Tranquilo update after $1.3 Million valuation and sale to Baby Boom

Do you have a fussy baby who’s breaking the tranquility in your home? Don’t you wish there was something that can instantly soothe them?

That’s exactly what you and your baby can have with the Tranquilo Mat, a product featured in the Shark Tank TV show which gained a substantial investment from Shark Robert Herjavec.

Tranquilo Mat (Shark Tank Highlights)

What is the Tranquilo Mat?

The Tranquilo Mat, a brainchild of inventor Melissa Gersin, is a baby mat that uses different levels of vibrations to mimic the same vibrations in the womb. This activates the baby’s calming response and soothes them to supposedly help babies sleep better.

Gersin realized the need for such product as she tried to address the number one challenge of having a fussy or colicky baby. As a maternity nurse, she had been teaching new parents how to calm their newborn babies and help them achieve better sleep.

When Gersin appeared in Shark Tank, she explained that studies have shown that vibrations and white noise can help keep babies calm and help them sleep.

How does the Tranquilo Mat work?

The Tranquilo Mat can be used with a push of a button. Apart from laying it on the bed or crib, parents can also use the small Tranquilo Mat in strollers, baby carriers and car seats.

As a certified infant crying specialist, Gersin learned from years of experience that the best way to calm an infant is to recreate sounds and motions like the conditions in the mother’s womb. 

Here’s a video of Gersin explaining the functions of her invention Tranquilo Mat.

What were the Sharks’ offers for Tranquilo?

Sharks Daymond John, Kevin O’Leary, and Robert Herjavec all made an offer to Gersin, inventor of Tranquilo Baby Mats, who pitched on Shark Tank with an ask of $100,000 for 10% equity in her company. 

“I know the secret to stop any fussy baby’s wails,” she claimed, a statement that surely got the attention of any parent with a newborn. She went on to show a video of a red-faced crying baby that calmed down within seconds on a Tranquilo Mat.

“That’s crazy,” said Mark Cuban, amazed at how quickly the baby’s mood changed.

“You have one big enough for me?” Cuban joked.

The rest of the judges laughed in amusement. Samples in hand, the Sharks visibly enjoyed the feeling of the soothing vibrations of the Tranquilo Mat.

Shark Daymond John asked if Gersin had a patent on the product. She replied that she has a utility patent on the layout of motors on the mat. This, and the amount of sales they had in the first 7 months, justified the $1 million valuation of the company that Gersin declared to the Sharks. 

The Tranquilo Mat inventor infomed the Sharks that the mats cost her $20 to make. At the time of airing of the episode, the Tranquilo Mat retailed at $85. Gersin said according to their market testing, they can sell for up to $99. 

When asked if she can lower the price point further, Gersin replied that they could but chose to be a premium product. She also said that because she takes her oath as a nurse seriously, she did not want to sell a cheaply-made product.

It was Shark Daymond John who made the first offer with $100,000 in exchange for 20% equity, contingent with licensing.

Shark Kevin O’Leary offered $250,000 for 25% with the condition that Gersin stopped working as a nurse. O’Leary’s offer is considerably more money, saying it would be great for supplementing her income as a nurse and for adding inventory.

For a second, Gersin looked slightly flustered. She then laid down her counter offer of $200,000 for 15% equity, saying if any Shark had that offer, she would take it in a second.

O’Leary responded to the counter offer saying, “No, you’ve raised the value, Melissa, that doesn’t make sense to me.”

He then proceeded to change his offer to $200,000 for 20% equity. He also added that he is the best shot among the Sharks because of his network and other online businesses.

Did Tranquilo get a deal on Shark Tank?

Yes, the Tranquilo Mat founder successfully closed the deal with Robert Herjavec in her appearance on the Shark Tank episode.

After the initial offers made by Sharks Daymond John and Kevin O’Leary, Shark Mark Cuban declared that he was out. Daymond eventually decided that he was also out because he observed that Gersin seemed to be an indecisive person.

O’Leary reiterated his offer, but stated that if Gersin cannot agree with his offer, then his offer was off the table. He asked Shark Lori Greiner for her offer, who then passed the question on to Shark Robert Herjavec.

