in a major downturn.

There's no word on whether or not the deal with Robert Herjavec closed, but the company seems to be doing fine whether it went through or not. The Original Stretchlace also has a frequently updated social media presence; though it doesn't have a presence on any other social media website, the company posts daily on Instagram, where it has over 3,000 followers. All in all, the company's future looks quite rosy, though we wouldn't call them the most successful "Shark Tank" product ever just yet. Time will tell if they can keep the market tied up or if they end up in a less enviable position, but for the moment, it looks like Stretchlace has unknotted its financial future and is looking at smooth sailing ahead.