Whatever Happened To Besomebody After Its Failed Shark Tank Appearance?
Kash Shaikh had a vision for uniting people and unlocking their potential with his app, Besomebody. Users could find people through the app with skills they want to learn and pay to learn from them. Shaikh aimed to break through the standard social media mold to become a platform for growth and community.
He came up with the seed of the idea for his startup while working for Procter & Gamble in 2009. While he had found success working in top-tier positions at companies such as Go-Pro, the entrepreneur had bigger dreams. He launched a blog using the name "Be Somebody" which began gaining traction. With that, he left his job at Go-Pro in 2012 and started his business, cashing in his 401k and leaving behind his lucrative 75% share of Go-Pro's stock in the process.
Thankfully, Shaikh didn't regret his decision. The app was skyrocketing into the public consciousness, allegedly reaching more than 10 million people prior to its "Shark Tank" appearance. The team also claimed that instructors using the app, also known as "passionaries," were making $100,000 from teaching. This pool of sudden success had Shaikh and the company looking into the future with great ambitions ahead. And a shark may just have been the key to opening those doors.
What happened to Besomebody on Shark Tank?
Entrepreneur Kash Shaikh deeply believed in the value his business offered, seeking out $1 million for a 10% stake in Besomebody. However, the combination of a social media-related pitch, a high valuation, and a bold presenter made for a chaotic "Shark Tank" experience.
Appearing on Season 8 of "Shark Tank" before all six sharks, Shaikh kicks off his presentation with a bang. A host of performers, along with two-time World Cup soccer champion Christine Lily, enter the tank promoting the app. After sharing a bit of his background, Shaikh demonstrates how users can develop their profiles to help them find and book instructors. They take 20% of every experience booked on the app, averaging out to around $40 per booking. He plans to scale the business through positive word-of-mouth from their five million monthly users alongside strategic partnerships. Daymond John asks what liability plans are in place should a user be harmed during a session. Shaikh states they haven't tackled that yet.
The conversation fizzles into a shark frenzy as Shaikh fails to answer their barrage of questions clearly. Ultimately, all of the sharks go out, either failing to grasp the business model or finding Shaikh overly preachy and abrasive. Kevin O' Leary adds salt to the open wound, standing up and saying, "In eight years of history, you're one of the first people to ever have six shots — struck out on everyone. Zero."
Besomebody may have seen a death sentence on "Shark Tank," but what happened afterward couldn't have been any more opposite.
Besomebody after Shark Tank
Besomebody didn't click with the sharks, but it did with countless others. The company experienced the "Shark Tank" effect the night of its episode's airing, attracting around 100,000 individuals to its website. The momentum remained steady, with the site seeing ten times the usual number of visitors. Amongst these were several other investors who wanted to learn how to get involved.
The buzz didn't last forever, though, forcing Besomebody to make a drastic decision. In early 2017, it was announced that the company would be shutting down its app. Founder Kash Shaikh cited a lack of demand as motivating this decision, with not enough people joining the platform for them to scale. The app was sold to Utivity Holdings in February of that year, but the new owners would close their doors in 2018.
But that's far from the end of Shaikh's mission. Shortly after ending the app, Besomebody pivoted its business model to hone in on developing skills to ensure job placement. To achieve this, Shaikh teamed up with various Fortune 500 companies to create the nationwide Besomebody Paths program. This proved to be a success, creating 2,000 jobs throughout the country. The company continued adding to its repertoire of organizational growth services with programs in marketing, company culture, and more. Besomebody began seeking out ways to incorporate artificial intelligence technology into their programming, which led to them acquiring the AI startup Pixelbug Technologies in 2019. Even with these achievements, Shaikh was only getting started.
Is Besomebody still in business?
Even if Besomebody didn't live on as an app, the company — as well as Kash Shaikh's ambitions – has continued to thrive.
In April 2020, the team introduced its newest venture with BSB Group International. With the new firm, Shaikh and company sought to aid every business level — from startup to Fortune 500 company — in achieving profitable growth through a focus on work culture, communication, and leadership. Their first mission was to help expand the marketing of struggling Cincinnati-based businesses while simultaneously bringing in out-of-work individuals to help grow their company.
In a short amount of time, not only did BSB Group find its stride, but it also became world-renowned for its dedicated efforts. BSB Group International has received countless accolades, including being listed amongst the top private companies in the country by Entrepreneur Magazine, Best Places to Work by the Cincinnati Business Courier, and Top Companies for Diversity and Inclusion from Break the Ceiling, amongst others. This doesn't even begin to count the hundreds of schools and numerous TEDx talks that Shaikh has presented at over the years.
And their growth doesn't seem to have an end in sight. In 2022, as various states began allowing college athletes to profit from their names and images, BSB introduced a new sports division with the intent of aiding in marketing efforts. Shaikh and company also released their entrepreneurship-focused podcast, The Besomebody Podcast, that can be listened to on various audio platforms — although, they have yet to post any new episodes since late 2020.
What's next for Besomebody?
In some ways, the sharks were accurate in predicting Besomebody's success. The company's initial strategy with its communal app, while well-intentioned, ultimately failed to work out in the long run. But what the sharks didn't bank on was Kash Shaikh's rugged determination. The entrepreneur was relentless in helping others in developing their skill set and was smart enough to pivot his business model in order to offer that. Now, Shaikh and company are looking to give back the best way they know how — by sharing their wealth of experience.
Along with the release of the aforementioned Besomebody Podcast, Besomebody is looking to embrace new forms of content creation in the near future. This includes plans for BSB TV, a digital channel that aims to educate the public on the specifics of growth within the business space. In a press release, Shaikh shared his excitement for these prospects, stating, "Over the years, we did some great things, and we had some epic failures. But through it all, we kept going ... Throughout our journey, through the good and the bad, we've been able to create content that helped people believe – in themselves, in their passions, and in each other. We're very grateful to get back to our roots producing content that uplifts and inspires, particularly during these tough times."
Whichever road that Besomebody decides to go down next, there's no doubt that the company will continue breaking down doors so long as it keeps its never-ending hunger for growth.