Group Members________________________________________ Block __________________
Shark Tank – Mini Golf Hole Project (Criteria D)
Challenge:
Your job is to brainstorm, develop, and create a playable crazy golf hole using household items. I will supply these items
(putters, golf balls). Your hole needs to stay within the template shared in class. Be creative; use your imagination and
work together to design a miniature golf hole that will be challenging and fun, while testing players putting skills and
accuracy.
The 2nd part of the project will be to devise a sales “pitch” describing your golf hole idea in order to get the “Shark” (Mr.
Catchpole) to invest in your golf hole.
 In small groups (no more than 4) brainstorm and diagram 3 mini-golf holes that you can make and play in class
(only making 1 for sales pitch).
 Diagrams should include:
* Difficulty level (par – how many strokes it should take to get the golf ball in the cup)
* Basic game-play rules
* Obstructions / challenging parts to the hole
* Unique features (what household items could be used to create the hole?)
Shark Tank Group Pitch
 Should be 2-3 minutes in length and include all members
 Business attire (first impressions and professional delivery of pitch)
 Rehearsed script that mirrors Shark Tank concept
 Introduce group members, each person’s background, and creative name of golf hole
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Demonstrate your hole and explain different parts
Functionality (Is the hole fun, easy to play, challenging enough for players)
Aesthetically pleasing (is your hole inviting, does it look good?)
 How much $$$ are you seeking and what % are you willing to give up to the Shark in order to make a deal?
 What will the money be used for?
 What makes your hole unique? Is there a clear concept / theme for your golf hole (i.e. Pirates Cove, Magical,
NASCAR theme etc)
 Target audience (Is your hole suitable for all ages? Are there alternative routes to the hole for all ability levels?)
 How was your hole developed? What household items were used?
 How could your hole be reproduced so that it could be distributed to a wider market?
Group Members________________________________________ Block __________________
Shark Tank Sample questions that you need to be prepared for:
Be prepared to answer 3-4 of the below questions
1 – What is unique about your product / golf hole?
This question comes up at least once every episode. This, to me, is the most important question that gets asked.
Is there something proprietary about your product or service? Why couldn’t one of the investors just start
something similar on their own, with their own money and 100% ownership? Why can’t someone easily rip this off
or duplicate it? If nothing about your business is unique, then it’s going to be hard to get an investment. And note:
if there is something incredibly unique about YOU and you are the face of the brand,that can count.
2 – What do your sales numbers look like? (Use imagination here)
Know your sales information inside and out. If you don’t have any sales, then why is your business worth
anything? If you do have sales, does the amount you’re asking for match up with the valuation of your business?
Investors want to add to something that already has momentum. This is key for them since priority number one is
getting a return on their investment.
3 –How much does it cost to play your hole?
It’s one thing to have sales. It’s another to have actual profits. Good sales numbers plus a healthy profit margin
equals great things for both you and your investors.
4 – How much of your own money do you have invested into this business?
If you don’t have any money invested in something you say you believe in, why should an investor give you their
money with blind faith?
5 – How much debt do you have?
Debt gets added to valuation of company. For example, someone looking for 50% partner at $100k is valuing their
company at $200k, but if they already have $100k of debt they are valuing the company at $300k, thus making
the shark’s cash investment worth much less.
6 – Is your idea patented?
If you have a product that is truly unique, is it protected?
Group Members________________________________________ Block __________________
7 – Are you willing to send production off-shore?
In terms of increasing both scalability and profit margin, is this a USA-only product or are you okay with going
overseas? It’s okay to be USA-only, but be firm in WHY you are choosing this option.
8 – How will your product be distributed?
Is this something people primarily buy through your website, or is it more likely to be found in a physical retail
location? What types of retail locations? How will you get it there?
9 – How do we get this to (or find) your target market? What your marketing strategy?
You’d better know who your target market is and as many statistics as you can in terms of spending habits, brand
loyalty, etc.
10 – How many competitors do you have? What does your putt-putt have that others don’t?
Know your competitors just as well as you know your target market. If there is a lot of competition in your target
market, that could signal trouble to a potential investor.
11 – How many total owners are there?
Do you have 100% ownership of the business? Investors are going to want to know who they are sharing
ownership with and who has the most control.
12 – What skills do YOU have that are going to make this golf hole a success?
Investors are not only buying into your business, they’re also investing in you. What are you doing with your
business already that is going to make them want to partner with you? Is it you work ethic, creativity, financial
know-how, forecasting, or just plain personality and likability? Know what you bring to the table, and be confident
in that.
13 – Finally, what are you going to do with this investment?
There are two reasons people are generally on Shark Tank: 1) they’re looking for additional cash to develop their
business, and 2) they’re looking for a business partner who knows their stuff and can provide valuable advice.
Number two is a given as each investor on the show has already proven their know-how by earning millions on
their businesses. So if you get an investment, how are you going to put it to use? Will you be expanding your
inventory? Will it be used for marketing and advertising? Know exactly how you plan to use the investment, but
also be open to suggestions from your investor’s proven expertise.
Group Members________________________________________ Block __________________