‘Shark Tank’: Why these toothpaste company founders turned down a 6-figure deal with Mark Cuban

It’s not every day someone turns down a six-figure investment from Mark Cuban on ABC’s “Shark Tank.” But two entrepreneurs did just that on Friday’s episode. 

Asher Hunt and Lindsay McCormick, founders of Bite Toothpaste Bits, asked the Sharks for a $325,000 investment in return for a 5% stake in their company – but Cuban wanted a larger piece of their business, and the co-founders were not prepared to give more than what they offered. 

McCormick was inspired to create their small toothpaste tablets while traveling for work. 

“I went through those little toothpaste tubes, and I was like, ‘This is so wasteful.’ So, I started looking into alternatives, and that’s when I learned about all the nasty chemicals that are in most toothpaste,” she told the Sharks during the episode.

“And I don’t want those in my body. I started looking into how I could make my own.”

Bite Toothpaste Bits are sold in glass bottles, and each are made with gluten-free and vegan ingredients, according to the company’s site.