Father Figure Paternity Clothing
NO DEAL
EPISODE SUMMARY
🕓 Air Date: October 29, 2017
Asking For:
$80,000 for 15%
Investor:
No Deal
Deal:
No Deal
PRODUCT SUMMARY
Father Figure is a paternity clothing brand for modern dads, offering a combination of fashion and function in clothes and accessories designed for both fathers and their babies.
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Background Story
Andrew Bentley, the founder of Father Figure, hails from Madison, Wisconsin. His inspiration came from personal experience when he became a father to a colicky son. Frustrated by the lack of products catering to dads during the transition to parenthood, Andrew, who previously worked at Google on addressing the digital divide, decided to create a brand specifically for modern fathers. The growing trend of dads spending more time with their kids and his desire for functional and stylish paternity wear led Andrew to establish Father Figure.
The initial idea came to him when he struggled to find a convenient way to carry a burp rag while caring for his son. This challenge sparked the concept of integrating functionality into clothing, resulting in shirts with features like a relaxed neckline, shoulder patches for baby snuggling, and loops for storing burp rags or toys. After a successful Kickstarter campaign, Andrew left his job at Google to focus on Father Figure full-time, driven by a passion for providing dads with practical and stylish parenting solutions.
The Product
Father Figure’s product line includes 100% cotton shirts with features tailored to the needs of modern dads. The paternity shirt, for instance, has a relaxed neckline, a shoulder patch for comfortable baby snuggling, and a hip loop for storing a bandana-print burp rag.
Another offering is the Booker denim shirt, designed for outings with babies, featuring soft patches in areas where dads typically hold their babies and a loop for storing burp rags or toys. Andrew is also working on expanding the product range to include accessories like bandanas and a swaddle.
The brand emphasizes the fusion of fashion and function, aiming to make both fathers and babies look good while ensuring comfort and practicality. The products are presented through a dad-and-baby fashion show during the pitch, showcasing the versatility and functionality of Father Figure’s clothing line.
How It Went
The company’s position before Shark Tank
Father Figure, in its 11th month, reported $33,000 in sales, with a significant boost from a Kickstarter campaign that raised $30,000 in 30 days. Andrew Bentley, the founder, left his position at Google, where he worked on addressing the digital divide, to focus on the brand full-time. The initial success on Kickstarter demonstrated customer validation, with $12,000 generated in the last three days of the campaign.
However, post-Kickstarter, sales seem to have slowed, raising questions about the company’s market traction. Andrew, with a background in addressing societal issues through technology at Google, has transitioned to entrepreneurship to address the needs of modern fathers. The company’s current financial health, partners, wholesalers, and customer demographics are not explicitly mentioned, leaving room for evaluation based on the provided information.
The Negotiations:
The Sharks expressed mixed reactions to Father Figure. While Lori Greiner and Mark Cuban appreciated the concept of paternity wear and the branding, they ultimately didn’t see a strong market for the products. Daymond John and Kevin O’Leary both believed it was too early for the business, with Kevin expressing a more pessimistic view, stating that the product was a “complete waste of time” and going as far as saying, “This is going to zero.”
Sara Blakely acknowledged Andrew’s efforts but struggled with the product itself, finding it challenging to see how it would meet the specific needs of fathers. Despite encouragement from some Sharks, none of them made an offer, leading to Andrew leaving the tank without a deal.
The negotiation highlighted the challenge of breaking into a niche market and the importance of a strong product concept to secure investment from the Sharks. Andrew remained optimistic, expressing gratitude for the opportunity and determination to keep moving forward despite the lack of a deal.
