Mallory and Madison Boyd were just kids when they walked into the Tank. Seriously, they were 10 and 12. Most adults can't handle a boardroom, let alone a panel of multi-millionaires under hot studio lights. But they did it. They pitched Angels and Tomboys, a fragrance and body care line specifically for "tween" girls who didn't feel like they fit into the ultra-glittery, bubblegum-pink world of traditional beauty products.
The pitch was legendary. Mark Cuban and Daymond John ended up in a bidding war.
Success is rarely a straight line. People often search for "Shark Tank Angels and Tomboys" wanting to know if they became the next Billion Dollar Brand or if they just fizzled out like so many other TV-hyped products. The reality is somewhere in the middle. It’s a story of early hype, a massive celebrity investment, and the brutal reality of scaling a retail business when the founders are still finishing high school.
Why the Angels and Tomboys Shark Tank Pitch Worked
When the Boyd sisters and their mother, Oyauma Garrison, walked into Season 8, they had a clear problem to solve. They realized that girls their age were stuck between "baby" products and adult perfumes that smelled like heavy musk or chemicals. They wanted something that smelled like lemonade or cinnamon buns. But more importantly, they wanted a brand that acknowledged that "tomboy" isn't a bad word. It’s an identity.
Mark Cuban and Daymond John saw the same thing: a massive, underserved niche.
The "tween" market is notoriously difficult to capture. You have to appeal to the kid’s sense of "cool" while convincing the parent that the product is safe and worth the $12 to $15 price tag. Most brands fail because they try too hard. Angels and Tomboys felt authentic because it was actually created by the target demographic.
During the episode, the sisters asked for $50,000 for a 20% stake. It wasn't a crazy valuation. They weren't asking for millions based on "projected" sales. They had real revenue—about $59,000 at the time—and they had a personality that couldn't be faked.
Daymond John initially offered $50,000 for 33.3%. Then Mark Cuban jumped in. Eventually, the two Sharks did something they rarely do: they teamed up. They agreed to invest $60,000 for a 33.3% stake, split between them.
The Daymond John and Mark Cuban Effect
Getting a deal on Shark Tank is like pouring jet fuel on a campfire.
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The immediate aftermath of the episode, which aired in 2016, was predictably chaotic. Their website crashed. Orders flooded in. They went from a small local operation in Memphis to a national brand overnight. Daymond John, in particular, took a shine to the brand. He often talks about his "Shark Tank kids," and the Boyd sisters were at the top of that list.
But here is the thing about Shark Tank deals: they don't always close exactly as seen on TV.
The due diligence process after the cameras stop rolling is where many deals die. However, for Angels and Tomboys, the partnership with Daymond John became a cornerstone of their growth. He provided more than just the $30k check; he provided the infrastructure. We’re talking about supply chain management, retail connections, and marketing strategy that a middle-schooler simply doesn't have in their toolkit.
Scaling the "Tomboy" Aesthetic
The brand's core message was "All girls are created equal, but we’re born different."
This wasn't just a slogan. It resonated during a time when the "girl boss" and "empowerment" movements were hitting their peak. By offering scents like "Deep Fried Oreos" and "Lemonade Doughnuts," they tapped into a sensory nostalgia that worked for both kids and nostalgic adults.
Honestly, the product was solid. The lotions and body sprays were paraben-free and vegan-friendly, which helped satisfy the "Mom" gatekeeper. But as any entrepreneur will tell you, having a good product is only about 20% of the battle. The rest is logistics.
The Struggles of a "Kid-Preneur" Business
Running a business while being a minor is an absolute nightmare.
Think about it. You have to deal with school, homework, and being a kid, but you also have to jump on a 2:00 PM conference call with retail buyers or check inventory levels for a holiday rush. Oyauma Garrison, their mother, was the backbone of the operational side, but the "Shark Tank effect" eventually wears off.
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You can't live on TV fame forever.
By 2019 and 2020, the brand faced the same issues many small businesses do: rising shipping costs and the pivot to a digital-first economy. While they had some success in retail—appearing in boutiques and participating in major trade shows—maintaining the momentum required constant innovation.
