In a special episode featuring millennial entrepreneurs, one will make the deal that will take the ABC award-winning show Shark Tank across the $100 million threshold in deals made since the show first aired in August 2009. Since then, more than 600 entrepreneurs have pitched their businesses in the Tank, in hopes that they will come closer to attaining the American Dream. Shark Tank has given people from all walks of life the opportunity to secure business deals that could make them millionaires.
The Road to $100 Million
ABC’s 20/20 will take a closer look at the entrepreneurs behind the $100 million in deals over the last eight seasons. Â The two-hour program, Shark Tank: The Road to $100 Million
, will air February 29, at 9:00 p.m., on ABC. Anchors Elizabeth Vargas and David Muir interview America’s favorite sharks—Mark Cuban, Kevin O’Leary, Barbara Corcoran, Daymond John, Robert Herjavec, and Lori Greiner—about the most successful investments and the biggest misses in show history.The show examines some of the Shark Tank products made in America, and the entrepreneurs behind them, who brought jobs to small towns nationwide.  Plus, the cast talks about the “kidpreneurs†that got their start on Shark Tank
, and where they are now. The Sharks also take viewers behind the scenes, revealing how competitive they really are with one another when the cameras aren’t rolling, and their favorite memories from the show.
Black Entrepreneurs Shine on Shark Tank
Since the beginning, black entrepreneurs have shined on Shark Tank. Mr. Tod’s Pie Factory struck a deal with Barbara Corcoran and Daymond John on the first episode, with a near $1 million valuation. In the seventh season, entrepreneurs like Sarah Ribner of Piper Wai, and Ben Young and Gregory Coleman of Nexercise, continued to inspire on Friday nights. Nexercise’s $18.7 million valuation is the largest to date on Shark Tank
.Related Story: Expect to See More Black Entrepreneurs on ‘Shark Tank’ Season 8
Since 2015, Joshua DuBois and Brandon Andrews of Values Partnerships have been working to ensure the voices pitching on Shark Tank reflect the diversity of audiences watching it. With the support of executive producer Mark Burnett, Values Partnerships—a Washington, D.C., based firm engaging faith-based and diverse communities worldwide—has held nationwide casting calls to bring more diverse ideas and entrepreneurs to the show.
“ABC’s Shark Tank and Mark Burnett are committed to supporting entrepreneurs from every community in the nation. The power of seeing someone who looks like you successfully pitch a business on the show cannot be understated,†DuBois told BlackEnterprise.com.
“Our first goal is always to get more entrepreneurs on the show. Second, is finding ways to empower entrepreneurs across the nation,†adds Andrews, who will serve on a panel about pitching for capital and competing for grants at the 22nd annual Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs Summit, May 17-20, 2017, in Houston.