Shelton Family To Appear On ‘Shark Tank’

SHELTON, CT — The Naqvi family will appear on Shark Tank Sunday March 17 where they pitched Kudo Banz, a product that helps positively reinforce good behavior in children. The family lives in Shelton and the company is based in Trumbull.

Parents Hamza and Amanda along with their children Mickey, 12, Ayaan, 10 and Sofia, 7 made their pitch to the sharks last year. The whole family are long time Shark Tank fans and the kids often spot Shark Tank pitched items while out shopping.

“Being face-to-face with your role models you've seen on TV for 10 years and pitching your product, it’s one of those experiences you remember for the rest of your life,” Hamza said.

Mickey and Ayaan were confident during their part of the pitch. Sofia, who was only 6-years-old at the time of filming was a little overwhelmed, but she did great, Amanda said.

The family made the decision to try out for the show in Pittsburgh after getting encouragement from several of their friends and family members, Hamza said.

To see the outcome we’ll have to watch the episode March 17 on ABC, but Hamza said the family was pleased with the outcome and they wouldn’t change a thing about the experience.

Kudo Banz was launched in June 2017 and is aimed at children ages 3 to 10-years-old. It works like a sticker chart to reward children for good behavior, but has the added benefit of always being present. Good behavior is rewarded with a Kudo charm. The third Kudo is embedded with an AR code that can be scanned with the Kudo Banz app that makes the character come alive. Kids also get to spin a customizable reward wheel. The kudo charms aren’t taken away when a child misbehaves in order to reinforce a positive association.

The idea for Kudo Banz started when Amanda tried searching for an alternative to sticker charts and apps that were essentially digital versions of sticker charts.

“It’s not just a product and building a company, it’s about building kids up positively so they can go on to achieve their dreams and goals,” Amanda said.

Kudo Banz also helps parents by allowing them to parent more positively with less yelling and time-outs, she said.

It isn’t the family’s first foray into business. Amanda has run her own company PaperRamma since 2008. The company creates custom artwork for homes, nurseries and weddings.

Hamza worked in the hedge fund industry for about a decade, but left to focus full-time on Kudo Banz.

The Kudo Banz starter pack is $29.95. It comes with two bands, four kudos, two magical kudos, a storybook and a carrying pouch. There is also a potty training-themed package and other potential life milestone packages may be developed down the road.