Some people noticed that the social media presence for Angels and Tomboys became less frequent over time. This led to rumors. People started asking: "Are they out of business?" "Did the Sharks pull out?"
The truth is less dramatic. The sisters grew up.
When you start a business at 10, your interests change by the time you're 18. Madison and Mallory didn't just want to be "the girls from Shark Tank" forever. They pursued their education and other interests, while the brand transitioned into a different phase of its lifecycle.
Where is Angels and Tomboys Today?
As of late 2025, the brand exists in a much more "boutique" capacity than the global empire some predicted.
The website has gone through various iterations, sometimes appearing "sold out" or under maintenance, which is usually a sign of a brand restructuring or shifting to a direct-to-consumer model that isn't focused on mass-market volume. They moved away from the aggressive growth phase and into a more sustainable, smaller-scale operation.
It's a classic Shark Tank outcome that people rarely talk about. Not every company becomes a $100 million exit. Some companies provide a great income for a family for several years, teach the founders invaluable lessons, and then naturally scale down as the founders' lives evolve.
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The Legacy of the Pitch
Even if Angels and Tomboys isn't on every shelf in Target today, its impact was massive for a few reasons:
- Representation: They were young Black female founders in a space (beauty/fragrance) often dominated by massive corporations.
- Market Validation: They proved that "tweens" didn't just want adult-lite products; they wanted things made specifically for their weird, transitional age.
- The "Daymond" Blueprint: This deal cemented Daymond John's reputation as the "people's Shark" who was willing to mentor very young entrepreneurs.
Lessons for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
If you’re looking at Angels and Tomboys as a case study, there are a few blunt truths to take away.
First, don't underestimate the power of a "Why." The Boyd sisters didn't just sell spray; they sold the idea that being a tomboy was cool and that you didn't have to choose between being a girl and being active or "different." That emotional hook is what got Mark and Daymond to open their wallets.
Second, the "Shark Tank" bump is a double-edged sword. If you aren't ready for 100,000 people to visit your site in ten minutes, you'll lose more money in bad PR and crashed servers than you'll make in sales. The Garrison-Boyd family handled this better than most, largely because they had their mother's professional background to lean on.
Third, exit strategies matter. Whether it's selling the company or just letting it transition as the founders grow up, knowing when to shift gears is a sign of a smart founder, not a failing one.
Actionable Steps for Building a Lifestyle Brand
If you're trying to replicate the success of a brand like this, you need a specific roadmap. It's not enough to have a cute idea. You need to nail the "Tween" or niche demographic with precision.
- Define your "Anti-Persona": Angels and Tomboys succeeded because they knew exactly who they weren't—they weren't the "princess" brand. Who is your brand actively rejecting?
- Focus on Sensory Marketing: For fragrance and beauty, the "unboxing" and the initial scent hit are everything. If you're selling online, your descriptions need to be visceral. Use words like "bursting," "zesty," or "warm" to bridge the gap since the customer can't smell the screen.
- Micro-Influencers over Mega-Stars: The Boyd sisters were their own influencers. If you aren't the face of the brand, find 10-15 people with 5,000 followers who genuinely love your niche. Their conversion rate will be 10x higher than a celebrity's.
- Secure the Supply Chain Early: The biggest killer of Shark Tank brands is the inability to restock. Before you go "big," ensure your manufacturer can handle a 500% increase in volume without the quality dropping.
- Prioritize Email Lists: Social media algorithms change. Instagram might hide your posts tomorrow. But an email list of customers who bought your "Lemonade Doughnut" spray is an asset you own forever.
The story of the Shark Tank angels and tomboys is ultimately one of empowerment. It showed a generation of girls that they didn't have to wait until they were "adults" to start a company or negotiate with billionaires. Whether the brand is a household name in ten years or a fond memory of a successful childhood venture, the blueprint they left behind for young, diverse founders is permanent.
Check your current product-market fit by asking ten people in your target demographic—not your friends—what they hate about current options. That's where your "Angels and Tomboys" moment begins.