Oliver Zak - The $50M College Startup That Scored A Shark Tank Deal

In this episode, I sit down with Oliver Zak, co-founder of Mad Rabbit, to break down his journey from launching a DIY skincare product in a crockpot to securing a Shark Tank deal with Mark Cuban and scaling into major retailers like Walmart.We dive deep into:What really happens after a Shark Tank deal and its long-term impactThe business of tattoos and how Mad Rabbit is disrupting an overlooked industryThe power of TikTok, influencers, and affiliate marketing in scaling a DTC brandSucceeding in retail & WalmartRaising venture capital, working with investors, and the lessons learned from Mark CubanHow community-building is at the core of Mad Rabbit’s successOliver doesn’t hold back on the realities of fundraising, navigating competition, and marketing strategies that drive real revenue. If you're an entrepreneur, a brand builder, or just someone interested in scaling a consumer product, this episode is packed with insights you won’t want to miss.00:00 Intro01:00 Early Life and Family Influence02:28 High School and College Ventures04:25 Learnings as a Generalist05:41 Oliver’s First Business06:29 Founding Mad Rabbit07:42 Developing the First Product in a Crockpot08:33 Process for FDA Regulations09:22 Company Breakdown from $0-$3 Million11:00 Shark Tank Experience17:33 Advice for Shark Tank / Raising Capital18:02 Business Behind the Tattoo Industry21:00 What a Shark Tank Deal Looks Like After the Show23:05 Revenue Effects from the Show24:00 VC Effects of Deal with Mark Cuban25:15 Challenges with Raising Money27:18 Communicating with Investors28:10 Advice on Raising Money29:02 Utilizing Investor Money31:06 Working with Walmart33:03 Getting into Walmart / Brokers36:35 Using TikTok to Drive In-Person Sales38:13 Succeeding in Retail42:45 Approach to Competition in the Space44:07 Marketing Mix45:57 Affiliate Program Infrastructure53:22 Incentivizing Affiliates55:57 Tattoo Artist Pro Team58:22 Tips for Building Community1:00:11 Mad Rabbit’s Creative Space1:01:53 Most Impactful Marketing Initiative1:04:57 The First Thing You Should Do to Build Community1:06:30 Biggest Failure1:08:39 Lessons from Mark Cuban1:10:01 Biggest Regret from Raising Money1:10:49 Lightning Round1:15:36 Weapons of Choice1:17:49 How Big Can Mad Rabbit Be?1:18:55 OutroHard Things about Hard Things: https://amzn.to/4bBXhGFInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/olvrzk/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oliverhzak/Website: https://www.madrabbit.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/openresidency/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markmastrandrea/Website: https://openresidency.com/Contact: [email protected] a 30% discount on the best motivational art from IKONICK at https://ikonick.com/openresidency (use code: OPENRESIDENCY30)ChaptersLinks MentionedGuest: Oliver Zak, Co-Founder & CEO of Mad RabbitGet in TouchPowered by IKONICK