Wellington entrepreneurs turn seaweed into a multi-shark trade in a "fish tank"
Faran Fagens Palm Beach Post Special
Alexiou Gibson, 30, from Wellington, invested in his own seaweed gel on the ABC reality show Shark Tank
The double-open door opened and a Wellington man in an aquamarine coat smiled as he walked into Shark Tank.
Five of the world's richest investors leaned over to look at him.
"What's wrong with the shark, my name is Alexiou Gibson. I was born and raised in the Bahamas and I am seeking $500,000 to buy a 5% stake in my company. ”
Gibson, 30, a first-generation entrepreneur, started a Transformation factory that produces a series of flavor supplements called seaweed gels that provide a mineral with two teaspoons a day. Gibson said his product is derived from a red seaweed of the same name, which contains 90 percent of the body's essential minerals.
A variety of flavors including strawberry, pineapple and mango are popular among sharks. Lori Greiner likened it to jam, and Mark Cuban said, "It's like a milkshake."
More than a decade ago, Gibson hadn't even started looking for vegan superfoods. Gibson's future path, feared by his doctors, did not bring business opportunities to a television-broadcast investor panel.
At age 19, Gibson weighed more than 500 pounds, and his doctor told him he wouldn't live to be 30 if he didn't make some major changes. Gibson researched ways to support his weight loss and rediscovered the seaweed he loved as a child in the Bahamas.
Alexiou Gibson named his company Transformation Factory because his products helped him transform in his own life.
Incorporating nori into his diet and exercise regimen, he lost more than half of his body weight and was inspired to introduce people to the health benefits of this watery gemstone.
"Seaweed has always been a staple in my culture," said Gibson, who is now a vegetarian. "It can cure and build the immune system."
Its healing power and that of a sick grandmother are what prompted Gibson to build a business around the harvest from the ocean.
To feed her sick grandmother, Gibson began adding nori to her morning coffee and afternoon soup to restore her strength.
He took a photo of her drinking the product and posted it on social media. Soon, nurses tried it and liked it so much that during the pandemic, Gibson began to leave jars at their door.
Nurses and their friends demanded seaweed gel more and more, so he started selling seaweed gel. The business has since grown.
Last month, the prospects for growth in this business were even slimmer. More than 100 friends and family gathered at Lake Mayako Country Club in West Palm Beach to watch his long-awaited Shark Tank
Friends and family gathered at Lake Mayako Country Club in West Palm Beach to watch Alex Hugh Gibson pitch to the Sharks.
When Gibson accepted a deal from Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and comedian Kevin Hart on the silver screen, the country club was filled with applause and cheers.
"Some of them were in tears," Gibson said after the episode aired. "After all the tribulations and tribulations, this is a big breakthrough for me. It proves that everyone believes I'm right. This is also their moment. ”
As happens in this show, manipulation abounds. Hart had tried the product before and loved it. He said he is expanding his health and wellness products and "sees the value of nori seaweed".
Early on, Hart and Shark Barbara Cocoran seemed to work together. But in the end, Hart partnered with The Cuban to offer an investment that could total as much as $600,000.
Gibson saw Cuban vegetarians. He didn't want to lose the NBA icon, and he embraced the offer.
Gibson said: "I never thought I would make a deal with the two biggest sharks on the show. He moved to Wellington in 2018 to provide a better home for his mother.
In the 24 hours after the show aired, nori sold more than $500,000, roughly equivalent to the previous month's sales. This is quite a challenge for a $3.5 million company.
It's a huge reward for a ball that barely airs.
Gibson's footage was filmed last September, and he waits every week. The final episode of the season is May 20th, and if he hadn't been selected for that day's race, it might have been over.
Gibson said: "Just because you made this movie doesn't mean you're going to be on TV. ”。
As a result, he slipped into the season's finale, becoming the only player in the episode to make a deal with the Sharks.
Gibson gave up part of his stake to complete the deal with Cuban and Hart.
Gibson said: "They open the door faster than I can myself. ”。
He plans to use the money to build bigger warehouses, mass-produce robots, expand into other countries, and raise awareness about health.
On 20 May 2022, Wellington resident Alexiou Gibson demonstrated seaweed gel from the transformed factory in Shark Tank
Currently, his factory operates a kitchen where chefs, packers and labellers verify nutrients. UPS is responsible for shipping the goods throughout the country.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the top health agency in the United States, reports that seaweed is considered to have some health benefits, but has not been extensively studied. There is more research behind the benefits of seaweed, "and it is assumed that moss has similar benefits." ”
In the United States, supplements are not regulated by the government, but the public has long craved better healthier products.
Gibson said he hopes to use his relationships with Hart and Cuban to expand his business into retail stores.
After Gibson reached an agreement with Hart and Mark Cuban on a nutritional supplement for seaweed, Alexius Gibson hugged actor Kevin Hart.
The up-and-coming entrepreneur moved from the Bahamas to Palm Beach County in 2010. Prior to forming the company, Gibson interned at nasa in Washington, D.C., helping design and build a prototype vehicle for Mars.
After the Shark Tank deal, both Cuban and Hart embraced the big man.
Gibson said after the show: "I mainly want to work side by side with an investor, make a sponge, and learn as much as I can. ”。
As Gibson closed his coat and walked away through the double doors with his trade, Hart told the other sharks: "The story behind a product makes a project better." ”