This is Part 2 of Freestyle Snacks on Shark Tank: Filming Day in Hollywood.
If you missed Part 1, start here →
When I hopped off the plane at LAX, I had both a dream (to air on Shark Tank) and my cardigan... I was 4 months pregnant at this point, luckily out of the throes of first-trimester sickness. Thankfully, my husband joined me on the trip for moral support, which really calmed my nerves. We got in the day before I was supposed to tape, and I had a 6 am call time, so I made sure to get a good night’s sleep and tucked away early.
The entrepreneurs slated to pitch in the morning session all met in the hotel lobby in the AM. We got checked in and waited for someone from the studio to come pick us up. During this time + the drive over to the studio, all of the entrepreneurs got acquainted with each other. We shared stories about our businesses and our journeys so far. We also shared some tips and tricks across marketing, hiring, and sales. I was very impressed by the group and we’ve still stayed in touch to this day.
Once we got to the studio, the Shark Tank team set each entrepreneur up in our own green room, filled with a few snacks like muffins and chips. I went through the snacks quite quickly ;)
They brought us over to the set so we could get comfortable with the room where we would be pitching - AKA the tank! It was honestly way bigger than I imagined, and the backdrop of the Sharks was really beautiful filled with nice lighting and calming trees. The set also featured a mega screen for this season, so that was cool to see in person. The producers showed us where we needed to stand to be perfectly captured by the cameras. And then we headed back to our respective green rooms.
Then, it was a waiting game until we got called for our pitch. They told me I was going 4th, so I knew I had a couple of hours to kill. I was SO nervous so I tried to keep my mind busy by checking e-mails.
I checked in with the wardrobe team as I really wanted to wear my olive patterned shirt or dress, but they said it would be too difficult for the camera to capture, so I had to go a bit simpler. Enter - my cardigan!
Finally, they said it was my time to shine. They brought me over to the set, did a final hair & makeup touchup, set up my mic, and it was go time. These couple of minutes before walking through the doors were so intense. I stood outside the door for maybe 5 seconds before they said “alright you’re up, start walking!” and I was off. Most folks know this, but they don’t actually play the Shark Tank theme music when you walk out. But, I tried to walk to that beat the best I could. I walked all the way up to my mark, and it was GO time. I started my pitch I had been memorizing for weeks. It was a total blur for me. And then, the rapid fire questions began!
Catch up on Part 1 – How It All Began and stay tuned for Part 3 – The Pitch and the Sharks!
