FairyTail Pet Care: 3 Things You Didn't Know About The Shark Tank Product
Your wedding is a day to share with all the loved ones in your life, so why shouldn't your furry friends be included in the festivities? Now they can with FairyTail Pet Care, the first wedding pet care company in the U.S.
On their own, weddings can be strenuous enough to organize, and taking care of your pet on top of it all is no walk in the park. That's where FairyTail's extensive services come in. The company not only decorates your dog or cat with stylish collars, leashes, and harnesses but also sends out a team of pet care providers to attend to them during the event while also coordinating with the vendors. They also provide additional services such as overnight care, videography, photo shoots, rehearsal care, and more.
The concept may seem odd to non-pet owners, but there is certainly a market need. A 2022 survey conducted by Amazon revealed that 60% of dog owners know of someone who has had their pooch in attendance at their wedding. But will that be enough to get an investor on board when FairyTail Pet Care heads into the "Shark Tank?" As fans sit and stay to discover the outcome, let's first uncover all there is to know about the service.
Breaking into the wedding industry took some time
FairyTail Pet Care was founded by entrepreneurs Kelly Nova and Ilana Karcinski. Friends since they were 13, the pair shared many of the same life experiences with one another. They adopted their three dogs and future FairyTail mascots Grizzie, Rowdie, and Cooper while they were roommates at Florida State University. It was while working together at the Hilton Tampa Westshore that they discovered a need for a pet care service within the wedding industry.
Introducing an entirely new faction to the wedding industry was no easy task. "As the nation's first wedding pet care company, those early days were all about education," Karcinski stated in an informational video. "As you can imagine, if someone was struggling with this problem, their first thought was not 'let me look up a wedding pet care company.' Wedding pet care companies weren't even a thing." The beginning stages of FairyTail largely consisted of informing customers and wedding vendors alike about their unique offerings. It took a few years for the team to finally start seeing some traction, but the avid animal lovers were eventually able to pursue the venture full time.
Seven years into the venture, FairyTail had grown enough that they were able to start franchising the business. Their first location outside of Florida was in Nevada with former handlers Lyric and Heba Russell becoming the first franchise owners. FairyTail currently operates in Tampa Bay and West Palm Beach, Florida as well as Las Vegas, Nevada, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with prices ranging between $500 and $750 depending on the location.
They help pets in need
Aiding pets and their owners on the big day is not the only community service FairyTail Pet Care provides. Given that founders Kelly Nova and Ilana Karcinski rescued their own dogs from animal shelters, it only makes sense that their company would find ways of giving back to these invaluable organizations. A portion of all proceeds from FairyTail Pet Care goes towards aiding animal shelters and helping pets find their forever homes. Since starting the company, the team has donated over $20,000 to various animal rescues on top of volunteering countless hours to these causes.
For weddings in the Tampa Bay area, buyers even have the option of including adoptable pets in their event. There are several ways to go about this, such as scheduled cuddle breaks and having the bridal party replace their flower bouquets with adoptable puppies. In any instance, handlers are responsible for the four to five puppies or kittens brought to the event for up to two hours and ensure that they are integrated organically into the proceedings. The service not only gives attendees the chance to bond and potentially take home a new furry friend, but it also aids in socializing the animals, making them more adoptable in the process.
Mark Cuban has some high praise for the company
The FairyTail Pet Care team has been especially active across their Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook accounts in advertising their upcoming "Shark Tank" appearance. Similarly, longtime "Shark Tank" investor Mark Cuban sang the praises of the company ahead of the episode's airing.
During a "Good Morning America" interview that shared a preview clip of FairyTail's "Shark Tank" segment, the billionaire Dallas Mavericks owner shared why he's a fan of FairyTail, saying, "I mean one, it fills a need, right? I mean dealing with your pets can be a real hassle — when you have someone there to help you out, that's a big bonus. They were great entrepreneurs, they cared, they were excited, so those are all the things you want to see in a business."
Outside of select ventures such as the dog food brand Wild Earth, Cuban is not well-known for investing in pet companies to the extent of other sharks such as Daymond John, so going out of his way to commend FairyTail is interesting to see.
What happened to FairyTail Pet Care on Shark Tank?
Self-described "crazy dog ladies" and Florida State University grads Ilana Karcinski and Kelly Nova enter the "Shark Tank" in the hopes of partnering with one of the five finned financiers on the panel. For the low price of $75,000, a Shark can own 10% of FairyTail Pet Care, and, more importantly, begin spreading "pawsitivty" across America.
This out-of-the-kennel company seems to be capturing the imagination of the room, with Mark Cuban heaping praise on the concept. But a smart idea isn't always a smart investment. Even with a savvy nationwide franchising play already in the works, the Dallas Mavericks owner can't see his way to a sizable return even if the business were to go off without a hitch. Without an attractive enough scaling opportunity, Cuban goes out — as does Lori Greiner and Robert Herjavec, for almost identical reasons.
Of course, never missing a chance to bring up her investment in Cousins Maine Lobster, Barbara Corcoran inquires if the aforementioned franchising play will focus on the quality of their prospective partners (like the famous "Shark Tank" lobster truck) or merely the quantity (like a number of her previous failed ventures). The entrepreneurs reveal that out of 100 applicants, only five were selected to help spread the FairyTail Pet Care mission. Impressed by their selectiveness, Corcoran offers them $75,000 for 25%, and after negotiating the equity ask down to 22%, Karcinski and Nova accept.