Shark Tank Hopefuls Showed Off in Philadelphia

“Shark Tank” came to Philadelphia yesterday, and forward-thinking entrepreneurs were all over the opportunity, bringing their best products and ideas to the XFINITY Live! center. Some were so eager for their shot at a brush with stardom that they camped out at 7pm the evening before, just to be first in line when things got going on Wednesday. In total, more than 300 potential contestants came out with their wares to take a swim with the ubiquitous sharks, or investors, of the hit ABC TV show.

Would-be contestants for “Shark Bait” crammed the auditions on Wednesday.

The news team from ABC6 was there on the scene to get an overview of some potential entrepreneurs. One group they caught up with was the Barney family from Newtown Square, who brought their supposedly revolutionary exercise equipment. “It allows you to engage more with your core and is totally portable,” Stephanie Barney said of the Ab Dominator.

For those with furry friends, Kim Triol returned for a repeat audition with her doggie snack Brewscuits, the all-natural dog treat made here in Philadelphia. Triol has actually faced the sharks several times, but she insists that her persistence will pay off. “We have done it a couple of years ago, but this time we are going to make it. It’s a beer grain dog bone sold here in Philly and across the country right now,” Triol told ABC.

The sharks faced by would-be contestants are not the big names featured on the prime-time show, but local talents like Aaron Krause, the local inventor of the Scrub Daddy. He had this advice for those pitching to be on “Shark Tank:” “To get on ‘Shark Tank,’ it takes the 5 P’s: proper planning prevents poor performance. So you need to study, practice your pitch over and over again, know the sharks, know your audience,” Krause said.

Those who the sharks deemed to be acceptable bait will hear back from the show’s producers in about two weeks.