The Breathometer Shark Tank is a revolutionary breathalyzer that can detect alcohol levels on your phone. It’s a no-brainer for anyone who drinks, drives, or hangs out with people who drink. With the Breathometer, you never have to worry about being over or under the legal limit again.
Inventor and entrepreneur Charles Yim pitched his Breathometer product to the Shark Tank judges on Season 5.
In just 18 minutes, he convinced the Sharks that his device would be a massive success in the market. He wins a $350K investment from Daymond John and Robert Herjavec.
The entrepreneurial success of Charles Yim is nothing short of inspirational. This story can inspire aspiring entrepreneurs because it shows how even the most successful businesspeople can be humbled by competition.
It also shows how important it is to stick to your guns, even when you’re about to lose all hope. Here are some of the key lessons from the Shark Tank pitch and hope for all entrepreneurs.
Inspiration For Entrepreneurs
Many people have day jobs, but they still want to start a business on the side. Small companies can be advantageous, but they require a lot of work and energy in the beginning.
It can be discouraging when your business doesn’t get off the ground right away. This article will discuss how Charles Yim pitched his Breathometer product to the Shark Tank judges to win a $350K investment from Daymond John and Robert Herjavec.
Luckily for Charles, he didn’t give up after being turned down by all of the sharks in his first pitch. He spent time at home perfecting his product before coming back for another try.
His hard work paid off, and he convinced all four judges that the Breathometer would be successful in the market.
This story can inspire aspiring entrepreneurs faced with competition or rejection because it shows that even if you have setbacks or are about to lose hope, you can always come back with a better idea or product that could get your company off the ground.
Breathometer Shark Tank Pitch
The point of a Shark Tank pitch is to attract investors and persuade them that the product or service being pitched has high potential. The dialogue in Breathometer’s Shark Tank Pitch was not enticing enough for viewers, as it did not give evidence why this product needs to exist.
Viewers saw no urgency for Breathometers because they didn’t explicitly target many people with specific health problems such as sleep apnea or diabetes who are prone to hypoglycemia while they’re asleep.
The company would have done well if they had elaborated on how their device could be used before bedtime so that users can make sure their blood glucose level won’t dip too low at night -which may cause falling back into sleep rather than waking up, which then causes serious consequences when using diabetic medication designed strictly for daytime use only.
Breathometer also failed to mention its price point, which is $100, and retailers online told us that shipping costs about $25-$35 (two examples from Amazon).
What You Should Know About The Breathometer
The Breathometer is a device that measures your alcohol level by analyzing your breath. It’s a small, inexpensive product that can monitor a person’s drinking habits, creating an objective and accurate tracking of one’s intake.
The Breathometer can help people make smarter decisions about their health and wellness.
People with diabetes may use the Breathometer to check their blood sugar levels before eating; pregnant people may use the Breathometer to test for fetal alcohol syndrome, and someone recovering from addiction may use the Breathometer as a means of monitoring sobriety.
The Breathometer before Shark Tank
Breathometer is a portable breath analysis program founded by Charles Yim at the end of 2012; he got his idea when he realized there wasn’t a breathalyzer connected to the smartphone market. Early beta trials were given out at SXSW in Austin.
Breathometer only produced one product before appearing on Shark Tank, which was the all-inclusive device known for its breathalyzer function called Breathometer.
Charles first introduced the product and sold it primarily in internet stores and brick-and-mortar businesses. Looking for new ways to expand his business and reach a broader demographic led him to seek high-profile investors like Kevin O’Leary of Shark Tank.
The Breathometer Shark Tank: How Was It?
The Breathometer Shark Tank episode was compelling to watch. The company looked like it had a great product, and was passionate about its invention, but it didn’t take long for the sharks to start turning on them.
They got downvoted by all of the investors until only Barbara Corcoran stayed in as their partner, investing $250k at a 10% equity stake.
The Breathometer Shark Tank was a phenomenal show. It made for some great television, allowing viewers to see firsthand how challenging entrepreneurship can be.
Charles asks the Sharks for $250,000 in exchange for a 10% stake in his company. Before deciding on whether or not to invest, he offers them some champagne and inquires whether they will be able to drive home safely that night.
