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Pennsylvania connections to 'Shark Tank'
GIINA LAZZARI
Fox Chapel native Lani Lazzari, 22, (right) founded Simple Sugars, a company that creates a handmade, all natural skincare product line specially formulated for sensitive skin. The products will be that will be sold at the company’s new warehouse in RIDC Park, O’Hara from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 26 at 207 Sigma Dr. Customers will receive a 20 percent discount. Simple Sugars has been featured on ABC’s “Shark Tank” and backed by Mt. Lebanon native and investor Mark Cuban (pictured with Lazzari). It celebrated its 10th anniversary in July. This event is in conjunction with Small Business Saturday.
Today might have been the first open casting call for “Shark Tank” in Pittsburgh, but people from Western Pennsylvania and other locations in the state have found success with the “Sharks.”
• Lani Lazzari, a Fox Chapel native, appeared on the show in 2013 when she was 19 to promote Simple Sugars (simplesugarsskincare.com), an all-natural skin-care company, especially for sensitive skin. She walked away with $100,000 from billionaire Mark Cuban — in exchange for a 33 percent stake — and turned the company into a successful business.
• Michael Robb, a Pittsburgh attorney and co-founder of Beer Blizzard, got funding for Beer Blizzard (beerblizzard.com), reusable, freezable gel packs that fit into the space at the bottom of every beer can to keep the beer cold, on a 2016 “Shark Tank” episode.
• Jim Tselikis and Sabin Lomac, of Los Angeles, were successful on a 2013 episode touting their Cousins Maine Lobster (cousinsmainlobster.com), a company that brings Maine Lobster to your neighborhood and will be part of Pittsburgh Food Truck Park in Millvale, which has a kickoff event April 6-8.
Also funded on the show
• Heather Stenlake, owner of Bridal Buddy (bridalbuddy.net), Trexlertown, Lehigh County, a slip that helps brides and women in special occasion gowns go to the bathroom
• Marix Stone, owner of Hells Bells Customs (hellsbellscustoms.com), Philadelphia, custom bike helmets
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