Swimming in the “Shark Tank”
In April 2019, Brother Brian Ratner (Indiana, 1996) and his wife Jamie found themselves in shark infested waters as they pitched their product – CertifiKid – on ABC’s Shark Tank.
The two parents and “expert deal finders” found that while discount sites like Groupon offer great deals on group discount packages, few to none of the activities (like spas or wine tastings) are child-friendly. This inspired them to fill the niche market with CertifiKid, a deal site where families can sign up and find affordable family fun.
The Ratners’ product was a hit with parents, and their Shark Tank pitch ended up getting them investment offers from three “Sharks,” the show’s judges and investors. After an exhilarating onscreen negotiation, the Ratners ultimately secured a $600,000 investment from Kevin O’Leary in exchange for a 19% equity stake in CertifiKid.
CertifiKid is constantly developing partnerships with local business, as well as partnering with communities for fundraising and scholarship programs.