Whatever Happened To Deskview After Shark Tank?
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Entrepreneurs Jason Grohoski and Michael Bolos appeared on "Shark Tank" in 2019 to pitch their product, DeskView. A 25-inch x 12-inch piece of glass that could be mounted to a wall or window, it created the same effect as a standing desk, but at a fraction of the cost: $235.
DeskView started out as a Kickstarted campaign in 2017. Back then, Grohoski and Bolos raised $65,715 in orders. During their appearance on "Shark Tank," the business owners asked for $150,000 in exchange for 7.5% equity. Two Sharks made investment offers: Kevin "Mr. Wonderful" O'Leary, at $150,000 for 20% equity; and Lori Greiner, at $150,000 for 33.3%.
In the end, Grohoski and Bolos went with Mr. Wonderful. It was far from a "Shark Tank" record, but still quite the haul. Traditionally it's been difficult to quantify how much a "Shark Tank" appearance helps a business, but DeskView did enjoy an immediate surge in sales after its "Shark Tank" pitch, bringing in $100,000 in the first month after the episode aired.
DeskView enjoyed a Shark Tank bump but has since disappeared
Was the "Shark Tank" bump sustainable for DeskView? Initially, yes. The COVID-19 pandemic was a major factor: With millions forced to work from home, the company enjoyed strong sales. It also pivoted to offering wall-mountable PPE equipment and more wall-mountable office furniture. The "DeskView Extended," which added a lamp to the assemblage, was introduced in 2020, followed by The DeskView Mini, a smaller version of the product.
In addition to the original clear glass design, DeskView began offering a wood variety in both regular size and miniature, as well as a movable wall-mounted desk and a two-tiered model. The price of the original DeskView design also went up, from $235 to $335. The company received positive press in places like Vice and Forbes, and by June 2022, DeskView was doing $2 million annually in sales. But things went decidedly downhill from there.
With many workers returning to the office in the years since COVID subsided, things appear to be in dire straits for DeskView. Its website is down, it's out of stock at all major retailers and its social media hasn't been updated for a long time. The company's Instagram hasn't seen an update in nearly two years, its X (formerly Twitter) page since 2020, and its Facebook since 2022. All of this bodes ill for the company's continued health, and time will tell if DeskView ends up in storage permanently.