He likens the Breathometer to large, clunky breathalyzers for driving under the influence. The project was successfully crowdfunded on Indiegogo in March of 2011 after he described its functions.
Lori puts the Breathometer to the test and checks to see if she’s within the legal limit for driving in the .04-.07 range.
Charles put his own $50,000 into the project but still needs more money to produce it. He says that this is not a problem as he has balanced his stress levels by using technology and other resources available around him.
Mark offers $500K for 20% of the business with his eyes peeled for an opportunity. Mark refuses to work with Lori because she wants to team up with him. A million-dollar venture capital round in 60 days is what O’Leary offers Charles for his 15 percent stake in the company.
The group agrees to make a half-million-dollar offer for thirty percent of the company, with Daymond agreeing to give up $250,000 in exchange for 10% and unlimited products.
Then Kevin proposes that Mark and Daymond agree to allow all five sharks into the deal if he parts with 1 million dollars. This is agreed upon by all persons involved except Lori, who has her plans.
Sharks challenge Charles to a duel, and he agrees to split the lion’s share with Mark. Mark will give Charles $300, while sharks chip in another $700K–that’s what Charles claims.
Mark is willing to offer up $500,000 for 15% of the business, and the other Sharks will add another $500k for 30%, making a million-dollar offer.
Charles calls his business partner with concerns about how much they’ll be worth if they sign on with these sharks, but thankfully he’s talking to someone who knows all too well that raising money is hard.
So Charles agrees, and luckily there was already champagne open in honor of him back in the tank.
What Happened To Breathometer After Shark Tank?
The Breathometer segment of episode 529 from season 5 aired just a few months after the original airing. During that episode, Yim realized that he couldn’t keep up with all of the tens of thousands of orders he was getting for The Real Housewives Of Sydney.
The seller is doing well, generating a million dollars in sales. Furthermore, in Season 6, Episode 606, the Sharks get an update about their progress.
One of the newest and coolest inventions is a breath analysis device with Bluetooth capabilities. Yim invented the Breeze while working on an analysis project for Cleveland Clinic in episode 604 update.
The company expects to make $10 million this year, following its announcement at the 2016 CES. You can find them in Brookstone and Best Buy stores across the country. Kim made $1 million in sales with his first update.
You can find out everything that’s happened in Season 2, Episode 207 of Beyond the Tank. Breathometer has been ordered by the Federal Trade Commission to provide refunds for its devices sold between 2013 and 2015.
Breathometer devices frequently understated blood alcohol levels, which the company was aware of. Breathometer decided not to tell its customers about it, even though they continued marketing and selling their products.
Jessica Rich, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, stated that “people relied on the defendant’s products to decide whether it was safe to get behind the wheel.”
It is misleading for companies who place too much weight on how accurate these devices are for consumers when driving.
The company has been developing Mint, their oral health analyzer. However, the breathalyzer app was removed from the App Store, and they have a profit of $5 million per year as of November 2021.
Is Breathometer Still Operating?
Breathometer operated from 2013-to 2015 but switched to Mint in 2015. The Breathometer production was halted the following year due to increased complaints and an FTC investigation; since 2017, the company has essentially been shut down.
Charles reached a settlement with the FTC on April 25th- as part of this agreement, he must contact all customers who purchased his device and offer them a full refund of over 5 million dollars within 30 days of their request for one.
How to Be a Successful Entrepreneur
Several factors come into play when you decide to take on the challenge of starting your own business. It’s easy to feel like an entrepreneur is a lone wolf, going it alone. In reality, successful entrepreneurs have a robust support system behind them.
It would help if you had a solid plan and the determination to see it through. But you also need people who can help you along the way, from personal connections and mentors to investors and partner companies.
As Yim’s story proves, sometimes all it takes for success is one person believing in your idea and giving you a chance. As an aspiring entrepreneur, don’t be afraid to ask for help.
Conclusion
Startup entrepreneurs have many things to consider when starting a company. There are many ways to go about it, some of which will require more time and money than others. However, the most important thing is that you have a plan.
This article will help get you started on your journey as an entrepreneur.