The Canadian businessman and investor first thanked Gersin for being a nurse. He continued, saying he thinks the product is great and that she is a great businesswoman.

Herjavec went back to Gersin’s counter offer of $200,000 for 15%, asking her if she would take the deal in a second if it was offered. Gersin nodded, saying “In a second.”

“That’s my offer,” said Herjavec.

Without blinking, Gersin replied, “Done.” 

What happened to Tranquilo after Shark Tank?

After appearing on the season eight of Shark Tank, sales for the Tranquilo Mat immediately grew from 2,000 units to 10,000 units within months, benefiting from the “Shark Tank effect.” Later on, Tranquilo joined the 2017 ABC Kids Expo. 

Since the Shark Tank episode, the company has also expanded their product line. The Tranquilo Mat now comes in two sizes, the original small size and a large mat. They also released different designs for their mat covers. 

The biggest news about Tranquilo is that in 2018, Tranquilo Inc. was acquired by Baby Boom Consumer Products, the baby division of the Betesh Group. Gersin is no longer involved in the company, but she likely made a lot of money from the sale of her company to Baby Boom Consumer Products. The value of the deal was not disclosed.

“I’m excited to have sold “my baby” to Baby Boom so that they can bring this unique and effective sleep solution to parents around the world,” said Tranquilo founder Gersin in a press statement.

Is Tranquilo still in business today?

Yes, Tranquilo is alive and very much in business today. Recently, Tranquilo partnered with Lauren Piccirillo, creator of Baby Soothe Massager, 2019. The Tranquilo Mat and Baby Soothe Massager are currently sold on the official Tranquilo website and on Amazon under Baby Boom Consumer Products.

The Tranquilo small mat is being sold at a retail price of $80.00 on Amazon, while the Tranquilo Safe Sleep Swaddle Blanket is being sold for $30. Other Tranquilo products are also available for sale on their official Amazon page.

After selling the company Tranquilo Inc., inventor and CEO Melissa Gersin became the Director of Product Development for Baby Brezza.

She has since married and is now based in Germany. According to her LinkedIn, she is currently a start-up consultant for MG Scully, Inc, offering her advice to startup based on her own experiences with Tranquilo Inc.

How much is Tranquilo worth now?

When Gersin appeared on Shark Tank, she valued the company at $1 million. Robert Herjavec’s investment increased Tranquilo’s net worth at $1.3 million.

After being acquired by with Baby Boom Consumers Products, the current net worth of Tranquilo is now undisclosed. However, based on the the continuing rise in sales of the Tranquilo Mat and its other products, it is safe to assume that it is now well past the $1.3 million valuation.

Herjavec likely achieved a high return on investment (ROI) on his original $200,000 investment after the sale of the Tranquilo company to Baby Boom Consumers Products.

Lessons from Tranquilo on Shark Tank

Melissa Gersin walked into the Shark Tank prepared and confident about her product and the numbers for her business. 

In the episode, Gersin showed that she studied the Sharks before going into the Tank. When handing out the samples, she gave one in the complete package to Lori Greiner who she knew loved packaging.

She impressed the Sharks by the fact that she went all in into her business when she spent her inheritance money and sold her home. She also stated that she was willing to quit her regular  job as a maternity nurse to focus on the business. 

Equally impressive was how she was able to start the company and develop the product on her own. She even secured a utility patent for her invention to protect her and her product.

However, she was not prepared by the varying counter offers of the Sharks and it showed. She lost Daymond John’s offer because he thought she seemed like she was not a decisive person. Make sure to be prepared to receive and consider the potential offers that the Sharks could give you. Try your best not to show that you are flustered by the offers, no matter how surprising it may be.

Gersin redeemed herself by confidently stating her counter offer. Luckily, Robert Herjavec saw the potential in her and the product and gave her a generous offer. In the end, Gersin’s Tranquilo mats was successful in helping soothe crying babies while making Gersin laugh all the way to the bank because of the success of Tranquilo.

Image credits: Shark Tank/ABC