Shelton Family Appears On Shark Tank

SHELTON, CT — The Naqvi family gave it their all with an energetic pitch on ABC’s Shark Tank, but in the end none of the sharks took a bite. The episode aired Sunday night after being filmed last year.

Parents Hamza and Amanda along with their children Mickey, 12, Ayaan, 10 and Sofia, 7, pitched their Kudo Banz product, which is aimed at children ages 3 to 10-years-old. It functions as an ever-present sticker chart to reward children for good behavior.

The family asked for a $150,000 investment in exchange for 10 percent equity in the company, which places it at a valuation of $1.5 million. The family lives in Shelton and the company is headquartered in Trumbull.

"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 before the episode aired in an interview with Patch.

Shark Kevin O’Leary was impressed by the number of awards the product has garnered so far, but worried that the company wasn’t worth $1.5 million yet because its sales so far were only around $80,000.

Related: Shelton Family To Appear On 'Shark Tank'

“Look i just think it’s too early,” O’Leary said. “I can’t go down the path with you.”

Mickey made a passionate argument, citing Kudo Banz profit margins and number of patents. He also said his mother Amanda’s company PaperRamma, which sells backdrops for bridal showers and other special events is a top seller on Etsy. The company has more than 54,000 sales and an average rating of five out of five stars, according to the company’s profile.

Shark Daymond John complimented Mickey for his spirited pitch.

“I really like the way that you stood up for yourself, you’re doing better than most of the adults that pitch here,” John said. “You’re gonna be a future shark.”

Shark Marc Cuban said it wasn’t a question of whether the company would be successful, but how the road ahead could have some tough challenges. He congratulated the family on their accomplishments.

The family didn’t view the lack of investment as a defeat.

“We’re going to take this negative and turn it into a giant positive, in a way it’s a gift that they gave us, because now we are out there to prove ourselves,” Amanda said.