Pop Pacifier Went from Making $100K to $1M

When Nicki Radzely appeared on Season 9, Episode 19 of ABC’s Shark Tank, she came on with a product that solved a problem most parents have — keeping their baby’s pacifier clean. Through the creation of the Pop Pacifier, which is designed with a retractable nipple, parents are able to go out without the worry of a fallen pacifier.

After pitching her product and watching the panel of investors or “sharks” light up with amazement, Radzely walked away with a deal from Kevin O’Leary, who commonly refers to himself as "Mr. Wonderful." Here’s a look at what the Pop Pacifier’s sales were before appearing on Shark Tank and how the company is doing in 2022.

When the Pop Pacifier appeared on Shark Tank in January 2018, it was close to the age of a newborn baby, only four months old. Over its short lifespan, the product, which belongs to Doddle & Co., had only sold 25,000 units and earned $117,000.

Despite the low sales and the critical feedback Daymond John had to offer, the Pop Pacifier had made some money and was already being featured in stores like Nordstrom and BuyBuy Baby. After some back and forth with Sara Blakely, founder of Spanx, Lori Greiner, and O'Leary, Pop Pacifier accepted $250,000 from O’Leary for 10 percent of the company.

Radzely later shared on her company’s website that she rejected Greiner and Blakely’s deal ($250,000 for 20 percent) because they “were bad business deals.” The Pop Pacifier founder said the women “offered [her] so little cash for so much equity that the company would have been worth less than before [it] launched the product to begin with.”

Although Radzely had valued her company at $5 million during her Shark Tank appearance, Yahoo says the company had only reached $1 million in sales by October 2018. While the revenue doesn’t quite match the valuation, within months after sealing a deal with O'Leary, the Pop Pacifier watched its sales climb dramatically.

From making a little over $100,000 in sales to $1 million, it’s evident O'Leary’s expertise and investment served Radzely's business well.